Aaron Johnson
Hot in Prop Tech: Steven Belmont on Belwood’s Innovative Investment Model
The Agency recently spoke with Steven “Bo” Belmont, the CEO of Belwood Investments LLC, and a valued client of our own Jean-Baptiste Rugiero and Mehdi Maamri . Here, Steven shares the innovative strategies behind his six-year-old prop-tech company, including a groundbreaking approach that puts every investor on the property deed— a move that builds trust and security among stakeholders.
“Our goal is for the investor to enjoy the real estate investment process without the headache and typical risks associated with doing this on your own,” says Steven, who founded the firm in Northern California in 2018 and now maintains two offices, one in Folsom and another in Newport Beach.
Read on to discover the inspiration behind Belwood’s unique investment model, the features of its cutting-edge investor app (available for free on iOS and Android devices), and Steven’s predictions for the future of real estate investment.
Belwood Investments puts every investor on the property deed. How does this help build trust with your investors?
Though we value our investors’ trust more than anything, we created this securitization system so that investors have more than trust to depend on.
What inspired you to create this unique approach to investing?
There has been a massive demand for access to real estate investing for many years, however, the cost, experience and time required has prevented people from doing something that they have always wanted to do. They’re stuck watching unrealistic “house flipping” shows with no real option to ever invest in real estate.
When I started flipping houses in 2007, nearly all of my friends wanted to do the same, yet they didn’t have the time, funds or experience necessary to do what I was doing—so I partnered with them. We would split the acquisition cost, allowing me to flip more houses with less capital, and they could do something they always wanted to do. I managed everything from construction to the sale of the home. Then at the end, we would split the profit.
Today, we have multiple people splitting the cost of the investment, allowing for a more affordable entry into real estate investments. This method started to gain a lot of attention, and today we have over 3,000 “friends” that we invest with!
The Belwood App provides weekly updates to your real estate portfolio, so you know exactly what’s going on with your investment. You can even vote on certain cosmetic and design finishes, providing full immersion into the real estate investment world.
What do you think makes this approach better than traditional investment methods?
Our approach to real estate investing is based on people’s overall need to protect their money, yet still wanting to participate in something typically offered to those with a lot of money, and/or resources. I consider Belwood to be the democratization of real estate investments.
Tell us about the app associated with your business—what does it do, and how does it serve clients?
The Belwood App allows you to follow along with the real estate investment journey, from start to sale. You’re able to navigate the app, find the perfect real estate investment for yourself, and invest and secure your money with a trust deed. Then watch as the home is transformed, listed for sale, and sold.
We also encourage the investor to participate in the design, with certain restrictions, using our voting platform on the app. Our goal is for the investor to enjoy the real estate investment process without the headache and typical risks associated with doing this on your own. We are partnered with Home Depot, allowing us access to vetted contractors and discounted materials worldwide.
Belwood’s real estate investing app.
Your company has grown quickly in the prop-tech space. How has your app helped you expand and improve the experience for your investors?
Our investors are actually participating and enjoying the experience. This is why we have such rapid growth. We pride ourselves on transparency throughout the entire project, and it’s with this transparency and streamlined systems that we can consistently offer our investors a higher-than-normal ROI, and an amazing experience that they have always wanted to be a part of.
In a competitive market, what sets Belwood Investments apart? How do you attract new and repeat investors with your business model?
It’s simple, with performance. Every day we are adding new systems, new partnerships and new ideas to our business. This allows for market adaptation, and streamlined operations that cut costs during the renovation and sales process. Moreover, our partnership with realtors, who provide Belwood with our profitable inventory. Realtors earn twice the commission with Belwood when bringing inventory through our App. The Realtor represents Belwood on both the acquisition and resale of the property. This allows Belwood to choose only the best opportunities to be offered on the App.
What are your goals for Belwood Investments in the next year or two?
Our goal is to continue to provide access to prime real estate investments around the world. We recently completed all documentation necessary to purchase real estate in Athens, Greece and Rome, Italy. Thus, sharing the opportunity for our investors to take their real estate dreams internationally. Within two years our goal is to provide investment opportunities that are near historical tourist destinations, that maintain value through most market fluctuations and provide high returns.
Have questions? Visit BelwoodInvestments.com or contact Steven directly at Bo@thebigco.org .
The post Hot in Prop Tech: Steven Belmont on Belwood’s Innovative Investment Model first appeared on The Agency Journal.
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