Property is an increasingly valuable asset no matter where you live, making real estate investment more popular than ever. While it can be a big commitment, investing in real estate is quite accessible and affordable depending on the level of involvement you are interested in. It doesn’t require being an expert in the stock market, but there are many real estate investment opportunities available.
Here are some of the simplest ways to invest in real estate today:
Home Ownership
Buying and owning property is one of the best investments you can make. The more time and energy you spend in improving and upgrading that property over time, the more potential value you can add to it. In some highly desirable areas, even just simple upkeep of your property can be enough to keep its value climbing. If you own your home, investing can benefit you in the short term just as much as in the long term: by upgrading your living space, you’re improving your own quality of life and adding value. Renovation, replacement and updating of key features in the home are popular ways to invest.
Rental Property
Owning rental property will generate income and give you a great asset to maintain and develop. If you have great DIY skills and will manage tenants, rental investment can be incredibly lucrative and easy. One very common way to generate rental income is by purchasing a multi-unit property and living in one unit yourself. By renting out the others, you can easily cover your own bills and create extra pocket money for yourself. This also means you are close by if any issues arise — if you own the property, it’s your responsibility, even if somebody else is living in it. Therefore, a willingness to do maintenance work yourself is crucial, otherwise you might spend all of your would-be profits hiring outside help when something needs fixing or updating.
Flipping
Flipping a house means purchasing a low-value property and improving it intending to sell at a profit. It’s a shorter-term strategy, which requires all the upgrades to be done quickly and within budget. When successful, flipping can be incredibly profitable. However, it requires significant knowledge of the real estate market and considerable capital to to cover any losses if you can’t sell the property quickly enough. Working with a real estate agent or anybody with industry savvy is key to making flipping homes a worthy investment.
Real Estate Crowdfunding
For people who want to invest with no handiwork, investing through an online real estate investment platform might be a good fit. These online platforms connect investors to companies or specific projects so that individuals can pool their money to invest in larger commercial or residential deals all over the world. Compared to purchasing a property, it requires less startup capital, but you’ll only be buying a portion of the profits. This can be a risky but easy way to invest, especially since you can diversify your investments across multiple properties or projects no matter where they are.
Investing in real estate is unique because it provides many different ways to participate. However, as with any investment, make sure you carefully consider the risks involved in order to determine which type is right for you.
About the Author
Kyung Kim
Hi, I'm Kyung Kim. I immigrated from South Korea to the United States in 1968 when I was 7 years old. I have seen my mom struggle with the English language and work hard to raise her four kids by herself. Still to this day, I don't know how she pulled it off, but she bought her first home in 1979 for $70,000 and because of that decision, she was able to live without worrying about her financial future. I want that for everyone, to feel the pride of home ownership and to build their financial wealth using real estate as part of their financial portfolio. I feel so blessed to play a small role in helping others reach this goal.
I live in Beaverton with my husband, Richard. My mom, who lived with us for several years, passed away in our home in February 2022. Her first home purchase in 1979 made it possible for her to live to the very end, without worrying about her finances. As of August 2022 with a little downpayment assistance, our four children own their own homes. Being in real estate, I quickly realized that if they didn't buy now, they may be priced out of the market in the future. Whether that would have been the case, we will never know, but what we do know is that they are all realizing some good, healthy appreciation in their home values.
As passionate as I am about people owning their homes, I'm also passionate about giving back to our community. I support Compassion First, a non-profit organization that provides aftercare for sex trafficked girls in Indonesia. My husband and I also feel called to financially support social injustice organizations.
I'd love to assist you. Whether you're in the research phase at the beginning of your real estate search or you know exactly what you're looking for, you'll benefit from having a real estate professional by your side. I'd be honored to put my real estate experience to work for you.
