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FIB - Scams 101
Re: Miligroup
Posted By: Eric Straatsma MS In Response To: Re: Miligroup (Chevy)
Date: Tuesday, December 25, 2007, at 9:32 a.m.(pst)
In my experience, MILI Group does some initial review of the developers or builders. They do screen who they allow to in to present properties, services or products. The intent behind this is to screen out the scammers. Like any screening tool, there is no guarantee, as we are all human and doing our best.
Not many of the initial properties proposed to MILI Group make it all the way through this process. MILI Group presents forums where a wide variety of pre-screened developers, builders, and companies offer products and services. MILI Group has a motto; God first, family second, corporate mission third. Profits are a by product of this philosophy. What other company has this format and prays, as well as sings several praise songs during their celebration after an event, as was done at the recent Christmas gala?
The actual choice of what to invest in is up to the person attending and/or getting trained in these services and products. There is NO HIGH PRESSURE, as with scam artists I have seen in action. No one calls you over and over... No one pitches anything to you that you as an investor are not interested in. No one takes your money and leaves you without anything. You always get what you pay for plus more with MILI Group.
The company actually offers a lot of free trainings and information sessions. Other companies charge $1,000, $5000 to $20,000 or more for the same information. Those companies often do not even have the products or services where a person can actually do something to make the money... I have been there.
I know these other companies, and I have a feeling that many of them are associated with the posts that are critical of MILI Group. The competition often tries to put down the other guy. I will not name names but there are plenty of these back stabbing companies out there, and they will take all of your money and leave you high and dry with just a pile of paperwork, nothing else. Oh, and then they charge by the hour for "mentoring".. MILI Group does not do this. All of the basic consultations and career opportunity information is free. Yes, licenses cost money and MILI Group will not pay for that. You do.
Unless you leave your name and phone number for a followup after a presentation meeting, no one will come up and try and get your information. Scammers generally pursue a person until they agree to give their personal information, (ID Theft) or until they get all your money, and the end result is always something completely worthless and useless. MILI Group is not like that in my experience. Everyone presents their opportunity and then investors get more information if they like what they hear.
I have seen experienced investors, high wealth professionals go out and choose investments on their own and then lose their shirts, plus everything else they owned, because they had no one guiding them and no one helping them, except for the sharks who are 'selling' something. This is true of any investment opportunity in any arena, right? Investors are viewed by scammers like sheep wandering in the wilderness with wolves all around. The wolves prey on them, because there is no shepard or dog guarding them. Who is there to help the average investor? In my experience, MILI Group is like a guard dog and/shepard... What is that worth?
MILI Group offers trained and experienced BUYERS AGENTS and wealth consultants like myself that can help guide and counsel investors as well as average families. At the same time, this company also has new agents with no experience. You as an investor make the choice of which Buyers Agent or wealth consultant to use. There is a risk here, and it sounds like the people who are unhappy made this mistake, or they were in too big a hurry and chose something based on emotion, rather than using investment analysis to make sound decisions.
Yes, there are wolves in major realty and loan brokerages out there just waiting for someone to come up to them with some money. The wolves are glad to relieve anyone of all of their money, plus more if allowed to. They have no scruples, and will steal old ladies and their fellow agents blind, even if that is all of their life savings. Many real estate agents and loan brokers are in this same league in all kinds of companies, not just real estate, but stocks, bonds, oil investments, gold, annuities, etc.. They will rip off anyone and stab anyone in the back to get some money. Bottom line, you have to trust the person you deal with. MILI Group is different, in that if offers not just one investment vehicle, but many.. tailored to the needs of the investor.
Stock brokers sell only stocks. Financial advisors usually sell only the company products they are associated with. Most companies steer everyone into THEIR product, not what is best for the end investor. MILI Group offers a many different things, in many directions. There are many choices and opportunities.
To give some idea of where a person can go and what is possible, I offer a free financial consultation, and I leave a financial profile with the person I consult with. That person, organization or family then has time to think about the next step. There is no pressure. Each consultation is different and no one product or service is right for everyone. Each wealth consultation is tailored to the needs of that client.
Like life though, the end investor has to make a decision about what makes sense to them and their situation. A high end resort property is NOT the best investment for a person just starting out and with a low income. I would advise against this, but if an investor chose to go ahead, well, that is their choice. Some people make bad decisions despite the best counsel given them. I am sure we have all seen that, right? Wouldn't you agree that those are often also the kind of people who tend to blame the agent who 'made them' buy that property?
MILI Group offers both high end resort properties, as well as low end affordable housing properties in all kinds of formats from condos, SRF, duplexes, fourplexes, etc. There is a real estate investment choice for everyone, and ideally, the MILI agent or associate will help choose the right investment and risk level for a client or associate.
Another strength of MILI Group is that these properties come to one central place where an investor can review and choose what fits best. The investor does not go flying all over the country searching for the best investments. This can cost many tens of thousands of dollars and takes months of time if done individually. MILI Group offers a very powerful 'investment club' format where properties come to investors. In my mind, this is a good thing. No other company I know of offers this format. Other companies all do it the expensive way, which means the investor has to fly all over the place and spend big bucks just looking at things, and there is little or no leverage to get better prices or terms.
Another strength is that the properties are sold at discounts that MILI Group negotiates due to the huge buying power that this organization has. I do not see many other companies offering to sell properties below market value, plus the investor getting cash back after closing, plus huge tax writeoffs in special tax zones. It is so good, that some people claim it must be a scam... Well, that is the huge negotiating power that Mili Group has. It is a win win win situation that I can explain to anyone who is willing to actually have an open mind and listen.. I have not heard any other company teaching people how to invest properly as MILI Group does, with as many choices as MILI Group offers.
Blaming MILI Group for a property going down in value is like blaming God for rain. All markets go up and down in value. Stocks do that too... and sometimes they lose ALL of their value, like during the Depression. Another Depression might happen at any time, so you cannot blame a stock broker for making you buy stocks, just like you cannot blame MILI Group for offering real estate or any other products. While losing value though, the property should still be producing INCOME. Show me another investment that does that.. and pays for itself with little of your own money, and all of the tax write offs that real estate offers.
Some people would say that savings accounts are safe by comparison to real estate, stocks or bonds, but with a 2-5% return, and after you factor in taxes paid on the interest, and inflation, plus the dollar dropping in value compared to other currencies, this investment actually loses money each year. So who do you know that is getting rich from savings accounts? If you want to avoid all risk, keep all of your money under the mattress, because the banker might steal it. Just do not tell your neighbors, the baby sitter or your family.
Where do the savings accounts go? Banks loan them out to invest in real estate, to real estate investors. This is where all of the REAL money is made, because it involves LEVERAGE, or OPM. Suckers keep their savings in the bank in supposedly safe CD's.
Yes, there is risk in life, and we all may drop dead tonight in a global nuclear war. We could all say; "stop living because it is too risky". Life is risky, and so is real estate, or any other investment. Make the best choice you can, pray and associate with good people. Learn from mistakes you make about choices you made. Do not blame the real estate agent for the market.
Also, MILI Group offers many investment and career vehicles besides real estate. If real estate is not your cup of tea, then try some of the other investment and career choices that are being offered. If you are interested in finding out more, contact me.
In my personal opinion, this company is young, but has huge opportunities on the business opportunity side. I watched it for about two years before getting involved. Yes, there may be some best case scenarios or 'pro-formas' but I have not seen any scams being pulled, or I would not be here.
Show me a real estate company that does not put out pro-formas on investment properties; they all do it for some properties. I do not tolerate or put up with people who are outright scammers. Investors need to consider pro-formas and see if they make sense, hopefully with the help and guidance of a Buyers Agent.
No other real estate company I know of offers the sheer number opportunities that this company does, as of January 2008. They recently added a whole slew of services and products that many of the above individuals might not know about. If you want to know more, contact me.
If you know of a better specific company to be associated with as a real estate/insurance/loan agent or broker, tell me. I did not find any, and I have been looking for several years.
Your opinion may be allowed to stay, but your recruiting link is history.
Moderator
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