Like the stock market, the real estate market is cyclical. There are good times when demand and prices skyrocket, but there are also bad times when prices fall and demand slows, with periods in between.
Markets rarely offer the best conditions for investing. Any savvy real estate investor knows that doing these four things is the key to a successful investment, regardless of what the market is doing.
1. Invest in your income
Investing in real estate has many advantages. Tax incentives, asset appreciation over time, and leverage are few, but nothing beats the power of passive income.
Passive income, whether derived from dividend payments by real estate investment trusts (REITs) or rental income from rental properties, is long-term because rental rates and dividends often increase over time. It has the power to build incredible wealth when held in good hands.
Buying a property or REIT that has future growth opportunities and the potential for a solid income now means your returns are likely to double over time. Since the purpose is income first, it is safe even if the value decreases temporarily.
Other benefits, such as growth, should be viewed as additional benefits, with income as the primary goal of investment.
2. Purchase a discount
Buying at market prices is not bad, but discounts are definitely better. Value investing increases the potential for excellent future returns and reduces risk in the event of market volatility. All markets still have discounted buying opportunities, regardless of the conditions.
Single-family homes are selling at record-high median prices and some hot markets such as Austin, Boise and Phoenix are seen as overvalued. cap rate, the metric used for CRE, has declined consistently over the past few years. Rather than being on the sidelines, wise investors know to buy discounts in the stock market where there are a lot of REITs currently for sale. Prologis (PLD -1.87%) An industrial REIT and one of the largest REITs by market capitalization, it’s down 18% despite recent strong earnings and long-term growth ahead. Federal Real Estate Trust (FRT -1.78%) Another REIT is down about 18%, but maintains an impressive record of 54 years of dividend growth and a quality portfolio of outdoor shopping centers.
A smart investor knows how to buy at a discount and avoid overpaying for an investment. In a high-end market with strong demand and active investor participation, you may have to struggle a bit to find a bargain.
3. Evaluate carefully
There are so many factors to consider in investing, including current operations, debt exposure, management, supply and demand, asset condition, potential income and growth opportunities. It is very important to consider all these factors before investing and carefully calculate the numbers to ensure that the investment makes sense in any market, not just now.
It’s easy to assume that things will go smoothly if you buy investments during the high-growth period. But demand can change, prices can fall, management can make the wrong choice, and tenants can fall behind on rent. Unexpected things happen and a wise investor knows to plan and prepare for these things when pre-evaluating an investment.
4. Long-term holding
A smart investor invests for the long term. They take a long-term approach to investing in order to maximize the potential return on investment and the return on investment. It also means that their investments are less susceptible to the ups and downs of market fluctuations. Because they have time and can wait to sell when the market is favorable.
Don’t wait for the conditions to be perfect. Rather, follow these four simple and smart steps to get the most out of any market investment.