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HEARTLAND INVESTMEN T COMPANIES STARS
MAY 2020
AN.COM
DARINGARM 319-350-5378
MEET THE GARMAN FAMILY SUPERVISORS
OUR SHELTIES, BLU AND BOSWORTH!
Did you know that the first week of May is National Pet Week? For those of us with pets, every week might as well be National Pet Week, but I thought I’d take this opportunity to introduce you to two of my favorite guys on planet Earth: my Shetland sheepdogs (aka shelties), Blu and Bosworth! Gina and I call Blu and Bos “The Supervisors” because they watch over the house and pretty much run the show. Blu is Supervisor No. 1 because he’s two years older than Bos and acts like the responsible big brother, while Bos is Supervisor No. 2 and loves to wreak havoc. Both of them are the same breed (we actually got them from the same breeder), but their looks and personalities couldn’t be more different. Blu is on the small side for a sheltie, weighing in at about 20 pounds, while Bos is a whopping 55 pounds and looks more like an Australian shepherd than the Shetland sheepdog he is. Of course, it’s just our luck that the bigger dog is the one constantly getting into trouble! And I don’t mean small-fry trouble — I mean the kind of trouble that makes it necessary to double-secure and baby proof the house. Just last night, for example, I was typing away at my computer in the living room when I heard a rustling, rattling noise coming from the kitchen. At first, I thought it was my son in the kitchen making a snack, but when the noise didn’t stop, I went in to check it out. Instead of my son, I found Bos. He’d somehow managed to get into our pantry and tip over the wastebasket and was busy eating everything he could get his paws on. The kitchen floor was covered in paper plates, chicken wing bones, and a turkey carcass. Bos was having a great time chowing down! That was the second time in two days that Bos gave me his guilty “uh-oh!” look. The time before, he’d decided to go after a goose in the pond near our house. We live on a golf course, and in the off season, the pond is covered in algae, scum, and all sorts of other gross stuff. Still, instead of just standing on the store barking at the goose, Bos decided to launch himself into the pond and try to take a bite out of it. Not surprisingly, he came out of the pond a smelly mess with no goose.
During each of these incidents, Blu did his best to be as far out of the vicinity as he could. He’s the typical older brother — very well behaved, always eats all of his dog food, never gets into mischief — so every time he realizes Bos is about to do something stupid, he hightails it out of there so he won’t be blamed! Gina and I have had dogs for years, but this is the first time we’ve had two at once, and I’ve really loved watching them interact and grow up together. If I’ve learned anything from Blu and Bos, it’s that I shouldn’t take myself too seriously. Every day with the two of them is an adventure, not only because of their shenanigans but also because they’re quite a handful. They’re always hungry, they shed constantly, and they inevitably make messes, so Gina and I have to shrug off a lot of things to stay sane. At the end of the day, I think that lesson has helped us become better people — thanks to our dogs, we’re more relaxed, happier humans! If you have any fun pet stories or photos to share, I’d love to hear them! Next time you touch base with me about an investment opportunity, don’t hesitate to send over some cute puppy pictures, too.
–Darin Garman
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LISM
S OF MINIMA
THE BENEFIT
A PERFECT LIFESTYLE FOR SENIORS
As we get older, we tend to hang on to mementos that brought some type of meaning to our lives, even after time has diminished their value. Though we may be emotionally attached, this clutter can eventually overwhelm us, especially as seniors. If you find yourself drowning in items you no longer need or want, consider a minimalist lifestyle to free up your space — and your mind. MINIMALISM Before taking on a minimalist lifestyle, it’s important to understand what it entails. When someone hears the word “minimalism,” they might think it means getting rid of their possessions one by one, but that’s not entirely true. Instead, minimalist living focuses on having less clutter in our lives but still keeping the things we truly value and enjoy. The idea is to get rid of things we no longer use or need. MINIMALIST LIVING To embark on a minimalist lifestyle, focus more on the present and consider the value your personal belongings have in your life now . Sorting through hundreds of items with thousands of memories is a daunting task, so it is best to start by removing things that might not require emotional or physical strain, like old magazines, broken items, or clutter in the junk drawer. Once you’ve taken this first step, move on to something bigger. Soon, you’ll find yourself making steady and rewarding progress throughout the rest of your home.
In the process, pay attention to what you want to keep. Carefully select which objects mean the most to you and which ones are still useful. These are the belongings you should surround yourself with. THE BENEFIT OF MINIMALISM Minimalism will help you feel more comfortable in your home and open up other possibilities. You will have more room to invite guests and family over, and you’ll have a sense of space and freedom. Additionally, this lifestyle can also help with your finances. You’ll be less tempted
to buy what you don’t need, and you may even rearrange spending priorities or downsize your living space (less rent!). If you surround yourself with meaningful and useful items, you will feel more at peace. Ultimately, minimalism encourages us to free ourselves from the many things that own us as much as we own them. Don’t allow accumulated objects to clutter up your home and life. Take the leap and start living a carefree, minimalist lifestyle.
M DARIN:
A STORY FRO
TAX ASSESSO R
Y WITH THE
MY OSCAR DA
he was wrong — by hundreds of thousands of dollars! And though I was shocked, he didn’t stand a chance. The best acting job is no match for preparation, a great understanding of multifamily values, and tons of experience. Being right doesn’t hurt, either. The only reason I’m bringing this up is because this court is one more thing YOU don’t have to do when you’re one of my partner investors and/ or multifamily investment clients. You can sit at home watching Oscars reruns and looking over a report that shows the thousands of dollars I saved you in property taxes, the thousands of dollars PER MONTH I added to your property income, and the tens of thousands (in some cases HUNDREDS of thousands) of dollars I added to your property valuations. You can do all of this while I’m prepping for my performance in tax court to protect YOUR investments from whack-job folks like the Malek wannabe. Plus, like a true actor practicing
the craft, I’m relentlessly looking for the best financing, best insurance, best maintenance companies, and best appreciation and cash- flow strategies to protect and grow our mutual investments. Frankly, Hollywood glitter is like the stock market: No matter how much FUN it appears to be for the stars on Oscar night, it glosses over the hell of casting calls, rejections, and 14-hour days that are the bread and butter of rank-and-file actors and actresses. Serious investing trumps glitter every time. And as I’ve said before, if you’ve been hemming and hawing, wondering whether there will be a better time, you should ask yourself seriously: IF NOT NOW ... WHEN? Call 319-350-5378 or send me an email at darin@heartlandinvestmentpartners.com for details on your personal multifamily expansion and investments. We deliver unusual returns to our clients, whether they’re investing or selling (without the Hollywood glitter).
As I walked into the living room at home the other day, I found my daughter watching a recording of the Oscars held last February. Something about it reminded me of being in “tax court” just a few days before. Of course, MY performance wasn’t anything like best actor Rami Malek in “Bohemian Rhapsody,” but Malek couldn’t hold a candle to the guy I was up against, at least not in our feature, “Protest Your Property’s Tax Value Tax Court.” This type of court is held when you are sure a tax assessor has overvalued your multifamily property in a big, big way. And boy, the assessor sure overvalued a handful of not only our properties, but our clients’ properties as well. The guy I was up against SHOULD have won an Oscar because he did a bang-up acting job describing and justifying the value the tax assessor put on the properties. He spent 30 minutes “elaborating” on the property’s values. The problem is that
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I WA LIFE
SUDOKU
IT’S TULIP TIME! A PEEK AT IOWA’S DUTCH TRADITIONS
SALES AND SUCCES S
APARTMENT
Did you know that more descendants of Dutch immigrants live in Iowa than almost any other state? Though Pennsylvania usually gets all of the press for housing Dutch Americans, Iowa has a proud population of Dutch descendants. Their hub is the city of Pella, which was founded in the 19th century by immigrants from the Netherlands. Pella’s story started in the summer 1847, when a group of Dutch immigrants fleeing religious persecution decided to settle between two Iowa rivers, the Des Moines and the Skunk. They named their fledgling city Pella, a moniker that harkens back to the ancient kingdom of Perea, where early Christians sought refuge from the Roman-Jewish War. Descendants of those original settlers still live in Pella today, and they celebrate their heritage every May during the Tulip Time Festival! Timed to coincide with flowering of the year’s first tulips, the festival is a celebration of all things Dutch. For three days, it features tours of Pella’s historic sights and Dutch architectural treasures; traditional Dutch food, music, costumes, and quilts; multiple festive parades; and beautiful flower- packed tulip gardens. The family-friendly event brings people in from across Iowa and even reunites Dutch families spread around the country. Unfortunately, this year’s festival — which would have been the city’s 85th — has been canceled due to health risks from the COVID-19 (aka coronavirus) pandemic. However, it’s a good bet that Pella’s Dutch citizens will still be celebrating with friends and family in their homes. If you want to join the fun and invite a taste of the Netherlands into your own life this month, the Special Broadcasting Service has a collection of delicious recipes you can try! Visit SBS.com.au/Food/Cuisine/Dutch and choose between recipes for gremsjelies (fruit-stuffed pastries similar to doughnuts), farmer’s cheese soup, beef hutspot, camembert-stuffed frikkadels (cheesy meatballs), and more.
FOR SALE: 4 PLEX – $171,900 ALL TWO-BEDROOM UNITS
THIS 12 PLEX UNDER CONTRACT IN DAYS!
FOR SALE! 16 UNITS: 14%+ RETURN* TERRIFIC LOCATION AND CONDITION!! FULLY OCCUPIED!
CONTACT DARIN TODAY AT 319-350-5378 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE LISTINGS!
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HEARTLAND INVESTMENT COMPANIES
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
Darin Garman: Heartland’s Most Trusted Multi-Family Investment Advisor 2505 Silver Oak Trail Marion, IA 52302 DarinGarman.com 319-350-5378 INSIDE Page 1 Meet the Garman Family Supervisors
Page 2 Minimalist Living for Seniors
Darin’s Oscar Day With the Tax Assessor
Page 3 It’s Tulip Time in Iowa
Apartment Sales and Success
Page 4 How Entrepreneurs Digitally Detox
Constant technology use can leave us feeling drained, so it’s good to do a digital detox by unplugging periodically. Digital detoxes have become very popular, but for most managers and business owners, cutting technology out of their lives isn’t just difficult — it can be irresponsible! You can’t throw your smartphone in the sea and expect to have a job next week. While completely quitting tech isn’t realistic, it is possible to enjoy the benefits of a digital detox while sticking to your responsibilities. Here’s how a few successful entrepreneurs manage this balancing act. ARIANNA HUFFINGTON PUTS HER PHONE ‘TO BED.’ HuffPost founder and Thrive Global CEO Arianna Huffington says the first part of her nightly routine is “escorting my phone out of the bedroom.” Huffington doesn’t allow digital devices in her bedroom and relies on an analog alarm clock. “Charging your phone away from your bed makes you more likely to wake up as fully charged as your phone,” she says. 3 ENTREPRENEURS SHARE THEIR SECRETS DO SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE ENJOY A DIGITAL DETOX?
go into work with a clear mindset, ready to take on my week.” CELIA FRANCIS TRACKS HER ONLINE ACTIVITY. Sometimes technology can help you cut down on technology. Celia Francis, CEO of online marketplace Rated People, downloaded the app Moment to monitor how much time she spends on social media. This data helped her build healthier habits. “It helps you understand how you use your phone, establish usage goals, and disconnect at the right times,” Francis explains. “My phone is always off by 9 p.m. and isn’t switched back on until after the morning routine.” You don’t have to completely abandon technology to enjoy a successful digital detox. Instead, look for times when you can put your devices away and focus on something else. Even if it’s just for an hour before bed, you’ll reap the benefits.
ERICH JOINER HAS A HOBBY SEPARATE FROM HIS WORK.
Running a content creation company that caters to big brands means Erich Joiner, founder and director at Tool of North America, is plugged in most of the time. To get away from the demands, he races cars on the weekend. During that time, Joiner puts his phone away in order to focus on the race. “While it takes a lot of focus, which can be strenuous, it also mentally cleanses, or ‘digitally detoxes,’ me during the weekend,” Joiner says. “By Monday, I can
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