This time of year, we revel in all things spooky – goblins and ghosts, skeletons and grim reapers, witches and creepy-crawlies. Most of us know there’s a difference between an innocent scare and true terror. And while we may not be talking about buckets of blood in the latest Halloween thriller, a few things should strike fear into the heart of any  SFR investor.

Even elementary financial concepts are commonly misunderstood. We all had the wrong idea at some point or another. There’s no shame in that – only in refusing to learn better! Some commonly misunderstood financial concepts could hold you back from building lasting wealth!

Mortgage rates have already fallen at least a percentage point below their 2024 peak. Cuts are expected to continue through the end of the year and on into 2025. Many of us have been waiting for this – something that will finally jog the frozen real estate market and get us towards more palatable conditions.

For the most part, real estate investors aren’t interested in “trendy” homebuilding. Our focus is usually on function and longevity, not style. This isn’t to say investment properties don’t look nice – but they tend to be renovated for timelessness, not flash-in-the-pan appeal.

But we’re not talking about choosing fancy backsplashes or the right paint color for some HGTV dazzle. Investors should pay attention to building trends – including materials, home styles, layouts, and amenities. These give us insight into what buyers – and, in turn, renters – want in a home.

These are the trends (sourced from U.S. News) to watch and consider when making rental property renovations.

What does it mean to say a real estate market is “hot”? Should investors even care?

Are we headed for a recession? Research from J.P. Morgan has raised the probability to 35% for a U.S. recession by the end of 2024, with unchanged odds at 45% for 2025. Those aren’t percentages to sneeze at. Even if a recession doesn’t come soon, it’s still on the horizon.

Every real estate investor starts with one property, but then what? Scaling your portfolio can feel as daunting as buying that first property. Some investors fear branching out into new markets or neighborhoods, worry about over-leveraging, or cringe at the thought of making a costly error. That’s all natural.

But at the end of the day, the only way to grow substantial wealth – the kind that leads to financial freedom – is to add properties to your portfolio.

When you do so with diligence, wisdom, and the right support in place, you put yourself in the best position possible to succeed.

Out of all the investment opportunities in the world, why invest in single-family rental properties? After all, it’s not the hottest or most exciting asset. But there’s a reason people have employed this investing method – with great success – for decades. Individual investors have specific goals: early retirement, financial freedom, generational wealth-building, etc.

When we talk about what makes a property an ideal rental, we often end up citing factors around the property rather than the qualities of the house itself. Things like location and proximity to amenities are of utmost importance – but it doesn’t mean any ol’ property in a good location will make a good rental.

What does it take to succeed in real estate investment? We’re sure you can think of plenty of skills and qualities. Honestly, so can we! But we want to boil it down to the essentials. Remember, hope is not lost if you’re not exceptionally skilled in these areas. Anyone can hone and enhance these skills to fuel their effectiveness as a real estate investor. And, for simplicity’s sake, we’re mainly referring to buy-and-hold SFR investing.

While these qualities apply on a broader scale, that’s the context we’re operating in, so that’s the kind of investing we’re speaking into!

Here are the skills you need to master: