Real estate investing has been a very popular topic over the last few years. Real estate investors with rental properties have been in a good place during the last few years. The surge of homes in foreclosure meant that properties were ripe for the taking - and at record low prices. As the housing market recovers, however, the number of homes available is dwindling and some investors are choosing to leave the business...it just isn’t as easy anymore.
Chris Clothier
Recent Posts
3 min read
College Grads Hit the Houston Real Estate Market
Millennials don’t have it as easy as we like to think. Recent college graduates deal with a slew of financial stresses thanks to the state of the U.S. economy and it appears that buying real estate is only one of those stresses. It feels nearly impossible to attend college without incurring some amount of student debt, and the job market, while improving, is still challenging. It’s hard to start a life and find success if you can’t find a job with that new degree. If you can't find a job, then you sure can't buy a first home much less invest in real estate.
2 min read
Real Estate Foreclosure Rates Fall Lowest Since 2006
Some investors have ongoing concerns regarding the real estate market, particularly when it comes to a relatively weak demand for homes. There’s some news to be celebrated right now, however. The number of lenders that have initiated real estate foreclosures has fallen to the lowest level it’s been in almost 8 years.
3 min read
Why Repair?: Weighing in for Real Estate Investors
For real estate investors, property renovation can be a tricky business. In most cases, repairs and renovations are done primarily to boost the property value of an investment property. Investors go to great lengths upgrading kitchens and adding on an extra bath to see gains in their bottom line. In some cases, the repairs and renovations are being done to boost the rental rates of properties.
3 min read
Finding Fantastic Investment Property Management
Not everyone is cut out to be a property manager. If you’re a real estate investor who has decided not to take on the responsibilities of property management yourself, it’s vital to make sure your properties’ day-to-day duties are in good hands. On the flip side, maybe you’re an investor wondering what it takes to be an effective property manager. Do you have the right qualities for the job? Or how to you make sure you know you’re putting your investments in the right hands?
1 min read
Mortgage Pre-Approval Very Important Before Investing in Real Estate
As many of you know, if you want to use traditional financing when purchasing a property from any of the Memphis Invest companies, a pre-approval with one of a dozen different lenders is required. Why is that a requirement? As you can see with the infographic below, a pre-approval letter not only gives you a ton of credibility, but it also gives you peace of mind.
2 min read
With Mortgage Rates Actually Falling...What Are Your Plans?
Ah, mortgage rate news. Mortgage rates do, after all, impact the state of the real estate market, nationally and locally. In 2014, mortgage rates have been holding a relatively steady pattern. According to Freddie Mac, the national mortgage rates in the U.S. real estate market have actually decreased a fraction since earlier in April.
Topics:
real estate market
mortgage rate news
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3 min read
Buying a Property With Your Head, Not Your Heart
There’s nothing wrong with falling in love. Unfortunately, we all have to keep our heads on straight when it comes to love. Getting your heart involved in something is always a risk - especially when it comes to a significant financial investment.
2 min read
What the State of the U.S. Economy Means for Real Estate Investors
Plenty of factors figure into the state of the U.S. economy. When the economy crashed a few years ago, the housing market was largely blamed. Very slowly, we’ve been climbing out of this economic hole. The general public opinion of the recovering economy, however, is still mixed and hasn’t changed much from 2009. In a study by the Pew Research Center in February of this year, a reported 61% of Americans were hearing a mixture of good and bad news surrounding the U.S. economy and its recovery, 33% heard mostly bad news, and only 5% heard mostly good news.
3 min read
Why Rent? Insights for Real Estate Investors
While rent rates continue their slow climb, surprisingly, the vacancies in apartments are on the downswing. Reis reported a 3.2% rent increase in 2013, compared to the vacancy decline of 4.1%. That trend doesn’t seem to be changing, as it's similar to the statistics of 2012. More and more people are turning to renting despite rising costs. One would think that wouldn’t be the case, but it’s good news for real estate investors.
