About Us

The Investor Insights

Providing creative real estate investing and financing strategies since 2006.

Who Is The Investor With These Insights?

Susan Lassiter-Lyons

Hey, it’s Susan.

I’m the author of Mortgage Secrets for Real Estate Investors, Flipping Fortune and I’m so happy you’re on my blog, TheInvestorInsights.com, voted the #1 real estate investing blog of 2011.

I began investing in real estate in 1994 by forming a small syndicate, the Lien Lords, to pool $2,500 in capital to purchase tax liens at auction.

Since that modest start, I’ve participated in more than 600 transactions as an investor, broker, lender, syndicator and advisor.

Additionally, I have…

* Owned and operated a successful mortgage company where we specialized in residential, commercial and hard money financing for real estate investors.
* Raised $26 million in private money from debt and equity partners to fund hundreds of deals.
* Sponsored real estate investing syndicates including multifamily equity offerings and a 506(d) private equity mortgage pool to make hard money loans.

I love teaching and sharing what I know and live each day to “have fun and create value.” Through my home study course, seminars and personal coaching programs I’ve been blessed to change the lives of thousands.

I started this blog in 2006 to share my creative investing and financing insights with real estate investors. We’ve laughed a lot and learned a lot along the way and I hope you’ll bookmark the site and visit often.

I’m dedicated to your success and to continuing to provide you with the best Investor Insights! Find out more about me in the 20 Questions below.

20 Questions for Susan

1. What is your name and nicknames?
Susan Lassiter-Lyons. Lassiter is my Mom’s maiden name and Lyons is my Dad’s name. Nicknames are Sly and SLL.

2. Where do you live and where were you born?
I live in Denver, Colorado. We moved here when I was 15 from Stone Mountain, GA.

3. What’s your sign?
Leo.

4. What is your worst habit?
I curse way too much.

5. What is your best feature?
My eyes, I have been told. But I think it’s my open-mindedness.

6. Do you have children or want children?
I was not blessed with children of my own but I have lots of nieces and nephews whom I adore.

7. Favorite color?
Purple.

8. Who is your Idol (Celebrity or Otherwise)?
I have a couple – my grandmother Dorothy Lassiter and Babe Didriksen Zaharias. In grade school I wrote every book report on Zaharias until the teachers said I had to start writing about something else.

9. What is you favorite pastime or hobby?
I am a movie junkie but am also an avid poker player. I broke my leg surfing in Hawaii in 2005 and was laid up on my couch for about a month after the surgery to put it all back together and I played online poker all day.

10. What is your favorite holiday?
I like Memorial Day. I like what it stands for and it also means summer is coming and that always makes me happy.

11. Things you hate most in people?
Moral superiority. Two words – glass houses.

12. Things you like in people?
I call it generosity of spirit. People that help others without expecting anything in return.

13. What would be your dream job?
Hollywood screenwriter.

14. Favorite pet or animal?
My dogs Dexter, Lucy and Harper. Dex is a Malamute/Shepherd mix, Lu is a Rhodesian Ridgeback and Harper is a Blue Beagle. Furry love.

15. Favorite Band/Artist?
The Go-Go’s!

16. Favorite Movie?
I have MANY but my top four are Wall Street, The Women (1939), Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Love Story.

17. What was your first real estate investment?
In 1994, I read a book about real estate investing and decided to try my hand at tax lien investing. I got a bunch of my co-workers to pool money to buy some tax liens at the Arapahoe County auction. We called ourselves the Lien Lords. We won 4 liens. Three redeemed pretty quickly and one we still have. It’s a tiny parcel of vacant land in the boonies. I keep it as a reminder to do my due diligence since it is in the middle of nowhere and has virtually zero value.

18. Have you ever been on TV?
Yes, my high school choir gave a Christmas concert on a local TV station. I hadn’t eaten all day and the lights were so hot I passed out on live TV. My grandmother was watching with some friends and later she said “One minute you were there and the next minute you were gone!” Yep, on the floor, Gramma.

19. Favorite food?
Well, I’m a Celiac (gluten allergy) so I don’t get to eat the really good stuff anymore but if I want to go for it and wind up sick for a few days it’s Key lime pie and something my Mom makes called Upside Down Fettuccine Bake.

20. Favorite quote?
“The best way to do it is to actually do it.” — Amelia Earhart