by: Matthew Honsberger
Investing in Real Estate is a great start to any assortment, but what is the best way to do it? There are a number of different decisions, and we will go through some of them here.
First that seems to get the most attention these days is the "Flip". With the appearance of shows like "The Big Flip", and "Flip This House", this Buy, Renovate and Resell strategy is the 'sexy' option for most real estate investors right now.
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However, there are a few things to consider before you go about this. The first thing to think about, of course, is where are you going to find the property that is priced well for the flip? There are a few choices for investors – first, is to contact a good Real Estate Agent and have them scan all listings for you for any that are undervalued, priced as is, owned by the bank or foreclosure company, or any other good opportunities that might be on the market. Your Real Estate Agent is your best friend in this respect, as they will be very motivated to find you the best property, and will be very vigilant, if for no other reason than they know you will be reselling the property at some point pretty soon! When looking for Properties to Flip in your area, remember that the same rules apply as to your own home - three things you should look for is Location: Properties that are in Downtown Areas are often the easiest to resell, however, more expensive than suburban properties. Look for houses on popular streets, in good neighborhoods. If you are buying into a worse neighborhood, make sure you are factoring that into your price of purchase, and projected resale. The other Key factor to the Flip is that you must ensure that you don't price yourself out of the neighborhood. For Example, no matter how nice you make your small bungalow in an area of starter homes, don't expect to resell it for 50% more than anything else in the area! Ensure that your renovations don't bring the price too high. Finally, understand that the higher price bracket you try to flip, the longer it is going to take to resell, and the higher your materials costs will be. You need to consider all of this and much more before considering the flip.
The other main strategy that you can use to add to your investment assortment in the real estate world is the rental property. Rental Properties offer two different qualities - income and capital gain. Your rental property can offer you a monthly income over and above your monthly outlay of expenses (mortgage, utilities and taxes). Even if your rental property doesn't offer you a huge (or any) monthly income, remember, you are also earning a capital gain on the property, as it is very likely to increase in value... just like your personal home is. All of this should be taken into consideration when deciding on a property. However, with Rental property, the most important consideration is always the Tenants that you have. A great looking, well maintained and located property can still be a nightmare if you get a bad set of tenants in there. It is important to do stringent interviews, check references and draft a strong lease agreement. You should also familiarize yourself with the Nova Scotia Tenancy Act. Finally, you need to decide what kind of rental property you are going to run. Do you want to rent to students? Young Professionals? High or Low Income? Students offer payment by room, which is often higher than you could command for entire flats, but you have to consider that they will likely not care for the building very well, and might not have the rent each month. Additionally, you have the concern of them bailing out on you once school ends for the year. Young Professionals will often be very easy to deal with, will pay their rent on time, but will also be very perceptive about how much they will pay, and are likely to be there for only a short period of time. Your Rental portfolio must always account for at least a 5% vacancy rate (in the good times), and must still generate money for you with that in the equation.
You should seek out one that you feel can be an informative and trusted adviser. They will work in conjunction with your financial planner as well, to determine what the best course of action for you is. As always, you should feel comfortable with whatever investment you make!
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