Private Money - Will Your Deal Attract It?

Want private money? Well, as you might haveThird, your private lender is as skeptical of the real
figured out, you can't just walk up to a potentialestate market as the general public and doesn't
private lender, tell him or her about your "deal", andnecessarily think it's a "great opportunity". How is
expect them to write a check. No way. If you wantyour approach going to overcome those concerns
to be successful in raising private capital for realand in fact benefit from them?
estate, you have to learn how to "attract" privateNext, anybody who has become wealthy enough to
investors to you.have capital to invest, did not get there by taking
So what's the secret? Or to paraphrase a famousexcessive risk with their money. The reason why
movie title: "What do Private Lenders Want?" Thelottery winners generally end up poor again is
short answer is: put yourself in the private lender'sbecause they never learned this principle.
shoes, and think about what you would want beforeOr as Will Rogers once said: "When it comes to
you invested your children's inheritance is some realinvesting, I've always been more concerned with the
estate deal.return of my money than the return on my money."
Now, what I'm about to tell you may shock you. It'sIf you want private money, you need to explain to
not the "easy-no effort" seminar version that getsthe investor, how he is protected from losing his
you all excited, but won't put a nickel in your pocket.principal and how he is going to get his money back
These are answers based on the experience of(ROI = Return OF Investment).
raising "real money" from "real private investors".And you must address the question of risk. Unlike
In other words, private investors and private lendersmost people, private lenders have fairly low risk
are not "motivated" to invest their money with you.tolerance. If the risk level in the deal exceeds their
And you are not the only deal they see. On therisk tolerance, no offer of a return is going to
contrary, private lenders and Angel investors haveconvince them to place their capital with you.
many deals that cross their desk, and they are firstAnd the Final and probably the most important
looking for an easy way to eliminate your deal. So, itconsideration for the Private Investor is: "YOU".
is really important to know which buttons to push toAngel investors have a saying, "Bet on the Jockey,
keep their attention, and which ones not to push sonot the horse".
as to avoid elimination.Think about it. Would you invest your money with
First, know this. Your private investors are walkingsomeone you didn't know or respect, regardless of
around with an invisible antenna over their heads thathow great the deal was? I don't think so.
is tuned to only 1 station: WIIFM or "What's In It ForAre you a person of high integrity, who does what
Me?" Unless you can explain that clearly, quickly andshe says she'll do? Do you have the experience,
concisely, you're out. Private lenders have noknowledge and expertise and the team to see this
patience for people who beat around the bush anddeal through to a successful conclusion? And Trust
waste their time.me: No private lender is going to entrust you with
Second, as a sophisticated private investor, I knowtheir capital, unless these questions are answered and
that not all deals are good deals, and not all gooddemonstrated to their satisfaction.
deals (e.g. good for you) are good for me. So, don'tNow, due to space limitations, I can't go in depth
give me a canned elevator speech, and expect mehere on these topics. If you want to pursue this
to be excited and whip out my checkbook. First,further, see the opportunity in the box below.
"show me the money."