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Ken Tharp - Section 1031 Exchanges, Iowa/U.S.

Iowa Landlord Association Spring Educational Seminar & Trade Show

Short notice, but I wanted to announce the Spring Educational Seminar and Trade Show of the Iowa Landlord Association. It will take place on Thursday, April 30, at the downtown Holiday Inn. There will be a succession of speakers on relevant topics to landlords. During breaks, please stop in at the vendor trade show and Iowa Landlord Associationbe sure to stop at the Iowa Equity Exchange booth to say hello. We will be there with our display and information to help Iowa investors with their Section 1031 exchanges.

You can find out more about the Iowa Landlord Association at http://www.iowalandlord.org/public/home.asp, including contact information for the group to register for the seminar.

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Please consider IOWA EQUITY EXCHANGE as your trusted source for answers to your questions about Section 1031 like-kind tax-deferred exchanges. Contact us at your convenience for prompt, accurate information. Please think of us for your next exchange.

Ken Tharp

iowa 1031 exchange

800-805-1031 toll free

Providing Qualified Intermediary services for Section 1031 tax deferred exchanges all over the United States. Headquartered in Iowa, our services are available in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and all other states.

INTEGRITY. PRECISION. SECURITY.

Copyright © 2009 By Ken Tharp, All Rights Reserved. * Iowa Landlord Association Spring Educational Seminar & Trade Show * Contact Ken Tharp for information on Section 1031 tax-deferred exchanges anywhere in the United States.

Two Rivers REIA First Annual Convention - May 9th, 2009

Announcing the first annual convention of the Two Rivers Real Estate Investors Association, to be held on May 9, 2009, at the Des Moines Holiday Inn Airport Conference Center. Two nationally-recognized speakers will be making presentations to the group: Larry Goins, of South Carolina, and Pete Youngs, of Georgia. Larry's talk on wholesaling is titled "The Ultimate Buying/Selling Machine." Pete will present a detailed description of rehabbing for profits. Details and registration information is available at http://www.tworiversreia.orgTwo Rivers REIA logo/Convention_Registration.html

This event promises to be a fantastic opportunity to network with fellow investors and hear a couple of the top national speakers on investing. I know I'm looking forward to it! Don't miss it if you are going to be in town or near town! There will be a vendor's trade show in conjunction with the event and Iowa Equity Exchange will be present as usual. We will be there with our display and information to help Iowa investors with their Section 1031 exchanges. Please stop by and say hello.

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Please consider IOWA EQUITY EXCHANGE as your trusted source for answers to your questions about Section 1031 like-kind tax-deferred exchanges. Contact us at your convenience for prompt, accurate information. Please think of us for your next exchange.

Ken Tharp

Iowa Equity Exchange

800-805-1031 toll free

Providing Qualified Intermediary services for Section 1031 tax deferred exchanges all over the United States. Headquartered in Iowa, our services are available in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and all other states.

INTEGRITY. PRECISION. SECURITY.

Copyright © 2009 By Ken Tharp, All Rights Reserved. * Two Rivers REIA First Annual Convention - May 9th, 2009 * Contact Ken Tharp for information on Section 1031 tax-deferred exchanges anywhere in the United States.

What Do I Put in My Purchase Agreement if I Want to Do a Section 1031 Exchange?

One of the most common questions we receive is something along the lines of "What do I put in my Purchase Agreement if I want to do a Section 1031 exchange?" The answer can sometimes be, "Nothing," although we do suggest that you use what is known as a cooperation clause. By law, there is no requirement for the cooperation clause. What is required, however, is that the contract be assignable, or in most states, that there be no restriction on the contract's assignability. In other words, your purchase agreement should not have language that says "This contract may not be assigned to another party by the buyer or the seller."

The reason for this is simple - in an exchange, the exchanger must assign the purchase agreement to the intermediary for the exchange to proceed. If a prohibition to assigning is present and it is not stricken from the contract, an exchange is not possible. What if you have already signed a contract that is so-restricted? As long as both sides agree, an exchange is still possible by using an addendum where the parties agree to allow assignments.

A more common approach is for the seller to lay his cards on the table and disclose to the buyer that he intends to perform a Section 1031 exchange by including a cooperation clause in the purchase agreement. There is really no downside to doing so when selling. By doing so, the exchanger establishes his intent and elicits the cooperation of the buyer. There is no loss of negotiating power when acting as the seller.

On the contrary, when a client has already sold his relinquished property and entered into an exchange, thereiowa 1031 exchange can be a loss of negotiating power when offering to buy a replacement property. Let's assume that the exchanger has already formally identified three properties that could serve as his replacement property. For whatever reason, two of them are no longer available. (Perhaps they were sold to another party, or the seller took them off of the market, or one had a fire, etc.) Now the exchanger has but one property he can purchase to complete his exchange. If the purchase agreement contains language requesting the seller's cooperation for an exchange and the seller is savvy about exchanges, that seller may justifiably believe that he has the upper hand in any negotiations. That is why we often suggest that the exchanger leave out the cooperation language until after negotiations have concluded, instead having them make sure that the agreement does not restrict assignments. Then after the fact we can have an addendum added to the agreement that contains the cooperation language.

Now, what is this "cooperation language" that I've referred to so many times? Here is our version for when you are selling:

“It is the intention of Seller to transfer the above-listed property pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 1031, which sets forth the requirements for tax-deferred real estate exchanges. Seller’s rights and obligations under this and future agreements will be assigned to Iowa Equity Exchange, qualified intermediary, for the purpose of completing an exchange. Buyer of the above-listed property agrees to cooperate with Seller and Iowa Equity Exchange in a manner necessary to enable Seller to complete said exchange. Such cooperation shall be at no additional cost or liability to Buyer.”

Feel free to copy and paste this into your purchase agreements and get in touch with us whenever you are considering an exchange!

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Please consider IOWA EQUITY EXCHANGE as your trusted source for answers to your questions about Section 1031 like-kind tax-deferred exchanges. Contact us at your convenience for prompt, accurate information. Please think of us for your next exchange.

Ken Tharp

iowa 1031 exchange

800-805-1031 toll free

Providing Qualified Intermediary services for Section 1031 tax deferred exchanges all over the United States. Headquartered in Iowa, our services are available in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and all other states.

INTEGRITY. PRECISION. SECURITY.

Copyright © 2009 By Ken Tharp, All Rights Reserved. * What Do I Put in My Purchase Agreement if I Want to Do a Section 1031 Exchange? * Contact Ken Tharp for information on Section 1031 tax-deferred exchanges anywhere in the United States.

Selling, Serving and Being Serious

This will be a first... I'm going to give you an inside look at what it is we are trying to do here at Iowa Equity Exchange. First of all, props to Jeffrey Gitomer for a column on this topic that prompted me to devote detailed thought to these things. Let's start out with a definition.

When you think of someone who is "serious," does that conjure up the image of a staid, stoic individual, boring and stiff? In business, that's just not the case. The actions that are taken by a business build its image. If your business shows a desire to serve that is accompanied by the ability to serve, the public (your customers/clients) may perceive you as serious. Isn't that what you want, to be taken seriously by your customers and clients?iowa 1031 exchange

As a businessman, I certainly want my business to be taken seriously by its clients. Here's a list of some of the things I want our clients to know about us:

  • I want them to know that we are serious about helping them. Most of our clients have a lot of questions both before they enter into an exchange and during their exchange. We are available for them to talk to by calling our office number pretty much anytime during normal waking hours, seven days a week. On the chance that we do not answer their call in person, it's rare that the call does not get returned within an hour.
  • I want our clients to know that we are serious about knowing what we're doing. Handling Section 1031 exchanges is all we do. This is our full-time business, and we take the actions necessary to stay on top of changes that affect exchanges. We are one of a very small percentage of qualified intermediary companies that belong to the Federation of Exchange Accommodators, the national association for the exchange industry.
  • I want our clients to know that we are serious about being an online leader. We invest in our future by maintaining an online presence. regularly updating our website. We post blog articles periodically. We maintain and update our LinkedIn profile, including linking this blog to our profile and uploading presentations to our profile. You can follow us on twitter (@kentharp), and we're on facebook.
  • I want our clients to know that we are serious about being friendly and creating a pleasant atmosphere. Being friendly doesn't cost any more than not being friendly, and it sure makes life more pleasant.
  • I want our clients to know that we are serious that now is the time. Our heads are not in the sand; we recognize that times have changed. Regardless of conditions, though, we will strive to maximize the opportunities that exist now, not wait for things to change.
  • I want our clients to know that we are serious about striving for perfection in everything we do. We're not there yet and we may never get there, but we'll keep trying. Our clients also discover that we recover from any imperfections in extremely short order.
  • I want our clients to know that we are serious about doing the right thing. Our clients' best interests are always the inspiration for our actions. Sometimes this means telling our clients that an exchange may not be the best course of action for them, meaning we lose potential business. If it's best for the client, it will serve us best in the long run.

How does all of this relate to selling? It is my belief that a business cannot really attempt to sell its services until its clients are comfortable that the business is serous about itself. The only real way to show your clients that you are serious about your business is to serve them properly. After you provide quality service to your client and establish that you can be taken seriously, making the sale is almost a foregone conclusion.

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Please consider IOWA EQUITY EXCHANGE as your trusted source for answers to your questions about Section 1031 like-kind tax-deferred exchanges. Contact us at your convenience for prompt, accurate information. Please think of us for your next exchange.

Ken Tharp

Iowa Equity Exchange

800-805-1031 toll free

Providing Qualified Intermediary services for Section 1031 tax deferred exchanges all over the United States. Headquartered in Iowa, our services are available in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and all other states.

INTEGRITY. PRECISION. SECURITY.

Copyright © 2009 By Ken Tharp, All Rights Reserved. * Selling, Serving and Being Serious * Contact Ken Tharp for information on Section 1031 tax-deferred exchanges anywhere in the United States.

Iowa Farmland Value Report

In a further confirmation that values have peaked at least for now, the REALTORS® Land Institute semi-annual survey shows a 7.6% drop in the price for farmland over the six months ending February 28 of this year. This survey is conducted every six months and consists of input from the state's farmland real estate community. The previous survey indicated an increase of 6.6%. The previous twelve months, therefore, show approximately a 1% drop in values.

No one is necessarily panicking about this drop or leveling off, however. According to Troy Louwagie, REALTOR® with Hertz Farm Management and also the spokesman for the Iowa Farm Land Chapter No. 2 REALTORS® Land Institute, the people behind the survey, "Land went up about 70 percent in the past five years. We probably were due for a correction." He also points out that prices are still at roughly the level they were a year ago, meaning that values remain strong.

Sam Kain of Farmers National Company projects the future values of land to remain relatively stable. He's not expecting a precipitous drop, but wouldn't be surprised by small decreases. Mr. Kain points out two factors that could help support land values: 1) investors with cash may look at land as one of the safest places to put that cash in the midst of the general market uncertainties we are facing, and 2) current farmers and land owners may believe that their equity is best used by staying put and not selling in the immediate future, meaning that available land may be somewhat more scarce than in previous years.

Here is a graphic of the breakdown statewide, courtesy of The Des Moines Register:

1031 farmland exchange

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Please consider IOWA EQUITY EXCHANGE as your trusted source for answers to your questions about Section 1031 like-kind tax-deferred exchanges. Contact us at your convenience for prompt, accurate information. Please think of us for your next exchange.

Ken Tharp

iowa 1031 exchange

800-805-1031 toll free

Providing Qualified Intermediary services for Section 1031 tax deferred exchanges all over the United States. Headquartered in Iowa, our services are available in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and all other states.

INTEGRITY. PRECISION. SECURITY.

Copyright © 2009 By Ken Tharp, All Rights Reserved. * Iowa Farmland Value Report * Contact Ken Tharp for information on Section 1031 tax-deferred exchanges anywhere in the United States.