Heather Dreves, Director of Funding for the Secured Investment Corporation, knows the value of every gear in the fine Swiss watch of real estate. After all, throughout her career, Heather has held every position from loan officer’s assistant to lending professional. At Secured Investment Corporation, she has raised over $120 million in capital.
Heather’s experience and expertise has led to many long-term investor relationships, including one client who just referred his daughter after 18 years of working together. Thinking about the varied positions she has held in the real estate field, Heather said there are facets of the profession – such as investor relations – that can be overlooked if one views real estate through a narrow lens.
“I think people who don’t have exposure to this industry just think that everything is conventional in the mortgage world,” she said. “The private money industry is very creative and is more focused on making assets work. Markets are shifting all the time, and I think starting at the ground level taught me that there are so many working parts and understanding how everything fits together leads to a better understanding of how to make any situation work.”
One element Secured Investment Corp has been keying in on, Heather said, is capturing different market segments, including younger investors.
“It’s important to start young and as an example, we have a fund right now where people can start investing with as little as $1,000,” she said. “We’ve been able to relate to a younger generation and help them to grow and create wealth for themselves. It’s not just for retirees, investing, and it’s important to note that. Our goal is to get our clients the kinds of returns they’re looking for, and that can take place in different ways and look different depending on prior experience and where our clients are at in their careers.”
When speaking to younger potential clients, Heather said it is essential to keep in mind that diversification can look different depending on the assets at play. Property values, naturally, can increase or decrease in value depending on fluctuations within the market, but one vantage point younger investors often overlook, she added, is the long-term potential asset-backed investments hold.
One long-term investment Heather said she is happy to see is a more level playing field for women who choose a career in real estate.
“Real estate is a male-dominated world, whether you’re looking at the private money industry or fund management,” Heather said. “I love the fact that there are so many more educated, smart, successful women in the industry now. Going to events, there are women who I have seen at real estate gatherings for five or six years and I love that. And one element I have also noticed is that many of my investors love working with women. The fact that so many smart, ambitious women are entering the field makes me proud to be a part of it, and I love seeing the mentoring that happens between professionals.”
Moving forward, Heather said she hopes that more women choose careers in real estate, adding that some of the barriers to entry that existed previously are evaporating. Turning to the projects Secured Investment Corp is working on – in addition to continuously growing her team with the best and brightest talent in the field – Heather said it is critical to anticipate and react steadily to fluctuations in the market, whether they manifest as a once-in-a-century pandemic or economic downturn.
“Under my management, and the management at Secured [Investment Corp,] we’re committed to growing and bringing in new investors, in addition to identifying other ways we can deploy our capital in the best way,” she said. “We always want to make sure that the capital is out there working; so if we don’t have enough loans to originate or enough properties at any given time, we’re identifying other funds or properties we can invest in, so we can provide the best for everyone we work with.”
Secured Investment Corporation, located in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, gives lenders and real estate investors the ability to connect and build powerful – and profitable – strategic alliances. Paired with these connections is a commitment to growing net returns on invested capital. To learn more about the services offered by this group, visit https://securedinvestmentcorp.com
