Official Carleton H. Sheets^® Website

Success Stories - Tom H.

California small-business owners, Tom and his wife, Diane, have found a way to stay ahead of a market in which appreciation drives values higher and higher every month.

He was over 50—with no retirement savings—when he ordered Carleton's program. "I had to do something to make a difference and didn't have very many years left to do it!" he explains.

Tom used equity from his home to put a minimal down payment on his first three properties. And then he found a partner and bought three more!

While working with one of Carleton's Personal Coaches in 2004, he talked about California's escalating housing prices. "One of the opportunities and the difficulties is that prices 'move' every month," he reflected. "Every month, house prices are up $10,000 more. It's amazing!"

But then he came up with an idea. If he could find a house whose 60-day contract (California law applies) had fallen through, its current value would be around $20,000 more than its original contract price. And if the defaulted period is longer, the possible return on investment would be even greater!

He currently owns eight properties, with total equity of over $2 million.

Tom is planning to retire in northern California, and hopes to buy and rent out property in the area until they relocate. "We're looking for things zoned multiunit—which is pretty lofty thinking for people like us who really didn't have any ability to talk like this two or three years ago," he confides with a smile.

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