If you’re wondering if real estate investments have a place in your wealth-building plan, sit down and have a conversation with an investment professional. When you are considering buying or owning property, you should exercise due diligence and ask yourself how the property will affect you. I have outlined some important considerations to help you decide whether buying an investment property is right for you and, if so, how much it is worth.
Finally, the fact remains that, unlike a managed fund, you cannot sell parts of your investment property for the money you need.
You will not want to sell your investment property until you are well and ready, and working out your exit strategy can really help you down the line before you even buy it. Another advantage is that you offer your new property as security, so if you are having financial difficulties with it, you can put your home in which you have equity online in case of financial difficulties. I hope that the “go” or “no” system has helped you to be more confident in deciding whether to buy or pass on your next investment property. If you are facing financial problems, it could force you to unload the property at the wrong time.
Before you start looking for your first investment property, take a step back and decide whether this is the right way to enter the exciting world of real estate investment. There are many ways to finance your investment property, so don’t be put off by people who don’t invest in real estate and don’t have plans to achieve financial freedom. Instead of choosing a house that you want to donate because you can’t afford anything better, you should look at rental properties before investing your money. You can seek advice from experts in this area, which can make a big difference to your financial wellbeing – namely, your being.
If this is causing too much trouble, you don’t need to look at rental properties in places like New York, New Jersey or California. One of the things to consider when deciding whether a holiday home is a wise investment is a cost of owning one. This is often so high that it would be comparable to a property in a non– for – holiday hotspot. If you want to diversify your portfolio, you can afford to own a property over a long period of time, and you don’t have to rely on it as a liquid asset, an investment property can be worth investing in. If you are going to combine options and enjoy the property, or if you need income from it to afford it, then you need an investor who will think about it. It is better not to be lured by short-term cash rewards than to make investment property a strong financial asset.
If the answer is no, it doesn’t mean you have to give up your dream of buying rental property here. If you can’t afford to lose money, you need to consider whether you should invest at all. If the seller is selling a house as is, then that could save you a lot of money in the long run
As funny as the idea of owning a holiday home may be, you need to understand the reality of the investment and submit to it. Unlike other investments that require your attention only during trading hours, investment properties require permanent management, whether you own them or not. When you decide to buy an investment property, make sure you have enough time to maintain and monitor the space. Understand how you interact with the investment when you hand your capital over to its manager. To keep it busy, you need to be available to address problems when they arise.
Don’t get too greedy – the longer you can afford to commit to the property, the more you’ll try to get out of the investment and find a way to enjoy life. If you are building up equity, you can buy another home and consider buying a second investment property. The sooner you buy a house and pay off your mortgage or live off cash flow and get your investment back, the sooner it can pay off.
There are many ways property can help your investment portfolio, but don’t be intimidated by the plethora of options that don’t come with it. It is important to consider what type of lifestyle is trendy in the area where you are thinking about buying an investment property.
Established neighborhoods like SoHo and Tribeca have limited downside volatility, but you need deep pockets to buy them. If you know your neighborhood has a lot of investment potential, you can start looking at distressed fixers – upper-end real estate that wants to make a quick profit. Ask your agent to show you several price ranges, including properties you don’t like, so we can evaluate different neighborhoods and get a better feel for the value of your target property. You may need to hold on to a property for longer than you expect to optimize ROI, and you will need to dig deeper into your pocket before buying. It is therefore important to exercise extra caution when investing in real estate, in order to minimize risk while protecting hard-earned money.
George is the CEO of Expat Group Limited, based in Hong Kong.