The rules of real estate investing
Join a local investment club, but don’t attend ‘boot camps.’
Figure out what type of real estate investing interests you.
If investing directly in real estate, investors should “choose a specific target market and study it intensely,” Cone writes. “Next, set a goal, form a business plan and establish systems to achieve the desired goal. Lastly, investors should take small, common-sense steps daily toward achieving that goal, such as talking with sellers, owners and local real estate professionals.”
Insulate your portfolio against potential losses.
Investing directly is very different from investing in a REIT.
If you are debating between investing in real estate directly or buying into a REIT or real estate fund, consider the tax consequences. “For many investors, tax deductions and capital gains taxes are integral to their expected return on real estate investments. Those factors are different from those you’d face investing in a real estate ETF,” writes Joanne Cleaver, a U.S. News contributor.
However, funds are a lower-maintenance approach.
Your house doesn’t really count.
It’s tempting to look at your own HOME AS AN INVESTMENT. However, property taxes, homeowners association fees, maintenance, insurance and other costs offset appreciation in property values, Cleaver writes. You won’t earn income from your home as you would from other investments. “A real estate investment produces income or appreciates in value after all costs are calculated. Not so with your house,” Cleaver writes.