Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa December - January 2014 | Page 11

UPFRONT I t is not often you meet a self-made investor who started from scratch, strictly applied investment principles he had been taught, and became an incredible success. Not only is this Hulet Gregory’s success model, it is also a valuable example for all investors who want to build wealth in real estate, which is, in fact, really quite easy, if you follow Hulet’s steps. Yes, it is easier said than done, but Hulet has demonstrated that if you stick to the investment principles learnt from those who have made it, you will be successful despite the setbacks. “More than 95% of people will fail in business and real estate, simply because they don’t have the will to overcome adversity” I met Hulet in Memphis, Tennessee on my recent US property tour with Hulet’s representatives in South Africa, IPS and Wealth Migrate. Hulet perfectly f its the profile of a true Master Investor. He walked away, overworked and stressed, from a 12-year stint in corporate banking to become a hugely successful, financially-free real estate investor and entrepreneur. Hulet believes that his success is largely due to his sense of urgency in getting things done. An entrepreneur by heart, he started several small businesses while still in school. But, after graduating from college, he went into the corporate world, believing he had not had enough experience to run his own business. Looking back now, after nine years of doing business for himself, Hulet’s says his best www.reimag.co.za decision was to get out of the corporate world. Hulet now owns a number of real estate related companies. Memphis CashFlow GP is one of the largest residential wholesale providers in the Memphis market. Marathon Management is a highly successful full-service property management company founded in 2005. Memphis CashFlow and Marathon Management ser vice all IPS and Wealth Migrate clients. They have a total of 15 fulltime team members that have serviced over 500 clients and manage more than 1 200 properties for clients from all over the world, including investors from South Africa who hold real estate investments in Memphis. He also owns a full-service real estate company ca lled Marathon Rea ltors and a private lending company called REI Capital, LLC for those investors seeking capital to invest in real estate. Hulet has purchased and renovated more than 1 300 homes in the Memphis market. He has built and developed 10 residential and commercial properties and personally p u rc h a s e d mor e t h a n 5 0 c om me rc i a l properties. Hulet and his wife currently have a property portfolio that consists of 84 residential properties and 17 commercial centres, generating a $100 000 a month in positive cash flow. Hulet’s investment philosophy is twofold: understanding that you have to learn take the hard knocks, recover and move on; and taking a long-term view to achieve success in real estate. He says that more than 95% of people will fail in business and real estate, simply because they don’t have the will to overcome adversity. In our instant gratification society, people simply fall out of the game if they don’t get what they want fast enough. Winning HULET T. GREGORY Personal Statistics Age: 43 Marital Status: Married for 21 years with 3 beautiful daughters, and 2 grandchildren Experience/Qualifications: College Degrees in Finance & Economics; 12 years’ Corporate Banking Experience; 9 years in Real Estate Investing Hobbies: Working Out; Competitive Long Distant Runner; Snow Skiing; Fishing; Relaxing on the Beach drinking a beer (wait, is that considered a hobby?) and following College and Professional Basketball Close-up Mentors: Hulet’s dad, Marvin Gregory, had a huge influence on his outlook and philosophy on life. While Marvin was not in business as an entrepreneur and passed away several years ago, it is his positive, loving and ????????????????)!???????????????????????????)??????????????????q$??????????????)???????????????????????)????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????!?()?????????????????????t????!????!????????????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????????????????e????????????????????) ??????I?????-???????e?I???????A?????????????????????????????!??????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????????????????????!????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????????!???????????????????Q????????????)M???]?????e???????????]???5????????????????) ????????????????qA??????????????????????????????????A???????????????????)?????????????????????????????t)Q??????????????????????????????????????????q$??????????a??????????????d??????????)]????????????????????????????????????????????????????????!??????a?????????????)??????????????????????d?????d??t)5?????Q??????????)?????%?()???????)???????????M?I????????%?????((??((0