Alana Investment Group is a Hawaii-based real estate and investment firm that was founded in 2019. But is Alana Investment Group a scam, or are they a legitimate company?
In this in-depth review, I’ll analyze online complaints, explore their business model and practices, and determine if Alana Investment Group is legit or a scam.
Let’s get started.
Overview of Alana Investment Group
According to their LinkedIn page, Alana Investment Group “is a Hawaii-based investment firm focused on the acquisition of real estate and real estate related operating companies.” The firm was founded in 2019 and is based in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The key principal listed is Charles K Harris, who serves as the Managing Partner. Another employee listed is Hafsa Mohamed. Not much other information is readily available about Alana Investment Group’s leadership team or number of employees.
On their sparse company website, Alana Investment Group states that they focus on commercial and residential real estate projects. They claim to utilize a value-add investment strategy to reposition and improve distressed or undervalued properties.
Alana Investment Group Reviews and Complaints
I searched reputable consumer complaint sites like Better Business Bureau, Ripoff Report, Consumer Affairs, and others to look for reviews, testimonials or complaints against Alana Investment Group.
Surprisingly, there are no online reviews or complaints to be found on any major site. This lack of reviews seems unusual for a company that has supposedly been operating since 2019.
The lack of reviews could simply mean that Alana Investment Group has limited visibility and operates under the radar.
But it also raises some concerns when there is no third party feedback available at all, as it makes them hard to vet or verify. I couldn’t find any positive or negative reviews from actual investors or partners.
So while there are no specific scams or frauds called out against Alana Investment Group so far, the lack of reviews remains a yellow flag.
Analysis of Business Practices
To better understand Alana Investment Group’s legitimacy, I did a deeper analysis into some of their key business practices:
Website and Online Presence
- Basic website with limited info
- No specifics on current or past projects
- No leadership/about us or team pages
- Sparse LinkedIn with only 2 connections
The company’s online presence lacks depth and transparency overall. For an established firm in operation for 5+ years, I would expect a more robust website showcasing current projects, executive team bios, investment criteria, etc.
The fact that their website and LinkedIn contain such surface-level information seems unusual and merits more scrutiny of their operations.
Claimed Business Model and Offerings
- Focused on commercial/residential real estate
- Claim to use value-add strategy to rehab properties
- Typical real estate investment partnership model
On the surface, Alana Investment Group’s business model follows typical real estate private equity practices. They claim to partner with investors to purchase, improve, operate, and sell real estate assets for a profit.
However, without evidence of actual current or past deals, their stated strategy remains unverified marketing language. It raises the risk of their offerings being exaggerated or misrepresented without proof to back it up.
Transparency of Investment Performance
- No sample deals or case studies provided
- No verified investor testimonials shown
- No visibility into fund financials or performance
For an investment firm soliciting outside capital, there is usually more transparency into historical deals and investment track record. The fact that Alana Investment Group provides no specific examples or verifiable proof of their capabilities is a potential red flag.
Most legitimate firms would showcase past deals and provide at least some investor testimonials. The lack of visible accountability calls into question what they might be hiding when it comes to their actual fund operations and performance.
Key Takeaways: Legit Business or Scam?
In summary, while there are currently no specific fraud accusations against Alana Investment Group, my investigation revealed several yellow flags:
Yellow flags 🚩
- No online reviews or complaints (positive or negative)
- Website lacks depth and transparency
- No specifics on current or past projects
- No investor performance reporting
Green flags ✅
- 5+ years apparently in business
- Typical real estate investment model
Ultimately, Alana Investment Group seems to be a legitimately registered business based on their long operating history and a lack of evidence proving otherwise.
However, the overall lack of transparency, substance, and third party verification makes it impossible to fully validate their legitimacy. There are no glaring red flags indicating an outright scam, but enough yellow flags to proceed with high caution.
I would approach any engagement or investment with Alana Group skeptically until more information comes to light. There remain open questions around their track record, fund reporting, and ability to deliver returns.
Without more transparency and independent verification, investors could face inflated expectations or misrepresentation of actual investment performance and capabilities.
Advice for Potential Investors and Partners
If you are considering becoming an investor or partner with Alana Investment Group, I would recommend gathering more information first:
Ask These Key Questions First
- How much capital have you raised to date? What sources?
- Can you provide full transparency into fund financials?
- What are your average investment returns over past deals?
- Who are your current institutional funding partners?
- Can I speak to past investors about their experiences?
Reputable firms should be able to provide documentation to back up their responses and credentials without hesitation.
Research Company and Leaders Independently
- Search public records for filings, licenses, violations
- Look for evidence backing experience claims
- Verify claimed backgrounds like college degrees
- Search for related companies, ventures, bankruptcies
Thoroughly vetting the executives’ backgrounds can uncover any red flags like fraud accusations, bankruptcies, shell companies, etc.
And confirming their stated qualifications gives more confidence in the leadership’s capabilities.
Start Small and Slow Until Validated
Given the number of open questions and information gaps on Alana Investment Group, proceed cautiously if you engage with them in any capacity:
- Start with small investment amounts first
- Structure for easy exit if needed
- Watch for actual results to match expectations
Limiting initial exposure will contain potential downside if things go sideways. Meanwhile, continuously monitor business practices and relationships for any issues.
Only increase engagement once Alana Investment Group earns more trust through transparency and demonstrated performance over time.
Final Verdict: Is Alana Investment Group Scam or Legit?
In the end, Alana Investment Group has enough legitimate operating history and typical investment business model to avoid outright scam classification currently. However, the multiple transparency and information gaps uncovered are definite yellow caution flags for investors or partners.
It certainly seems possible that Alana Investment Group could simply be a smaller, “under the radar” real estate fund trying to gain more visibility. But without proper due diligence and verification of their capabilities, backgrounds, practices, and results, there remain open risks if engaging closely with them.
I would approach with guarded optimism until Alana Investment Group provides more transparency and track record validation to clear up the lingering questions raised. While not enough red flags to definitively label them a “scam” at this time, there are still too many yellow flags to establish them as fully “legit” either.
Also Read:
- JRM Legal Group Review – Scam or Legit?
- Reuters Technology Group Review – Scam or Legit?
- Sightcast Recruiting Group Review – Scam or Legit?