Imagine you’re at a restaurant. You shell out your hard-earned money not just for a meal – but an experience. After all, would you return to a place that served an excellent meal with poor service? Likely not. And many of us would more easily forgive a mistake or a fine – but not exceptional – dinner if it came with attentive, personable service.

As the year draws to a close, you’re likely to reflect. (And if not, you probably should!)

The COVID-19 pandemic changed much of what we consider “normal” for the real estate market. The trends we saw were often unexpected and unprecedented. Now, almost five years later, where are we? The age-old debate between multifamily and single-family rentals continues to rage, but we’re still placing our bets on the latter.

With a new year and a new president approaching, change is on the horizon for the real estate market. While we’re cautiously optimistic that the U.S. housing market will turn in our favor, we also know this: success depends less on market conditions and more on our informed decision-making backed by solid fundamentals.

Portfolio analysis sounds daunting, particularly to newer investors who may be unsure what this process entails. Are you doing it right? Looking at all the relevant factors? Making the right decisions?

Do us a favor. Type “real estate news” in your search bar. Now count how many headlines seemingly contradict one another. No matter when you do this, you’ll find a huge variety of opinions and predictions. Right now, we’re seeing people say that “there’s never been a better time to invest,” while others say the opposite.

A recent report from the National Association of Realtors demonstrates some interesting statistics:

By the time you read this, we’ll likely have the election results in hand. But right now, as these words form, we’re still on the eve of Election Day. No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, the election season has caused its fair share of stress and uncertainties. We’re not here to discuss individual candidates, make predictions, or make a political statement.

It’s been a tumultuous hurricane reason in the U.S. We want to say this right off the bat – when these tragedies strike, the last thing we should be worried about is real estate. The first response should prioritize people, not possessions – as painful as those losses can be, the loss of human life is far more devastating. We don’t want anyone to get the impression that we’re more concerned with passive income than the very real people affected by these storms.

Believe it or not, the end of the year is already upon us. By the time we account for the holidays, it may as well be over, especially when preparing your investment portfolio for 2025!