Episode 72: An Intro to Due Diligence Process in Real Estate for New Investors with Hans Box

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In this episode of Tech Equity and Money Talk, host Christopher Nelson welcomes Hans Box, founder and owner of Box Wilson Equity Group, which manages $90 million in assets. Hans discusses the critical importance of due diligence in investment decisions.

The conversation touches on the potential pitfalls of neglecting due diligence, highlighting real-life examples of bad investments stemming from inadequate research.

Hans Box is Co-Founder of Box Wilson Equity, a firm that focuses on cash flow and value-add investments. Box Wilson has invested $90MM+ in equity across various asset classes, including multifamily, self-storage, mobile home parks, distressed debt, office, and preferred equity.

He attended Texas A&M University, graduating cum laude with a B.S. degree in Accounting and magna cum laude with an M.S. degree in Accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the state of Texas.

Hans has personally been directly involved in the acquisition, investment, and management of over $350MM in multifamily and self-storage assets, has asset managed ~3,700 multifamily units and has been the GP in ~4,300 multifamily units and ~2,000 units of self-storage.

Prior to Box Wilson Equity, he spent 5 years with a DFW-based multifamily owner-operator, where he oversaw the acquisition and asset management functions. Hans began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP where he worked in tax and strategy consulting with Fortune 500 companies.

Host: Christopher Nelson

Guest: Hans Box

Highlights:

• The Importance of Due Diligence - Hans emphasizes the need for thorough due diligence when investing in real estate. He contrasts the extensive time people spend researching consumer goods like TVs and cars with the often minimal time spent on significant investment decisions. Proper due diligence is crucial for becoming a successful passive investor and achieving financial freedom.
• Vetting the Sponsor - Hans highlights that the most critical aspect of due diligence is vetting the sponsor. He uses the analogy of the jockey and the horse to stress that a good sponsor can turn a mediocre deal into a success, while a bad sponsor can ruin a great deal. Key red flags include lack of transparency and overly sales presentations.
• Understanding the Business Plan - Hans advises that a clear value-add strategy should be evident in any business plan. Investors should be able to understand how the sponsor plans to add value to the property, whether through rent increases, property improvements, or other means. He also stresses the importance of a sensitivity analysis to understand how different variables can impact the deal's returns.
• Fees and Compensation - The discussion also covers the importance of understanding the fee structure. Hans points out that while fees are standard, they should be reasonable and aligned with the investor's interests. He warns against deals with excessive fees that can dilute returns.
• Practical Advice for Investors - Hans provides practical advice for investors, including the importance of learning to read a P&L statement and understanding key assumptions in the business plan. He also recommends being patient and not succumbing to FOMO (fear of missing out), as there will always be more deals.

Episode Timeline:

• [00:00:45] Due diligence in investing.
• [00:05:14] Vetting the operator's transparency.
• [00:08:32] Salesy business presentations.
• [00:12:24] Evaluating sponsor experience in investing.
• [00:15:32] Value-add strategy in investments.
• [00:21:20] Cash flow in commercial real estate.
• [00:22:04] Cash flow vs. value add.
• [00:25:11] Understanding assumptions in investments.
• [00:29:09] Rent increase justification process.
• [00:33:07] Sensitivity analysis in investing.
• [00:35:Due diligence in real estate.
• [00:40:51] Preferred return in investments.
• [00:44:01] Patience in real estate investing.
• [00:48:45] Due diligence in investing.
• [00:50:25] Risk adjusted return in investments.