Hi BP members!
Here is a short story with a key question.
I am based in Toronto and invest in few rehab properties in Kansas City MO.
Since I am far away, at certain point I start using the local real estate agent I was working with as my ``boots on the ground`` . he got nice commissions when I bought a property, nicer commissions when I sell , even offered to pay him some percentage of net profit in the back end to supervise rehab for me .
I was planning to do 10 flips per year and was working exclusively with him.
I thought to myself :
I can trust him . After all he works with Keller Williams. seems like a connected experienced guy who knows the market, and above all, he has all the reasons in the world to make things work, do a good job and make me happy.
I was dead wrong...
At some point agent encourage me to work with a contractor he ``knew for years and trust 100%``. I followed his advise and sign with them to rehab two properties.
As soon as I sent $50k for the renovation contractor pretty much disappear.
later, contractor confess in writing `that agent asked them to use my rehab funds for his own rehab properties, promise to pay it back when he is done and fail to do so. (that is at least the contractor version.most likely they commit the fraud together).
needles to say, I didn`t see any of my money back and had to sue them.
Now, my question moving forward is this:
If I am to get into a JV on rehab with a local partner (as cash investor) , how can I protect myself from similar scenario?
Thanks!
Itay