This blog post is brought to NAR members by their partners at IRAR. NAR members and clients receive an exclusive discounted flat annual fee for Self-Directed Retirement Accounts.


No one knows the housing market better than a seasoned REALTOR®. Your firsthand knowledge of local inventory not only gives you a competitive edge that sets you apart amongst your clients but also allows you to make your own informed investment decisions. You come across the good deals first! Why not use this expertise to maximize your retirement savings and grow your business this year? While Self-Directed IRAs (SDIRA) are available to anyone looking to invest in real estate, they are incredibly powerful when leveraged by market professionals, making them an ideal tool for REALTORS® to build personal wealth and provide valuable insight to clients.

House Illustration With Keys and Bar Graph

The best part? Even if you or a client have retirement savings from a previous career or job, you can transfer an old 401(k) or IRA to a SDIRA to invest in what you know best – real estate. This is not a taxable event. These accounts allow you to invest in all types of real estate, penalty free.

Keep reading to learn about how Self-Directed IRAs can change the course of your financial future!

How Does it Work?

Open a self-directed account at IRAR: This is a simple online process. Book a free consultation to explore your NAR Member Benefits.  All you need is an ID.

Roll over your old 401(k) from a previous job or IRA: Moving the funds from your old 401(k) or IRA into a Self-Directed IRA is not a taxable event. You are just moving your account from one custodian to another without taking possession of the funds. You don't have to transfer all your savings. There are no minimum or maximum limits to open an account.

Start investing in real estate: Use the IRA funds to purchase real estate, such as rental properties, land, or even commercial properties. If you do not have enough funds for an outright cash purchase, there are investment strategies you can explore. You can even partner with other IRAs or personal funds, your IRA can get a non-recourse loan, or both!

Enjoy tax benefits: The growth and income generated from your real estate investments are tax-deferred within the IRA because it goes back to the IRA. If you sell the property, there are no capital gains. All income and expenses are managed through the IRA.

"I had an old 401(k) from a previous 34-year career.  I wanted a retirement plan that was less risky than the stock market. After attending an IRAR webinar, I realized that self-directed IRAs were the perfect solution. Now, I'm investing in real estate through my IRA, building my future and legacy for my family.” —Maria Gutierrez, REALTOR® and IRAR Client

How Does This Benefit Your Clients?

One effective strategy is to focus on nurturing your existing relationships and identifying potential opportunities within your current clients. Many of your clients may be approaching retirement age and have accumulated significant retirement savings. You can't keep selling your current clients a family home. However, you can offer them investment properties for their IRA, positioning you as a trusted advisor and generating new business.

Most of your clients are probably not aware that they can use the funds in the stock market to invest in real estate. Creating an educational campaign about using retirement funds for real estate investing can help you identify qualified individuals in your database. This campaign will provide valuable information helping you to focus on the hot leads.

You may also be helping clients that are considering relocating, potentially leaving an old job and 401(k) behind. Their old 401(k) can be transferred to a self-directed IRA to invest in real estate.

If you work with solopreneurs or contractors, they need a retirement plan too. Small business owners can benefit from tax incentives to save for retirement. If they have an account at a brokerage firm, they can move it to a self-directed IRA for real estate.

What Do You Need to Know to Get Started?

Schedule a call with IRAR, your Self-Directed IRA benefits partner, to help you navigate the different strategies for this type of account. Feel free to refer your clients to IRAR as well, and they will help clients set up their self-directed IRA for a real estate transaction.

Because these accounts have many tax advantages, like any other IRA they have rules. Familiarize yourself with the specific regulations governing SDIRAs to avoid any penalties or restrictions.

By leveraging a Self-Directed IRA, you not only capitalize on your real estate expertise to build a prosperous future but also deepen your relationships with existing clients generating new business and word of mouth referrals.


To learn more about how a Self-Directed IRA can benefit your real estate career, schedule a free consultation with IRAR today.