Mortgage rates are the highest they’ve been since the Great Recession. Current 30-year fixed rates hover in the 6 to 7% range. Historically speaking, that’s nowhere near the highest they’ve been (that title belongs to the average in October of 1981 at a sickening 18.82%. Yikes!), but current rates are coming off all-time lows in 2020 and 2021. 

With home prices higher than ever, it is no surprise that homebuyers are waiting patiently for mortgage rates to come down and ease sticker shock. After all, the higher the asking price, the more the percentage matters.

But is it wise to wait for rates to drop?

We think not. As real estate investors, you risk more in the wait than in taking the chance in the market as it is. Here’s why:

To older investors, buying an investment property before a personal home might seem like putting the cart before the horse. Understand, though, that the next generation of investors – younger millennials and Gen Z – faces wildly different financial circumstances than many of us did in our youth.

With only a few weeks left in the year, it’s time for real estate investors to finish strong. You may be a passive investor, but as you know, passive doesn’t mean disengaged! Think of yourself as the captain of a ship. Your crew ensures you get to where you’re going, but you set the course.

There’s a wide variety of ways to invest in real estate. And we can tell you from experience that not all those ways are equal. Nothing has made that more apparent than the comparison between buy-and-hold rental investors and house-flippers in today’s economic landscape.

Why does buy-and-hold investing work? 

According to the National Association of Realtors, 99% of tracked metro areas experienced year-over-year price gains in the first quarter of 2021. Of those markets, 89% experienced double-digit growth.

With 2021 coming to a close, it’s time to look forward to 2022. After all, there’s no time to twiddle our thumbs. The best real estate investors are always moving forward and getting the job done. But do you know what needs doing?

Let’s be honest – passive investing doesn’t sound like the most exciting thing in the world. And truth be told, it’s not supposed to be! The big benefits of passive real estate investment aren’t about the thrills of sealing deals and making fast-paced executive decisions.

We’re all long tired of the term “unprecedented” to describe the times in which we live. Even though the word has overstayed its welcome, it is still accurate.

As adults, we may no longer be frightened at the thought of ghouls and ghosts but there are still some things that strike fear into our hearts! Unlike the fun and thrilling scare of a slasher flick or haunted house, the things that scare us today come with high stakes.