Real estate investments, such as apartments, villas, townships, etc., have excellent financial prospects. There are multiple ways by which a real estate investor can make money. Property can be bought and offered for rent. Some investors invest in an undervalued property and improve it to sell it at a higher price. Some others simply buy a piece of land and expect its price to rise in the near future.
REITs, real estate investment trusts, or crowdfunding for buying tangible assets are newer options by which people can earn profits. However, making money out of selling property is easier said than done, and newcomers often suffer losses. New players do not have a proper plan or the right networks to register a profit. Hence if a newcomer wants to seek expert advice in the field of real estate investment, they can visit the website of Ironfish.
Some Common Mistakes All New Property Investors Should Avoid
Source:mashvisor.com
Not Having A Well Thought Out Plan
People who are new to a business fail because they do not give adequate time to background research and do not have a plan and proper alternatives. For instance, if an apartment or villa is purchased to rent, then it has to be advertised well in advance. If the house lies vacant for some months, that is equivalent to the income opportunity lost by the house owner.
Again, some people are not aware of the nuances of managing a property, tenants, etc. A rent agreement should be nuanced and clearly demarcate the liabilities of the tenant and homeowner in case of damages or repairs. Also, dealing with tenants is not easy.
Some tenants can be problematic, some create a nuisance for other tenants, and some have no intention of paying the rent. Thus, putting in a reasonable amount of time in research and drafting a proper strategy is crucial before actually buying any assets.
Not Being Aware Of The Finances
Most property transactions involve a downpayment where a part of the cost is paid upfront, and the other half is delivered as an installment. Usually, the down payment amount is 20 to 25%; however, it can be as low as 5% of the asset’s cost. The installments charge interest; however, if the interest rate is lower than the inflation rate, the seller suffers a net loss.
Again buying property involves a large amount of money. If a person does not have proper contact with banks or other credit-giving institutions, they will not be able to buy and sell continuously to make large profits. Thus, being ignorant about one’s own financial capabilities is a significant problem. Ideally, when assessing investment properties for sale, budding investors should go for
multiple low-priced properties.
Not Thinking Long Term
Source:bdcmagazine.com
People who are new to the real estate business may see short-term impacts. They may hurriedly buy a property if it is offered at a low price. However, long-term considerations are essential in the real estate business. A homeowner might be willing to sell at a low price because the area’s crime rates are steadily increasing. So looking at a long-term perspective is vital. Before buying a flat or a piece of land, several pertinent questions need to be asked.
Some important considerations are the commercial prospects of the locality. If new offices are being set up in an area or new means of communication are being developed, that area’s houses will become expensive. Likewise, there are factors like crime rate and poor infrastructure facilities that decrease the value of a locality. If a real estate investor is in a hurry to buy or sell, he may end up missing out on the long-term opportunities a place has to offer.
Not Seeking Help From Experts
The real estate business needs collaborative efforts by experts from many fields like a home inspector, a property valuer, a good lawyer, someone who has experience in home insurance, etc.
A property valuer will give the correct estimate of the price of land or building. Likewise, land-related papers, deeds, etc., are always a part of some sort of litigation. Hence a good lawyer will be able to sort out all the property-related deeds, will, land mutation papers, etc.
An insurance agent will suggest the appropriate policy and time period for policy coverage depending on the type of property. Most new people in business try to cut costs by trying to multitask. However, not hiring experts often prove to be costly in the long run.
Not Having A Backup
People who are new to the business do not realize the importance of diversification. Just like in the case of stocks, diversification is also vital in the real estate business. Thus, investing all the capital in buying one large piece of land or mansion isn’t very intelligent. The distribution should be varied both in terms of the kind of property and its geographical location.
Hence, it is a good idea to buy different types of assets like land, bungalows, flats, etc. Again, it is prudent to buy the assets in different localities so that if one locality faces any socio-economic problems in the future other locations can be banked upon.
Not Being Vigilant
All investors need to be vigilant of the ongoings of the economy; if the economy is undergoing a recessionary phase, then rents and mortgages need to be renegotiated as per the latest trends.
Conclusion
Source:americanexpress.com
Real estate investment can give rich dividends; however, most newcomers make critical mistakes that either delay the realization of profits or erode their chances of profit maximization. Realizing profits may take a significant amount of time. REITs involve getting profits for investing in long-term infrastructure projects like road and railway construction.
However, these projects have a long gestation time; typically, highway or road construction takes about ten to twenty years. Hence, the REIT investor must be patient to get good returns. Thus, patience, sound research, market analysis, and diversification are some ways by which good returns can be earned, and experience teaches many of these lessons.
