From U.S. Air Force to Real Estate Syndication, Iven Vian Leverages the Best of Both Worlds

What do bomber planes, the Texas star, and 1,000 units have in common? If you guessed Iven Vian, then you are absolutely correct! After serving 20+ years in the U.S. Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel, Vian recently retired from military duty. He holds the title of Co-Founder and Principal of Anthem Capital, a real estate investment firm he established in 2007 with his business partner, Tariq Sattar. 

Real estate portfolio

Anthem Capital has executed more than 125 single-family property transactions, co-sponsored 15 multifamily assets totaling 1,825 units with a portfolio amassing $170 million in holding value and $60 million in equity. Vian has the ambitious goal of acquiring an additional 1,000 units for 2022! Given inflation, speculation of mortgage rates increasing and a more competitive landscape in real estate syndication, Iven still affirms that multifamily is the best asset class. 

The success that Iven has experienced with his portfolio was no overnight feat – investing in real estate was always the long-term vision. He started off with 30 single-family rental properties but quickly pivoted after attending a Brad Sumrok conference. Both he and Sattar, who worked closely together for 2 years prior, knew instantly that they were ready to embark on a new journey into the multifamily space.

Characteristics and strengths 

Both partners complement each other’s strengths- Sattar’s extensive financial background allowed him to analyze deals while Vian focused on execution with precision on the transaction, post-acquisition operations, and logistics. One of the biggest hurdles that he admits which may resonate with many syndicators is shifting your current paradigm or rather limiting beliefs.  

The best book

Iven credits this to one of his must-reads “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill, which helped him raise his awareness on detaching himself from external variables that limited his potential growth. Factors such as his upbringing – being raised in an English as a second language household and a not fully present father should not handicap his achievements. With his forward-thinking mindset, he was able to build his inner confidence to prove his business acumen and apply his entrepreneurial spirit to the real estate world. 

Interesting military experiences

Whether it is test flying military airplanes with a missing engine or planning an airshow featuring 80+ planes and over 250 performers, Iven has executed despite budget and resource constraints.

His involvement in military leadership roles allowed him to apply all the skills he acquired to the larger arena of multifamily properties. Imagine coordinating planes to arrive at the same time only nanoseconds apart to form the Texas star with meticulous details – this sounds more difficult than underwriting a deal!

Advice

He shares the advice to get specific on your vision (e.g. which asset class? How many units? Location? Age of asset?). All of these answers can paint a more vivid image of the future which is only possible by setting specific and measurable goals. Next, he discussed having systems in place by building a team. Anthem Capital hired an Assistant Asset Manager, marketing, and administrative teams to handle the backend work. He also encourages scheduling weekly calls with property managers to discuss KPI, trends, and variances. With so many properties, Vian also manages to schedule a visit once a quarter to tangibly see his investments and review budget line by line. 

Passions and personal life

His full-time gig keeps him occupied, but the financial freedom has afforded him more priceless moments with his children and family. You can catch Iven in Oklahoma City, where he currently resides, or in the great outdoors, exploring nature. With the exponential growth and new aggressive targets for the upcoming year, we only expect Vian to fly to new heights in 2022.