Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?

Franchisee Todd Reid helps sons build a rental portfolio By Leah Templeton   Kaillin Reid, 9, buying his first rental property while his brother Deklan, a fifth grader and experienced landlord, gives him legal advice on how to structure his Illinois style land trust. Are you smarter than a fifth grader? Unless you’re buying rental properties to build your real estate portfolio, then maybe not. Brothers Deklan Reid, age 11, and Kaillin Reid, age 9, are already investing in their future by investing in real estate. Their father, HVA franchisee Todd Reid, owns Nosara, Inc. in Roswell, GA, and uses his business to instill values like money management and entrepreneurial spirit in his boys. "The boys meet regularly with me to discuss management issues of their properties," says Reid. "We talk about everything from how much to charge in rent to understanding the balance sheets."   Reid is also ensuring the boys will have the funds necessary for college tuition. When eldest son Deklan was 9 years old, Reid decided that involving him in the purchase of a property would be a valuable educational tool with real life applications. When younger brother Kaillin turned 9, he was ready to follow in his big brother's footsteps and purchase his own rental property.   Reid has been a HomeVestors franchisee for nearly 10 years and despite the negative attention surrounding the current real estate market, he prefers to focus on the positives, and has bright hopes for the future - starting with two young businessmen. "There's so much fear in the market right now," Reid added. "But it's the perfect time for developing a rental portfolio. I looked at this as an educational opportunity for my kids. I'm teaching them about financing and mortgage and getting them interested in it at a young age." . . . Leah Templeton is an account executive with HomeVestors' public relations agency BizCom Associates.