Investwithffi

LOL! It really be like that when you’re getting started. 10+ years in and I’m still learning because I’m a student of the game and I love learning.

No matter what field you’re in, or thing you’re attempting to accomplish, do yourself a huge favor and seek out a mentor who’s been there, done that, and put in the real work with proven success for a sustained period of time.

That person is the person you need on your team because one of life’s great lessons is that you don’t discuss your problems with people who can’t help you solve them.

From vacant to VALUABLE!
The Miracle on Chestnut

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.

Open House This Weekend!
www.InvestWithFFI.com/miracle for more details.

Surreal But Grateful 🙏🏾 🤲🏽
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If you’ve ever asked me a real estate question, or for advice, or even just had a conversation with me about real estate, then you’ve helped me grow as an investor because if I didn’t know the answer I went and found it. So thank you for helping me to eat, sleep, and breathe this every single day.
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The Brick House Artwork
Calling All Artists!
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Last year, we attended a local art show that was held at and we were fortunate enough to find a piece that really spoke to us. This piece immediately caught our attention because becoming an entrepreneur and chasing your dreams OUT LOUD is a very personal journey that combines a lot of reflection with shedding your skin & evolution - all while under the public eye. That piece of art now serves as a daily reminder to all of our guests as they wake up each and every morning..."Don't Be Afraid To Become Yourself."

Please go show some love to and tell him sent you. He is incredibly talented in many different art forms, but more importantly he's a great human being. Check out his work and support him if you like what you see.

Earlier this week we had a consulting session with a local investor who is in the process of staging her Airbnb Apartment, and we are sure she will need some artwork for her property, so if you are an artist, please tag your art page below, so that she, and others, may discover your work.

And if you would like to have your artwork featured at The Brick House (our premier Airbnb property), where travelers from all over the world can come and enjoy your art, then please contact us so that we may purchase your artwork and prominently feature it within our property and on our website (in the 'shop the look' section).

If you're reading this and you know an artist, especially a local Black artist, please tag them below so that we may discover their work. Like, Comment, Share/Save this post so that we can find the best pieces of art and support those artists.

Don't forget to book a stay (link in bio) and come enjoy some of the other great artwork we've hand selected!

Passive Activity Loss Allowance
Finally, a tax rule that’s NOT for the rich.
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In our FREE email newsletter that went out yesterday we did a deep dive into the Passive Activity Loss Allowance rules, their benefits, and the fine print that you need to know before implementing this strategy. If you’re not subscribed you’re missing out.

Money saving tax strategies for the people that need them most! And just in time for tax season, so check with your tax professional to see if you qualify. If you do, you could save up to $5,500 on your taxes.

For the rest of Black History Month, we’re doubling our consultation and mentoring sessions. So if you book one hour, you’ll get an extra hour (which can be used anytime) for FREE.

People often focus on making money, but the true secret to wealth is keeping the money you’ve already made.
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The Brick House Books
Calling All Authors!
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Last year, we asked for book recommendations from authors that our followers knew, personally, and we purchased every one that was recommended. They now have a featured spot on our bookshelf. Some of our current featured books include highly-rated pieces from: & .deuce_batts.
We love to use our platform to elevate others so check out these selections and support the authors if you like what you read. Tell them sent you.

If you would like to have your book featured at The Brick House (our premier Airbnb property), where travelers from all over the world can come and get lost in your writing, then please contact us so that we may purchase your book and prominently feature it within our property and on our website (in the 'shop the look' section).

If you are an author, please comment below with the name of your book, so that others may purchase it as well. And if you know an author, especially a local Black author, then please tag them below so that we may discover their work and purchase it for the benefit of our guests. Like, Comment, Share/Save this post so that we can fill up our bookshelf.

Book a stay (link in bio) and come enjoy some of these great books!
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Ow, she’s a brick….house
She’s mighty, mighty, just letting it all hang out
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🧱 The Brick House 🧱
A Baltimore Love Story
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Our Short-Term Rental (STR) and Medium-Term Rental (MTR) property is perfect for all types of visitors. Whether you’re a guest stopping by for a couple of days, a traveling nurse in town for a few months, or a remote worker in town for a week-long business conference, we welcome you to modern luxury in Charm City. This property is walking distance to the Ravens and Orioles stadiums, the new Top Golf game space, the Horseshoe Casino, and the brand new Paramount Baltimore concert, live music, and event venue (still under construction).
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Use our link in bio to book this property on Airbnb/VRBO (save it to your favorites), and even ‘shop the look’, where we’ve linked to most of the products we used to furnish the property. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for our full STR shopping list, FREE real estate tips, and to see how much money we make with this property throughout the year.
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Purchase, renovation, interior design, furnishing, staging: all by the team, your one stop shop for everything real estate.
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Don’t get so wrapped up in the interest rate, and don’t let it discourage you from buying. Yes, your payment will be higher, but it’s a heck of a lot better than throwing your money away and not building any equity at all. Remember, whether you own a property, or whether you rent, you’re always paying a mortgage; it’s just a matter of is it your mortgage, or someone else’s.
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How To Budget: 2 Steps 2 Success
Get out of debt, get out of the 🐀 race, and free yourself from living paycheck to paycheck.
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Budgeting is difficult because life throws unexpected expenses at us. It’s always something because if it ain’t one thing, then it’s another. By following the 2 Steps 2 Success, using the 50-30-20 rule, you at least have a plan in place when Murphy’s Law rears its ugly head.
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If you feel like you need one-on-one assistance with creating a budget and/or investing, then feel free to join my mentorship and coaching program where I help people get their personal finances in order and educate them on investments of all types.
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You are a rare breed. They are not supposed to understand you, because how could they...?
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The Queen 👸🏽
📍 21215
🛏 3 bedrooms
🛁 2.5 baths
🚘 2 car private parking pad in rear
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Available for rent, or sale (to mentorship members only). To apply or for more details: www.InvestWithFFI.com/queen
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Investwithffi updated their website address.

I been in this real estate game a long time.
The vision was mine, but told my bros the vIZion was ours. If you want it you gotta see it with a clear-eyed view.
I always knew this day would come.
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The vIZion
5 bd, 3 full ba, fireplace, enclosed sunroom, finished basement, and over 2,400 sq. ft.
Open House Today in Pikesville, MD 21208
For more details: www.InvestWithFFI.com/vIZion
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If you want to learn how to fix and flip (or rent) properties like this incredible transformation, or if you just want to learn how to find incredible deals with minimal effort (maybe you’re looking for a primary residence and need help learning the home buying process inside and out), then my mentorship program is now 40% off for a LIMITED TIME only!
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Reflecting On Independence.
No Risk, No Story.
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We recently celebrated an official 5 years as a company. Here’s what we’ve been up to.
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How To Write-Off Your Vehicle On Your Taxes
(for business owners)
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What: In recognition of recent gasoline price increases, the IRS recently (on June 9th) updated its mileage rate deduction for the final 6 months of 2022 (beginning July 1st).

Impact: You don't typically file your taxes until Feb/Mar/Apr, but if you're a business owner, you need to make a decision right now regarding if you'll track your mileage for the rest of this year. You can't wait until tax time because if you do, you'll be excluded from using your mileage as a tax write-off, which could leave thousands of dollars - which belong to you, in the hands of the IRS.
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If you’re subscribed to our newsletter, check your email. We dove deeper and elaborated on everything above in yesterday’s email, including the Section 179 + Bonus Depreciation part.

Buy, Borrow, x__x: How The Rich Stay Rich

The basic premise of this strategy is that the rich buy assets, like real estate or stocks; then they borrow against these assets, instead of selling them; and finally they pass-on these assets to their heirs when they die. The heirs also owe no taxes.

Newsletter subscribers, check your email inbox for the very detailed and full breakdown that went out this morning.

CPA or EA? …wait, what’s an EA?

Every tax season, we get asked if we have a tax person or CPA that we recommend, or if we know someone that can help with tax filing. The difficult part of answering this question is that it truly depends on what your tax situation is.

At the risk of stating the obvious, the best professional for your situation is usually someone specialized for your situation. It’s not that people don’t know this broad statement, it’s that people don’t know that there are LEVELS to tax preparers.

Left on their own, consumers have the difficult task of finding someone that will provide great service for their needs. But without knowing enough about the topic, how can you properly evaluate that person? This is where our coaching program can help by working one-on-one with people to fully understand their situation and make the best referrals and recommendations possible. Not just for taxes, but for any service or professional they need on their investment journey. We know what questions to ask and what to look for.

Above are just a few recommendations to help you evaluate & select someone to help you with your taxes, this tax season and beyond.

Interest Rate Hikes Are Here!

You may have heard chatter lately that interest rates went up, but what does that really mean and how does that impact you in your day to day life?

Today we’re covering what happened, why it happened, and why you should care. We’ll also touch on what you can do, and what you probably shouldn’t do.

On Wednesday (3/16/22) the Fed raised interest rates by a quarter of a percent as the first step, of many, to fight crazy high inflation.

If you’re subscribed to our newsletter (link in bio), then check your email inbox. We sent out an email this week, diving deeper into everything above, so that you’re fully prepared. It’s way too much to put into this caption!

The goal is for you to not only be informed about what’s happening, but to understand why and walk away with actionable steps that you can carry out to put yourself in the best position possible.

The Moscow Mule
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Available for rent in the 21218 zip code.
Freshly renovated in Feb 2022.
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Features:
4 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, tons of natural sunlight, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, central heating and cooling, finished basement, private parking in rear, street parking also available, and full-size washer and dryer in unit.
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More details available on our website
www.InvestWithFFI.com/moscowmule
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Declines in stocks and other assets are sometimes described in hyperbolic terms that offer little real substance about the significance of the move.

Along with increased uncertainty & increased volatility, declines in the stock market often come with increased media alarmism because it’s an effective way to stoke fear and increase views/clicks.

It's no fun to see our stock portfolios tumble. Sometimes you may feel duped, depressed, angry, or even full of regret. These can be perfectly normal emotions to feel, & reactions to what's happening, but let's be clear that it is very rare in investing when emotions actually help you make better decisions. Remaining calm and clear-headed usually pays off big!

So let's get on the same page about the realities of the stock market. If you're an investor in the stock market for any period of time, you're going to see some jarring drops in share prices. This is a fact; a very rational and clear observation that any investor needs to understand and accept.

When stocks decline it isn't abnormal, and it is not the end of the world. Though the media may make it sound very doom and gloom, it is entirely, 100% normal. The sooner you accept and recognize these facts and patterns in the market, the better your portfolio should perform in the market. Don’t let the media scare you to sell, when the rich & wealthy are secretly buying. Stay the course.

I’m ridin’ into ‘22, ridin’ in a ‘22.
Got someone special that I’d like y’all to meet.
Bagged her for Christmas 🎁, she was right under the tree 🎄
Alicia Keys, that’s what I call her in the streets.
But there’s more to the name, a deeper meaning to me.
Why buy the cow 🐮, if you can get the milk for free?
I wanted a new whip, but I didn’t want the debt.
So I saved up $60K, I coulda paid cash💰for it.
That woulda been hustling backwards, so I wisened up.
Rental income - mortgage & expenses = the only money that I’m putting up.
Idk if y’all hear what I’m saying to y’all;
I bought me a new car without payin for it, AT ALL.
Black and white on the keys 🎹, like a piano is.
You see, The Piano 🏠 is the house that pays for it.
And that $60K cash, I’m investing it.
Diversified, so I’m never sweatin’ it.
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Ever since I purchased my first brand new car, a Camaro back in 2010, I said that I wouldn’t purchase another brand new car until I had the money to buy it in cash. Over the years, as I learned more about the power of investing, I realized that purchasing a car in all cash would be a terrible use of the money since the car is a liability and typically decreases in value. And then as I learned even more about real estate investing, it dawned on me that I could still get the new car without paying for it at all. Once I set my eyes on that, everything changed. Everything became attainable. So now I get money and buy assets, and then I fund my lifestyle ONLY WITH THE MONEY THAT MY ASSETS BRING IN. My rental properties don’t just pay for themselves, each one of them also covers some bill, or aspect of my lifestyle. I’m dedicating 2022 to mentoring others on how to do the same.

You worked hard for the money, so keep it!

First and foremost, make sure you speak to your CPA or Tax Advisor prior to implementing any of the strategies below to make sure they are appropriate for your situation. Your age, your income, and your marital status are all important factors when it comes to taxes and some of the strategies above.

At FFI, we take a holistic approach to investing. I always stress that it's not about how much money you can make, it's about how much money you can keep. Tax strategies like these can go a long way on the road to improving your financial freedom investments.

💰A Traditional 401K account can reduce your taxable income dollar for dollar for each dollar you contribute, up to the contribution limit of $19,500 in 2021.
🏥HSAs are triple tax advantaged accounts. You can put the money in tax free. You can invest the money and it will grow tax free. And when you use it for health expenses, it is withdrawn tax free.
🛻The business vehicle must be over 6,000 lbs (GVWR) and used for at least 50% business.
💸If you run a business, the difference between getting paid on Dec 31st and on Jan 1st is not only a one day difference. If you get paid on Dec 31st, you’ll owe taxes on that income immediately. If you wait until Jan 1st, you have more than a year before that income is taxed. And any prepaid expenses for money that’s going to be spent anyway can be used to offset your income this year, if you itemize your deductions. Often you can even receive a discount for paying some expenses early (e.g.: annual billing vs monthly billing).
👶🏽The work your child performs must be ordinary, necessary, and reasonable. Your 2 yr old isn’t performing oil changes in your car shop. Stop it! 🛑
🎗If donating to charity, please keep great records/proof, as the IRS pays close attention to these deductions if more than a few hundred dollars.
📉BONUS: Tax-Loss Harvesting. If you have stock positions that are down big, you can sell them and reduce your taxable income for the year, and if you wait 31 days, you can purchase the stock back if you still want it. Essentially only taking a loss on paper.

Do The Right Thing
Invest With FFI
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“I believe in destiny. But I also believe that you can’t just sit back and let destiny happen. A lot of times, an opportunity might fall into your lap, but you have to be ready for that opportunity. You can’t sit there waiting on it. A lot of times you are going to have to get out there and make it happen.” -- Spike Lee

Investwithffi updated their business hours.

The Phirst Property
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Don’t let these people lie to you, there’s GOLD in the HOOD. Since they won’t invest in us, WE gotta do what they should. Legacy; surpass and outlast. It’s all in the name; this is the Phirst, not the last.
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This is a property that one of our wholesalers was having a tough time selling and brought to FFI to purchase. We had our hands full with 5 full-gut projects, so we passed it along to a group of investors that were looking for their first deal. They verbally agreed to do the deal and then backed out at the very last minute. Determined to help our wholesaler friend, and to pass on a great deal to someone in need, we passed it on again to some of our investors and mentees looking for their first deal. Confident in our numbers on the property and our ability to hit a home run on this, we actually partnered up with them and ran our usual plays. The rehab went smooth and a few months later this property is now available for purchase. It doesn’t get much more AFFORDABLE than a new home for ONLY $130K. Great for First Time Home Buyers or an investor that wants a rental property that will bring in DOUBLE the mortgage. At this price, this won’t last long. More details on the website www.InvestWithFFI.com/properties
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Mentorship program launching soon. If you could also benefit from our mentorship, or you have a deal you want to partner on, please join our waitlist on the home page of our website.
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The Juneteenth Property ✊🏾
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Fun fact: This is the first property that we’ve purchased site unseen. So when we say we will buy your house in 7 days or less and we don’t care what condition the property is in, we truly mean it. Couldn’t care less. Desperate times call for desperate measures, this market is too hot to be tip-toeing around. Let’s get a deal DONE, because ALMOST doesn’t pay the bills.
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Available for rent. More details on our website www.InvestWithFFI.com/properties
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I’m a multi-faceted, multi-asseted motherfu🤫🤫

The only way to change the narrative is to change the narrator. ✍🏾
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👀 Look at me, I’m the Captain now. ✊🏾
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🙅🏾‍♂️ Breaking Generational Curses!
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My aunt and uncle helped raise me and they did so much for me when I was growing up. To be able to give back and help them with something/anything is more than just my duty; quite frankly, it’s an honor and a privilege.

The Moscow Mule - NOW RENTED (as of Feb. 1st)
4 Bedrooms / 2 Baths / 2400 sq. ft. / Off-street parking
Purchase price: $80K
Cash out-of-pocket: $15K (down payment and closing costs)
Rehab: $26K
New appraised value of property: $127K
Mortgage: $543/month ($6,516/year)
Rent: $1,350/month ($16,200/year)
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With lots of city planned development in this area and the close proximity to universities, we fully expect this property to be worth ~$165K within two years.
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Although it is our preference, you don’t always have to do a complete gut job on every property. Sometimes it’s important to know when a house has good bones, and you can just give it a facelift to keep costs low, and profits high. Are there things we would have loved to do different here? Absolutely. But you have to know your market and meet or exceed the expectations of your customer.
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We have three rental properties in this area, all within walking distance of each other. And in this area, most rental properties do not have new modern kitchens with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. We did this to stand out and be one of the very best rentals available, so that we could select the very best tenant available. We gave this property a brand new paint job from head to toe, and brand new windows. We also did all new LVP flooring and carpet in the entire property and updated the bathroom vanities as well. Other updates (to name a few) included: A/C unit repair, chair rail and shadow boxes, install of brand new water heater, washer & dryer, and exterior brick pointing and repair.
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For Rent - The Army House | Pigtown (21223 Zip Code)
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HOLIDAY🎄SPECIAL: $50 off rent price for signed lease by Jan. 25th. Was:$1550 Now:$1500/month
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Renovated top to bottom in mid 2020. Everything is brand new. Any lease duration. Located right off the highway with free on-street parking and close proximity to bus routes and a park. Perfect for young professional roommates or siblings saving to buy a house. Breaks down to only $750/room.
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More details on our website www.InvestWithFFI.com/rentals
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The Army House
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Fun fact: The day we purchased this property was the exact same day that the City of Baltimore shut down and went to a Stay-At-Home order for all non-essential workers. March 20, 2020. Talk about a sign? Lol
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☑️ Navigating a successful, full-gut rehab, through a Global 🦠Pandemic. 👈🏾 You know we’re adding that to our Resume! To say that it was challenging would be the understatement of the year. But it’s amazing what a little perspective can do for you. When hundreds, thousands, and millions of people are being hospitalized and losing their lives, it really makes that order of materials that’s 3 weeks late, seem like ‘not such a big deal’. Compound that with all of the racial injustices and Black Lives Matter protests that occurred this year + the election nonsense, and we were SPENT in every literal sense of the word. The property has been complete for a while now, and we’re happy we made it through the fire. Thank you to all of our investors that were along for the ride and had the confidence in us to deliver.
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When faced with a heavy load, don’t pray for it to be lighter; pray for greater strength to carry the load. 🙏🏾🙌🏾
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Our Black Friday Sale is NOW EXTENDED to Cyber Monday. Mention code: INVESTBLACK to receive an extra 5% ROI! Don’t wait until January to set an investment goal. Set it now and check it off now! Please share with anyone who may be interested in investing. Referral bonuses still available.
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