Have you been considering real estate investing but aren’t sure where to start? There is no doubt that you have heard how much of Canada’s wealth stems from real estate. It’s a hugely successful area of investment, and it’s relatively easy in comparison to playing the stock market which can be far more complicated and volatile. If it’s something you have thought about and don’t know where to begin, this is the place. The Home Guyz always want to see successful investors and they know the old saying, If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. These are the very initial steps you should take if you’re considering. It isn’t a how-to more of a where to begin. The most important thing to understand if you’re considering real estate investing and becoming a landlord is that it takes time, you must understand that property investment isn’t a way to get rich fast, but rather a high-performing investment that grows consistently over time.
Here are 5 steps to get you started with the real estate investment process, because remember; fail to plan is planning to fail.
Step 1: Set Clear Goals. Make your goals clear, not just “I want to make money” have a target number that you want to reach by a certain time. Is this a five year goal, a 10 year goal or maybe something you want to use in retirement. Have a clear outline of why you want this, and your goal timeline.
Step 2: Make Time. Depending on how you plan on investing will depend on the amount of time you need to put towards it. But one thing is clear, despite how you inves whether short term rentals, apartment landlords etc. all of it will take some of your time. So make sure you have time to give to the process. You may think that hiring a property manager will mean that you don’t have to put in the time, but that’s just not true. The process, especially at the start is time consuming. Consider the initial time consuming things to include:
-research
-bank meetings
-lawyer meetings
-finding and viewing property
-managing properties or the property manager
Step 3: Do Your Research. Do you fully understand all the financial elements? Gross yield vs net yield? how will this affect your taxes and what you’ll pay in capital gains? Do you understand the power of leverage- or do you know where and who to ask for help? You need to have a full understanding of all of this before you proceed with investing. These can be very very expensive lessons to learn along the way. Knowledge is power when it comes to real estate investing.
Step 4: Create Your Budget. Like buying any house, you need a solid budget and you need to understand what you're budgeting for. To start with your budget, it’s smart to speak with a professional, but in general you’ll need to have the money up front to pay for your deposit, lawyer fees, agent fees, taxes, and of course you’ll need contingency money for emergencies that may arise. The difference with a budget for real estate investing is that the budget you have must be over and above your own household and life expenses, so you’ll need to ensure that you have a solid grip of all of your regular expenses to ensure that the money you are using is able to be spent over and above your regular budget. So you must have a solid understanding of your existing financial situation. Which leads us nicely into our next point…
Step 5: Speak With A Mortgage Broker: You’ll want to understand what lending options are available to you, and what the various options are. A professional is the best way to go. Do not look for these options on the internet, this information will not be accurate to you and your situation, you don’t want to base your budget around a lending option that may not be available to you! Check out a Mortgage Broker we recommend.
Step 6: Finalize Your Personal Preferences (Now is a good time to look back at your goals!) You’ll need to be clear on what you want your property investment to be. Knowing what you want your goals to be will lead you into the type of property that will make that happen. Ask yourself all the questions...do you want a higher income or a higher yield? Do you want short term rental? Do you like the idea of a condo or does the lack of control not something you want to deal with? How hands-on do you want to be? What location are you looking for? And of course budget, which will immediately narrow many options and areas. All of these questions and factors are areas that you must be clear on, you must be able to answer these questions. This is a very good time to contact The Home Guyz as they always know the best areas and options, they know the right questions you need to ask, which leads us into the next step.
Step 7: Contact Your Real Estate Salesperson. You’ll need assistance with finding rental prices. This isn’t guess-work or even information you should pull from the internet. You will want to speak with actual rental agents who can let you know the prices you can get for certain renal properties. Plus an agent will have a good understanding of the demand and you’ll want to know listing prices vs. actual sold prices. They can talk to you about rental yields, days on market, vacancy rates and other factors you just can’t find without a professional. These are all factors you must take into consideration in order to be a successful landlord and real estate investor. Your agent can assist you with your preferences outlined in the previous step and they can help narrow your search, or even better, perhaps open up some great opportunities you perhaps weren’t aware of! They can help you identify risks you perhaps hadn’t thought of and work with you to find smart ways to overcome them. Looking for a Realtor®
Investing in Real Estate is rarely a bad idea. It’s a good way to confidently grow your investment portfolio, and build long term wealth. But it is not risk free. Be prepared, The Home Guyz would love to discuss with you investment opportunities in the Ottawa area and beyond.
