Category Archives: Real Estate

Criss Cross Commercial Group

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Criss Cross Commercial Group

Criss Cross Commercial Group is in the business of helping retail businesses succeed. And for nearly 20 years, they have been doing just that, growing steadily year after year.

They do things differently than the standard brick-and-mortar commercial real estate companies out there. They view their tenants differently, as a partner in each other’s success. They partner with businesses to help them reach their dreams and become successful entrepreneurs, knowing that their own success comes directly from their tenants’ success. This approach, along with their ability to creatively make deals happen in their industry, is what sets them apart from the rest. They never like to say no. They always like to figure out how to achieve the “yes,” seeking solutions that are a win-win for everyone involved.

Their story is one of a small company that has “grown-up” over the years. As they grew from a small business to a more formal and professional company, they knew they needed a trusted advisor along the way — someone to lean on for sound accounting and tax-related advice. And that’s where MGA comes into their story.

Criss Cross needed a high-level, sophisticated accounting firm. MGA delivered.

One of the ways that MGA has made the complex simple for the Criss Cross team is by helping them improve and formalize their accounting operations as their company evolved. Ryan and Melissa Dennard (Executive Director and Operations Director at Criss Cross) knew that they needed to become more organized as the business developed, especially to manage and scale their growth successfully. That’s why they went out looking for a high-level, sophisticated accounting firm to lean on, and that’s right where they found the MGA team.

When we asked Ryan to tell us more about why they continue to choose to partner with MGA, he told us that having a team they trusted to keep up with the ever-changing tax laws related to their industry was invaluable. Don’t just take our word for it, here’s what he had to say himself:

“There are also a lot of specific tax laws that apply to us and our industry, and those laws have changed and evolved quite a lot over the last five or six years. We have had a very collaborative relationship with the MGA tax team to make sure that we understand those laws, that we are well-informed about how we can manage our documentation inside the company to stay compliant, and that we are truly maximizing the opportunities around those laws. The results of this partnership have been exceptional. We are so pleased with the clarity, communication, and thoroughness of the knowledge from the MGA team and their ability to articulate precisely what we need to do to be compliant, maximize opportunities, and structure our investments and developments in ways that are tailored to the current laws.”

If your small business is looking to grow more strategically, we are here to be a collaborator in your success. Whether you are in the real estate industry or not, we can help you understand the specific tax laws that affect you and the opportunities available to you.

“We look forward to continuing to expand our relationship with MGA. They have been such a good partner with us over the last few years and allowed us to grow our business in a more strategic way. It’s a relationship that we are excited to continue to lean on in the coming years, and we know they’ll continue to be a resource for us.” — Ryan Dennard, Executive Director at Criss Cross Commercial Group

Our tax and accounting experts are here to help make the complex simple.

If we can do that for you, please reach out to us today. We are ready when you are.

Radom Capital LLC

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Radom Capital LLC

Just over five years ago, Steve Radom set out with a passion and a vision to acquire and reposition properties, molding them into community-enhancing environments. He wanted to develop projects that he was passionate about, and that’s where Radom Capital was born — a successful Houston-based commercial real estate developer and investor.

Steve was very selective when building his team over the last five years, making sure he chose excellent team members in their respective portions of the work, but most importantly, ensuring that every participant was passionate about their contribution. Choosing to partner with the MGA team from day one was no different — a true testament to our level of care and expertise.

"MGA has always been an integral part of our business. They are the people who, from a planning perspective, counsel us on business decisions. In our line of work, we structure projects and establish new partnerships and entities. It is imperative that we enter new ventures with full consideration of the tax and regulatory complexities. We regard MGA as our trusted counselors and an extension of our company." — Steve Radom, Managing Principal at Radom Capital

During the initial startup, Radom Capital leaned on the MGA team for everything. You name it, and we were there. Our outsourced accounting team helped them with all their bookkeeping and accounting functions. Our technology consulting team advised them on software and platforms to acquire that were specific to the industry. Whatever resources they needed to ramp up their business, we were there offering that to them — truly making the complex simple.

Regarding the future and changing times, Steve trusts the MGA team to have the intelligence and resources to stay one step ahead. Don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what Steve has to say himself:

"Now more than ever, especially with constant changes in regulatory laws and regulations and the evolving environment, it’s critical to have a trusted advisor that has the intelligence and bandwidth to keep up with what is literally, on a daily basis, a changing network of rules, regulations, and opportunities. I have unwavering confidence and belief that the MGA team is on top of everything we are up against and presents the opportunities, making sure we are aware of them.

We have been automating our processes and adopting artificial intelligence, and MGA has helped us implement these strategies. We have been utilizing advice from the MGA team, trying to ensure that the business's technological side becomes more accessible, easier to implement, less expensive, and that we're aware of those opportunities and taking advantage of them."

Click here to read more about Steve Radom’s great real estate venture and how MGA continues to do next level thinking with him and his great team.

 

Greenberg & Company

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Greenberg & Company

David Greenberg, Founder and President of Greenberg & Company, is a long-time MGA client. As David and his company are out offering the best commercial real estate services to the Houston area, MGA is in the background managing all of their properties’ accounting and finance needs.

Having MGA as a trusted partner gives David peace of mind, allowing him to focus on the things that truly matter to his business, like being there for his clients and offering them the Greenberg experience—not the back-office duties.

“The MGA team is very diligent, very efficient, and offers phenomenal advice on a variety of circumstances that best fit our needs at any given time. It’s comforting to know you’re working with people like that. I like being able to trust the people I work with and also to trust their ability to do what they say they’re going to do. And I have that with MGA.” — David Greenberg

As David’s company has grown throughout the years, we have always been right there growing with them. We continue to provide services that encompass everything they need.

“When it comes to having new things come up, if they don’t have the answers, they get the answers. They are always readily available to assist with different opportunities that come up for our industry, too, like the 1031 tax-free exchange. We are always reaching out to them for their expertise in a multitude of areas.”

Greenberg & Company has put their trust in MGA for nearly thirty years because we do what we say we are going to do, and then some more.

Click here to read more about David’s business journey, and how MGA has been of help along the way.

Robert Martinez, CEO Rockstar Capital

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Robert Martinez, CEO Rockstar Capital

Robert Martinez founded Rockstar Capital in 2011 with a simple goal in mind: to create a better real estate organization delivering genuine care for tenants and those who support them. They have since grown into one of the most admired real estate firms by doing just that.

Robert has managed the underwriting, acquisition, and management of 27 apartment communities consisting of greater than 4,900 rental units. In the last eight years, they have won 15 city and state national apartment association awards and were recently ranked as the 15th fastest-growing company in Houston by the Houston Business Journal.

How does Robert make this all work? By making the complex simple.

First, Robert takes the complexity out of apartment hunting. It’s 2019, and he knows that the majority of people do most, if not all, of their research online. People are no longer spending their Saturday mornings touring ten different apartment complexes. What matters now is who stands out? The ones with the best reviews, right? However, as choices are quickly narrowed down, what comes next?

Thinking outside of the box, Robert decided to show people what it would be like to live in one of his communities.

That’s where Rockstar has set itself apart from the competition. Before ever stepping foot on one of their properties, a prospective tenant can picture exactly what it would be like to call that place their home.

Further, he wants his tenants to stay with him. His entire operation is built around that goal. And it works.

Our F.A.S.T. (Finance Accounting Support Team) program handles all of the back-office accounting responsibilities for Rockstar Capital. Our F.A.S.T. program has freed up Robert’s time to focus on the things that truly matter — like growing his business and building the “Rockstar Culture.”

“MGA’s F.A.S.T. program has been a game-changer for us, in terms of how we manage our books. We get analytical information and suggestions. They’ve taken a lot of the work off of our plate, and they’ve put it on their plate — where it belongs. This has allowed me to focus on buying more apartment deals, to focus on our residents. I am now able to spend more time on what I want to focus on.”

Since coming on board with our F.A.S.T. program, we’ve watched Robert’s company soar to new heights and become ranked as the 15th fastest-growing company in Houston. Robert was also recently featured in this Forbes article where he shared some insight on How to Stay Top of Mind and Boost Referrals in Any Business.

To learn more about Rockstar Capital and how MGA has become more than just their ordinary tax accountants, click here.

In the video below, Robert Martinez, Founding Principal and CEO of Rockstar Capital, shares a little more about his company's experience with MGA and why we are the right solution for them.

John Leggett: The Journey of a Serial Entrepreneur

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John Leggett: The Journey of a Serial Entrepreneur

John was referred to Brian and the MGA team seven years ago for simple accounting work. While MGA handles 100% of tax-related items for John and his many companies, he states, “they’re a lot more than just taxes to us.”

John is a serial entrepreneur, always setting out to do things differently, to do things better. He currently has a number of different entities and different real estate ventures that he works with MGA on. From residential homebuilding to title companies and various investment entities, he has expanded his entrepreneurial portfolio and manages a variety of businesses.

Brian is John’s go-to solution when he needs advice on putting together a partnership deal, researching different case studies, or understanding how the tax treatment may work on something he’s using for structuring.

As he told us:

“Brian is 100% a collaborator in the successes of our business. I’d say he is probably our strongest professional relationship, and we utilize his expertise constantly. We’ve referred so many people to him and are happy to do so because we know he’s going to take good care of anyone we send his way.”

John and all of his companies also use our Technology and Strategic Consulting (T.A.S.C.) services. We have helped his team implement various technologies around their businesses. Each new methodology has been instrumental in cutting down time, reducing mistakes, and creating checks and balances.

Our Technology and Strategic Consulting Services (T.A.S.C.) are taking John’s companies to new heights, freeing up his time to do what he does best.

Click here to read more about John Leggett’s successful entrepreneur journey and why we are his go-to resource for strategic business advice.

The Frankel Building Group

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The Frankel Building Group

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As Jim Frankel tells the story: “When my sons came into the company they wanted to change the accounting firm. I was skeptical. I made the change because my sons knew Brian. Then I realized that Brian thinks just like us! He takes the complexity out of our financial matters and makes our entire back-office processes simple, easy, and accurate. Their F.A.S.T. program fits our needs perfectly.”

Frankel Building Group “thinks forward.”

They take the complexity of building a custom home and help their clients build better homes. As they might tell you: “Buyers feel confident relying on the Frankel team, and they appreciate our friendliness as well as professionalism and expertise. FBG has a fabulous group of people dedicated to making the home-building process enjoyable and stress-free.”

Sounds a lot like MGA!

F.A.S.T takes on the back-office responsibilities of Frankel, and other clients, allowing them to focus on growing and running the business, not the books.

What MGA designed for Frankel was how to use our F.A.S.T outsourced accounting services to let them focus on their business while our expert team could focus on helping them run their business. Our F.A.S.T team can provide a wide range of back-office financial management support, and as Frankel grew, our partnership did as well.

Some of the ways we designed our approach, which is highly tailored to specific client needs includes:

  • Provided an annual P & L forecast
  • Took 3rd party construction payables in house, created a vendor portal, and provided quality assurance to avoid duplicate payments to vendors.
  • Provided a 6-week rolling cash forecast
  • Paid and tracked tax payments for the partners to ensure all tax payments were made timely.
  • Serve as the liaison between the client and tax team so that the client no longer received a large list of items needed for their tax returns annually — all items are obtained, scanned, and tracked so the client has less to do during tax time
  • And more!

To learn more about The Frankel Building Group, click here.

In the video below, Scott Frankel, Co-president and Principal of Frankel Building Group, shares a little more about his company's experience with MGA and why we are the right solution for them.