Sunday, May 17, 2009

Real Estate Investing – Multi-Family Dwellings

If you are considering where to put your investment dollars, you may realize there are what seems to be an unlimited number of options out there. Once you have narrowed down to the real estate market, there are still a number of options out there for investing. Do you want to go commercial or industrial? Or perhaps you have settled on wanting to invest in residential real estate. You still have choices! Single family homes or multi family dwellings?

Many people choose single family homes when it comes to real estate, but there is a lot to be said for mutli-family dwellings when you are considering what is inside those real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate mutual funds.

Here's what you need to know.

When it comes to investing in REITs or real estate mutual funds that relate to residential real estate, the profit of those properties is going to depend on the people who are living in those dwellings. This means there could be a lot more of a negative fluctuation in REITs and real estate mutual funds that are linked to single family residences. Here's why.

Consider a REIT that is the owner of single family homes. Each time someone living in one of those homes falls on hard times and can't pay their rent or chooses to move out, you have a large hole in your profit. Until you can make the home ready to rent and find a new tenant, you are losing money. A few months like that can see your profit drop or even see you start going into the red.

On the other hand, if you are investing in a REIT or real estate mutual fund that is a multi-family unit, the impact is lessened. While you may take a little hit when one person can't pay their rent or decides to move out, you still have the other tenants around who will keep paying into the fund and keep the money coming in. Sure there may be small fluctuations downward, but the impact will not be nearly as painful as if it were a single family dwelling.

The other thing to think about is that for some reason, many real estate investors like single family homes over multi-family units. That means you may be able to get in for a lower investment to a REIT or real estate mutual fund that is filled with multi-family units. The lower your buy in, the more potential profit there is to make on the investment.

When you're ready to get into multi-family REITs or real estate mutual funds, start with a website like REITBuyer.com. REITBuyer.com is the first and only online brokerage firm that specializes in real estate investment trusts and real estate mutual funds. They not only can help you buy and sell those REITs and real estate mutual funds, but also help you manage your portfolio and make sure you are on top of the news and reports that are vital to your investment decisions.

This article was written by Earl E. Bird, III, spokes person for the REITbuyer.com, a website designed to educate investors on REIT buying and investing in Real Estate Mutual Funds. Whether you are a savvy investment guru or a new investor looking for guidance, Reitbuyer.com has everything you need to be successful. Read more about Real Estate Mutual Funds at http://stockthe.blogspot.com

Thursday, February 26, 2009

"Corporation Mortgage" or REITs - What are REITs?

About REITs: Real Estate Investment Trusts

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) were created in the 60's so that all investors would have access to income-producing real estate through the purchase and sale of liquid securities. Before REITs were created access to investment returns of commercial real estate equity was only available to institutions and wealthy individuals.

For over half a century, REITs have become an important part of the United States economy and investment markets. United States REITs have grown from ninety billion dollars to over three hundred billion dollars in the past decade and they have gained popularity all over the world.

During their early years, mortgage Real Estate Investment Trust dominated the industry, providing debt financing for commercial or residential properties through investments in mortgages and mortgage-backed securities like "Corporation Mortgage". Interest in equity REITs which own and manage commercial properties was limited because of the requirements that ownership and management of assets remain separate. This restriction was lifted with the passage of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 which allowed REITs to both own and manage properties. Now, more than 90% of publicly traded United States REITs are equity REITs that own and manage commercial real estate. Most of their income is derived from rents owned by companies across the nation.

There are certain guidelines and standards in place that must be followed in order for a company to qualify as a REIT in the US. The Internal Revenue Code requires at least seventy five percent of total assets be invested in real estate which realize at least seventy five percent of its gross income from rents from real property or interest from mortgages. They must also distribute at least Ninety percent of taxable income to shareholders annually in the form of dividends.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Invest Your Money in REITS for Security Instead of Corporation Mortgage"

Real Estate – Going To The Head of the Investing Pack Buying REITs

In the world of investing there are two kinds of people, those who make money and see a profit and those that don't. Everyone wants to be a part of the first group, but not everyone knows how to do it.

If you are truly to do well in investing, you have to take a few lessons from the big dogs liek "Corporation Mortgage". After all, they got to where they are through years of hard work and investing. They must have done something right.

The first thing you need to know is where to invest your money. Many of those money moguls will tell you their fortunes were made in real estate.

Look at Donald Trump! His whole career was made on the right real estate moves at the right time. Another thing to consider is that real estate is an asset, instead of a more fluid commodity that could disappear overnight. What if the market had a tough time? Warren Buffet once said, "Only buy something that you'd be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for 10 years." Can you say that about your other holdings? If you have real estate in your investment portfolio, you probably could, as real estate is something that will still have value.

For many people who are accustomed to the more traditional types of investments, they are not really sure where to start when it comes to investing in real estate. Do you have to buy a piece of property? A house? An apartment complex? The answer is no. You don’t have to do any of those things. Purchasing property outright, while still a nice investment, is a much more detailed investment than most people want to try. You want to be a part of a fund or have something as liquid as a stock, not be stuck in a situation where you are forced to deal with all the contracts and deeds of property as well as the maintenance of it.

This is why you should be looking at REITs. REITs are Real Estate Investment Trusts. Essentially these are the mutual funds of real estate. When you purchase shares in REITs you are putting money into the pot for the real estate management group or real estate development group to build or purchase real estate with and then manage it and keep it operational.

How you profit from this system is when through the money the management group makes annually. From rent in residential properties to leases of business properties, 90 percent of the profits from REIT investments must go back to the shareholders in the form of dividends each year.

Beginning investing in REITs is simple; you just need to know where to look. A website like REITBuyer.com is a great place as they not only have all of the education and research you need to find out what REITs are out there and see how they are performing, but they also are a full service investing real estate broker so you can purchase your REITs through them as well.