5 Things You Need To Know Before Investing In Real Estate

Creating wealth is an art craft that requires research and learning to ensure one invests in the most profitable avenues. In spite of this, there is also a need to note that the higher the returns, the higher risks.

It is important that one fully understands the investment options and thus make informed decisions. Some of the investment vehicles available in the market include; bank fixed deposits, stocks, government bonds, and real estate, among others.

Buying and owning real estate is an investment strategy that can be both satisfying and lucrative. It is generally capital intensive and illiquid hence the need to be well informed before committing the funds.

There are 3 common ways through which one can invest in real estate:

Rental properties

An investor could prefer to build or buy property, and rent it out thus obtaining a rental income. The amount one can collect from a rental property is dependent on the type of property, its location, proximity to amenities, and availability of facilities among others.

The rental property offers the investor the benefit of a regular income, often monthly subject to having a tenant, and the property value can appreciate over time.

Flipping

Flippers buy properties with the intention of holding them for a short period—often no more than three to four months—and quickly selling them for a profit.

The two primary approaches to flipping a property include; (i) repair and update, where one buys a property that they think will increase in value with certain repairs and updates. Ideally, complete the work as quickly as possible and then sell at a price that exceeds the total investment (including the renovations), (ii) hold and resells- here the investor buys in a rapidly rising market, hold for a few months, and then sell at a profit.

REITs

A real estate investment trust (REIT) is best for investors who want portfolio exposure to real estate without a traditional real estate transaction. A REIT is created when a corporation (or trust) uses investors’ money to purchase and operate income properties.

REITs are bought and sold on the major exchanges, like any other stock. REITs pay through annual dividends, and investors who don’t need or want the regular income can automatically reinvest those dividends to grow their investment further.

Kenya REIT market has over the years performed poorly attributable; i) insufficient institutional-grade real estate assets, ii) lack of investor appetite in the instruments, iii) high minimum investment amounts set at Kshs 5.0 mn that is over 100x the median income in Kenya, and, iv) low investor knowledge.

It’s important to get clued up if you’re looking to start or expand your property portfolio. For first-time investors, the real estate market can seem somewhat complex, and it can often feel like property investment is a hard sector to navigate.

Here are five things to look out for if you want to invest in real estate:

Market Research

It is important that the potential investor undertakes in-depth research on the current real estate landscape with the aim of establishing the current property trends, historical and current property performance in terms of returns, price appreciation, rental yield.

Location

The location of the property is as important as the property itself. The location determines the security, potential of property value growth, proximity to amenities, and availability of utilities.

It is advisable to aim for a prime location thus increasing the chances of good returns, somewhere in the middle of a development push, and somewhere that has a good track record when it comes to property growing in value.

Type of Property

This could simply refer to making a choice between a commercial and residential property guided by the objective of the investment.

The next choice is between rental versus buy-to-sell properties. Rental properties are for investors looking for long-term gains through rental income, while the buy-to-sell approach offers the chance for higher returns in the short term, but the strategy comes with much more added risk.

Finally, it is important to establish the type of market one intends to venture into i.e low end, mid-end, or high-end market segments.

Diversification

When investing in property it’s important to diversify your portfolio. Spreading your money across multiple properties allows you to mitigate risk and increase the potential for returns because you will not be subject to the success or failure of just one piece of real estate.

Risk Analysis

Just like with all other investment avenues, investing in real estate is associated with several risks that could have mild to adverse effects on property returns.

Therefore, it is important that a potential investor maps out all potential risks evaluates their risk appetite, and establishes a way of mitigating the risks.

In conclusion, real estate can be profitable when potential investors have the knowledge to make wise investment decisions. It can provide steady cash flow, substantial appreciation, tax advantages, and competitive risk-adjusted returns, making it a sound investment.

Read More: Unpacking The Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)