Real Estate Investments – Good Idea or Bad Idea?

houseRight now, if there was a market that had bad news written all over it, it would be real estate. The housing crisis has made investors jumpy, the economy appears to be tanking and home values are plummeting across the country. Would you believe that this is actually a good time to get into real estate? With the proper choices and management, this is absolutely true.

Down markets are a speculator’s dream come true and they can easily change your entire fortune. While we certainly don’t recommend sinking your life’s savings into a bunch of dead end properties this instant, this is a good time to think about investing in real estate the smart way. Never overextend yourself and always take the time to make smart investments that will pay off in the long term.

Let’s look at that statement a little more closely, especially the last two words – long term. Yes, right now, an investment in real estate is not going to do very well. In fact, it may even lose some value over the next few months. But, what goes down will go back up. Property values cannot stay low forever, and although they may not reach the insane heights they recently attained, it’s easy to make a good chunk of money with the right house.

Instead of looking at an investment in real estate in the tangible form, let’s compare it to an investment in a stock. You purchase a stock at $4 today and while it’s been steadily going up over the past few years, it’s still a pretty cheap buy. However, in eight months, the company takes off and the value of your stock increases exponentially. This would be considered a good investment. How is investing in real estate right now any different?

In fact, in some ways, you can do quite well with an investment in real estate right now. Consider the fact that foreclosures are at an all time high. What does this mean? Thousands of families need a place to live and they’re not going to be able to get a new home loan right away. This means that thousands of new renters have flooded the market and they have to find a house to rent.

Investing in real estate is always risky, but sometimes, the best returns come from taking a chance in a down market. You can easily pick up a property for pennies on the dollar, earn money from renting it out right now until the market changes and then sell it for a profit in a few years.

Remember – if you are going to jump into the real estate market, never purchase a property without first getting an inspection. Some homes that have been foreclosed on will be wrecked by the old owner or may have fallen into disrepair. Never accept anything on face value and insist on seeing the property in person. Pick properties that are solid, located in good neighborhoods and likely to go up back in value once this crisis passes.

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Originally posted 2008-11-19 18:28:36. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Investing, Long Term, Money, Personal Finance, Real Estate



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5 comments ↓
#1 Money Millionaire on 06.10.08 at 8:47 am

The two rental properties I have have not appreciated in the last five years due to the economic down-turn.

#2 Is Now the Time to Take Advantage of the Housing Crisis? on 06.26.08 at 4:55 am

[...] Does that mean that now is the best time to take advantage of the housing crisis? Yes and no! Is investing in real estate a good idea? Yes and no! While there is no perfect solution for making money, there are many opportunities out [...]

#3 How to Get Out of Trouble in the Real Estate Market | Rich Credit Debt Loan on 07.24.08 at 5:11 am

[...] This means that thousands, if not millions of people, are now wondering how they can get out of the real estate market and salvage at least some of their [...]

#4 What You Need to Know Before Buying a Foreclosed Property | Rich Credit Debt Loan on 08.18.08 at 5:13 am

[...] housing prices keep falling, many people are considering getting into the property market like never before. If you are looking for an investment property, now is certainly the time to [...]

#5 Rent or Own - What’s Best Right Now? | Rich Credit Debt Loan on 11.03.08 at 5:21 am

[...] housing market has many people concerned right now and one of the most popular questions is whether or not this is [...]

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