NEVER TOO EARLY FOR AN EXIT STRATEGY! BILL WALSTON
tephen Covey is the first person I remember hearing say “Begin with the end in mind.” And while
Covey was referring to his “seven habits” and to leadership, beginning with the end in mind can just as
easily be applied when we invest in real estate. I believe, and teach, that the first step any investor
should take when investing is to determine an exit strategy. This often surprises people: Why start with
the end?
The reason is that as an investor we must be sure to purchase the right type of property for the exit strategy to
work. Time and time again, I have seen investors fail because their goals and plans do not fit the properties
they are buying, or do not work with the way they have structured a deal.