In real estate investment, there’s a lot of talk about business. This is a business. That is a business. Be professional. All of that is absolutely true, of course — but the idea of “business” comes with some dangers.

There is a certain level of objectivity that business demands, of course. We have to be honest with ourselves and be careful of letting opinions and feelings muck things up. But these days, businesses are changing.

We don’t live in a decade where the rat race is applauded, where ‘look out for number one’ is the mantra, or where we chase profits no matter who we step on along the way. Our business strategies are changing.

The economy is in recovery. We think we can say that fairly, especially in comparison to the state of things these past few years. That said, it hasn’t recovered. While we tend to zoom in on the real estate market, it’s conditions are closely tied to the overall economy — wages, job growth, and so on.

It’s true, jobs have been created. But one of the biggest issues facing working Americans — and those of us in real estate — is that of wage stagnation.

Even if we have more jobs, if those jobs aren’t paying enough or changing with inflation, it creates problems.

There are so many real estate investment blogs out there — and so little time! For busy investors looking to take a quick reading break, look no further than our list of recommended reading for the week. From advice and investment tips to news from Memphis, Dallas and Houston, we’re highlighting the stuff you should check out.

So sit back, take a break and click away.

When it comes to real estate investing and big personalities, it can be hard to know who to listen to. After all, we are in a business that has its fair share of “gurus” and empty promises. Cutting through the noise to find genuine content on investing in real estate can be a big challenge.

Daily, I personally get emails from new real estate experts.  Apparently, they completed a transaction and wrote a book, formed a blog a website and a podcast and are now ready to share their wealth of knowledge with the world.  Do you sense a touch of sarcasm?  As investors, we have to be very careful with who we listen to and what advice we take as serious.  How do we start to determine who is and who is not a pretender?

One of the ways is to review the content and be on the look out for great content.  What is one way to find great real estate investing content? Podcasts. There are more real estate investment podcasts than you’d think — and some are real standouts! Whether you want something to listen to during the work day or to get your through a long drive, these shows are a great place to start.

Whether it’s current news or advice for real estate investors, we’re bringing you a list of some of this week’s must-read articles from business and real estate investment blogs across the web. Sit down, grab a mug of your favorite beverage and brush up on your reading.

There are many, many pieces of “RE Software” out there, hailing themselves as the the pinnacle of investment efficiency, promising that their program will accelerate their investments in ways you’ve never seen or imagined.

Truth be told, a lot of real estate software companies are pitching snake oil to real estate investors. You don’t need a bunch of fancy programs to get the job done well. Many investors just stick to Microsoft Excel and tax software. It works for them, and that’s fine.

At Memphis Invest, our growth as a leading real estate investing company forced us out of our comfort zone and into the world of real estate software.  This can be an expensive endeavor and one full of lots of advice and lots of trial and error.  

Still, not all real estate software is useless and overpriced. Some are genuinely helpful and everyone has a different approach to investing that may demand a little extra heft from a program. They can be convenient and more organized that you are on your own, or help in other ways.

Investing in real estate has always been a different beast in comparison to other kinds of investments. After all, real estate is tangible. Real. You can own it, walk through it, see it. It’s not theoretical, it’s concrete.

That, among other reasons, is why so many people have chosen real estate as their source for passive income throughout the years. But is it still true? Through recessions, housing bubbles and market crashes, does real estate still hold up?

Well, it looks like it does.

Grab a cup of joe and settle in for some reading. Now, Memphis Invest is bringing you a weekly roundup of real estate articles on the worldwide web!

While there’s plenty of great stuff out there all time time, sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. Whether we’re looking at current news and trends of advice for real estate investors, these finance and real estate blogs have plenty to offer to keep you in the know.

Over the past few months, we’ve been talking about how things are looking up in Houston, Dallas and Memphis real estate: but what about the rest of the country? Markets like Houston and Dallas, of course, had the distinct advantage of not being as affected by the market crash (or recession) compared to other national real estate markets.

We of course recognize that these markets on the forefront of recovery are great and, we hope, a sign of good to come in the future. But really, how is the rest of the United State faring when it comes to real estate?

Where real estate investment is involved, the options are virtually endless. After all, there are markets all over the country (and the world) in which to strategically build up passive income. Some investors favor big, glamorous markets while others are content with single-family homes in less lauded areas.

We often hear these markets described purely in terms of their city. Houston. New York. Los Angeles. Boca Raton. But as we all know, cities and markets are not uniform. There are variations in neighborhoods and communities that we need to pay mind to when looking to purchase an investment property. A safe neighborhood, after all, is absolutely key to your success. If you tenants feel unsafe in the area, chances are you won’t be keeping them for long. Safety isn’t the only criteria in a good investment property, however.

Before you buy, there are  many factors to consider about your neighborhood of choice: namely, local amenities and attractions that can make you property prime real estate.