Spring is here! Things are warming up around the country little by little, and that means investors should be turning their thoughts to Spring and Summer trends for real estate, particularly when looking for new tenants and buyers. Besides regular maintenance and renovations, perhaps it’s time to consider increasing value through outdoor amenities.

There are plenty of pet people on planet earth. From cats and cockatoos to puppies and chinchillas, people love pets. For real estate investors, however, tenants who bring Fido in tow can post some unique challenges — and costs — for your investments. Many property managers and real estate investors have pet policies that outright say “no”. After all, they shed, the damage furniture and floors, dig up prized petunias and can be quite the liability.

There are many, many different types of real estate investments. When it comes down to residential real estate, there are some pretty distinctive lines. Single-family homes and multifamily properties are just one division, but one differentiation affects how investors invest: those in the fix and flip game and those interested in buy and hold real estate.

What’s the difference?

There are hundreds of news sources and blogs out there for real estate investors to read. There’s advice to be taken in, projections to be considered and trends to be analyzed.

Catching up on real estate news can be a challenge — but at Memphis Invest, we wanted to lend a hand.  These are just a few of the articles and sources that we read on a consistent basis to stay up to date with real estate happenings!  Check back in with these sources weekly to keep an eye on real estate investing news.

One of the fundamental lessons we’re taught in kindergarten is that of teamwork. Teamwork isn’t something that everyone enjoys, but in life, it’s very necessary. For real estate investors, it can be essential. There are plenty of sayings, books and poems that go back to a single, central idea: two are better than one.

There’s really no short cut to real estate investing success. So many people try to find some magic combination that will turn them into overnight millionaires with ultra cash-flow producing portfolios.  Some real estate investors do find spontaneous success, it’s not the standard. It is often a long, patient road for many real estate investors to reach their standard of success and to develop a performing, self-sustaining portfolio . Some never reach it at all.

It seems like we’re always on the go. Whether for business or for pleasure, it’s a good idea to take advantage of modern technology when it comes to your travel plans. There are plenty of useful smartphone apps — many free — available on a variety of devices that can streamline your plans and made any trip less stressful.

We’ve recommended some other real estate investment blogs to our readers before. After all, it’s not enough to pull from one source — there are plenty of great blogs out there, offering different perspectives, flavors and insight that can shape a well-rounded, informed investor. We encourage you to scour the Internet! Seek out new voices in the industry.

We all know what they say about good intentions. We also know that most of us intended to keep our New Year’s Resolutions, but just a few months into 2015 and we’ve already wasted a chunk of change on our gym memberships and let too many papers pile up in the office.

Real estate investors, especially active investors, make deals all the time. We most often look to buy — after all, investors are interested in snatching up suitable properties to generate investment income. Selling also plays a big part in the real estate investment business. There will come a time when it may make sense to streamline a portfolio and either sell or possibly trade into different properties.