Using entities to buy properties

[Jeremy Swathwood]

Hi all - 

I'm looking for our first investment property. 41 years old, mid-career, and saved enough money to begin thinking ahead w/ some rental properties, or fix / flip. I have an LLC (just formed - haven't used it yet), and have a Trust formed for personal estate planning.

If I were to buy a property, would I need to buy it personally? Or could I buy it into an LLC with me as the personal guarantor? Or buy it personally and flip it into our Trust, like we did our own personal residence?

What options are available / best to segregate, or protect my personal balance sheet from investment properties?  Thanks.  

[Russ Draper]

If you can finance the entire thing yourself, you can buy in the name of the LLC (I would do that). If you need to use a bank/mortgage they will want the mortgage in your name, then the common practice is to quitclaim it into the name of the LLC.