Residential Real Estate The Place To Start

By Cody Scholberg

If you are new to the buying and selling of investment properties, you should opt to get involved with residential properties first. A lot of people already have a keen knowledge about residential properties as opposed to commercial properties. If you opt to buy commercial properties to start off, you may not know what to look for or what you need to be apparent of. When you find yourself getting involved with commercial real estate, regardless if its retail or office spaces, each investment venture comes with its own set of complications and specific guidelines that must adhered to. Residential properties such as apartments, homes, duplexes, town houses and things of that nature have a less complex set of rules that you have to follow in order to purchase them.

Commercial real estate has its own complexities whether it is retail, office space, or industrial real estate. You have different types of business contracts that are different and more detailed compared to residential real estate. Residential real estate includes single-family dwellings, condominiums, duplexes, town houses, and apartments. With each type of residential real estate, you will be dealing with tenants. Realize the tenants can call you at anytime to complain about the residence. Tenants generally do not care about the residence's condition only when things are not working properly. Dealing with tenants requires having good people skills as well as knowledge about the type of investment.

The key to dealing with residential property, you want to have a low vacancy rate with your properties. Generally, you will not have to worry about the vacancy rate unless you have your rent amounts set too high or the property is unappealing to potential tenants.

As the property owner of the residential property, you are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep that will eat into your profits. Keep these facts in mind if you want to invest in this type of real estate for a long-term investment. The options for financing residential real estate are better than commercial property. The financial institutions generally only lend about 70% on commercial properties but on residential properties, you can have up to 90% for the loans. This makes obtaining residential real estate easier than commercial real estate.

Residential properties will continue to pay for themselves. You will consistently have tenants in your dwelling, which means you will always have an extra source of income coming in every single month. However, the biggest drawback that comes into the picture when you are investing in residential properties is the fact that you will take on the role of a landlord. You will be responsible for all repairs as well as maintenance that has to be done on the home while a tenant is occupying it.

It is wise to remember that investing in any type of property requires work and can be a full time job yet the long-term gains are great. - 31963

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