Signing on the dotted line can be the first step toward generating life-changing gains from a real estate investment. It can just as well turn out in hindsight, though, to have been a grave, avoidable mistake.
Experienced
investors learn to spot real estate deals that are not exactly what they seem
so they can turn their attention to other opportunities. Being familiar with
the six most common signs of real estate investments that are best avoided will
help anyone succeed.
1.
A Dicey Location
Even
people who have no personal experience with real estate know that location is
always of paramount importance. Some investors do very well with buying
properties located in marginal places and finding ways to overcome their
weaknesses.
A
property in a truly unappealing neighborhood or city, though, will almost
always be a bad investment. Investors always have only so much time and capital
at their disposal and need to make the most of these resources.
Simply by going to NRIA or a similar site, it should be easy enough to identify plenty of properties that feature appealing, investment-boosting locations. As such, it will rarely be wise at all to get bogged down in investments burdened with unattractive locations.
2.
An Overly Long Time on the Market
The real estate investment industry is competitive enough that most properties with a lot of potential change hands quite quickly after coming onto the market. A property that sits for many months without attracting a buyer will almost always feature some significant weaknesses.
At
the very least, a long tenure on the market should be taken as a sign the
property merits plenty of careful examination and aggressive negotiations. In
many cases, though, it will be better to move on to fresher, less-stagnant
sorts of opportunities.
3.
A Less-Than-Loquacious Seller
Real
estate agents and property owners who seem less than forthcoming often have
something to hide. A lack of communication is quite often a sign there are
problems with a home or other real estate parcel.
Of
course, it is important to weigh this fact against the reality that some people
are simply reticent by nature. When questions repeatedly go unanswered or
receive only the most cursory of responses, though, it can make sense to move
on.
4.
Liens and Other Encumbrances
Some
would-be sellers try to market properties that are not free and clear of legal
claims. In some such cases, they will try to convince buyers to play along,
promising the issues will be resolved in time for closing.
That
can easily end up being the first phase of a time-wasting process. Parties
operating in good faith will always get their affairs in order before trying to
commence something as important as the sale of a piece of property.
5.
A Lot of Superficial Fixes
Some investors make a habit of trying to gloss over the warts on homes that are rife with them. This will most often become apparent when a property shows too much evidence of recent work of superficial but cosmetically obvious kinds.
This
will often suggest that a property’s condition is significantly worse than it
might seem at first glance. Rather than waste time waiting for an inspection,
it will generally be better to look for a different opportunity.
6.
Unexpected Pricing
Succeeding
as an investor over the long term ultimately requires buying low and selling
high relative to the current norms of a market. When an asking price is far out
of line with those of roughly comparable properties, an underlying issue will
most often be the cause.
Informed
Investors Make the Most of Their Time and Other Resources
Being
prepared to recognize these six common signs of a less-than-optimal real estate
investment opportunity will always be helpful. Investors who are able to
realize when the time to move on has arrived tend to perform better than their
peers.
The post Eying a Real Estate Investment? 6 Signs You Should Be Looking at Another One Instead appeared first on RealtyBizNews: Real Estate News.