WANT TO HEAR MORE FROM THESE AND OTHER WOMEN ACTIVELY SHAPING THE FACE OF THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY?
the strengths that are really ours, including getting out there, shaking people’s hands and introducing yourself so that you have the opportunity to answer the question, ‘Why me?’ “I think Steve Jobs said that it’s really easy to look in the rearview mirror and connect all the dots. Sometimes, as women, we just look forward and we can’t figure out how to connect the dots. It’s import- ant to be willing to get out there and use what we know, what we do best, which is networking and authentically connecting with other people. Sometimes we underestimate our own ability to network effectively and get the job done.” •
changing the market landscape. I’m particularly excited about opportunities to work with other real estate start- ups and identify- ing new markets in which we can innovate and fit what is coming.”
Attend the Think Realty National Conference & Expo in Dallas, Texas, on April 29, 2017, to hear from members of our 2017 “Women to Watch” panel in person.
LAUREN TAYLOR Capaven Columbia, SC
CRUCIAL “KEY” TO SUCCESS IN THE INDUSTRY: “Don’t be afraid to reach out to those who have done things before you or better than you in the past. I attribute a lot that I’ve learned in my career to targeting (or stalking!) those from whom I want to learn.” Like many other women in real estate, Taylor has found a great deal of success by “negotiating” positive results for parties that have not historically always worked together toward the same end. “We spend our time identifying potential tenants and option holders before we get investors involved,” she explained, noting that this makes Capaven’s process very streamlined once real estate investors get involved. “Once the individual is quali- fied, then we pair that person with an investor and both parties make a multi-year commitment to each other. That way, we provide affordable housing and stable and reliable returns. “For us, happy tenants have always meant happy investors.” PROUDEST MOMENT: “I’mmost proud of persevering in this industry. I started out as a woman too young and in the ‘wrong’ state for real estate investing. I am proud that I was able to take criticism and use it to improve and to take failures and find ways to make those situations work for me. “I became a student of the industry and focused on learning and experiencing as much as possible, which gave me the ability to create something that I’m immensely passionate about.” A WORD FOR WOMEN IN REAL ESTATE: “Although the majority of the leaders and operators in our industry are men, I encourage women to see this as an opportuni- ty rather than a roadblock. There is a need for talented women to bring insight and innovation into the industry. Never believe that we are blocked simply because we are not prevalent.” •
PLACE IN THE INDUSTRY: In 2006 when the housing crash hit South Carolina hard, Lauren Taylor dove right in. At the age of 19, she started a
property preservation company dedicated to helping banks manage their foreclosed properties. Less than a year later, she obtained her real estate license and began working exclusively in REO properties, eventually transitioning to focus on helping institutional investment funds acquire single-family rentals in large volumes in the area. “My goal became attracting new funds to build portfolios in my market,” she said, adding that soon her company’s services included full-service management of acquisition, renovation and property management for many of her clients. “I guess it’s not surprising that eventually we’d end up building portfolios and assisting real estate tech startups in opening oper- ations in the southeast,” she said, noting that her newest venture involves creating an online platform that will enable investors all over the world to participate first in her South Carolina market and later in markets around the country. “Capaven is a real estate investment platform for investors who want to enter the single-family rental and lease-option spaces but also want to remain hands-off,” Taylor explained. She added that although there are some companies built around similar concepts, they do not necessarily operate with the best interests of the actual homeowner in mind as well as the investor’s. “By focusing our pas- sion for doing what’s right for the investor and the consumer, we can stabilize investor returns while also providing an unparalleled customer experience for both parties involved,” she said. WHAT’S AHEAD IN 2017: “Single-family real estate is just now really coming into its own, and there are an increasing number of companies out there
Carole VanSickle Ellis serves as vice president of research and anal- ysis at the Self-Directed Investor Society, helping investors “declare independence fromWall Street.” Contact her at editor@bryanellis.com or visit sdiradio.com.
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