5 Fears Limiting You from Real Estate Investing

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Just like any investment where speculations are involved, there is risk with real estate investing. Investors who have gotten their fingers bit have fed us the ‘negative stories’ and have helped create many fears. Yes, there are risks, and they can make for a pretty bad fall if you don’t prepare for them. But there are also fears. Here we’ll explore five basic fears stopping you from making that real estate investing decision.

I also hope to expound on these fears to help you see that you can get past them. The best way to overcome fear is embrace it and do that which you fear. So, no matter what we say, the decision to take the plunge still lies in your hands. Will you create long-term prosperity with your real estate investment or let fear hold you back?

1.     Negative Cash Flow.

Cash flow is what remains when the operating expenses, the mortgage costs and other expenses have been deducted. The fear of negative cash flow, mostly fed by investors who have been there and done that, has held many people back. However, it is just about making the right calculations. You don’t expect to be 100% accurate about the possibility of vacancies or how much rental income you could make in a month but you can obtain past rental figures from the previous landlord, estimate possible repair expenses and still get your numbers close a notch.

 

2.     Right Timing.

You’ve always heard ‘you’ve got to time the market’. The problem with that is this: you might never find the right time. If you’re afraid that the market might just not be ripe for real estate investing, I say that’s FEAR. As long as you can comfortably buy a property without putting any strain on your family’s budget and the country in which you’re investing isn’t in a pothole, go right on. The time is right.

 

3.     Chasing the positive cash flows.

Some real estate agents who have tried and fumbled will tell you that you can’t cash flow positively on duplexes, condos, office complexes etc. With discouraging tales of despair, you catch the FEAR. This is actually an opportunity to learn from their mistakes. They failed because they went in with the wrong PLANS. Learn, attend seminars, buy DVDs and EBooks and develop a fail-proof strategy and you’ll get the positive cash flows.

 

4.     The hassles of management.

Chasing renters for each month’s rent and dolling out money on property repairs are all reasons to run far from real estate investing. What if you had a troublesome tenant giving you problems? The hassles could keep you awake at night. You however do not need to go through the stress of managing your property yourself. You can hire professional property managers or management companies to do the job and do it well.

 

5.     Lack of experience.

Yes, you do lack experience. All the seminars and courses do not make up for firsthand experience. So, if you lack the experience, why not work with a realtor who is a local expert and leverage their experience. (Check out the importance of a local realtor).

 

In conclusion, it’s not certain that investing in real estate will make you an overnight millionaire but if you do your homework and work with the right people, you’ll do just fine.

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How to Spot Hot Real Estate Markets

  • 13, May 2023

I’ve always been intrigued by the way surfers ride across the waves. The surfer waits long for a little sign, puts his gear in motion, gets into position near the peak and glides through with a small wave, trying to catch the big wave before it breaks. It’s a really risky game, requires a lot of patience. But he trusts his calculations, stays perpendicular to the upcoming waves and there he goes, riding the wave. Successful real estate investors have learnt to move like the surfer.

They have figured out that the best investment strategy as a real estate investor is to simply be on the lookout. That is, open your ears and eyes to the possibilities available to you. A lot of real estate investors built their real estate empires by being informed and proactive when they spotted opportunities. How do you adopt this same strategy and generate wealth by spotting hot real estate markets?

Yea, it’s true. Too much information may be disadvantageous in some cases. All you need may be a stroke of intuition. Alas some real estate investors fall into the trap of making ‘educated guesses’ and filling their heads with too much details. Eventually, what could appear to be a ‘hot property’ ends out being a deal turned sour. Looks may be deceiving. But you need to look at the obvious signs and trust your instinct at the same time to ride the big wave of global property investing.

IDENTIFYING AREAS OF GROWTH

1. Gentrification.

These areas may have had poor reputation in the past, but now they are seeing homeowners moving in and changing the suburban landscape. Are there a number of renovation and improvement projects going on? Are new homes being built? Which means developers are turning their focus to that area. Are new cafes or retailers opening up? Most importantly, compare house pricing for a period of 2-3 years, if prices have grown steadily, look at the demographics. An increasing number of young residents with decent incomes is a strong indication that a suburb is about to gentrify.

2. Look for the ripple effect.

If you cannot afford to buy in a hot real estate market (you may have missed the mark this time), you may still be able to shop in the area by checking the surrounding suburbs. This takes time, so you need to know what phase, the local real estate market cycle is in. This will help maximize your chances of riding the wave of growth. How to analyze real estate market cycles.

3. Examine supply and demand

The relationship between supply and demand for property in an area is a key factor in price growth. If there is no more capacity to build in the suburb, but demand continues to grow, prices are likely to rise.

TIPS FOR FINDING HIGH DEMAND AND LOW SUPPLY AREAS.

·        Look for areas where rental performance is increasing. This indicates that an area is popular with tenants. When tenants become owners, they also tend to buy in the same area they are renting;

·        Look at the demographics of people moving in the area. For instance, suburbs where median age is around 35 or so tend to gentrify faster as these demographics tend to have better incomes and can thus afford to buy or rent more expensive properties;

·        Look for areas with increasing population. The population itself is not enough to boost prices, but when combined with other indicators such as increased incomes and low supply, this is a good indication that real estate prices will grow in the area.

·        Look for large ongoing infrastructure projects. This is a good indicator that the area is likely to see an increase in demand for housing as workers gather in search of employment. Projects that have already begun are preferable, as project pledges can fall through with changes in government and as budget priorities change.

Yes, you can be the one sitting on the next hot property. All it takes is a little knowledge, research and intuition.

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6 reasons to use a real estate agent when buying a home anywhere

  • 07, October 2023

Buying overseas real estate often comes with increased responsibilities. Hence you need an efficient local real estate agent

 

While you might be a real estate guru in your home country, buying real estate in a foreign country can get messy without a knowledgeable local real estate agents

 

Here are just three ways things could go wrong when buying overseas property:

 

Over-the-top valuations: A foreign buyer probably doesn't have the stats on comps and recent sales that would help him make the best decisions on pricing. Locals might see this as a chance to price the property above market value. Without an agent on your side and banking on exchange rate advantages, sellers might feel justified to charge you more.

 

Taxes and paperwork omissions: In countries like Spain where there could be local rules and taxes regarding foreign home ownership, it's easy to ignore a few details. Not having the necessary licenses and permissions can be very costly.

 

Lopsided Communication: Sure your developer wants to come to terms quickly, which you find appealing as you don't want to hang around too long. However, you don't want to sign any form or contract without understanding what it entails. It's always important to get expert advice before signing on the dotted line.

 

You should have two people on your side when buying foreign real estate, a lawyer, to help with legal complications, taxes and paperwork and a real estate agent to guide you through the home buying process. You might want to ignore an agent's services as a way to save on agent charges. But here are six reasons why hiring a real estate agent for foreign property purchases is vital:

 

1. Full access to the market: Buyers in North America who work with agents have a full access to the Multiple Listing Service (A service that offers access to information regarding market value, comps and properties on the market). While some countries do not have a property listing service, a good agent will likely have a slew of properties and connections with other agents. This ensures he can secure a property that fits your criteria.

 

2. Detect overpriced properties: Where there is no MLS to set pricing, sellers and their agent often pad the asking price on their properties. Especially when the buyer has no agent on their side. Even in countries with MLS, ignorance can be a justification for an agent to charge you up to 40% above asking price. You can take advantage of an agent's market knowledge in this case. An agent has comps and data coupled with market experience and should be able to tell you instantly when a property is overpriced. However, do not neglect to do your own research about properties that catch your fancy. This will help you keep unethical agents in check.

 

3. Help with securing mortgage: One of the risky aspects of buying property abroad is getting financing. When considering going for a mortgage, your real estate agent can give you the low-down on mortgages for foreigners. He or she might also be able to connect you with bankers. An agent can also facilitate your loan by helping you with the necessary paperwork. This is one major reason why the services of a real estate agent are invaluable when you're buying a house overseas.

 

4. Negotiating and drawing up an offer: Negotiating tactics you have mastered in the US might fail to work when negotiating with sellers in Japan. The reason is that there are culture and language differences which can be difficult to fathom. So instead of trying confrontation or hard sell tactics, it is usually best to hire a professional agent who understands your situation and can persuasively represent this to a seller.

 

5. Help with finding good deals: You're probably trying to scoop up a good deal on a property. However, it's unlikely you'll find great deals by driving around a neighborhood. Agents have connections with other agents and access to a lot of properties. Hence it's much easier to find great deals by working with them.

 

6. Recommend trusted professionals: A trusted real estate agent would probably have a number of reputable service professionals in his network from inspectors, lawyers, handymen, mortgage lenders etc... This would be highly beneficial since you have little experience in the neighborhood and might be susceptible to pseudo professionals.

 

Caveat: When choosing agents to work with, work with vetted professionals. Don't just go with the agent down the street as that might turn out costly. This is why we periodically recommend agents in select communities who are vetted and have significant market experience to make your foreign property dream come true.

By Bebuzee Admin Read More
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3 Steps to Determine the Fair Market Value of Foreign Real Estate

  • 01, August 2023

You don’t want to pay excess on a property. So, it’s important to know what a home really costs on the equity scale

Real estate whether home or abroad is a substantial, long-term investment. It is therefore imperative that you research various countries and neighborhoods before choosing one to invest in because economists agree that there is an opportunity cost to investing in a particular property.

Your research should include the existence of changing political and economic scenarios, as these would have profound impact on the housing market, especially influencing central bank rates and lending policies.

Factors Affecting Market Value of Foreign Real Estate

Location is critical. Apart from the real estate conditions existent in the country, you don't want a place with high crime rate and bad transport system. But looking ahead, you have to examine the profitability of your investment. Home appraisers looking at homes consider features like property age, lot size, internal square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, amenities and overall condition. Hence the first step in determining your home's market value is taking an appraiser’s glasses and looking at the home objectively, writing down the principal features of your home.

How to Determine Market Value of Foreign Real Estate

Valuing a home is not an exact science but here are some things you can do to make a ‘scientific’ guess on the fair market value of a property abroad.

1. Check out comps.

Find four or five comparable homes in the area that have sold within the past six months. A local agent should be able to help you with that data. Your research on comparable homes (comps) will give you a good indication of what your intended property might be worth. Comparable homes should be roughly the same size, construction, age and style with the same number of rooms, layout and other features. You want to identify the prices at which these properties sold and how fast they left the market.

2. Calculate the rate per square foot.

For each of your comps, divide the selling price by the square footage of the property. This gives you a price per square foot or PPSF. Find the average value of these homes by adding the PPSF figures and dividing by the number of comps you are using. For example, suppose it has the following compositions:

Property A is 2,000 square feet and sells for $ 420,000. The PPSF is $ 210.

Property B is 2,200 square feet and sells for $ 480,000. The PPSF is $ 218.

Property C is 1,900 square feet and sells for $ 390,000. The PPSF is $ 205.

Property D is 2,000 square feet and sells for $ 475,000. The PPSF is $ 237.

The average price per square foot is $ 217. Multiply this figure by the number of square feet of your home to get a rough idea of ??the market value of your home.

3. Consider the special qualities of your home.

While the PPSF gives a benchmark, it does not take into account the unique features that could raise or lower the value of your home. Improvements like a new bathroom, kitchen or siding tend to add value; On the contrary, it is likely that a home in poor condition will have a lower value than a well-maintained property. There is usually a wide variety of prices per square foot based on these factors. Ultimately, you have to decide if your home is worth more or less than the average PPSF in your neighborhood.

 

 

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