How to Get Started With Real Estate Investing

One of the best things you can do with your finances is to invest it. When you invest your money, you’re giving it an opportunity to grow and appreciate in value. Investing can also earn an income to supplement your earning, and you can always sell your investment later down the line.

Of course, there is inherent risk in investing. If you make poor investments, you can lose your money rather than getting more back. One way to reduce the risk is by diversifying your investment portfolio, so even if one of your investments fails, other investments are more likely to succeed.

One investment strategy that is incredibly popular is real estate. Real estate is a steady investment that also provides a physical asset. This is also one of the few investments that is worth taking a loan out for. The value of real estate also doesn’t necessarily correlate with other investments like stocks and bonds, so even if they lose value, real estate will stay steady.

Mortgages and Real Estate

Generally speaking, you shouldn’t invest money that isn’t yours. If you have to take out a loan to make an investment, you aren’t in the position to make that investment in the first place. This is because, even if the investment fails, you will still be on the hook for that loan and your finances could suffer as a result.

However, this isn’t the case when investing in real estate. There are a few pros and cons for getting out a mortgage and paying in cash. If you pay in cash, you might be able to get your property for below market value, as some sellers prefer a quicker sale.

But properties are expensive, which makes paying in cash prohibitive for a lot of people. Even if you have the cash, you might be better off using it to make deposits for a couple of mortgages. This allows you to earn more money more quickly from multiple properties, even when you factor in the mortgage payments.

You can also get different types of mortgages depending on what you intend to do with the property. In this case, consider looking into an investment property mortgage rather than a mortgage for a home you intend to live in.

Real Estate Investment Ideas

Investing in real estate gives you a few different options, all depending on what you want out of the property.

The most common way to invest in real estate is to invest to rent. You can buy either a residential or commercial property and then rent it out to tenants. As the landlord, you are responsible for maintaining the property and managing it, but this provides a relatively steady passive income.

You can also join a REIG (real estate investment group) which allows you to have a passive rental income without the need to manage the property. You do however lose some control and some of your income.

If you don’t want to keep the property yourself, you can house flip. This is a practice where you pick up an undervalued property and then sell it for a profit. You might make some minor improvements, but the idea is to make the most profit while spending the least amount of money. This does take some work to get going, however, and can be risky if you can’t sell for the profit you hope for.

How to Find Real Estate Opportunities

So far, we’ve looked at how to finance your properties and a few different options for how you can invest your money in real estate. But where can you find the right property?

Here are a few things to consider when looking for real estate deeds.

How much can you afford to invest? You can stretch your investment options further if you get a mortgage rather than using cash, but it’s still good to find a balance between getting a property that will be profitable and getting something that is affordable. You also need to consider why a property is the price it is. 

What do you intend to do with your investment? If you’re after a rental property, you might want to look at different properties than something that you’re going to flip after a few months. A rental property will go through wear and tear over time and you will have to look after it. Also, commercial properties and residential properties are very different, so you will need to explore different categories.

Where is the property? Technically, it’s not necessary to invest in real estate near where you live, but it’s still helpful to be able to travel there. When it comes to location, factor in things that could influence the price of the property and the potential risk of owning or renting it.

Potential Pitfalls of Real Estate

Unfortunately, not every investment opportunity is perfect. While real estate is a good option, it does have some pitfalls that could cause trouble.

One huge mistake is to rush into investing. Before you buy a property, you need to know what you want from it and how you intend to make money from your investment. You also need to know about the property and the surrounding area.

You should also look for financing options that work for your needs and circumstances. Don’t stretch to get the biggest mortgage for the most expensive property, as this won’t necessarily get you a better profit, but it does come with a lot of risk. 

If you rent your property, you need to make sure you do your due diligence as a landlord. Renting isn’t just about letting someone live in a property and collecting money. You need to make sure you find trustworthy tenants, and you also need to keep on top of the property. If you don’t maintain the property, the tenants have every right to not pay and you could be liable. Be active as you manage your property.

Real estate can be incredibly profitable, if you do it right.