Rules for Successful Investing in Real Estate

Introduction

Investing in real estate can require multiple steps that are necessary to make an informed decision. From educating oneself to setting investment goals, real estate investment can be a rewarding task if done correctly. Market state, real estate cycles, speculation, cash flows, diversity, leverage, control and capital, are some of the factors which need to be considered before making any investment in real estate (WCI, 2020). To a new investor, these considerations might well be overwhelming; however, knowing strategies for investing according to certain parameters can define the outcome between profit or loss. Real estate is a challenging business that requires knowledge, talent, organisation, networking, and perseverance. One cannot rely on in-class education for acquiring all these skills; rather, finding help and networking are all part of the process. Continue reading to understand the rules for successful investing in real estate.

Rules for Successful Investing

Real estate investing involves analysing several aspects of the market, property, regulation, location, along with many others. However, that cannot be achieved without having sound knowledge of all the metrics involved. Without the proper knowledge, an investor can fall prey to diverse opinions and make the wrong decisions. Proper acquaintance with all the specific terms and jargon used can make all the difference between a good and a great investor. Therefore, educating oneself is a strong fundamental to investing in real estate. If an investor is unaware of byelaws and regulations regarding a prospective property, it can result in significant losses and complications. A proper real estate education also helps investors realise all the risks involved in the process (Midwest Bank, 2019).

No investment venture can be successful without fulfilling the investors’ goals. Therefore, it is important to realise what those goals are in the case of each investor. A goal is significantly different from a wish. Having a clear and specific investment goal serves as a map for the journey towards success. It has proven that writing clear goals leads to success compared to not doing anything at all. Goals can range from acquiring a certain number of or type of properties each year or can be to generate a certain amount of cash flow each year. A business plan is a good way to allow investors to view everything from a bird’s eye view and determine their strategy aligns with their goals or not (SideCommission, 2021).

Another important rule is to never speculate. Investing with a long-term perspective will always remain a more rewarding and less risky task. Most investors are lured by double-digit growth rates and invest in short-term market gains; however, such strategies can easily backfire and cause much financial loss to the investor. Any investment decision should be based on numbers and analysis conducted with reliable data. Although real estate investors are not obliged to uphold any moral, ethical code, and it is often very easy to take advantage of distressed sellers, investing in real estate involves people, and an investor’s reputation is far-reaching. Keeping aware of current trends, consumer spending habits, mortgage rates, and unemployment rates let real estate investors take a much more calculated and informed decision (Dale, 2019).

Moreover, an investor should also diversify his investment portfolio across diverse markets. It is not common for all markets to experience similar trends over time. If one market performs poorly, the investor can take margins and cover loss through profits in others. An investor should also consider taking on property management services as it helps cover many aspects such as knowledge of tenant-landlord laws, marketing resources, strong people skills, and complaint handling measures. Investing in properties without property management services can become a handful of tasks with dramatic repercussions for the investor. Lastly, an investor should always remain a direct investor in real estate and not rely on third parties to handle his investment portfolio (Bloch, 2021).

Starter Strategies for the New Investor

New investors can use starter strategies to invest in real estate to minimise their risk and chances of loss. An investor could start by implementing house hacking which is living in a property While also sharing space with renters. The strategy will help the investor learn the landlord-tenant relationship and the laws governing it. Once the investor feels confident that the situation can be managed without living in the same property, they can move onto a separate property while also managing rentals on others. Another important strategy is the live and flip model. The investor buys a home and lives in it for a couple of years, selling it for a higher price later. This can help the investor in getting an exemption from capital gains tax and other property-related taxes. The last strategy is the buy remodelled Brent refinance and repeat model. This is an excellent way to build a rental portfolio without running out of cash early in the investing stage. Once the property has been fixed and stabilised, it can be refinanced using long term mortgages to pull most of the original capital out of the next deal (Carson, 2020).

Conclusion

Investing in real estate is a rewarding job that can offer many benefits in terms of cash flows diversification and tax exemptions. However, establishing a basic set of rules which guide the investor in the process can make all the difference between a good and a great investor. Having a deep knowledge of all the terms used in real estate along with Millie arity with different markets the investor plans to invest in can greatly mitigate risk and the chance of loss. The investor should also have clear goals and should never rely on speculation for long term investment strategies. Keeping in mind the diverse options available for new investors, is it important that starter strategies be applied to protect investor capital and reduce the burden of taxes and regulatory filings in the initial stages.