Property Investment: Are You Cut Out For It? Let's Find Out!
Investing is popular business these days, and so many people harbour aspirations of dipping their tools in the investment pool. It’s pretty dazzling when you hear tales of all these people making their fortune from the stock market, or investing in fine art and cashing in years later. The fact of the matter is that there are no absolutes in the world of investing, and it can often be a total lottery.
There are more avenues than ever to invest your money these days, so you need to be sensible. One of the ways to invest that holds possibly the largest return on investment is real estate. Now, you need to be careful here because you’ll be generally be stumping up a large amount of money when it comes to real estate investing. There are so many pitfalls and considerations, and these are a few of the things to consider when deciding if real estate investment is right for you.
Can You Afford It?
Perhaps the first and most pertinent thing you need to ask yourself is whether or not you can afford to invest. Real estate is not exactly a cheap prospect, and you have to be sure you can afford the investment. Any investment you make you are doing so knowing that you might lose that money. It’s always something of a risk, and you need to be prepared for that before you actually invest your money. Be honest with yourself, and maybe even talk it over together as a family as well.
What Sort of Property Are You Looking For?
When you think about buying a home, it is also important that you consider what sort of property you are looking for. There are so many different types to invest in, and this is a big decision moving forward. The reason you need to decide on this is because it will determine the sort of property you want to buy. Are you interested in a small, one bedroom flat or apartment in the city that needs minimal work? Or are you looking for a large home to do up and sell on or rent out? This is a big decision to make, so you have to do your best to think hard about it and make the right choice right now.
Do You Have Time to Work on the Property?
Another thing you might not have thought about, but something that matters a lot, is whether or not you have the time to work on the property. If you are investing in property, you’re going to want to be making changes and renovations as much as you can. You want to do the home up and make it a more attractive asset to rent out or sell. The trouble is that it can cost a bomb to hire all the people needed to fix up the property, and so you may want to do some of it yourself. As such, you have to keep in mind that this is going to take time, and you’re going to need to make time for it.
Are You Aware of the Fees Involved?
You have to understand that when you buy a property, there are going to be fees involved. This is unavoidable, and you need to know what they are so you can budget accordingly. Buying property in the UK can come with an array of different types of fees and costs, such as stamp duty, conveyancing fees, and commission. But there are costs you may not have thought about too. Let’s take Scotland, for example. By Scottish law, buyers will need to stump up for a home report cost. For properties under £100,000 the fees will generally come in at £290-300+ VAT. So, a typical home report is going to cost between £350-400 for properties valued between £100,000 and £200,000. These are the sorts of additional costs you may need to look out for when investing in property.
Will You Be Bringing Someone Else on Board?
Investment can be done alone, but you might actually feel more comfortable having someone else do it with you, especially when it comes to real estate. Having a partner, or a group of other investors takes some of the burden away from you, and may well mean you have to part with less money for your investment. That means you should consider whether you might feel better having someone else alongside you and if the answer is yes then you should approach people.
If you want to know whether or not you are cut out for property investment, these are some of the questions you need to ask yourself. This is a big step and one you shouldn’t make lightly so it’s very important that you are prepared for the process, and that you aren’t risking money you can’t afford to risk.
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