PEOPLE TOWATCH
UP-AND- COMER
EDITOR’S NOTE: THIS IS ONE IN A RECURRING SERIES SPOTLIGHTING UP-AND-COMERS TO WATCH IN THE REAL ESTATE INVESTING WORLD.
Just Getting Started Passion for revitalizing communities drives budding real estate investor Drakia Wilkins.
by Linda Liberatore
T
he path to success in real estate draws on an instinctive ability
African American office-tenant repre- sentative in the Chicago area, working with Jones Lang LaSalle on one of the top five brokerage teams in the nation. Ultimately, Wilkins went on to work for two other boutique real
newly designed river walk that will energize the Chicago River in the South Loop. Recently, in a project that is near and dear to her heart, Wilkins assisted a good friend who had purchased the historic Avalon Regal Theater and plans to revitalize the surrounding area. Over long weekends and evenings in a West Loop office space that was donated by a generous Chicago businessman, Wilkins and some of her Roosevelt University classmates united to provide the research that the theater owner needed. They com- pleted a full feasibility and development plan for both the theater and surrounding sites, which included retail and affordable housing. The owner is still seeking to raise capital to complete this project. Wilkins is working with friends to identify investment properties so they can begin their journey as real estate investors. She’d like to grow a portfolio and envisions innumerable ways that housing will enable her to give back to the community. Ultimately, she envi- sions returning to the “Old Detroit” and playing an important role in that city’s continuing resurrection. •
and commitment to research, refine and reshape one’s plans. Those character- istics are evident in Drakia Wilkins to anyone who meets this
INVESTOR FINANCING
budding real estate investor and sees the milestones she already has reached in her short career. For many pro- fessionals, Wilkins’ accomplishments in the commercial brokerage sector would be enough to last a lifetime. But she calls them mere stepping stones to
estate firms in Chica- go, where she further sharpened her skills and became known for her respectful per- sistence and tenacity in the brokerage world. She still remembers the hard lessons associated with handling client re- jection. Long hours of calls, research and work produced presentations
• Fix and Flip • Bridge • Rentals
CIVIC IS MOVING TO A NEW PLACE IN THE INDUSTRY With a reputation for competitive rates, best-in-class service and lightning-quick funding, CIVIC is on track to become the nation’s #1 private lender by year’s end. We’d like to be your #1 choice as well.
fulfilling her true pas- sion: investing in and helping fuel a return to glory for her hometown, Detroit.
of more than 600,000 square feet in business development in a year. All these experiences combined to bring Wilkins to where she is today. INNOVATIVE, SUSTAINABLE ‘BESTPLACES’ Wilkins most recently was recruited by the Urban Regeneration Team for Lendlease Development, a publicly traded Australian firm that is commit- ted to creating innovative and sustain- able “best places.” Wilkins is the associate development manager on a 14-acre, $1.4 billion project in the South Loop that will encompass 3,600 residential units and retail. Most notably, in addition to offering nearly four acres of open park space, this project includes a
DRAKIA WILKINS
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
• Funding in as few as 4 days • Non-owner occupied SFRs, 1-4 units, multi-family & condos • 1, 2, & 4 year terms • Line of credit financing • Loans up to 90% of the purchase price or 80% of as-is value
Over 10 years ago, she left the Motor City, then deep in decline, to study real estate at DePaul University in Chicago. But in her heart, she promised to return and invest in the real estate market and find and rebuild the “Old Detroit” her grandparents told her about. ONE STEPATATIME At DePaul, she quickly became immersed in the options a career in real estate offered. After completing her bachelor’s degree in real estate, she went on to earn a master’s degree in real estate at Roosevelt University. Wilkins became the only female
• Interest rates as low as 8.5% • Foreign National program
Linda Liberatore is the founder and president of My Landlord Helper—Secure Pay One, a unique virtual assistant solution for DIY real estate investors. She also is a motivational speaker and author
877.472.4842 www.civicfs.com
of the book “Daily Inspirations to Achieve Your Real Estate Investment Goals.” She has conducted more than 1,000 workshops focusing on setting goals and implementing technology and best business processes. Her ability to transform a property suffering from reduced collections into a flourishing one is displayed by a 98 percent client retention rate. Contact her at lindal@securepayone.com.
©2017 All rights reserved. This is not a commitment to lend. Restrictions may apply. LTV limit is based on current, accurate appraised value. Civic Financial Services, LLC reserves the right to amend rates and guidelines. All loans are made in compliance with Federal, State, and Local laws. Civic Financial Services, Inc. is a California Finance Lender under NMLS 1099109 and the California Department of Business Oversight license #603L321, AZ Mortgage Broker license #092863, ID Mortgage Broker/Lender License #MBL-8288, OR Mortgage Broker License #ML-5282, and WA Consumer Loan Company License #CL-1099109. Civic Financial Services, LLC is an equal opportunity lender.
114 | think realty magazine may :: june 2017
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