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Show Summary
In this episode of the Real Estate Pros podcast, Amber Bess shares her journey from working in ultrasounds to becoming a successful real estate investor and agent in Omaha, Nebraska. She discusses her experiences with property flips, syndications, and her passion for helping clients build generational wealth through real estate. The conversation also touches on the growth of Omaha’s real estate market and Amber’s personal life, including her hobbies and family.
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Michael Stansbury (00:28.942)
Hello everybody and welcome to the Real Estate Pros podcast. I’m Mike Stansbury and today I got a special guest from Omaha, Nebraska, Miss Amber Bess. Amber, how are you? I’m excellent.Amber Bess (00:40.099)
Good, how are you?Michael Stansbury (00:43.23)
Amber, we’re right in the middle of May and it’s almost College World Series, right middle of May. That’s how fast the months go by. It’s actually June, folks, when we’re doing this podcast. But we’ve got the College World Series happening in Omaha, so that’s pretty exciting stuff happening. Does the activity pick up there or just we have a lot of tourists happen? What happens there?Amber Bess (01:03.159)
Yes, yes, lot of tourists. Hotels are completely booked out. Airbnb, it’s a big time for Airbnb. That’s when a lot of people make their money. Yep, yep.Michael Stansbury (01:14.702)
A lot of premium.A of premium people do that. Yeah, I can imagine. I think that’s a fun sporting event. Never been, want to go. Before we get really started on the podcast, I’ve got to do this. I’ve got to pay the bills. So we got to talk about Investor Fuel. They are the sponsor of the podcast. We help real estate investors, service providers, and real estate entrepreneurs, 2 to 5X their businesses to allow them to build the businesses they’ve always wanted and allow them to live the lives they’ve always dreamed of. Amber, first question for you, real question about real estate and life is like, when did
you become a real estate investor agent? Why did you pivot? Did you have a pivot somewhere in life where you’re like, all right, I’m going to figure out this real estate thing. What were you doing beforehand and kind of what made you make the change?
Amber Bess (02:00.975)
So I was doing ultrasounds, you know, think baby, baby ultrasounds. I worked in OBGYN office, did that for 16 years. And at that time, me and my husband got started investing in real estate, mainly because of my uncle who invested in real estate, read the book, Rich Dad Poor Dad. That was like, oh, okay. Like I was not raised this way to like leverage your money to make more money. This is amazing. So we started investing.Michael Stansbury (02:27.021)
Yep.Amber Bess (02:30.929)
We did our first flip. It was like one of those kind of a disaster like one of those failing forward moments Yes, and thenMichael Stansbury (02:39.061)
Yes, beautiful way to put it.Amber Bess (02:43.407)
We made a good profit off that and then that kind of got the ball rolling. And then during that time, we had an agent that was working for us and I’m like, you know, I think I’m just gonna get my license if we’re gonna keep doing this fix and flip and, you know, make a little commission off this. So I passed my test, got my license and then I started out at a brokerage and…Ended up leaving there and going to a new brokerage and I was like, I’m just going to use this for investment purposes. You know how that goes. Like it starts snowballing into something else. Like, okay, now I’m a full blown agent and I’m selling houses.
Michael Stansbury (03:21.165)
So you’re so good at it, right? You didn’t realize you were gonna be good at it. People were calling you, hey, Amber, need your help on this. And a lot of people do exactly that. They get into the agency to maybe save a little commission and then get access to information and you did that. But you also started helping people on the side. But as far as your real estate investing, are you actively doing fix and flips personally or?think you mentioned in the bio that you’re involved in some syndications. Kind of tell us what that looks like and how does, I know how syndications work for me, but how do they work for you, Amber?
Amber Bess (03:59.316)
So yes, we do some flips, fix and flips. We actually had one.but we kind of fell in love with it. Like we got emotionally attached to it and so we couldn’t sell it. We ended up renting that out and it’s just, it’s a great property. The syndications, so I have a friend, investor friend, what she does is she buys hotels and turns them into apartments. She did one in a small town in Colorado.
And then now she’s doing one in Branson, Missouri. So I basically have a self-directed IRA, and there’s a lot of rules with that. If you use it for fix and flips, you can’t do any of the work, a lot of rules. So I’m like, you know what? I’m just gonna put this in the syndication, and then…
actually pulled some money out of my Roth IRA, which my financial advisor didn’t like that. And we put quite a bit money in there because it’s a small syndication with some local people from Omaha. we’re like, we were some of the first investors in there. And then there’s like a second set of investors. They don’t get quite as big of a return, but we’re all hands off and they’re rocking and rolling now. It was kind of a slow start, but.
I haven’t seen it, but I hope to get down to Branson and check it out.
Michael Stansbury (05:20.045)
Check it out. Yeah, I have some friends from St. Louis that do that in Branson. They do it all over Missouri. But what’s interesting is financial advisors, especially the ones that aren’t exposed to real estate and the returns and the wonderful thing we call bonus depreciation, depreciation. They usually get all weirded out when you start taking their money away from their accounts that they’re putting in mutual funds and stocks and things like that.So I get it, I’ve had my same guy really, I don’t understand what you’re doing. And so one of the things you get to do is syndications, the way that it sounds like yours is working is you were first in and then there’s another round, but because you were first in, there’s a little bit more benefit to you on the upside for that investment. And that’s kind of how that works for me. And again, it’s just about, I guess, risk awareness.
So, you what are you doing today, Amber? Like, what does like 2025 look like as far as a real estate agent, real estate investor? How are you helping the most people now?
Amber Bess (06:25.903)
Well, it’s kind of a balance too, because like there’s, I’m helping a lot of clients invest in real estate. I kind of consider myself like a real estate advisor, because I like to help people build generational wealth through real estate investing. And I’m doing my own investing too, so it’s kind of a balance. know, like my money’s kind of caught up right now, so now I’m good to really help people. And yeah, I some clients that I’m just like…they’re getting like multi-family and like we basically do single family but they’re just jumping right in and so it’s just really exciting to see these properties and the potential that they can bring for my clients. That’s like my main passion, very rewarding.
Michael Stansbury (07:09.811)
Yeah, and so let’s, so to walk me through maybe the last client you helped and kind of what the situation was and what they were looking for and, you know, some different investors have different reasons why they buy. And that’s the funny thing is, is sometimes we have parameters on the rate of return that we want. And we think that, well, shouldn’t everybody want our rate of return? Well, some people don’t, some people invest for different reasons. So give us an example of.kind of what you’ve had to deal with maybe the latest. I’ll let you choose your own adventure. You can either choose that or a creative one that you, a story that you really like.
Amber Bess (07:45.839)
I’ll do the last one. Like we just went under contract for it. So we made an offer on a multifamily, super cute, historic building down in this area called Little Bohemia in the Omaha area. Really up and coming. It was a very cute place. Made me a little nervous being I’m not really into older buildings, but the fact it was historic, I don’t know, that just appealed to him and it was very cute. We didn’t get it. We got beat out bySomebody but he is in it so the way that he wants to invest he will put 20 % down and Like his last property he went ahead and paid it off so he’s just having a backup plan for retirement and He he’s not trying to I kind of like to burr my properties where I end up well Hopefully end up not having any money. He’s okay putting 20 25 % down eventually just kind of paying them off so
Well, recently we are under contract for it’s two little houses. They’re midterm rentals. Do know what that means? Like traveling nurses and…
Michael Stansbury (08:53.789)
Yes. Yes. Like they stay in 30, 60 days. It’s not, it’s kind of the in between Airbnb and BRBO and a short term and not short term rentals and then irregular tenants.Amber Bess (09:06.223)
Yes, yes. So right now they’re already fully furnished and it’s two houses on one parcel. So, and it had been kind of sitting awhile and price dropping. So we got in there and it’s about half an acre. So there’s potential growth.I know on the coast, ADUs is kind of a new thing. You probably know more about this than I do. Eventually it’s gonna come to Omaha and I think they’ll be, to provide more housing, he’ll be able to maybe do something like that. But it’s half an acre, so I’m just happy to see where it’s gonna go, where the potential is.
Michael Stansbury (09:45.666)
Right, and what are some of the, in Omaha specifically, you mentioned that there’s some new growth happening. What is the engine behind some of the growth that’s happening in Nebraska? I know you’ve got, the college is there, it’s Omaha. Is that the capital of Nebraska? I forget my capitals, it’s been a while.Amber Bess (10:06.991)
That’s Lincoln. No, that’s Lincoln. But largest. Yeah, yeah. States and capitals. Go back to that.Michael Stansbury (10:10.239)
Alright, that’s right.Michael Stansbury (10:15.775)
I’m not afraid to say that I forgot a lot of my capitals and states. It’s just been a long time since I needed to know that information apparently.Amber Bess (10:23.599)
That was like third grade, I remember. Yes, I think a lot of investors are investing here because they live on the coast. Because the coasts are just up and down, but here in the Midwest, we’re pretty steady on appreciation. And it’s cheaper to invest here, like…And a lot of people, have Google, Facebook, Amazon, so it’s bringing a lot of people in. There’s just, there’s huge growth. I think people are kind of getting tired of that big city congested life and, you know.
Michael Stansbury (11:02.059)
Right, you’re spread out in Omaha pretty good.Amber Bess (11:05.123)
We are, we are. mean, it’s probably more densely populated here. You know, you go out to, people think in Nebraska is like cornfields, but that’s more like, that’s the more Western side of Nebraska. So we’re, mean, Omaha looks.Michael Stansbury (11:13.207)
Yes. Yep.Michael Stansbury (11:18.839)
Right, we think of, they were good at college football in the 90s, but that’s about it. That’s what we think about Nebraska.Amber Bess (11:24.973)
Yep. Yep. Yep. There’s actually more like cornfields and stuff that’s like over in Iowa, but probably pretty similar to any larger city, but on a smaller scale. A lot of suburbs.Michael Stansbury (11:42.049)
Yeah, awesome. Well, Amber, do you, so what does family look like for you? What do you do outside of real estate for fun? I know you say your husband was doing some lawn care today. It’s a Friday, Saturday. It’s time to do that thing. But tell me, what does that look like?Amber Bess (11:55.503)
I like to golf. don’t really get, I have two little kids, one of them is trying to come in the room right now. I have two little kids, a five year old and seven year old, so I don’t really get to golf as much as I’d like to, but I like to do anything outside, hiking. There’s not the best hiking around here, but it is, yeah. A little bit in Iowa. Chase, good help.Michael Stansbury (12:12.64)
flat in Omaha.Michael Stansbury (12:18.165)
Yeah, that’s all right. I’ve got four kids and they’re always I never know what’s gonna happen behind that door Sometimes so if something happens like that, we just roll with it But that’s off it. So, okay. So let’s go see when did you get into golf? Does your husband golf? Do you golf with your husband or is that something that got? Hey, this is my hobby. I’m not gonna let you have thisAmber Bess (12:27.598)
Yep.Amber Bess (12:37.295)
Yeah, I got into it. Oh gosh, I don’t even know. But I don’t know, was maybe like 20. Maybe before that. I’m from a small town and we would go like it’s a little like par three course that we would go to and I was on a golf league and everything. I’m not good. I play like once a year, but I like to play in those. But I mean, I’m good enough, you know, to likeMichael Stansbury (12:47.499)
Right? Yeah.Michael Stansbury (13:06.103)
Wait a minute, you like your hobbies golf, but you play it once a year. That’s not a hobby.Amber Bess (13:12.879)
pretty much my kids. I’m in that age where there’s kids all the time. I mean, and I guess like buying properties and fixing them up. My husband’s super handy, so he will like fix up the properties and stuff. So that’s kind of his, he enjoys doing it. He thinks it’s therapeutic. And yeah, I just like going outside, being outside. What other hobbies do I like? Oh, I don’t know. I’m really into like meditation, right?Michael Stansbury (13:14.733)
That’s right. It’s… yes. Okay.There it is.
Michael Stansbury (13:26.285)
Alright.Michael Stansbury (13:37.774)
Five and seven year olds, that will take a lot of your time. I’ve got four kids, like I said, they’re all past, I think, 11 years old now. But I remember watching my wife, actually. We’re gonna edit that part out, that’s a fun time, your head’s always on a swivel.Amber Bess (13:58.575)
youMichael Stansbury (14:05.005)
So with a five and seven year old, so that’s pretty cool. Yes, tons of stuff. Yeah, it’s super fun. Well Amber, if somebody wanted to reach out to you, if somebody’s like, I wanna buy a house in Omaha, I need to invest in real estate or wanted to find out more about you, where can they find you?Amber Bess (14:05.113)
Yep.So you’re in activities and stuff now? You’re like never home. Never home, yep. I’m not there yet.
Amber Bess (14:27.991)
I am on Instagram, it’s bywiththebest. My last name is Best, so it’s B as in boy, E as in Edward, S as in Sam, S as in Sam. People think I’m saying best, but it’s best. And then my YouTube is at living, living in Omaha.Michael Stansbury (14:39.585)
You are the best, right?Amber Bess (14:48.877)
Nebraska shorts, I think. Just Google my name on YouTube. I have a YouTube channel and it’s kind of fun. I’ll put like when we do flips and stuff, I’ll put some footage on there. And then Amber Best, I’m on Facebook, LinkedIn.Michael Stansbury (15:04.001)
We can find you there. Okay, cool. We’ll find it and we’ve got some information here on the bio here. We’ll put it in the show notes, So if you want to find out more about Amber and more about what she’s doing in Omaha, go click those links. Amber, thank you very much for being on the Real Estate Pros podcast. It was great to get to know you and what you’re doing over there in Omaha. Hope the Arkansas Razorbacks make the College World Series. We got to play in the regional this weekend against the Auburn Tigers, I think, and then if we beat them.We’re in, so I’m excited. So maybe I’ll come to Omaha, because I have always wanted to go to the College World Series, and if they make it in, I may do that. I have another friend of mine that actually owns a restaurant there in Omaha, Nebraska. He lives here, owns a restaurant there. Are you familiar with Let It Fly? Is it Let It Fly? Let It Fly, it’s the, there’s a restaurant bar downtown.
Amber Bess (15:40.377)
totally should.Amber Bess (15:49.401)
music.Amber Bess (15:58.573)
I seriously, I just looked at something that said, it fly today. Like, I’m serious. I was online doing something that said, let it fly. So I’m not.Michael Stansbury (16:07.189)
Yeah, I think it’s a restaurant. It’s a really cool thing, I think downtown. It’s a sports bar, a restaurant, it’s pretty cool. so you and your husband should go get somebody to sit the kids, but it’s a pretty awesome place. think it’s affiliated with Creighton’s basketball team, because they’re affiliated with Nike and there’s some stuff going on there. But I gotta get to Omaha, never been. And when I do, we’ll look you up.And so folks, again, if you’re interested in Omaha, reach out to Amber Best. Amber, again, thank you for being on the Real Estate Pros Podcast. Folks, do all the things, like and comment, share this with your friends, and we’ll see you next time on the Real Estate Pros Podcast.
