🔍 Summary

In this dynamic and tactical episode, Derek Dombeck sits down with Trever Ahing, an eight-year Marine veteran turned full-time creative real estate investor. Trever shares how he built a nationwide business through novations—a unique strategy where he partners with homeowners to renovate and sell their homes at a profit. From military discipline to housing hustle, Trever's journey is rich with actionable insight, including funding strategies, legal structuring, working with agents, and his passion project helping veterans become homeowners. If you're ready to level up your deal structuring and creative finance game, this one's for you.

💡 Key Takeaways

• What are Novations? A creative financing strategy allowing investors to partner with sellers, renovate homes, and split profits—without ever taking title upfront.

• Dead Leads = Gold: Trever sources most of his deals from wholesalers and agents with listings that didn’t sell.

• Legal Protection: Using attorney-in-fact clauses, powers of attorney, and potentially deeds of trust to protect investor interest.

• Overcommunication = Success: Trever treats sellers like HGTV clients to build trust and collaboration.

• VA Loan Hacks: Trever’s “Veteran Home Advantage” helps service members buy homes they’d normally be priced out of by partnering with distressed sellers.

• Control vs. Ownership: Derek shares how he secures options creatively using mortgages instead of recording public documents.

🎧 Why Should You Listen?

• You're a real estate investor looking to scale creatively.

• You’re curious how novations work and how they differ from wholesaling or lease options.

• You want to understand legal safeguards and communication tactics that protect both the investor and seller.

• You're a military veteran (or work with them) and want to learn how real estate can empower financial freedom.

• You want to geek out on advanced deal structure theory from two pros who live and breathe this every day.

🗂️ Key Topics Discussed

• [00:00] Derek introduces Trever – Marine vet to real estate investor

• [02:30] Trever’s background: from VA house hacking to 150+ deals a year

• [05:45] What is a Novation? Explained with clear examples

• [08:50] Why sellers prefer partnering over cash sales

• [12:20] Where Trever gets his leads (wholesalers, dud listings)

• [17:05] Nationwide deals: risks, boots on ground, and safe caps

• [21:00] Paperwork: how Trever contracts and protects himself

• [25:45] Legal concerns: seller backs out, court protection, POAs

• [30:00] Derek shares how he uses options secured by mortgages

• [33:40] Pros and cons of recording options vs. using deeds of trust

• [36:00] Trever’s “Veteran Home Advantage” model

• [39:10] Lessons from Derek’s recent legal property issue

• [40:30] Final thoughts & staying in touch

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