Real Estate Investing and Rickey Williams

(Franchise Buy) - By . Updated Jun 6, 2011

Real Estate Investing and Rickey Williams

Rickey Williams, president of WFI Properties Inc  – and also a seasoned real estate investor – is one of the most successful independently owned and operated franchises with HomeVestors, better known as the “We Buy Ugly Houses®” people.  What’s interesting to note is that before he joined HomeVestors, he had no real estate investing experience.  In fact, he didn’t even have formal real estate investing training.  At the time he joined the company, he was an investment banker who bought the franchise thinking it would be for his son.  Rickey joined HomeVestors in 2004.  And as the old saying goes, “the rest is history.”

And what a history it has been.  He has built his one man franchise into a thriving real estate investing business that now includes his son Rickey Jr, a buyer, and his other son Chris, who leads their construction projects.  Their investing strategy is simple: locate suitable houses, fix them up and either rent them out or sell them at a premium.

When asked why he chose the HomeVestors franchise, the nations only real estate investing franchise, Rickey said, “It was the brand name.  People know the brand, which helps to establish credibility from the get-go.   I knew that when I was trying to negotiate deals, people weren’t going to look at me like I was some fly-by-night real estate investor trying to scam them.”

Rickey attributes his success to the HomeVestors system.  He said that the system itself is the missing link between what most real estate investor “gurus” teach in their books and seminars and what it takes to be a successful investor in the real world.

“The HomeVestors system helps new real estate investors to identify which houses are duds – and which are studs,” he added.  “Once that perfect property is located, it then walks them through every step of the process, leaving no stone unturned.”

He said that the main appeal about HomeVestors was that it brought the most successful real estate investors together and allowed new investors to mingle with the organizations top success stories.  “Where else can you meet successful real estate investors and specifically ask them your most burning questions?” Williams stated.  “I think you would be hard-pressed to find that type of cooperation and sense of camaraderie elsewhere.”

Presently at WFI Properties, they are keeping about 65% of all the houses and are shooting for a goal of owning 600-700 houses.  Mr. Williams feels confident that this goal is going to be attained much sooner rather than later.

HomeVestors of America, Inc., is the #1 buyer of houses in the U.S.  With almost 200 franchisees in 33 states, HomeVestors has bought more than 45,000 houses.  If you are interested in learning more, go to HomeVestorsfranchise.com.