Which Types Of Real Estate To Invest In

by Steve Gillman

There are different types of real estate, and different ways to invest in them. Which way is best is for you to decide, according to your particular needs. Here are a few ways to consider, with their advantages and disadvantages.

1. Rental houses. Advantages: One of the easier ways to get started, and good long term return on investment. Disadvantages: Being a landlord isn't much fun, and you typically wait a long time for the big pay-off.

2. Rent-to-own houses. Advantages: When you buy, then sell on a rent-to-own arrangement, you get higher rent, and the buyer is usually responsible for maintenance. Disadvantages: The bookkeeping is tricky, and most tenants don't complete the purchase (this can be an advantage too, but it does mean more work for you).

3. Low income rentals. Advantages: The same as with any rentals, but with higher cash flow. Disadvantages: The same as with other rentals, but with more repairs and tenant problems.

4. Fixer-uppers. Advantages: A quick return on your investment, and it can be more creative work. Disadvantages: Higher risk (many unpredictables) and you get taxed heavily on the gain.

5. Buy for cash, sell for terms. Advantages: You get a high rate of return by paying cash to get a good price, and selling on easy terms to get a high price AND high interest. Disadvantages: You tie up your capital for a long time.

6. Buy land, split it and sell it. Advantages: It is simpler than most real estate investments, with the possibility of great profits. Disadvantages: It can take a long time, and you have expenses, but no cash flow while you wait.

7. Boarding houses. Advantages: You can get a lot more cash flow renting a house by the room, especially in a college town. Disadvantages: You can get a lot more headaches renting a house by the room, especially in a college town.

8. Commercial real estate. Advantages: Long term triple-net leases mean little management and high returns. Disadvantages: Tough market to break into, and you can lose income on vacant storefronts for a year at a time.

9. Buy, live in it, and sell. Advantages: The new tax law means you can fix it up, and sell for a big tax-free profit after two years, then start the process again. Disadvantages: You have to move a lot.

10. Speculation. Advantages: Buying in the path of growth and holding until values rise can yield large profits, especially if you buy low to start. Disadvantages: Prices aren't that predictable, you have expenses with no income while you're waiting, and transaction costs can eat much of the profits.
About the Author

Steve Gillman has invested real estate for years. To learn more, and to see a photo of a beautiful house he and his wife bought for $17,500, visit http://www.HousesUnderFiftyThousand.com

4 Dangers In Flipping Real Estate
By Matthew Keegan Platinum Quality Author

If you have recently purchased some real estate for investment purposes, you are in good company. Recent reports suggest that as many as 25% of these purchases are made by those who plan on using the property for investment purposes only. If you hope to "flip" the property there are 4 things you must be aware of that can put a crimp on your profits.

1. Property Taxes. Keep the property for a few years and you may experience a surge in property taxes especially if your taxes are reevaluated during that time. Some hot real estate markets have seen taxes nearly double in just 5 or 6 years.

2. Renovation Expenses. You may have purchased a "fixer upper" at a bargain rate. Once your project is complete will you be able to recover the expenses and make a profit especially if the value of your renovated property is above those in your neighborhood? In addition, can you withstand a correction in real estate values?

3. Insurance and Mortgage Costs. You will pay more for homeowners insurance if you do not occupy the residence and you have tenants. If you are financing the property you know that your mortgage rate is higher as well.

4. Rental Pressures. A market saturated with rentals will mean that the rents you can charge will be less than what you had hoped to receive. In some markets you are required to get special licensing in order to be a landlord. In other markets the legal rights of tenants mean you could have a lengthy and expensive battle in ridding yourself of a bad tenant. Will the lower income levels coupled with the added expenses drag your investment down?

Of course, you can limit your risks [and costs] by doing the majority of the upgrades yourself, appealing excessive property tax increases, and finding for yourself a trusted and dependable tenant. It isn't easy flipping a home, but with a lot of pluck and determination it can result in strong profits for you.

Matthew Keegan is The Article Writer who writes on just about any and every issue imaginable. You can preview samples from his high performing site at http://www.thearticlewriter.com

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Real Estate Clubs

Real Estate Clubs Hot Among Investors
By Charles Essmeier Platinum Quality Author

Six or seven years ago, the stock market was booming, Internet companies that no one had ever heard of were valued at billions of dollars, and anyone and everyone was investing their money in tech stocks. Then, in 2000, the stock market crashed, the Internet companies closed their doors, investors lost trillions of dollars, and life went back to normal, more or less. Five years later, tech stocks are nowhere near their 2000 peaks, but investors are salivating again. This time, they’re putting their money in real estate, and they’re forming real estate clubs to help them achieve greater success.

There were investment clubs in the 1990’s, where a group of people with common investing interests met regularly, pooled their money, and invested in stocks as a group. A few of them did well enough that they made national news. Now the equivalent is the real estate club, but in these clubs, it’s every person for themselves. Rather than pooling money for common investments, members meet to share advice, lessons learned, and stories of their latest acquisitions. It’s difficult to say how many real estate clubs exist in the United States, but estimates suggest that there may be thousands of them. Real estate prices are at record levels, particularly on the East and West coasts, homeowners have record amounts of equity in their homes, and with the stock market still crawling along, people are putting money in real estate and helping each other do it.

The typical real estate club has anywhere from a handful to several hundred members, and they typically meet once a month or so to share their experiences. Those who have been investing for years can share what they’ve learned with newcomers – how to invest, how to avoid risk and minimize losses, how to find quality properties, and how to deal with the legal aspects of real estate investing. Many members are interested in learning how to buy prepare a “fixer upper” for market. That particular area of investing has a lot of potential pitfalls, and can easily turn into a money drain for those who aren’t careful, and stories of what to do and what to avoid are common.

Real estate clubs are popular across the country, and not just in areas with rapidly rising real estate prices. Those who are interested in meeting with others to learn about real estate speculation can probably ask a local realtor for information. Otherwise, type “real estate club” into your favorite Internet search engine, and you will undoubtedly find a club in your area.

©Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing.

Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including End-Your-Debt.com, a Website devoted to debt consolidation information and HomeEquityHelp.net, a site devoted to information on home equity loans.

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