3 Areas That A Real Estate Investor Should Be Aware Of When Choosing A Commercial Real Estate Investment

Commercial Real Estate Projects are largely similar to residential real estate except that they can be many times larger in terms of scale and may require large amounts of financing. This article covers three areas that one should be aware off when contemplating purchasing commercial real estate.

Zoning Problems

Real estate investment has a lot to do with zoning of the land and if the zoning changes while you are rebuilding the property, you might have to incur a larger than expected cost to convert the use of the property. There was this large scale residential project that was re-zoned to commercial use. As a result of the re-zoning, the developer had to spend a lot of time renovating the inside of the property so as to convert its use from a residential property to a commercial office type of setup. Thus, it’s best to do your due diligence and hire a proper real estate attorney to do a check on the property for you to find out if there is impending re-zoning as it can affect your real estate investment.

Fundamental Utility Problems

The worst problem a real estate investor can face is learning about the piping and electrical problems of the property he jut bought. Thus, spending some time learning about the age of the building and when the electrical and plumbing system was last repaired is critical when looking at a potential building to acquire. The reason is that electrical and plumbing problems mean that you might have to hack through the walls and ceilings so as to replace old metal pipes that are corroding and faulty electrical circuits. This means in effect that you have to do massive renovation on the property and unless you are tearing the building down from scratch and rebuilding it, such repairs may not be worth your while at all.

Choice of tenants

Most real estate investors purchase real estate to establish cash flow and leverage their investments. Spending some time looking at the tenant mix of a commercial building can determine whether you are buying a profitable property or not. Some bankers will lend you money in proportion to the credit of your largest tenant so you would want to find a property with credit worthy tenants or source for credit worthy tenants to take over the lease. So if you have a choice of choosing and replacing some tenants when their lease is up take some trouble to analyze the tenant mix and see if there is anything you can do to improve it.

In conclusion, we have highlighted three areas that a real estate investor should take note off when purchasing a commercial property. Spending some time to scout around the building and looking at the business directory of the building can help you figure out the tenant mix and learning if there are potential piping and electrical problems. But remember to hire an attorney to help you with the zoning issues.

3 Ways To Get More Out Of The Real Estate Agent If You Are The Buyer

Real estate brokers are the greatest asset of small investors since brokers deal with more properties than the individual real estate investor could ever deal with. That said, however real estate agents usually act for the seller so tend to act directly opposite to that of the buyer. In addition, their commission depends on the price that they can sell the property, so the higher the price they sell the more they can earn.

This article acknowledges this and lists four things you can do to get the most out of the real estate agents that you meet when you are shopping for your next real estate investment deal.

Tip #1- Use their knowledge

Most people know that some places have higher rental yields than other similar properties in the same class of real estate. If you are new to an area, you would want to tap on the vast knowledge of the real estate agent’s local knowledge. Ask him what areas command a better rental and why. Then ask him to show you those properties. In this way you would get a better return on investment as opposed to him showing you the properties he wants you to see.

Choosing a property in a good area good as it allows you have a maximum upside when the economy turns around. Let the real estate agent know that you are a committed real estate investor and when he knows that you might be a potential return purchaser, he will let you know of any new real estate deals that come his way that might interest you.

Tip #2- Go early to scout out the area

This is a simple tip that most people seem to miss out when looking for a real estate property. If you are the potential buyer, spend some time going to the property in question earlier then the said time and check it out. You want to spend some time observing the neighbourhood and talking to the neighbours so that you can find out all you can about the neighbourhood before you talk to the real estate agent who would try to paint a glowing picture of the area. Look out for things like crime problem, bad neighbours and other things that can turn away potential tenants.

For commercial property real estate investments, you might want to go there a day before so as to scout the area for the purpose of ascertaining walkthrough traffic. The greater the walkthrough traffic the higher your potential rental returns. Its no good purchasing a commercial property in an area that has no visitors since your rental returns would be very low.

Tip #3- Compare stories with other agents

Once you have figured out what type of real estate investment property you are interested in and what area you want, you would want to make appointments with several real estate agents so as to learn more about the potential area that you are acquiring property in. Since real estate agents are competing with each another so you can find out the downside of another agent’s proposed property at no charge at all.

In addition to learning the downside of your possible real estate investment, some of these real estate agents can give you valuable information that you can use tell your prospective tenants to rent out your property like for instance proximity to bus stations, the proximity to the subway, low crime rate and secured vehicle parking.

Tip #4- Get an agent that is qualified and in a medium to large agency

In general novice investors should contact a long-established real estate agent that is very familiar with the area that you intend to invest in. The reason is that you want an agent that knows that area very well and knows what properties are on sale and a bargain. The agent will also be able to tell you which areas are good for rental purposes and these areas should be the areas that you should spend your energy on.

Another thing to take note is that your agent should be a medium to large agency so as to gain access to a large database of properties for sale and rental. This would facilitate your search for high rental yielding properties through the agent. A medium to large real estate company would also not fold so easily and leaving you in the lurch while in the midst of a real estate transaction.

In conclusion, real estate agents are a useful part of the real estate investment process but if you mentally know what you want, you can benefit greatly from their years of industry knowledge. Effective real estate investment requires education and massive action on your part.

Some Info About Arizona Real Estate

If you are looking to move to Arizona, then chances are you have a long list of things to do, questions to ask, and answers to find. I'm guessing that checking into Arizona real estate is near the top of your list. If it isn't, it should be. Why? Because finding the right home or apartment to live in with your family is absolutely essential to making any move worthwhile. I am amazed by how many people making a move drop Arizona real estate to the bottom of their priority list.

To me, finding the right home or apartment is the first priority for a move. Arizona real estate is a great resource for anyone thinking of moving to Arizona. Finding your home first answers so many other questions because it limits you by location to certain jobs, school systems and recreational activities. I guarentee that it is really important to find a home you love even if it isn't in the exact area you were hoping to move to.

Your first step should be to search for an Arizona real estate agent to help with your planning. Talk with friends who have moved to Arizona or just get help from friends in the real estate business. Make sure that you hire an Arizona real estate agent that will be reliable and that will be really helpful in getting your needs met in a timely fashion. Not all real estate agents have the same level of commitment to their clients, so don't settle with anyone less than the best.

Get online and do a little research about Arizona real estate for yourself. Start gathering ideas about potential areas you might want to live and about homes that might be right for you. Looking at Arizona real estate is the best way to learn about the realistic price range that you can expect to find. You need to be proactive in the search for finding the home that is right for you and your family. Just moving into any home should not be good enough for you because your home greatly reflects the things you value most. So take your time, put some time and effort in, and let Arizona real estate lead you to your next great home.

Arizona real estate is a great market that has a lot to offer. Don't hesitate to check out your options and get some professional help before you move.