VestMint Fund Update: Two New Properties and a Rare Market Cycle

The VestMint Fund keeps growing, and that growth opens the door to better opportunities. In this update, we’ll walk you through the two newest properties we added, what’s going on in the real estate market right now, and why this may be one of the smartest times in years to invest in steady, long-term wealth.

Two New Properties Join the Fund

We recently added two properties in two very different markets. As LeavenWealth’s Director of Capital Resources, Jason Belt, put it, “What’s interesting about our fund, as it continues to grow, we’re finding new and better opportunities.”

By buying two properties at different stages of their life cycle, we keep the fund balanced. One offers growth potential; the other offers stability. Together, they spread out risk and help smooth out returns. Here’s what each one brings to the table.

Property 1: The Doral

Rapid City, South Dakota

This is a “typical kind of value-add property.” In plain terms, that means it’s a solid building where we can make improvements and then raise rents over time, which increases both the income and the value of the property.

Rapid City is a growing area, and government contracts there are creating demand for housing that working people can afford. Right now, there’s still room to raise rents by about 20% on smaller mid-sized apartment buildings. For you as an investor, that means real upside: as rents climb, so does the property’s value and the income it generates.

Property 2: The Meadows

Des Moines, Iowa

This is what’s called a “LIHTC” property, which means the apartments are set aside for people who earn around the average income for the area, with rent limits tied to that income level. Des Moines is a strong, growing city that Jason describes as “technically the data center of the Midwest,” and it recently landed a half-billion-dollar data center investment.

Why LIHTC Properties Add Stability

A LIHTC property sounds complicated, but the idea behind it is straightforward. In the Midwest, the average income is close to the maximum rent these properties can charge. So tenants aren’t paying a deeply discounted rent, and the owners still collect high, reliable income.

What does that mean for you? Predictability. In Jason’s words, these properties deliver “stable, consistent cash flow because that is essentially government-subsidized income.” On top of that, demand stays high, so very few units sit empty. Fewer empty units means fewer income gaps and a more dependable return. This is not section 8 housing. There is simply a limit on the amount of rent we can charge. And that limit was just increased by 20% in 2025.  That’s where the value add component is.

What Is Rent Compression?

Imagine a city grows quickly and approves a bunch of new apartment buildings all at once. Suddenly, there are more apartments than there are people to rent them. To fill those units, new buildings start cutting rents (say, $200 off a month for the first six months). That drop pulls rents down across the whole area, even for older buildings. That’s rent compression: too many apartments pushing rents lower.

The VestMint model buys value add apartments (think solid, everyday rental buildings) and raises rents gradually over time. When rent compression happens, “what all that means for us is we wait.” Because we buy with the right kind of loan, the property still covers its bills even during a slow stretch. The only thing that shifts is our timeline: we might refinance in year five or six instead of year three or four.

Why Now Is a Rare Window to Invest

Real estate moves in cycles, and this cycle is unusual in a good way. We recently bought a property for 21% less than what it was actually worth. That instantly boosts the value of every dollar invested in it. As Jason explained, “Day one, their investment is worth 21% more than it was the day previously.”

Why are deals like this popping up? Years ago, many property owners took out short-term loans (3- or 5-year terms) that are now coming due in late 2026 and 2027. When those owners can’t refinance, their banks may sell the properties quickly, often for just the amount owed. That creates a chance for us to buy quality properties at a real discount.  Those owners didn’t implement the VestMint, value-add approach, so their asset is no longer worth as much as when they bought it due to increased interest rates.

LeavenWealth has an eight-year track record and has returned investor capital in full 61 times through refinances. As Jason said, “The best time to water your garden, frankly, is in the spring.” In other words, the right moment to plant is when opportunity is fresh, and right now, it is.

Fund Investing vs. a Single Deal

A common question is: if I invest in a fund instead of one single property, do I give up tax benefits or income? The short answer is no. Here’s why.

Depreciation

Depreciation is a tax write-off you earn simply for owning real estate, and it can lower your tax bill. With the fund, you receive depreciation based on the size of your share. If you put $100,000 into a single deal, you might see 80–85% of that in depreciation this year. A fund spreads that depreciation across several properties, but the overall depreciation benefit you receive remains very similar to what you’d see in a single-asset investment. Same benefit, just spread out.

Cash Flow

With 10 or more properties across different markets and stages, your returns are blended together. One property might return 15%, another 8%, and one might not be paying out yet. Blending them creates steadier, more reliable income overall. The last payout to investors landed “right around 7%.” In addition, by having money spread amongst multiple assets, an investor diversifies their risk.   

Tax Flexibility

Because the fund owns properties in several states, it can be matched to your personal tax situation. For example, one investor needed to reduce Nebraska state taxes, and the team had Nebraska properties closing during that same period. That kind of flexibility is hard to get from a single property.

Tax Planning Starts Now

Late summer through fall is the perfect time to start thinking about your taxes. As Jason noted, quoting Benjamin Franklin: “There is nothing certain except death and taxes.”

Your CPA is “the guiding light” for your specific situation. Our job at LeavenWealth is to hand your CPA the exact details they need (like depreciation schedules and cost segregation reports) so they can build the best plan for you. Instead of writing a big check to the government, you can put that money into an asset that pays you income and builds equity over time.

Let’s Have a Real Conversation

The VestMint Fund is built for investors who want passive income and lasting, generational wealth. It’s spread across different markets and property types on purpose, so risk stays low, and income stays steady.

Too often, helpful financial information gets locked away behind pricey programs and “hidden tax tricks.” That’s not how we do things. If you’re curious about multifamily investing, the tax benefits, or whether the fund or a single deal is the better fit for you, let’s talk.