What Types of Homes Should I Look for As a Beginner Investor?

Table of Content

Real Estate Investing for Beginners

Residential

Commercial

Industrial

Mixed-Use

Retail

What Types of Homes Should I Look For As a Beginner Investor?

Fixer-Uppers

Low Priced Home

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is an investment property?

How does real estate investing work?

What is the best type of house to invest in?

What is a good rate of return on rental property?

How to invest in property?

How to invest in rental property?

How to buy investment property?

Is buying a house a good investment?

Is it worth to invest house?

Is real estate a liquid investment?

Is buying a house a good investment 2021?

What qualifies for investment property?

How to invest in commercial real estate?

How to invest in real estate with little money?

The typical picture of a real estate investor is an affluent community member that builds wealth, even while they’re asleep. Just about anyone can start investing. Even as a beginner, you can reach your goals of “passive” income through this avenue. Real estate has become a tried-and-true investment, with many contributing their success to the role real estate investing had in their portfolio. Let’s see what some of the greats have had to say:

Ninety percent of all millionaires become so through owning real estate. – Andrew Carnegie.

Real estate cannot be lost or stolen, nor can it be carried away. Purchased with common sense, paid for in full, and managed with reasonable care, it is about the safest investment in the world. – Franklin D. Roosevelt.

If your mind is flooding with a million questions on a second home vs investment property, what your options are and what to beware of, we’re here to help you learn how to invest in houses, even if you’re just starting out.

Real Estate Investing for Beginners

A real estate investment is an excellent way to start building your portfolio and creating generational wealth or securing your retirement. However, when you’re browsing investment houses for sale, it can quickly become overwhelming knowing what type of homes to look for as a beginner investor.

There are four typical types of property investments that can earn you appreciation or even bring forth a positive cash flow opportunity. This includes:

Residential

A residential real estate investment is typically where beginners start. It could be as simple as looking at homes, condos, townhomes and vacation properties that will appreciate in value. Most of the time, investors are looking to lease this on a 12-month basis.

Commercial

This is usually your brick-and-mortar business, office building or even skyscrapers. You can lease out multiple units as offices, rent to one particular company, and more. You’ll typically see multi-year leases which protect you during an unstable economy if rental rates decline in the commercial sector, just like we saw in the height of the pandemic in certain areas of the country.

Industrial

Are you scratching your head at the difference between commercial and industrial? It can almost seem like the same thing at a glance, but here’s the difference. This could be opportunities such as storage units, warehouses, car washes or other special-purpose real estate scenarios that depend on sales from the facility in use.

Mixed-Use

When starting your journey to find an investment property for sale, you may come across a term of “mixed-use.” This is when a building could be used hosting apartments on the upper level and a business operating out of the lower. You may even see multiple types of industries under the same roof, like a flower shop, dentist and apartments.

Retail

When looking for the best place to buy an investment property, experienced investors have turned to retail options. This could include any kind of retail storefront and even your typical mall setting. The investor could also receive a percentage of the sales from the retail space businesses.

What Types of Homes Should I Look For As a Beginner Investor?

Real estate investing may be the answer when thinking about the best investments to save for a house! Does that seem like a Catch-22? Although investing in a rental property for beginners may seem evident that it’s your second home, you may be surprised at how many millennials are using this method first to get closer to their dream home faster.

Fixer-Uppers

Your first thought may be that a fixer-upper is the ultimate cash cow. I mean, slap some paint on, update the kitchen, and you’re raking it in, right? If this is your first rental property, it may be a complicated conundrum you shouldn’t take on without experience or help. Unless you have a contractor in the family or a close friend that can do quality work at a low rate, you could fall into a money pit. If you’re handy yourself, the bones are good, and you’re in a great neighborhood with low crime rates and exploding employment opportunities, this may be the best route for you. Just make sure you check with a broker on what the investment property mortgage rates may look like for you.

Low Priced Home

You don’t want to buy the nicest home on the block – but you don’t want the worst either. You also have to keep in mind that investment property interest rates are usually 0.5% – 0.75% higher than a rate on your principal home. Try finding an up-and-coming neighborhood or perhaps a town that just opened a booming business and has employment flocking to the area. Some may recommend starting at $150,000, but that will depend on the investment housing market and your financial situation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is an investment property?

A real estate investment property can involve either a single-family residence, multiplex units, condos or commercial properties. Typically, an investment property is purchased with the hopes of getting a return on your investment, either through a positive cash-flow opportunity or appreciation over time.

How does real estate investing work?

Real estate investing works in several ways, from direct property management as a landlord to a hands-off role. Buying an investment property can work with either an all-cash offer or financing the home. There are other ways to invest in real estate other than purchasing the physical property, such as REITs. The traditional process of real estate investing involves an investment loan or a downpayment to buy the property and then rent it out at 1% of the purchase price.

What is the best type of house to invest in?

When beginning your research into a Florida investment property, you may start to wonder about your rental property investment strategy. There is no one size fits all answer. While you may find success in a fixer-upper, this can be a daunting task to take on as a beginner. Typically, the best house investments are in neighborhoods with home values appreciating, low crime rates, plenty of employment opportunities and reputable schools.

What is a good rate of return on rental property?

Real estate investing for beginners involves an extensive amount of math. Remember, this isn’t an emotional purchase – we aren’t choosing the home with the nicest kitchen on the block because you like their backsplash. You’re looking for the best real estate investment strategies that will bring in profit. Typically, if the repairs plus your downpayment exceed 15% of your Return on Investment (ROI), you should find a new rental property investment.

How to invest in property?

Buying an investment property to rent can be an exhilarating experience once you’re able to secure the best type of home. To start investing, you’ll need the following:

• Great credit that is in good standing with all your payments, especially when applying for investment property financing.
• 20% for the downpayment in order to apply for an investment property mortgage.
• Savings for three months of income to cover all your expenses and financial obligations under the current investment property mortgage rates.
• Savings account for repairs and, if you are renting the property, enough to cover the mortgage if your tenant is late on rent.

How to invest in rental property?

To invest in rental property, you’ll need to find the best real estate investments that will suit your goals. You’ll want to examine if it will be cash flow positive, where the rent and other property income are more significant than your expenses. Your expenses would include the mortgage payment, possibly even a property management fee, property taxes, property insurance as well as maintenance and repairs.

How to buy investment property?

Investing in rental property for beginners can be a daunting task if this is your first time. After finding the right property, you’ll follow the same steps as you would for a personal home purchase. The only difference is that investment property loan rates are typically higher, and you’ll need to pay capital gains tax on real estate investment property. You’ll need to:

1. Find the right property.
2. Secure financing.
3. Sign the paperwork.
4. Close on the home.
5. Find AAA tenants if you’ll be renting directly or a property management company to take over your investment.

Is buying a house a good investment?

When flooded with opportunities on investing in stocks, NFTs, bonds and more, is a house a good investment? Think of it this way – as our population increases, people will always need a place to live. Real estate is the safest option for holding value with a steady increase, even during economic crises. This doesn’t mean real estate is your sole investment in your portfolio – as the old saying goes, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. As long as you take your time to research the neighborhood and determine if the house will reap the rewards you desire, buying a home as an investment is a great option to grow your wealth.

Is it worth to invest house?

Even without using a property as a cash flow positive investment or having tenants cover the mortgage, let’s look at what would happen if you buy a second house as an investment. Look at the neighborhood and determine if any improvements will be made with the city over the next ten years. Are you near schools? Are there more job opportunities? If you have the financial means to cover two mortgages, investing in a house is worth it for the appreciation value alone.

Is real estate a liquid investment?

If you’re searching for an accessible liquid asset, buying real estate for investment may not be suited for you. A liquid asset is considered to sell for cash with a stable market easily. In contrast, land or property is deemed to be non-liquid because it can take months for the owner to receive cash from the sale as well as a volatile market based on the economy.

Is buying a house a good investment 2021?

As prices are steadily increasing, there is no crystal ball to determine the future of our economy. Just like most investments, real estate carries a risk. Even when investment property rates are low, you need to look closely at your finances to determine if you can take on the risk. The best rule of thumb – don’t invest what you can’t afford to lose. Real estate has always been a steady investment that increases over time and bounces back after difficult times. As long as you’re prepared to carry the investment property loans, it is an excellent investment in the long run.

What qualifies for investment property?

The short answer is that buying real estate for investment means the sole reason for purchasing is to profit. There are a variety of investment property types, such as:

• Residential
• Commercial
• Industrial
• Mixed-Use

How to invest in commercial real estate?

When considering a commercial property investment, you’ll follow the same steps as you would residential – typically at a higher price tag. Whether you’re investing in commercial or residential, one thing to consider is buying it under a corporation or LLC with the proper insurance. That way, if someone slips and falls or the economy takes a turn, you’ll be protected.

How to invest in real estate with little money?

Property investment for beginners often seems like the impossible unless you’ve started saving money since kindergarten. If you don’t have enough for the downpayment, you can still invest in real estate with little money. You’ll need to find a group of like-minded people to band together for the investment, or you can purchase REITs (Real Estate Investment Trust). A REIT is a company or group that makes investments in real estate with income-producing potential on your behalf and pays out dividends based on your shares.

Searching for a rental property that will create wealth for your future as a beginner investor can be overwhelming. You may see the perfect opportunity, but the closing costs may cut it close and deplete your savings. Richr provides 2% cash back on purchases for investors so they can focus on their next venture, rather than wasting time on “what if” opportunities with the money they get back from investing in real estate.