It’s the season of giving. We’re surrounded by the warmth of family, friends, and (if we’re lucky) a nice warm drink and fresh-baked cookies. This time of year is unlike any other. It’s easy, however, to get wrapped up in all there is to do and lose sight of the people who live outside your personal bubble. Sure, it might seem a little strange to talk about holiday giving and real estate investment. As investors, however, we’re in a unique and ideal position to give back.
We know we’re feeling the holiday spirit. It’s our wonderful investors, top-notch teams, and great residents that have empowered us to come this far. We’re in seven markets and counting, looking forward to a new season of expansion and change.
We have a lot to be thankful for. So why not give back, too? You can express your gratitude beyond your personal life — you can display it in your position as a real estate investor, too.
4 Ways Investors Can Give Back During the Holidays
Make charitable contributions.
The first and most obvious way of giving back is to give to charity. It’s easier now than ever to identify and research worthy causes. Use Charity Navigator. Not only do they help you rate and vet charitable organizations and nonprofits, but they help you discover causes you really connect with. From issues of homelessness, animals, environmental causes and the arts — from cultural to crises — you can find a charity you truly care about.
When giving to charity, it’s easy to think big. You want to make an impact on a global scale and contribute to a great, wide-reaching cause. However, it’s infinitely valuable to invest in your local community. While Charity Navigator tends to cover more national and international organizations, your local market is no doubt home to programs and charities that directly invest in and improve lives where you are.
Give to a local homeless or animal shelter. Support an after-school program for inner-city kids. Whatever you feel passionate about, there is no doubt a cause near you that can make an impact for good. Don’t let local organizations slip past your radar.
Also, remember that a charitable donation given before December 31 can be written off as a tax exemption. While not a reason to give, it certainly helps incentivize us to give sooner rather than later.
Be sure to check out: A Quick Guide to Tax Benefits Every Real Estate Investor Should Know!
Let others in.
Investing in real estate is a great opportunity. You’ve no doubt experienced it firsthand. Why not let others in on the opportunity to build their wealth? You might not feel qualified to give advice to would-be investors. When it comes to turnkey real estate investing, however, most people just need to know how to start. You know how much you’ve had to do and what your provider has taken care of for you. You know just how easy it can be to build wealth through passive real estate investment.
What you can do regardless of your experience level is guide others along the same path to financial freedom. Be open about the process and your experience. You have no idea how your testimonial may impact someone! Whether they are already interested or interested after you share your feelings on turnkey real estate, it is a great help for them to know, consult, and see the process in action. Just helping them know where to start and what they need is an amazing advantage.
Get local.
Charitable giving isn’t the only way to get involved in your local community. While aiding nonprofits is a great gift, there are far more ways for an investor to give back to the community. You can sponsor a little league team, start a drive for coats or school supplies, or buy turkeys for local families in need. While giving is great, getting your boots on the ground and working one-on-one with people in your community is where real joy happens.
Visit a nursing home and play games with the residents. Make goodie bags for your postal workers and other public servants. These things don’t take much time or money, especially when you partner with others in your community.
Plan for provision.
Lastly, we want to highlight a more personal, intimate way to give back. We always say that real estate investors should go into the business with a goal in mind. A big goal we see is retirement! This is a great plan, but there are other ways to use your investments to give back to your family and loved ones.
For example, designate a property with the goal of paying for your child’s college education. Use your funds not only for your own future, but that of your family. If you have been financially blessed, there is no reason not to give back — be it to your family, friends, or community in need.
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