Lyndsay Fogarty
Real estate is an excellent platform to build wealth for the long term. A real estate portfolio allows you to maximize your income and minimize your risks.Real estate is an excellent platform to build wealth for the long term. A real estate portfolio allows you to maximize your income and minimize your risks. It can involve any property type, from small, empty lots to giant condo complexes, and requires some expertise to understand and manage. Consider these tips for leveraging the real estate market to start building low-risk wealth.
First, pick your niche. You will do better in the long run if you learn about and specialize in just one type of property. While this might mean passing on some opportunities, you will have a better chance of growing your investment by doing one thing well instead of many different things halfway. The most common niches are single family houses, houses divided into multi-family units, apartment complexes, mobile homes and commercial buildings.
Before you commit to anything, do the research. Never rush into something just because you received a hot tip or because you think you have spotted a rare opportunity. It is especially important to never let yourself be pressured into making a purchase quickly before another investor.
If your strategy is renting out your property, find out how much similar units in the area charge and what the maintenance costs have been for those properties over the last several years. It is probably not a good investment if the money you can reasonably expect to take in isn’t much more than the costs you could reasonably expect to pay.
If you are planning to resell, then study similar properties nearby and look for signs that the property you are interested in will appreciate in value.
Next, work out exactly how long it will take you to pay off the principal. If your monthly mortgage payment is mostly being applied toward the interest, that is not a good investment opportunity.
It wouldn’t hurt to ask your tax adviser about the property that you are considering to see if you can use it to offset some of your other forms of income. This can make the difference as to whether the property will be a good investment for you or not.
Keep in mind that you should never completely deplete your cash reserves for any reason. Having an emergency reserve will help your operation run smoothly, no matter what happens. Putting all of your money into one investment, hoping to maximize or speed up your returns, is a risk that can trap you in a hopelessly unprofitable situation that is difficult to leave.
Building wealth with a real estate investment is a long-term game. Those who are willing to put in the work, and avoid greed or being scared into making bad decisions, will likely see a steady return.
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