Saturday, 7 May 2011

Property Investment Mistakes To Avoid

By Mark Walters


Property investment can be a really rewarding activity, as long as you do it right. There are, however, quite a few common property investment mistakes that people make. This article takes you through them so you know what to avoid. One really common problem is not researching properly. When you are looking to invest in property, you need to be able to tell whether you are getting a good deal, so it's important to compare property prices in the area to work out the average sale price.

Another common mistake made by a lot of property investors is to forget that the reason so many investment properties seem like a good deal is because they need so many improvements made to them. This can bump up the cost of a project, so it's vital that you factor in renovation and repair costs before committing to any property. If you don't, you might find that you can't afford the cost of the project, which can cause problems further down the line.

A lot of investors also make it harder for themselves to make money on property by paying too much for them. When so much of property investment is based on buying properties at below market value and then making a profit when you sell them on, it's crucial that you purchase your properties for a good price. This relates to the point about research - this can help you avoid paying over the odds. This is something that often catches out new investors.

Another mistake property investors make is to get emotionally attached to their properties. If you are serious about property investment, you need to be able to treat it as a business. No matter how much you like the properties you are investing in, you need to think of them in terms of expenditure and profit. Don't view them like you do your own home or else it will be harder for you to sell them on and you might end up getting stuck with unprofitable properties.

Lastly, a lot of property investors boost their incomes by getting tenants to live in their properties. This can be a smart move, but many make the mistake of failing to screen their applicants properly. It's often better to wait to get the right tenant so you know they'll meet their obligations than it is to just take the first person who shows an interest in your property. This helps to avoid problems later on, so screening is definitely a good idea.




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