Blog - Burke Cox

An Amazing Family (Re) Union

In February of 2021, I received a highly unanticipated text message on 23andme.com, the online DNA testing site. Someone who’d I had never met, or even heard of, sent me the following direct message:

I immediately looked at this person’s account information on 23andme.com to see what prompted this message as I had difficulty imagining why they would reach out to me. My initial impression raised my curiosity as they were listed as my first cousin:

This was interesting. We “likely share a set of grandparents.” But, my mind had already raced to the more logical conclusion, as the only family member I know that was in Panama at that time was my own father. He was there before I was born and I didn’t know if he was married at the time. If he did father a son there, I was very concerned about what impact it would have on him and on my mother, Sharon. So, for over a month, I did not tell anyone about this note or respond to Roy. I just contemplated it.

Eventually, I reached the conclusion that if it were me, and I was looking for my father, I would be hurt if someone just suppressed any helpful information. So I reached out to my older brother, Tommy, and told him what I knew so far. In the next several days, he learned the exact years that Dad was in Panama and that he’d actually met my mom after returning. With that information in hand, I decided to put the matter into my father’s hands.

After a visit with my mom and dad one day, I had my dad walk me out to my truck. I said, “Dad, I want to talk with you about something, but I don’t want to upset you.” He replied, “Son, nothing you say could upset me.” I smiled, “Okay, let’s see…”

After a brief description of the events and communications, he replied, “Well, it could be.” I told him that my brother was the only one who knew and any decision to move forward would be entirely his. Within a day or two, he called a Family Meeting. As a matter of context, I cannot ever recall him calling a Family Meeting before in my life. My brother and I met him and my mother at their house later that week and we went through everything we knew. My mom’s reaction was not entirely positive, as is understandable. She was under the impression that they were each other’s firsts when they married. But, she is a strong woman, and agreed with the emerging plan: I would reach out to Roy to determine what we should do next. So, I replied to Roy:

Roy reached out to me on iMessage and we began texting…lengthy texts…where we both expressed our amazement, caution, surprise, excitement, and concerns about the matter. Of particular note was a part of Roy’s message where he said that “…I asked if he knew the name of his father and all he knew was his first name ‘Layton or Leighton’ not sure of the spelling.” I replied that, “…based on the genetics, the timing, and the fact that my father’s name is Layton, I’d say you are my half-nephew. Quite a development.” He replied:

Roy informed me that his father, Jose, had submitted a sample to 23andme.com recently, but the results were not back. Roy would see them first as he set up the account for his father. He recommended that we wait until we had some more evidence because he didn’t want to give his father false hope. While we waited for the results, Roy and I began exchanging photos via iMessage. When I saw Jose, the family resemblance was immediately apparent. But we still held off in anticipation of the final results from 23andme.com.

Cox Family: Layton, Tommy, Sharon, and Burke.

Jimenez Men: Jose Jr., Jose, Jose’s Stepfather, and Roy

We exchanged many more messages and I learned about Jose’s daughter, Aida, and that they had another brother, Gabriel, who had died from complications of Covid in 2020. Roy shared with me that he’d been communicating with his brother, Jose Jr., and his sister, Aida, and they all agreed they saw the family resemblance. We went back and forth with many, many messages of excitement and astonishment.

Per my arrangement with my father, I still kept the secret between this small group. On one visit with my father, I asked how he was feeling about the situation. He said he had talked with some some trusted people at his church and everyone was supportive and that he’d discussed it with a few others as well. I asked, “Who else?” He replied, “My sister Myra, granddaughter Alicia, brother-in-law Tom…” and the list kept going. I realized this secret was out of the bag and that with the pending results from 23andme.com, the communications between the families would soon outgrow the current channel between just Roy and me.

I added Tommy to the text message discussion and he, Roy, and I began texting even more. We shared so many pictures and thoughts about the situation. Frankly, we were all getting very excited about it and began referring to our families as one and stumbling through the relationships….it was so confusing at first! We would say “cousin” one time, then “brother”, then “nephew” as we were constantly trying to “do the math.” We learned that Jose had moved here in the nineties and had tried unsuccessfully to find his father and that the entire family was living in New York.

Then, on Sunday March 28th, I received this message from Roy with information from Jose’s 23andme.com account:

I quickly confirmed on my own 23andme.com account and, as Ron Burgundy might say, “Things escalated quickly.” Now, the Jimenez clan scheduled their own Family Meeting to tell Jose that they had located his father, alive and well in Alabama, and that he had two brothers as well. They shared a video of them showing the results to Jose and, now that he knew, information really started flowing fast. Dozens of pictures from both families were exchanged and everyone on both sides was frantically trying to figure out who everyone on the other side was.

Just about a week later, on Easter Sunday, April 4th, we shared the pictures and videos with my dad for the first time at a gathering at Tommy’s (and his wife Julie’s) house. For the first time, my dad was able to see his 59 year old son that he never realized he had. Of course, everyone on the Jimenez side kept asking about how it was going. We shared a video of my dad seeing all the evidence with them and also relayed that my mom was acclimating to the revelation. By the end of the day we received a message from Jose that he was looking forward to meeting us all when the pandemic permitted travel.

Now, we had to get more people involved. I set up a private Facebook group for the families and distant cousins began posting pictures and comments. Everyone was so sweet and welcoming on both sides of the family. The messages continued on Facebook and in an ever-expanding text message group. Before long, everyone was talking about meeting in person. Within a month, a plan had emerged for the Jimenez family to come to Alabama and visit with the Cox family the weekend of July 31st. So amazing, within 90 days of the first contact we had made plans for the first Family (Re) Union.

As the weekend approached over the next two months, we learned more and more about the families. Jose and my father had spoken on the phone several times and we had sent text messages, exchanged phone calls, and did FaceTime calls many times. It became clear to both families that we would enjoy our time together, but of course we were all still very nervous. A sixty-year old puzzle had been solved, but there was so much to communicate in the meantime. There were still sensitivities and occasionally private messages would be exchanged as each side addressed delicate topics.

By July, the trip was fully planned. Jose and his wife Aida would be coming to Alabama, arriving Friday, July 30th and departing on Monday, August 2nd. Joining them was their oldest son, Jose Jr., his wife Yvelisse, and their two children, Daniela and Vincent. Also coming were Jose and Aida’s daughter, also named Aida, and – of course – the instigator of the entire (Re) union, Roy. My daughter, Riley, also drove in for the trip from Missouri. For the first night, we decided to get the three brothers together with members of their family. We all met at The Club which overlooks Birmingham. Tommy’s wife, Julie, filmed the first encounter:

The Jimenez family arrives at The Club to meet the Cox family for the first time.

As the evening went on, we took many pictures as you can see below. By now, most of these faces should be familiar, but Jose’s wife, Aida, and Tommy’s wife, Julie, appear here for the first time.

We were having such fun, the three brothers and a few others decided to continue to (re) union at a local sports bar, The Hickory Tavern.

The next day, Tommy and Julie hosted an event at their house for Jose to meet my (and his) dad for the first time. I am sure everyone was a bit nervous, but after The Club and Hickory Tavern, we already felt like family by this point. The video from the first meeting:

The first meeting of Layton and Jose after nearly sixty years.

For this event, a much larger group was a present including children, cousins, and grandkids….

Sharon, Layton, Tommy, Jose, Aida, Burke

The next day, we weren’t entirely sure what to do. It was a pretty day though and we had leftover food from Saturday, so we decided to meet back up at Tommy and Julie’s house. This time everyone was fully relaxed and we all felt like one big happy family. And, on this day, the cornhole went to a new level.

My iPhone summarized the day by creating this video…

On Monday we met up at lunch once again as a family. Both Layton and Jose took a moment to speak and shared what a meaningful event the weekend had been for them both. Layton shared that the faith he holds so dear was only accentuated by the events of the weekend and learning he had a son and that their family shared the core value of his Christian faith: Love One Another. Jose remarked about the loss of his beloved son Gabriel and how he had felt so lost, but that he believed the Architect had placed a new family in his life to help fill that terrible void.

Needless to say, there were tears all around. But so much joy for everyone. For me, it has been such a privilege to meet this new family of mine and to be embraced in such a pure and loving way. I know I can speak for the entire group, on both sides of the family, that we all feel incredibly blessed to make this mutual discovery in time for Jose to meet Layton and Sharon. And, certainly, we are all in great anticipation for the first REUNION of this new mixed family.

Simple Business Accounting Spreadsheet

June 26, 2025June 26, 2025by burkecoxLeave a Comment

One of challenges in launching a small business is tracking income and expenses. Of course, most people turn to Quickbooks or other similar products to manage this. If you are doing high transaction volume and need electronic payments, that is a good choice. But for small businesses that have limited transactions, the complexity of learning and using an accounting system can be daunting.

That’s why I developed the attached Excel spreadsheet template. It lets you quickly set up a Chart of Accounts, enter Transactions, and dynamically creates an Income Statement. It has a slightly unconventional presentation for the income statement because everything it calculates is automatically generated from your Chart of Accounts, which you can add to at any time.

Hopefully, someone will find it helpful, either as a tool for your business or to provide some ideas about how to do dynamic spreadsheets within Excel.

Download it here: https://burkecox.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/00-Annual-Budget-Template.xltx.zip

Young Founder Advice – Communication

May 15, 2024May 15, 2024by burkecoxLeave a Comment

Note: I co-founded my first company when I was 30 with a private placement that eventually raised over five-million dollars. Here is some advice I wish I had 25 years ago:

It is hard for a young founder to understand the mindset of an investor in a private placement. Especially if that founder did not grow up in a high-net-worth family. For me, these people who could write a $250,000 check to fund my idea were a bit of a mystery.

I never really considered the value of communication with my investors….I was working too hard to try to make the idea successful.

Now, at 55, I have another privately funded company. Yesterday, we held our monthly call with investors. I recorded it on Zoom and sent out an update to all of our investors, including a transcript of the call.

I started holding these calls about a year ago…probably too long into the growth of our company. I wish I had started them on day one. They get overwhelmingly positive feedback, even though the calls themselves are not particularly action-packed.

Here’s a few reasons this kind of robust communication can add value to your startup:

Investors Need Confidence Their Money is Working. As an investor myself, one of my biggest frustrations is deploying money into something and not knowing how it’s going. I hear this from investors in other placements all the time. “I can’t get those guys on the phone.” “Getting information is like pulling teeth.” “The whole thing is a black hole.”

We have over 60 investors in Premium Property Trust. On any given monthly call, we will usually have 10-15 people participate…and the group changes each time.

I purposefully keep the calls short and mostly informal. If you have a monthly call with a complicated agenda, you may end up dedicating too much preparation time, which could distract you from other important tasks.

The main purpose is to share with the investors what we are doing. I may highly a key financial metric, a new strategic hire, emerging opportunities, or challenges that we may be having.

The value to the investors is that they hear my rationale for decision-making as the CEO. This helps them maintain confidence that their money is being managed responsibly. No executive can *always* make the right decision, but communicating the influences for decisions – even if they end up being wrong – provides the investors with the confidence that you take your fiduciary responsibility seriously.

Regular Communication Makes Difficult Messages Easier to Deliver. If you go silent as an executive and leave your investors in the dark, when you have a serious issue emerge, you will find much less empathy from those who support you financially. The concept that “No News is Good News” does not apply to investor relations.

If you emerge from a silent period with a desperate plea for a capital call, you will find your investors extremely frustrated to be put in that position. So many times, I have provided advice to friends about the danger of “throwing good money after bad.” The advice I usually give is along the lines of: “If they weren’t transparent about the decisions that led to the problem, they probably aren’t being transparent about the likelihood of additional investment solving it.”

Engagement With Investors Allows You To Leverage Their Expertise and Networks. For years I gotten a smile from people when I explain how a professional network contact was able to help in a situation, saying wryly, “It’s not who you know. It’s who I know.” Well, especially when you are a young founder, your investors probably know many more influential people than you.

If you are willing to be transparent about both your successes and failures, you will often find your investors might have a connection that can provide immediate value to your business. Of course, my saying is derived from the actual phrase, “It’s not who you know. It’s what you know.”

Here, too, you may find expertise in your community of investors that proves invaluable.

As a young CEO I felt, “These investors have said they invested in me. The last thing they want to hear from me is uncertainty.” As I’ve grown older and more confident, I’ve learned that, yes, they have invested in me. But they know I don’t have all the answers about every domain involved in running a business (e.g. financing, human capital, legal, strategy, time management, insurance, technology, etc.)

Given a chance, you will find many of your investors have complimentary experience to your own and can provide valuable insight as a startup naturally evolves its business model.

Startups are inherently risky, and the path to success is rarely straightforward.

Don’t let your own insecurities stand in the way of communicating openly with your investors. They did invest in your leadership, and an important aspect of effective leadership relies on consistent handling of business challenges. Providing your investors insight into your thought processes strengthens your reputation with them and helps secure continued support.

Further, maintaining a regular communication cadence with investors increases your personal accountability. Knowing that you need to provide consistent updates encourages you to stay focused on your goals and adhere to your timelines. This discipline can improve your overall performance and drive better results for your startup.

To maximize the value of your investor communication, consider the following best practices:

1. Regular Updates: Schedule regular updates, such as monthly or quarterly reports, to keep investors informed about your progress.

2. Transparency: Be honest about both your successes and challenges. Transparency fosters trust and credibility.

3. Be Concise and Clear: Investors are busy; provide clear, concise, and well-organized information to respect their time and ensure they understand your message.

For privately placed startup companies, communicating with investors is a strategic imperative that goes beyond merely updating them on financial performance. It’s about building a foundation of trust, aligning expectations, leveraging resources, and fostering a collaborative relationship that can significantly impact your startup’s success. By prioritizing transparent and effective communication, you not only enhance your current investor relationships but also pave the way for future growth and opportunities.

One final thought: All of this can only be accomplished if you are ethically leading your company. As a young person, I probably focused too much on what things I needed to do to become successful…even to appear successful. I did not give enough effort towards how I would make those who invested in me find personal success (that is, a meaningful return on their investment and ownership in a valuable and ethically-managed company). If your primary focus is selfish, you should not be taking capital from others, you should be relying on yourself. Your job as a founder is to put your investors’ interest first. If you do that, your personal success will follow.

Overcoming the Fear of Change

April 17, 2024April 17, 2024by burkecox2 Comments

For those TL;DR folks, or BLUF as I learned working with Jones Group International:

It’s always a good time to follow your passion and embrace change.

For those of you who are willing to wade through a bit (okay, a lot) more, here’s the full story:

In 2018, I faced a traumatic event of divorce in my life. Like so many others have experienced, it is something you may contemplate in the back of your mind, but you never really see it happening to yourself.

I had been a senior executive in two different government contracting companies and was negotiating to become the President of a third. It was a large business, and my compensation would be a material increase.

But I had left government contracting for a reason…I was burned out by it. Without going into detail, the government can be a challenging customer.

However, I was good at it. My teams liked me as an executive who could really understand the IT challenges. I was good at writing proposals, thanks to working with Adam Rossi and the amazing team he assembled at Platinum Solutions. I knew how to lead diverse teams based on the experience I learned with Sonny Kakar as we rapidly grew Sevatec. So, I was 100% confident I could be successful in this role.

But, probably because of the divorce, I was thinking about happiness and what I wanted to be as a person when I grew up. (Ha, the same question we ask ourselves in kindergarten).

I felt I needed a change.

It wasn’t a good time for change. I really needed the money this position was offering. Kids in college and the costs of ending a marriage takes its toll on finances. Not exactly the best time to be looking for a startup opportunity.

But my best friend since childhood, Chris Reebals, had a vision to start up a Real Estate Investment Trust (a “REIT”) in Birmingham, AL focused on developing single-owner, mixed-use, walkable communities across the country. Not an easy task; it’s never been done before in a REIT.

But something appealed to me about real estate development. One of the downsides of software is that it is ephemeral. I doubt much, if any, of the code I wrote over a 25-year career is still in use today. It’s all been ported to new operating systems and new devices with different user interfaces and user expectations. There’s not much remaining to point to as “my life’s work.”

With real estate, you’re building something tangible. And, if you’re in our particular niche, you’re building something beautiful. That appealed to me on a visceral level.

But I knew something about startups. I’ve succeeded and failed with them. Two companies I started are still alive and kicking after 20 years (JNetDirect and Stelligent), but everything isn’t a success.

Even more than the success/failure rate, though, they are a hell of a lot of work. Uncertain work.

In government contracting, I could predict the future: we’d use our past performance, identify some win themes, engage with our government customers, and win new contracts. If you have a good team with a good reputation, the work was there for the taking.

In this new real estate venture, there was only one thing I was 100% certain of: it would either succeed or fail, but in either case, it would be an all-in situation.

Fast forward to late 2018 and I’m living in Birmingham, Alabama as the CEO of the nascent Premium Property Trust with a mandate to raise private capital, acquire real estate assets, and build a vision for developing a REIT with a market desire to go public.

But man, was I underprepared for the real change I was facing.

I had left a town I lived in for 20 years, with a group of friends that I truly loved. My network of contacts was in the government contracting world, not particularly helpful in this new venture.

And, something I didn’t know about myself: I was wounded. Failing at a marriage takes its toll in a way that is difficult to communicate. It affects your kids, for sure. But it affects you personally in ways that are difficult to see (or admit to yourself).

In my case, I didn’t move to Birmingham on accident. I grew up here. My parents and my brother and his family are here. But I drove from Northern Virginia in a small U-Haul with the few possessions I had and moved into Chris’ basement.

I was more of a mess than I really admitted. Re-entering the dating world, going out to find some kind of happiness, and trying to launch a new business all at the same time.

I had friends and family here, but it wasn’t like my group of friends in Northern Virginia: men I’d grown to love over 15 years, golfing together regularly and enjoying hanging out with our families.

I remember Chris checking up on me one time and I said, “I’m fine. You know, I really don’t get depressed.” He replied cynically, “I don’t see why not.”

Ha. But I am lucky (or delusional) in that sense. I never really did feel depressed. Or in despair. But I was a bit scared. I didn’t know whether this new business venture would work – if I could figure it all out.

Plus, on the personal side, I had resolved one thing for sure: I didn’t ever want to get married again. Not a great starting position for successful dating relationships after 40.

So, what to do? For me, the answer has always come easy, just get to work.

Figure it out. How do you make good real estate deals? How much money do we need? What do we need to put in place legally? What are the key hires? How do we distinguish ourselves in the market? What books can I read to learn this stuff? Where can I seek advice?

To me, this is the essence of change. Don’t fear it, figure out how to accomplish it. Too often, you can get paralyzed by the unknown, trying to understand it all at once. Just resolve to start; somewhere, anywhere. Knock out one thing and move on to the next.

Before I knew it, I began to see success. Two of my business partners in Northern Virginia invested before we had anything much more than an idea. Both said, “I’m investing in you. I know you’ll figure it out.” No pressure, ha.

Chris had a great network in Birmingham. An accomplished architect and entrepreneur, people knew his reputation as an honest, hard-working, and successful businessman. We were able to attract more capital locally.

We grew and now hold about $35M in real estate assets with another $250M in off-market projects in our pipeline. Nothing about it was easy, but I am walking through building sites, wearing a hard-hat, envisioning the developments at completion.

It’s a 100% change from my work as an executive in government contracting. But it’s also completely aligned with what I want to be doing.

And I grew as a person. I became a better man. I started opening my mind (and heart) to faith again. I took myself out of the role of being the God in my life.

And the real God intervened. In November 2021, He put Michelle Warren into my life. By May 2022, we were married. My childhood friend and business partner, Chris, performed the wedding ceremony. My friends from Northern Virginia came down for the wedding.

That wasn’t easy, either. Michelle’s daughter, Ella, was 14. They were living in South Carolina. She didn’t want to change. She didn’t particularly like me (and I’m being generous here). She was a bit resolved to prove it and didn’t make it easy on us.

But, as I posted recently, late last year she asked me to adopt her. And now I have a new daughter, too. Who saw that coming in 2018? Change all around.

If you’re considering a change, I certainly don’t have all the answers. But I do have some encouragement: it could very well be the best thing you ever did. It certainly was for me.

My advice, take whatever time you need to envision what you want in your life, even if it’s not fully formed. Then start. Figure out one task that gets you closer and get it done. If you feel like it’s starting to work, do the next task. At some point, you will probably need to take a leap of faith. No one can predict the outcome.

You may end up at the happiest time of your life, if you’re lucky like me. That’s the nature of change, it may be uncertain, but it can lead to something you may not yet be able to imagine.

If you made it reading this far you might be thinking about making a change yourself. If you want either encouragement or advice, please feel free to reach out.

P.S. Michelle wasn’t the only miracle God performed in my life during this time. He also protected my son’s life in a terrible car wreck, but that is a story for another time.

Happy December! It’s Officially the Season of Joy

December 8, 2023December 8, 2023by burkecoxLeave a Comment

December has arrived, and so has the season of joy! Embrace the magic, spread kindness, and make memories that warm your heart. What’s your favorite December tradition?

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” -Mahatma Gandhi

Now Taking Reservations for The Residences at Alta

Premium Property Trust has opened the opportunity to reserve your condo today at the new Residences at Alta community. These luxury condominiums include the highest-end features and amenities, offering “a life above in Vestavia Hills.” Conveniently located near Interstate 459 and Highway 280, these homes in the Vestavia Hills school district will be adjacent to the newest and most luxurious hotel in Birmingham: The Alta. Don’t miss your chance to reserve your new home today!

http://www.theresidencesatalta.com/reserve

New Urbanism For Connected Communities

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) play a pivotal role in shaping and supporting the principles of New Urbanism for connected communities. New Urbanism is an urban design movement that emphasizes creating walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods with a focus on sustainability, community engagement, and smart growth.

REITs align seamlessly with these principles, acting as financial instruments that enable the development and maintenance of real estate projects conducive to connected communities!

Follow us on Social Media!

Stay connected with us for the latest updates and content from Premium Property Trust! Follow us on the following channels below and join our community of like-minded individuals. Together, let’s embark on a journey of inspiration, knowledge, and shared experiences.

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Reserve Your Residence Today! The Residences at Alta

November 28, 2023November 28, 2023by burkecoxLeave a Comment

We are so pleased for you to join our other residents today in reserving your place at the most exciting residential development in Vestavia Hills! At the Residences at Alta, you will enjoy a “life above” with the highest-end features and amenities and a convenient location near Interstate 459 and Highway 280. This gives rapid access to all of the amenities of Patchwork Farms (Publix shopping, boutique restaurants, Lifetime Fitness, etc.) with nearby centers such as The Colonnade and The Summit just minutes away.

Our Residences are equipped with high-end appliances and fixtures, designed by the award-winning interior designers at Christopher Architecture and Interiors. You will enjoy reserved parking, dog walks, and private Pickleball courts. Each floor comes with lavishly appointed outdoor entertainment spaces for grilling out and watching the big game!

Coming soon to the area, we are also developing the Alta Hotel, a luxuriously appointed boutique hotel under the Marriott Tribute banner. With its spa, pool, indoor golfing facility, destination restaurants, and rooftop bar, you will live only a few steps away from the best entertainment and hospitality site in Birmingham (and homeowners gain special access to all the amenities of the property).

While we have talked about this project for some time, we are preparing to take reservations for the condominiums, providing final pricing, and getting ready for formal pre-sales of the Residences. Stay tuned to the website at http://theresidencesatalta.com for exciting news about the future of this development!

Strategic Partner Highlight

We want to highlight our Christopher Architecture and Interiors commercial team. Not only are they good at what they do, they are fun to work with!

The collaboration between Premium Property Trust and Christopher A&I involves an understanding of our investment objectives, financial parameters, and property-specific requirements, leading to value-added or ground-up developments that align with our overall portfolio strategy.

Happy Fall from Premium Property Trust!

October 13, 2023by burkecoxLeave a Comment

As the leaves begin to don their vibrant hues and a crispness fills the air, the arrival of October marks a season of change and celebration for people around the world.

October is a time when nature itself puts on a mesmerizing display, reminding us to embrace transformation and savor the simple joys of life. It’s a month that evokes a sense of nostalgia, prompting us to relish the beauty of falling leaves and the warmth of gatherings with loved ones!

What has the PPT Team been up to?

The PPT Team has been hard at work visiting many local Birmingham establishments and meeting like-minded people spreading the good word about real estate investing!

We would like to extend a huge thanks to the incredible Dr. Jeffrey Dugas for giving us an unforgettable tour of the renowned Dread River Distillery right here in the heart of Birmingham! Who would’ve thought that an award-winning distillery like this was right in our own backyard? Prepare to be amazed by their craft and passion! Dive into the world of exquisite spirits at Dread River Distillery. Learn more about Dread River HERE.

We would also like to extend a huge thank you to Eric and Brian Hoffman of Hoffman Media for letting us tour their recently renovated office on 2nd Avenue. We were thoroughly impressed by their work. They have an impressive test kitchen and kitchen studios for filming demonstrations in support of their media brands, which include Bake from Scratch, Southern Home, Louisiana Cookin’, and many more. Learn more about Hoffman Media HERE.

The Value of Real Estate

Of course, our business is acquiring and developing revenue-generating real estate. Not everyone understands real estate investing. It can be complicated, but Premium Property Trust makes it easy to have a passive investment in high-quality real estate assets that consistently grow in value and return meaningful dividends on a quarterly basis.

If you have ever thought about owning real estate, but don’t want to own all the headaches of dealing with property maintenance, collection of rents, tenant issues, etc., then reach out to us. With an investment in Premium Property Trust at this time, you will gain an early entry into a rapidly growing investment fund growing to be the dominant mixed-use REIT in the United States. Find out more at www.premiumpropertytrust.com and register there for additional information.

Happy Labor Day from Premium Property Trust!

September 5, 2023September 5, 2023by burkecoxLeave a Comment

As we celebrate Labor Day, let’s take a moment to honor the hard work, dedication, and contributions of workers everywhere.

This holiday is a reminder of the progress we’ve made together, thanks to the efforts of countless individuals who have shaped our world. We hope you all had a meaningful and restful weekend!

What Makes Us Different?

People often ask what distinguishes Premium Property Trust from other investment opportunities in real estate. Well, there are three major characteristics of our investment fund that make us unique:

We specialize in premium, mixed-use properties. The value of mixed-use is that each “use” elevates the others. That is, when a residential property also has a hospitality component, the residents see that as an amenity to their community. When an office or retail component is included, they also see the value of the amenity and, often, the value to their workers of being able to live nearby. Of course, the restaurants see the value of having so many customers located so closely to them. For our investors, that means we are able to out-perform neighboring properties that don’t have this combined value and seek premium lease rates across the board.
Our REIT structure is extremely investor-friendly. Unlike a traditional real estate fund, a REIT is legally obligated to distribute virtually 100% of its taxable income to its investors. Although we have not officially elected as a REIT yet, we operate PPT as a REIT and have a growth trend in our quarterly distributions, which have occurred over the past two years.
We have a proprietary development model. Since REIT investments prioritize capital protection and yield, they are – by nature – lower risk and focused on stabilized assets. To provide the opportunity to increase the inventory of mixed-use properties, we leverage a proprietary model that enables PPT to “seed” development efforts, fund them through a traditional syndication offering, then purchase the developed property at stabilization.

We are proud of our accomplishments thus far and excited about our upcoming opportunities. Often, when inflationary pressures arise, it provides great opportunities for stable companies to take advantage of volatility in the market. We always welcome the chance to discuss these opportunities with both our current investors and interested future investors.

Please Welcome Rob Shaw to the PPT Team!

August 3, 2023August 3, 2023by burkecoxLeave a Comment

Rob Shaw, Director of Business Development
Please extend a warm welcome to Rob Shaw, our newest addition to the Premium Property Trust team. Rob assumed the role of Director of Business Development on August 1st, bringing with him a distinguished 18-year background in ministry. His profound passion for Birmingham, appreciation for sophisticated design, and exceptional talent for establishing meaningful connections with individuals make him an ideal match for Premium Property Trust. We are delighted to have him on board, and we are confident that his expertise will significantly contribute to the growth and success of our organization.

Exciting Updates and Opportunities from Premium Property Trust!

July 5, 2023July 5, 2023by burkecoxLeave a Comment

We are thrilled to share some exciting news and developments happening at Premium Property Trust!

As your trusted real estate investment partner, we continue to focus on capital protection and regular yield distributions to ensure your investment thrives.

Here are the latest updates:

Capital Protection and Impressive Yield Distributions: We are delighted to announce that the value of our original investors’ positions has increased by over 60%, demonstrating our commitment to safeguarding your capital. Furthermore, our upcoming Q2 distribution will surpass the remarkable milestone of $1 million in real estate income distributed to our investors.
Premium Property Development: Unlocking New Opportunities
In response to growing interest in the development side of the real estate business, we are pleased to inform you that we will be forming a mailing list exclusively for Premium Property Development. This mailing list will provide you with timely updates on new investment opportunities related to acquiring, developing, stabilizing, and selling properties. While this sector entails a more uncertain timeline and higher risk, the potential returns can be significant. What sets our investors apart is their exclusive access to these opportunities before they reach the syndication market.
Tech Advancements: AppFolio Investor Portal Continuing our commitment to delivering a seamless investment experience, we are pleased to announce that our investment in technology has expanded. The AppFolio Investor Portal, our cutting-edge online platform, will soon enable you to make capital contributions conveniently and securely. Through the portal, you can monitor the real-time status of your investment, access essential tax documents, and connect your bank to receive distribution payments electronically. We encourage all investors to take advantage of this streamlined feature.
The Residences at Alta: Progress and Reservation Updates We are delighted to inform you that our current platform-level development, The Residences at Alta, is progressing splendidly. Recent weeks have seen the installation of new signage, resulting in an impressive influx of interest and reservation inquiries for these luxurious condominiums. To ensure you stay informed about the project’s progress, we are developing a mailing list exclusively for interested parties. We anticipate initiating reservation payments in the near future, giving you the opportunity to secure your place in this exceptional development.

At Premium Property Trust, we remain committed to providing you with excellent investment opportunities, protecting your capital, and delivering superior returns. We value your trust and look forward to sharing further updates and exciting ventures in the future.

If you have any questions or require additional information, please don’t hesitate to contact our dedicated investor relations team!

Happy Memorial Day!

May 29, 2023May 29, 2023by burkecoxLeave a Comment

On this Memorial Day, we come together to pay tribute to the courageous souls who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation.

As we enjoy the warmth of family gatherings and the joy of shared laughter, let us never forget the true significance of this day. We honor the heroes who selflessly paved the way for the freedoms we hold dear.

May their legacy inspire us to live with gratitude and uphold the values they fought so valiantly to protect!

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