Only three things happen naturally when investing in real estate. Confusion, under-performance and apathy. The rest requires leadership! If part of your real estate investing goals includes moving away from Turnkey investing for part of your portfolio and into an active role, you are going to have to provide leadership to the team you choose! I hope you enjoy this article.
3 min read
Advice for First-Time Real Estate Investors
So you’ve decided to become a real estate investor. Congratulations! If we had confetti, we’d certainly celebrate your decision. Joining the business of real estate investment is an exciting prospect that holds endless opportunities to make passive income for any number of reasons, from retirement to Aruba.
As exciting as it can be to join the community of real estate investors, it’s daunting, too. There’s a lot to learn and take in when you’re starting out — but you don’t have to do it alone.
3 min read
Tips for Real Estate Investors: Combine the Old & the New
"They just aren’t built like they used to be."
People say it about practically everything that’s been around for more than a few decades — cars, houses, furniture, blue jeans. Usually it's said disparagingly in reference to a lack of quality and a nostalgia for “the good ol’ days,” but there have been improvements to some of the old ways. After all, we used to have lead in our paint.
3 min read
Dealing with Lows in Real Estate Investment
As much as we all want our real estate investments to go smoothly all the time, reality is full of setbacks, missteps, pitfalls and even disasters. Real estate investors won’t experience success all the time. In seasons of troublesome tenants, complications and the losing of bidding wars, even profitable investments might seem like they’re not worth the headache.
3 min read
Rent VS. Buy: Are Real Estate Markets Shifting in Favor of Renting?
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.
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
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.
