Investing in the real estate market has gained in popularity among the many investors out there, due to the relatively safe nature of the investment as opposed to the ups and downs associated with the stock, forex exchange or other investment ventures.
Not everyone has what it takes to make profitable real estate investments but for those looking to invest in the real estate market it would be wise to have a look at the below mentioned points.
Time is of the essence When making any sort of investment you should have a clear understanding of the time period that you want to invest your money for.
Buying property and then renting it, is one of the most popular and safest real estate investing methods in the market today.
If you plan to own the property for a longer time than you should bear in mind the additional costs that you would have to incur, such as repairs and maintenance.
No matter how durable your property is, if you plan to keep it for a longer time period such as 15-20 years, you will most likely have to carry out extensive and expensive repairs.
On the other hand if you are planning to hold on to the property for a short time period such as 5 years then you have to be careful with the money that you invest in the repairs and maintenance.
5 years is considered a short period in the real estate market and you are advised not to carry out large scale repairs unless you feel that you will be able to recoup your expenses at the time you decide to sell your property.
Credit history To become eligible for a bank loan you would have to take care of your credit card debt and pay your utility bills on time.
Banks loans are generally required to finance real estate investments because of the large amounts of down payments needed in order to secure the purchase of properties.
Keep in mind banks have seemed to have tightened up lending recently due to the housing crisis and this factor can prove to be extremely important.
Professional advice Due to the current recession prevalent in the market, there are more sellers than buyers in the real estate market.
This can work to your advantage as you now have more options to choose from.
But it is highly recommended that you get a professional realtor to look over the property that you want to buy.
A professional realtor would be able to advise you best about the true value of the property in the current market.
He would also be able to guide and inform you about the pros and cons (if any) attached with the property, such as the type of neighborhood, security issues and the proximity of the property to hospitals and schools.
There are many things to consider when buying real estate but if you get these three right you are well on your way to seeing some success.