New LLC (or entity) for motivated seller website?

[Scott Boeser]

While I don't want to be over-complicating things, I did want to make sure that I was doing the right thing (so I don't get dinged by the IRS, or worse... a LAWSUIT). 

My company, as you can see below, is Capitol Wealth Builders, LLC. I market this company to other investors that are looking to wholesale deals, as well as use this company when buying properties to rehab.

I recently signed up for Lead Propeller where they give you 3 websites. I've set up one website as my "buying" website. That website I've got the domain www.SellHomeNowDMV.com, where I'm looking for motivated sellers in the DMV (DC/MD/VA) region. My other website is for wholesaling and listing properties I'm rehabbing. While I don't have any active deals right now, my domain here is my company name: www.capitolwealthbuilders.com

My predicament is this... I don't have "SellHomeNowDMV" protected by an entity, but not sure I do. Thoughts? Secondly, I'm trying to avoid marketing to these motivated sellers as a "hoity toity" real estate investment firm called "Capitol Wealth Builders" when I'm trying to buy their property for steep discounts, and felt "SellHomeNowDMV" could just be a domain I own and do business as when marketing to these folks (postcards, craigslist, yellow letters, etc.). 

For your savvy investors out there... Do I need to protect this website and this phrase that I'm doing business as, or can I leave it alone and when I enter into a purchase agreement with the property owner, list my business as "Capitol Wealth Builders, LLC" there?

I realize that maybe these are questions for a lawyer, but just based on your experiences, what have some of your learned? 

[Curt Smith]

Start doing deals first. Don't wast your focus on entities!!! After you have a reliable deal flow then worry about mainly tax advantages wholesaling or flipping in the name of an LLC taxed as an S corp to leverage additional expenses you can deduct inspite of paying out half of your profits as W2 paying FICA etc. You can make up for the higher tax paid with much higher deductions. But to undersand how to do this you need to be down the road a few years and have expenses in excess of some amount as a percent of your income.

Near term do everything in your name and don't expect to deduct milage driving to potential deals, that is on your own dime.