Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Savvy Buyers, A Misnomer?

There is an article entitled “Savvy Buyers Use Self-Directed IRA to Buy Homes” at http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/31/BUQI19FAVM.DTL that really scares me.

My discomfort begins with the title which runs counter to my thinking and continues then with portions of the article that give reasons why investing in real estate via an IRA might be ill-advised. As I read the article, I also noticed many of the so-called savvy buyers had simply purchased the property so I would say the jury is still out with regard to how “savvy” they really are. The article also cited those who promote self-directed IRA as support for investment by self- directed IRAs in real estate.

I am sure holders of distressed property would welcome an influx of new “savvy” buyers to take property off their hands. I am also sure that those with self-directed IRA, especially those that went substantially down in value, will be looking for new investments they can believe in.

It’s probably because I am the former editor in chief of Practical Accountant and WebCPA columnist that this article struck such a raw nerve. Luckily, in today’s age even without that platform, I can still publicly express my viewpoint.

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