Monday, 26 December 2011

Investing In Real Estate: An Overview

By Reginald Branarll


For the past few years the economy had been very volatile and investments are not really paying off. Even worse, a large number of people have lost money. So, it's important to choose carefully what you invest in. Off all the investment options, real estate is the one that retains its value and pays off well in the long term.

Real estate can generate income in multiple ways and it gradually appreciates in value as well. Rental yield is the percentage of yield from monetary gains from rent. When inflation increases, value of rental properties also appreciate. With increased rental property value, sale and reinvestment is easy. This also provides a higher equity line of credit.

Investing in real estate is easy, and is suited for those who are not comfortable with other investment options such as equity, forex etc.

But not all have enough money to buy whole properties. You can always leverage or buy on credit. Getting housing loans is another strategy. However, REITs or Real Estate Investment Trusts have been the more popular option for some years. REI Trusts mostly acquire real estates that have been demarcated for commercial use. Like mutual funds, there are people who manage these trusts. When you buy REIT shares, you get part ownership of the properties held by the trust. Imagine if the REIT owns a skyscraper. This means you are a part owner of a skyscraper as well!

Just like stocks, REITs pay dividends and you can even sell of your share when it appreciates in value. The law makes it mandatory for REITS to pay 90% of their profits as dividend. For example, if you want to purchase shares in Dallas real estate, look for REI trusts that hold estates in Dallas.

Another way to make money is through flipping houses. It involves buying a house, letting it appreciate in value and selling it for a profit. This require that you have cash to buy houses. Also, since the economy is cyclical, so too is this type of business. As with most investment options, buying during a boom is more difficult than selling because of the higher prices. Thus, as with stocks, to make a profit, you need to buy low and sell high. So, buy during recessive phases and sell when the economy is booming.

If you do not have enough cash, there is buying and selling on the margin. What you do is, get a loan, buy a house, pay interest, and sell at a profit when the time is right. The bulk of money comes from the broker or financier, and you can invest with as small as possible. You can learn about real estate deals and processes through online realtor sites. Check online web listings for Dallas real estate and Dallas realtors or where ever you want to buy property.




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