Frequently Asked Questions about investing with us
Here are some of the questions that our investors often ask us about investing in our real estate opportunities:
Are there any hidden charges involved in investing with you?
None whatsoever. 100% of your capital is returned to you, plus profit. The timing and rate of return on your money will depend on the type of investment that you choose. Contact us for options.
Are there risks involved in this investment?
While all business carries some inherent risk, real estate is among the safest of all investments. We also have a number of sound business policies in place to maximize the safety of your money:
- We never acquire property based on land speculation. Every property we purchase must show quick positive cashflow and a strong return on investment. We perform a cash flow analysis even before viewing a potential property acquisition.
- We focus on residential rather than commercial income properties. Even in economic downturns, everybody needs a place to live. Not everyone needs a business.
- We focus primarily on lease options, so the price (and profit) from a pre-sale is already established at the time the deal is made. This also allows us to assume better quality tenants, and requires less property management.
- We have a significant database of potential home buyers all around Ontario. This allows us to create competition for our house sales to get the best deal possible.
- Our overhead is extremely low. The company is run entirely from our home offices.
- We learn from our mistakes and from others’ mistakes. The experience that we have gained, and the experience of our real estate mentors, is relied upon when choosing properties and buyers.
- We maintain a healthy cash buffer to protect against vacancies and unexpected expenses.
- We firmly believe in fair treatment of everybody involved in our business dealings. Although hard to quantify, we believe that this is a crucial attribute for success in any business.
Our business policies are based on well-established, time-tested real estate practices. Even in economic downturns, we can adjust our business model to hold properties for rental instead of sale, until prices rise again. Any risks are therefore minimized, and the rewards are much greater than with most other forms of investment.
Is my investment locked in? Can I cash it at any time?
We have multiple investment options that we can discuss with you to suit whatever financial needs you may have. Let us know at the time of your investment whether you prefer to keep your investment term flexible, and we can let you know what options are available to you.
If your investment is tied to a particular property, we can generally offer you the best rate of return if you keep your investment until the sale of that property. However, we also recognize that unforeseen circumstances can arise, so regardless of your investment type, we remain open to re-negotiation if you absolutely must have your investment capital returned. Please inform us as soon as possible if this is likely to happen so that we have the necessary lead time to get the funds to you.
How long has Better Planet Investments been in business?
We have been in business since August 2004, and we incorporated in June of 2005. Our partnership brought together Robert Orland, already a successful real estate investor, with Arvana Robinson, a home renovations expert. Together we have very quickly built a thriving and profitable real estate business, backed by some wonderful investors and our ‘power team’ of legal, financial and business experts.
Can I contact your legal representation for further assurance on the security of this investment?
Certainly. We are represented by Robin-Lee Norris of Miller Thomson LLC, and you are welcome to contact her, and/or have your lawyer contact her, for more information.
How do I send you the money?
For Canadian or American investors, we will accept certified cheques, bank drafts, or bank transfers. Overseas investors may transfer funds via wire transfer or international money order. If you would like to meet with us in person to sign your paperwork at the time of your payment, we will require a certified cheque or bank draft.
If you have any other questions, you are very welcome to contact us at any time, or fill in our investment application form to have us contact you to discuss investment options.
