LLC Ship?
I own all my properties personally. I want to have my name off of the properties but no very little about LLC and Land Trusts. What are the benefits of the LLC and Land Trusts? Also I second the issue of deeding directly to LLC vs. to a trust -- what to do? 
My post is going to be short because DerrickAli is the expert here, but until he replies (PM him also) The LLC offers asset protection and a Land Trust offers privacy. When your property is in a land trust, know one knows who owns it....but it does not provide legal protection.
I buy properties in land trust (to hide my name...I don't want anyone to know know who I am) and my LLC is the beneficiary to the Trust to provide legal protection in the event I am sued.
Use both.[ Edited by nebulousd on Date 11/04/2003 ]
you don't have to use trust, it's just that on public record, someone can lookup your LLC and see that you own aaaaaa lot of properties and feel it may be a good time to sue you or the LLC. I'm kinda a prude, for every 5 houses I buy, another LLC is started, then again they are still in a trust so know body knows....like I said, I'm a prude.
[ Edited by nebulousd on Date 11/04/2003 ]
Read the book "Own your own corporation" in the rich dad advisor's series (Robert Kiyosaki). This is a technical book which you may have to reread to the the full understanding if you are not versed in the areas.
The land trust is great to avoid due the due on sale clause if the property is mortgaged. However, for a majority of investors, the Garn St. act doe not apply to their loans. Thus, they rely on the ignorance of the lender to not call in the note. I tell my clients that if they sleep better at night, use a land trust otherwise transfer the property directly into an LLC. Lenders are not interested in calling in loans because it looks bad for their shareholders. Thus, I have yet to meet someone who's note was called in because they transferred their property into an LLC.
My firm structures many real estate investors every month from all over the country and 30% of our cleints request a land trust, the other 70% deed directly into LLCs.
If you want privacy we use a corporation to manage the LLCs. The corporation is filed with nominee officers and directors so our clients information is kept private.
[addsig]