I.
Retiring Landlords
Rental property owners who are ready to exit active management but want to understand their tax options before listing.
Why Insight
Decision first.
Decision first.
Product second.
Most firms that offer 1031 exchanges and Delaware Statutory Trusts start with the product. We start with the question: is this even the right path for your situation? As a Registered Investment Adviser held to a fiduciary standard, we are required to put your interests first — and we structure every engagement around that obligation.
At a glance
What makes Insight different from most advisers offering 1031 and DST services.
Standard
Registered Investment Adviser — fiduciary standard required by law, not elected.
Approach
Evaluate the situation before any product discussion. We may conclude a DST is not appropriate.
Focus
1031 exchanges, DSTs, and real estate transition planning. Not a generalist wealth management firm.
Clients
Landlords, farm families, multifamily owners, triple-net investors, and business owners with real estate.
Process
Planning conversation first — product discussion only after we understand your goals, tax position, and alternatives.
Our Philosophy
"The right question isn't which DST to buy.
It's whether a DST is right for you at all."
Most investors come to us after talking to advisers who began the conversation with a product recommendation. A particular DST offering. A specific 1031 exchange structure. A vehicle someone wanted to sell. We begin somewhere different.
Before we discuss any investment, we want to understand your property, your cost basis, your approximate tax exposure, your liquidity needs, your timeline, and what you're hoping the next chapter looks like. Sometimes that conversation leads us toward a DST. Sometimes it leads us to recommend a direct replacement property. Sometimes we tell clients that paying the tax and simplifying their holdings is the most sensible path forward.
We can only give that kind of honest guidance because we are not compensated to recommend any particular product. As a Registered Investment Adviser, we are held to a fiduciary standard — legally required to act in your best interest, not in the interest of a sponsor, a product, or our own fees.
The Difference
Why investors choose to work with Insight
These are the principles that guide how we work — not marketing language, but commitments we hold ourselves to in every engagement.
Standard
Fiduciary Obligation
As a Registered Investment Adviser, we are legally required to place your interests first. Not most advisers offering 1031 and DST services operate under this standard — we do.
Process
Planning Before Product
We evaluate your full situation — tax exposure, liquidity needs, estate goals, alternatives — before discussing any specific investment. The plan comes first. The product, if appropriate, follows.
Honesty
We Will Say No
A DST is not right for every investor. If the right answer is to sell outright, buy direct replacement property, or pursue a different strategy, we will tell you — even when that means no transaction.
Focus
Specialist Expertise
We specialize in 1031 exchanges, DSTs, and real estate transition planning. This is not a side practice — it is what we do. That focus allows us to go deeper than a generalist adviser can.
Fiduciary Standard
Not all advisers offering DSTs are fiduciaries.
The distinction matters more than most investors realize — particularly when the decisions involved are large, illiquid, and difficult to reverse.
- Legally required to act in your best interest, not a product sponsor's
- Required to disclose all material conflicts of interest
- Compensation structure is disclosed before any engagement
- Obligated to recommend the most suitable option, even if it means no sale
- Registered with and overseen by securities regulators
- Required to maintain ongoing suitability for advice given
Fiduciary vs. Suitability Standard
Fiduciary (RIA)
Suitability Standard
Must act in client's best interest
Must recommend "suitable" products
Must disclose all conflicts
Must disclose material conflicts
Compensation fully disclosed upfront
Compensation may vary by product
Ongoing duty to client
Duty applies at time of recommendation
This table is a simplified overview for educational purposes. Regulatory requirements vary. Consult your adviser about the standard under which they operate.
Our Process
How we work with investors
Every engagement starts the same way — with a conversation about your situation, not a presentation about our products.
1
Strategy call — understand your situation
A complimentary 30-minute conversation about your property, your approximate tax exposure, your goals, and your timeline. No product discussion on this call — only questions and context.
2
Tax exposure analysis — know the real numbers
Working with your CPA, we help develop a clearer picture of your potential capital gains, depreciation recapture, and state tax exposure. Investors are frequently surprised by the combined figure.
3
Evaluate all paths — not just DSTs
We outline the options available given your situation: sell outright, direct 1031 replacement property, DST as replacement property, installment sale, or other approaches. We present the honest tradeoffs of each.
4
If a DST — evaluate sponsors and offerings together
If a DST is appropriate, we review available offerings across sponsors, property types, debt structures, and projected hold periods. We help you ask the right questions and understand what the PPM is actually saying.
5
Coordinate with your full advisory team
We work directly with your CPA, attorney, and qualified intermediary to ensure the exchange is structured correctly and all parties are aligned before any transaction closes.
6
Ongoing relationship — not a one-time transaction
For investors in DSTs, we remain engaged through the hold period — monitoring sponsor communications, reviewing annual reporting, and helping plan for the eventual exit and potential re-exchange.
Who We Work With
The investors we serve most
Our practice is focused on a specific type of investor facing a specific type of decision. If this sounds like you, we are likely a good fit.
II.
Farm & Land Owners
Farm families navigating a sale or generational transition of agricultural land, often with significant embedded gains.
III.
Multifamily Investors
Apartment and multifamily property owners evaluating a sale, a 1031 exchange, or a transition to passive real estate income.
IV.
Triple-Net Owners
NNN lease investors approaching lease rollover, facing tenant concentration risk, or evaluating diversification through a 1031 exchange.
V.
Business Owners with Real Estate
Business owners whose sale includes real property, where the structure of the transaction can significantly affect the tax outcome.
VI.
Advisers & CPAs
Financial professionals with clients facing these decisions who want a specialist to work alongside their existing advisory team.
Working With Your Team
We work with your CPA and attorney — not around them.
Real estate transactions involving significant capital gains, deferred tax strategies, and estate planning considerations require coordination across multiple disciplines. No single adviser can substitute for the full team.
We work directly with investors' CPAs on tax exposure analysis, exchange structuring, and depreciation schedule implications. We coordinate with estate attorneys on step-up planning, trust structures, and beneficiary considerations. We communicate with qualified intermediaries to ensure the exchange mechanics are handled correctly.
Our role is to provide investment advisory guidance on the real estate transition strategy — not to replace the other professionals involved. The best outcomes come when the full team is aligned and communicating before a transaction closes.
Working With Your CPA
We communicate directly with CPAs on tax exposure estimates, exchange structuring, depreciation recapture, and the tax implications of various replacement property options. We do not provide tax advice — we complement it.
Working With Estate Attorneys
For investors with estate planning considerations — step-up in basis planning, trust structures, or generational transfers — we coordinate with estate attorneys to ensure the investment strategy aligns with the broader estate plan.
Working With Qualified Intermediaries
We help investors identify and vet qualified intermediaries, and we coordinate on the mechanics of the exchange once a QI is engaged. The QI must be in place before closing — we help ensure that happens in time.
For CPAs and Advisers with Clients
If you are a CPA, estate attorney, or financial adviser with a client facing a real estate transition, we are happy to have a peer conversation about how a 1031 exchange or DST may or may not fit their specific situation.
Common Questions
Questions about working with Insight
A Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) is registered with the SEC or state securities regulators and held to a fiduciary standard — legally required to act in the best interest of clients, not in the interest of product sponsors or the firm's own compensation. Not all advisers offering 1031 exchange or DST-related services operate under this standard. The fiduciary obligation applies continuously — not just at the point of sale.
No. Our approach is decision-first. We evaluate your situation — goals, tax exposure, liquidity needs, investment timeline, alternatives — before discussing any specific product. In some cases, the right answer is to sell outright and pay the tax, purchase a direct replacement property, or use a different strategy entirely. We are willing to say so when that is the case, even when it means no transaction.
The earlier the better. Investors who contact us 6 to 18 months before a planned listing have the most flexibility to evaluate options, coordinate with their CPA and attorney, and make considered decisions. Investors who contact us after accepting an offer or after closing have significantly fewer options. An initial conversation costs nothing and may clarify more than any amount of reading.
Yes. Insight serves investors nationwide. While the firm is based in Wisconsin and works extensively with Midwest farm families, landlords, and business owners, our practice is not limited by geography. DST offerings are available nationally, and 1031 exchange planning applies to investment real estate across all 50 states. Most initial conversations happen by phone or video call.
Next Step
Start with a conversation.
Start with a conversation.
Not a product pitch.
The initial strategy call is complimentary and carries no obligation. We ask questions about your property and your goals — and share what we know that may be relevant to your situation.
No obligation · No cost · Registered Investment Adviser
This page is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice. DST investments are illiquid, involve real estate and sponsor risk, may not be suitable for all investors, and can result in loss of principal. Consult your CPA and legal counsel before making any decisions. Insight Investment Advisers is a Registered Investment Adviser.
