Have you ever gone past a house and thought to yourself, “That place has potential! With a little work, it could really be worth some money.” Do you have a burning desire to fire your boss and be self-employed? Once you learn a few tricks of the trade, you too can make money investing in real estate with a minimum risk level.
If you’re sick of scheduling hours and hours of overtime just to find yourself breaking even at the end of every month, consider flipping real estate part-time. Before you jump in with both feet and start flipping estate for a living, weekend home investment is a great way to find out if real estate investing is right for you.
While it is true that the housing market in the United States is changing, that doesn’t mean that renovating real estate can’t still be a lucrative pursuit. While it is true that you might have to wait longer than you’d like to sell your property once it’s all fixed up and ready to go, rest assured that the right buyers will come your way eventually. Investing in real estate is always a good way to make money, if you know the right way to do it.
Housing is a fantastic investment, and properties are currently selling for less than they were even one year ago. Because sales are sluggish, real estate investors have added leverage. If you find a fantastic fixer-upper, you have more negotiation power now that you’ve had in years. Sellers are often eager to sell their properties for much less than the listed price, which means more profit flipping real estate for you.
In an uncertain market, there will always be home buyers. People will still be getting married, having kids or relocating for new job opportunities. The trick is to keep the needs of the market in mind when you intend to make money flipping real estate. Look for affordable starter homes for young families that you can buy at a bargain. Then, make modest and practical improvements, like attractive yet inexpensive kitchen improvements, fresh paint and vinyl siding.
Also, you will need to research tax law when it comes to flipping properties. You may wish to hire an accountant to ensure that you don’t end up with the IRS chasing after you. Also remember to calculate taxes when you are figuring out your profit margin and figuring out the return on investment of your property.
Look into foreclosure properties if you want to find a really great bargain. Foreclosure properties make it easy to make money flipping real estate, since they are usually auctioned off for much less than they are actually worth. Be careful not to get caught up in the excitement of the auction, however. You may need to chase after several different foreclosure properties to find the one with the best potential for you.
If you are smart about it, you’ll make money investing in real estate in any kind of economy. You just need to know how to invest in potential and invest with patience when homes aren’t selling as fast as you would like them to.
