All Forum Posts by: Diane Cohn

This article covers all the ways you can store gold, from backyard burial to secret safes to professional storage abroad: https://goldsilver.com/blog/how-to-store-gold-at-home/

I strongly recommend Wordpress as a website platform. Google loves it, there are lots of great, free templates out there, it's easy to update, and you'll have tons of creative freedom. But the SEO benefits and multiple plug-in options are the real reasons to go with it. 

Building your email list is a key strategy. I use MailChimp, which is great.

Getting a real estate license involves added cost, time, ongoing licensing fees, MLS membership fees, increased regulatory scrutiny and continuing education requirements. Although it's a good way to get transaction experience using other people's money, you'll have more freedom and flexibility without it.

And then there's the issue of homeowners suggesting that Zillow lists false foreclosures. Don't know how often mistakes happen, but I'd be curious to know. I was checking properties for sale in Reno, Nevada, and was surprised to see the sea of blue dots indicating distressed properties. Bubble 2.0?

Dan, that's an interesting point. As an agent you're taught not to make promises about market performance for the very reasons you describe. As a financial advisor, you also cannot control the market and are even more highly regulated, so the only way to protect yourself is via comprehensive disclosures and disclaimers (see all the fine print at the bottom of any investment offering for an example). 

If you're both the agent and advisor, there is a potential conflict of interest if you get paid a commission for selling them the house. That must be disclosed. And no, you can't control the market, people do lose money on real estate, so that must be disclaimed.

Financial advisors have the added responsibility of suitability, which means only recommending products suitable for the client given their age, experience, financial situation and tolerance for risk. Real estate agents aren't required to know this. They just need to know if you can get the money, not whether or not it makes sense in your greater financial picture. So, yes, combining the two might be valuable, but the trick is to stay compliant with multiple sets of regulations at all times.

@DanielCooper—if you're still looking to combine these two careers, an independent RIA like the one I work for may be able to accommodate you. I don't think most real estate brokers would have a problem with this type of dual licensure. More likely, they'd see it as a fantastic pipeline for bringing clients to the table. 

Other commenters are correct about not spreading yourself too thin, but if you align yourself with a firm run by a talented portfolio manager who manages the investments, that frees you up for client relationships, including real estate activities. Such activities have to be disclosed on your ADV, but as long as your firm doesn't view it as a conflict, it's entirely permissible. Our firm is hiring in key states, if you're interested.