Newbie Dives into Residential Assisted Living Facilities

[Paula Willis]

I've gotten interested in Residential Assisted Living Facilities (RALs or RALFs). Gene Guarino has been doing a great job of selling the idea. So I'm in!

But I'm a newbie to real estate, and the more I learn the more intimidated I feel. I'll be starting a new business, licensing, buying property, rehabbing, staffing, marketing, etc. When I looked into opening RALs in North Carolina, where I live, I learned that all new RALs here for over 6 people require a CON, a Certificate Of Need. The CON application alone is a sweet nonrefundable $5,000 to $50,000. And our region's analyst, the one that reviews the CONs, told me "...no application would be accepted..."

She's harshing my buzz!

Rewind! I should follow Gene's example. He started by buying an existing facility. So I went online to find them. Thank goodness there is a directory of licensed RALs online on my state website. I'll be calling!

Surprise! I was checking out prices for a facility on SeniorAdvisor.com (had to give my name, email and phone number), and got a call _one_second_ after I hit enter. I kid you not! 

Now that's customer service!