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.

Looking back over the last few years, there is one thing we all can agree on when it comes to real estate investing...  This has been one helluva ride for the real estate market and investors alike!  

What we find really interesting though is that even with such a wild ride, there are still lists out there of things you need to avoid.  Especially as those lists relate to Turnkey real estate investing.  Oddly enough, there are still many investors who are choosing to not learn from history.  Or maybe they don't know what this history is that they need to avoid.  Although any list is going to be subjective and without a doubt, incomplete, this list at least gives a starting point for investors looking at turnkey investments.

While no season is guaranteed to be free of pests, we sure seem to notice them more in warmer months. All manners of creepy-crawlies show up to the horror of many.  When they show up at rental properties...they can cause financial horrors too.

Between bugs and warm-blooded pests (namely mice), unwanted intruders in a home can not only cause damage to your investment properties, but cause great discontent in the hearts and minds and their residents.

Handling pest control on your investment properties is important. Neglecting to do so is bad for your reputation and your properties — after all, no one wants to share their space with unwanted vermin.

Starting something new, particularly when there is money involved, can be as daunting as it is exciting. For new real estate investors especially, getting going can be overwhelming.

On top of trying to learn about real estate investing itself, there are countless new laws to learn, from insurance and taxes to properties and tenants. You may be afraid of making a mistake, losing money or outright “failure”...and that’s all natural.

Instead of fretting about what could go wrong as a green investor, focus on taking the steps that will set you up for real estate investment success.

By now, you know the drill. Instead of having you browse the web to curate your own collection of must-read real estate investment articles and real estate blogs, we’re bringing you a quick list to get started. From trending real estate news to advice and success stories from other investors, we hope to offer you something that leaves you with inspiration and insight.

Check out the articles we found this week:

If you are in the real estate business, even as an investor, take a moment to consider what you really do.  Many come to the conclusion that they are selling real estate or real estate services such as providing property management for tenants.  Many look at real estate as a way to make a living or earn a return on investment and over-look a key element to any successful business. 

Welcome to the peak home buying season of the year! The first quarter of 2015 was sluggish in many real estate markets, Memphis included. The cold temperatures combined with lingering recession struggles and aftereffects of the market crash meant that things were slow to take off.  But now, it looks like Memphis real estate is in for an upturn.  One big reason...real estate investing!  As more and more are turning to renting a property rather than buying, the opportunity for real estate investors continues to grow.

Don’t get us wrong, the market wasn’t bad in the first quarter — homes were selling and home building was on the rise in Shelby County. There just wasn’t significant growth during the difficult months of February and March. By the same token, there wasn’t a decline in growth, either, which has lead to much optimism for the second quarter among real estate professionals.

This may be one of the most important articles on real estate you read, so pay close attention. Those words are not just hype either. This is an important topic for my family and our company.  We have seen many investors get hurt by purchasing Turnkey properties from unscrupulous companies.  However, we have seen even more investors get hurt by purchasing from inexperienced companies who use marketing gimmicks to sell their properties.  

Some people like to consider what some of the worst-sounding words in the English language are. While many would say moist is the most cringe-worthy word in our language, we’ve got to say that mortgage is right up there with it. The sound of the word is one thing, but the connotations that comes with it are another.

Real estate investors and property managers are all familiar with the frustration of tenants who never seem to pay their rent on time, which can throw your positive cash flow out-of-whack. Even when tenants pay the rent in full over the course of a month (making payments each week), the use of technology like mobile and online payments can add a sense of security for an owner.  Knowing that it is easy for your tenants to pay can reduce the stress of having to stay on top of those payments through the month.

With modern technology, it just doesn’t make sense for owners not to take advantage of the growing online and mobile payment avenue.