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Building Wealth by Investing in Real Estate

by The Hat Team

 

Investing in real estate is a time-tested way to successfully build wealth.  While there are many ways to invest your savings, investing in real estate is unique in that it offers cash-flow, liquidity, profitability, and tax and diversification benefits that other investments do not.  If you’ve been thinking about how to build wealth for your retirement, you would be smart to consider investing in real estate. Diversification and Real Estate Investing

There are four primary ways to make money in real estate:

  1. Appreciation. When a property increases in value, you have real estate appreciation. Sometimes is happens due to changes in the market and other times it may be due to upgrades made on the property.
  2. Cash flow income (rent). Cash flow income is a nice perk of real estate investment that you don’t have in other types of investments.  It is generated when you purchase a home or apartment building or an office building and rent them out.
  3. Real Estate Income.  This is income earned by people who earn commissions through real estate transactions or buy property managers who oversee the operations of rental properties.
  4. Ancillary Real Estate Income - This can be a huge source of profit.  Things like application fees, vending machines and laundry facilities are money makers that go beyond the monthly rent.  Increase Your Bottom Line - Supplementing Rent with Ancillary Income

While there are certainly Risks of Real Estate Investing, there are a lot of benefits that outweigh the risks:

  1. Real estate is something that people who grew up lower to middle class are familiar with.  They may not have been exposed to things like stocks and bonds, but they likely know the importance of owning a home.  Buying a home is an investment that is reachable for them.
  2. Having an investment that you can see; something that is tangible, is psychologically important.
  3. You have the control in a real estate investment.  You don’t have to worry as much about being defrauded the way you might when entrust your money to someone else to invest for you.
  4. You will reap the benefits of tax advantages.
  5. You can Leverage Your Debt to buy more real estate and increase your net worth.

Whether you are thinking of purchasing a home for yourself and investing in your own future by building equity or you are considering buying property to rent out, investing in real estate is great way to build wealth!

If you are in the market to sell or buy a home, let Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of professionals assist you with all your real estate needs! Call them today at 334-834-1500!

Relax...There's an Alternative

by The Hat Team

Is the stock market keeping you up at night?  Are you consuming more antacids than ever before?  Are the ups and downs causing more stress than you want or need?  There is a simple alternative in rental real estate.

for rentSingle family homes for rental purposes offer an excellent rate of return in an investment that most people understand better than other investments.  The concept is simple: stay with predominantly owner-occupied homes in a slightly below average price range.  In most areas, tenants are easy to find and they’ll usually stay two to three years or more.

For the person who doesn’t want to be bothered with calls from tenants, professional management is available and commonly won’t dramatically affect the rate of return.  Managers can achieve economies of scale that individuals can’t due to managing multiple properties and having good connections with the best workmen.

Unlike most commercial property, single family homes are much more liquid because of the higher demand for residential property.  Single family homes offer the investor the opportunity to borrow high loan-to-value mortgages at fixed interest rates, for long periods of time on appreciating assets with tax advantages while providing the investor a higher than normal level of control.

Spend an hour investigating the benefits and you might sleep better at night, eat less antacids and find yourself more mellow than you’ve been in years.

Information courtesy of Montgomery Realtor Sandra Nickel, Sandra Nickel Hat Team.

Should You Be Investing In Montgomery AL Real Estate?

by The Hat Team

If you're thinking about investing in a rental property, experts say low home prices combined with low interest rates make this the best time in years to become a real-estate investor.  Couple this with the increase in potential renters due to foreclosures and the recent shaky economy, and you may well decide to become a first-time investor in Montgomery AL real estate

houseIt isn’t difficult to get into the real estate investing world. In fact, it’s rather easy. But it does require being smart and dedicated—and avoiding easy-to-make mistakes. These tips for a first time real estate investor should be beneficial in helping you become more knowledgeable and competent in sidestepping common pitfalls.

  • Tip 1:  Educate yourself:  Visit numerous online sites, consult with seasoned investors of Montgomery AL real estate, become familiar with terms and jargon, investigate lending procedures, explore possible locations, and analyze your personal financial situation.  Carefully researched knowledge will keep unpleasant surprises at bay.
     
  • Tip 2:  Formulate a plan:  Most experts advise first-timers to limit their initial investments to residential Montgomery AL real estate (many recommend concentrating on foreclosures) and to know in advance how much of a “fixer-upper” they want to take on.  Predetermining preferred locations (think in terms of schools, insurance rates, job availability, taxes, amenities, etc.) is also essential, as is deciding whether you will manage the property yourself.
     
  • Tip 3:  Get your ducks in a row:  Speak to potential lenders or even a financial planner about whether you have enough assets to handle the ups and downs that could come with investing. Even if you plan to rent out the property, count on paying the mortgage whenever there's a vacancy.  It’s certainly a good idea to get pre-approved for an investment property loan.  It’s also useful to line up individuals/companies who can take care of various maintenance needs before you need their services for your Montgomery AL investment real estate.
     
  • Tip 4:  Be patient, but persevere:  As the market recovers, finding the “perfect” property is becoming more difficult, but it is not impossible.  Once you figure out where to look, you’ll be able to find them more easily, and you’ll start making money!  Be forewarned: there will be numerous high and low points in your stint as an investor, but if you are confident about your plan and are determined to work towards it, odds are you’ll succeed!

Search all Montgomery AL Real Estate And Homes For Sale.

Sandra Nickel and the Hat Team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Montgomery AL real estate market. Sandra assists buyers looking for Montgomery real estate for sale and aggressively markets Montgomery AL homes for sale. Sandra is also an expert in helping families avoid foreclosure through short sales and is committed to helping families in financial hardship find options. For more information you can visit AvoidForeclosureMontgomery.com.

Interested in buying a bank-owned home? Get bank-owned listings alerts FREE!

You can reach Sandra by filling out the online contact form below or give her a call anytime.

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