If you’ve got some extra money sitting in your savings account, you may be tempted to let it sit and collect interest (and dust). Although this may seem like a promising starting point, investing in real estate is where the best of investors typically hit a home run. Not only does this help to diversify one’s investment portfolio with a safer, more conservative option, but it also has a multitude of other benefits! 

The Pros

Two, Four, Six, Eight, Who Do We Appreciate?

Unlike cars, which depreciate the moment we drive away from the dealership, houses tend to trend upward for years and years to come. It was reported in October 2020 that the current national rate of year over year home appreciation was 7.3%. That is tremendous growth that just keeps on growing!

Renting/ Building Equity

Unlike other investment options, real estate puts you in the driver’s seat. Many investors make an impressive profit by renting out their property to tenants. By doing this, the tenant becomes the one footing the bill for your monthly mortgage payment, not you. Not only this, but once the home is paid off , the house is owned by you, but paid off by the renters! When you look at it this way, it’s as if you only had to reach into your wallet for the down payment!

Control

Unlike the stock market, real estate investments offer more control on your end. Your actions and choices influence the end value of your investment property. You are not leaving things up to chance when you’ve got the control panel.

Naturally, with every investment opportunity, there is room for failure and misfortune.Luckily, real estate provides one of the most stable investing opportunities, but experts do have a few warnings for potential real estate investors.

But Wait––What Should You Watch For?

While there are so many pros to investing in real estate, it is always excellent to go into this game well-prepared for the unexpected. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Responsibility

Like anything in life, things can go awry. It’s best to know your tenants well enough to know if they will be fit to keep your property clean and functional. Risks may include damages to property, potential lawsuits, and tenants who won’t pay or need to be evicted. 

Time & Money

Investing in real estate will require a downpayment to obtain the mortgage. The home may also cost money to fix up if needed. Additionally, you must remember that investing in real estate may be equally as draining of your time as it is on your wallet. 

Knowledge

Often considered a rookie mistake, some real estate investors may purchase at the wrong time. It is important to maintain an understanding of how the housing market works, and to keep an eye on market trends, so that you can buy when the time is right. If you do this, you’re bound to make a nice return on your investment!

Ultimately, investing in real estate poses risks like any other investment. Fortunately, the rewards often outweigh the risks, making it a great investment opportunity overall.  

Robb and Penny are owners of a real estate investment company Mountain View Investors. We have been actively involved in Albuquerque NM for our Fix and Flip projects. In Kansas City MO area for our Buy and Holds properties. We have been investing in Albuquerque NM for 10 years.

Our mission is to provide quality housing for first-time home buyers and owner-financed buyers, while at the same time providing an above-average return on investment (R.O.I) for our investor partners and ourselves. It is truly a win-win-win way of investing!

Robb and Penny offer their investor partners hands-free investment opportunities. If you are interested to learn how to earn an above-average return on your investment, backed by a solid asset, and without the hassle of being a landlord, please contact  Robb and Penny.

For more information about  Robb and Penny and their investment program,
please call (505) 404-1131, or visit  https://robbkrautbauer.com/

Bonds are often touted as being very low-risk investments. Some would even go so far as to call them risk-free. But is that really the case? All investments come with risks to balance out their rewards, and bonds are no different. Here are a few of the risks you take on when you invest in bonds.

Interest Rate Risks

This is one of the best-known perils of bonds. The relationship between a bond and the interest rates in the market are complicated, but basically, supply and demand are at play in influencing the interest rate on the bond.

A bond you invest in might decline in value if interest rates rise. Yikes!

Inflation Risks

A bond is worth a fixed amount of money. If you invest 10,000 dollars in a bond, when it’s paid back to you, you’ll get 10,000 dollars.

Seems straightforward and risk-free, right? Nope!

You must remember that inflation is a factor in every economy. 10,000 one year is unlikely to have the same purchasing power five years from the date the bond is issued. In that way, there’s a good chance your bond is going to decline in total value, and that means money out of your pocket.

Default Risk

If you invest in bonds for a corporation, and that company goes under? Who knows what you’ll be getting back.

If the bank repossesses the assets of the company you’ve given your money to, well, that’s simply not your money anymore. It’s gone.

Takeaways?

Bonds aren’t the riskiest investment, sure, but they do come with their own set of risks. And that low risk deal that you think you’re getting also tends to come with low value and minimal rewards. 

Bonds aren’t a terrible investment, but they’re not necessarily the best one.

Real estate, on the other hand, is a great investment choice for anyone who wants to see their wealth grow surely and steadily. No matter what happens, if you invest in real estate, you can rest easy knowing that there’s a solid piece of land behind your money.

Robb and Penny are owners of a real estate investment company Mountain View Investors. We have been actively involved in Albuquerque NM for our Fix and Flip projects. In Kansas City MO area for our Buy and Holds properties. We have been investing in Albuquerque NM for 10 years.

Our mission is to provide quality housing for first-time home buyers and owner-financed buyers, while at the same time providing an above-average return on investment (R.O.I) for our investor partners and ourselves. It is truly a win-win-win way of investing!

Robb and Penny offer their investor partners hands-free investment opportunities. If you are interested to learn how to earn an above-average return on your investment, backed by a solid asset, and without the hassle of being a landlord, please contact  Robb and Penny.

For more information about  Robb and Penny and their investment program,
please call (505) 404-1131, or visit  https://robbkrautbauer.com/

Private capital lending is an alternative strategy for real estate investors to enter the property market, but what is private capital, who can use it, and what can they use it for?

Private Capital Definition

Private capital is an umbrella term for investment loans typically unavailable through public markets such as banks.

Private capital is accessed mainly by people with a high net worth who will use the funds for various investment scenarios, including real estate, private equity, and debt markets.

Institutional investors also frequently use private capital to make investments for others, such as insurance and pension funds.

How Do You Access Private Capital?

Access to private equity is different from traditional channels like a bank loan. Private capital reduces the risk to the lender by securing the loan against an existing asset owned by the investor. Collateral can be a house, infrastructure, or a block of apartments. Lenders are concerned with the ability of an investment to create a return that will benefit them and the lender.

Because an asset provides the collateral, the lender will usually have the option to take control of it should the borrower default on the loan. For example, if an investor purchases an investment home, the lender will be able to sell the property to recoup their funds if the investor fails to meet their obligations.

Terms for private capital are more flexible than most publicly available loans, as both lenders and borrowers can add terms and conditions that are unique to their circumstances. Flexible options include the duration of the loan, fees, and payment schedules, to name just a few.

Private Capital Advantages 

Private capital lenders are a lot more flexible in their terms and conditions because they work at a more personal level than the average bank or financial institution. Loans can be specifically tailored to an investor’s unique requirements. Also, a private capital lender will arrive at a decision much faster than a bank, which can be crucial for time-sensitive deals.

For example, an investor interested in a property that is a fixer-upper may only be able to secure a loan from the bank equal to the current value of the property. However, a private capital lender will consider lending funds on top to cover the renovation because they also have an interest in the property’s income potential.

Another advantage of private capital is that much of the red tape is removed during the approval process. Lenders know that an asset backs their funds, so they are not prone to the many regulations and restrictions that can slow a bank’s approval processes to a frustrating crawl.

Robb and Penny are owners of a real estate investment company Mountain View Investors. We have been actively involved in Albuquerque NM for our Fix and Flip projects. In Kansas City MO area for our Buy and Holds properties. We have been investing in Albuquerque NM for 10 years.

Our mission is to provide quality housing for first-time home buyers and owner-financed buyers, while at the same time providing an above-average return on investment (R.O.I) for our investor partners and ourselves. It is truly a win-win-win way of investing!

Robb and Penny offer their investor partners hands-free investment opportunities. If you are interested to learn how to earn an above-average return on your investment, backed by a solid asset, and without the hassle of being a landlord, please contact  Robb and Penny.

For more information about  Robb and Penny and their investment program,
please call (505) 404-1131, or visit  https://robbkrautbauer.com/

We all know investing is the best way to secure our financial future but finding the right investment vehicle can be challenging. Cryptocurrency has been trending of late but is this where you should be focusing your efforts? We discuss why your investment dollar is better off in real estate than the latest cryptocurrency fad.

The Disadvantages of Cryptocurrency

The original intention for cryptocurrency was to create an alternative currency, which is far from reality. While some online retailers and service providers take cryptocurrency, they are few and far between.

When you attempt to pay with cryptocurrency, what you would be paying today could be significantly more or less than its value tomorrow. A dollar in your country is always worth a dollar. The value of a Bitcoin from day to day is anybody’s guess.

Cryptocurrencies are new to the scene, and many governments are actively legislating against them because transactions are anonymous, making them a haven for transferring funds between criminals. Cryptocurrencies’ long-term viability is also unproven and not even close to being “safe as houses.”

Nobody needs cryptocurrencies, but everybody needs a roof over their heads, making real estate much more predictable and stable as an investment vehicle.

Digital currency values are incredibly volatile and impossible to predict from moment to moment. It’s common for values to tumble and wipe tens of thousands and even millions of dollars in value off a portfolio in a matter of minutes. For example, when China outlawed cryptocurrency mining, it wiped out more than $1.8 trillion of value from the world’s cryptocurrencies.

Digital currencies like Bitcoin are untraceable, and your investment is linked to an encrypted file on a fallible digital storage medium. Should your hard drive fail, you accidentally throw it in the bin during spring cleaning, or you lose your Bitcoin password, your fortune is forever lost. According to reports, the value of ‘lost’ Bitcoins in 2021 exceeded $148 billion. You are unlikely to misplace a house, but, unlike crypto, you can insure them against loss through fire and flood.

Advantages of Real Estate Over Crypto

While you can make a fortune in crypto just by buying at the right time, there’s as much risk you could lose it all. You may have to hold onto your real estate for a while, but there’s a lot more certainty that your property will be worth significantly more when it’s time to sell.

Properties never lose their value overnight, but you can lose your shirt with digital coin in a matter of minutes. The cryptocurrency marketplace is incredibly sensitive to investment activity. Should you want to liquidate your entire fortune, your activity could trigger a significant drop in value, making it difficult to recoup your gains. When you sell a property, you can be reasonably sure a professional agent will be able to get you fair market value.

Cryptocurrency investment shares many similarities with gambling, with big wins, even bigger losses, and very little in between. As an investment, it is perhaps the most unreliable and unpredictable strategy to date. Don’t risk your financial future to a cryptocurrency that may not exist in a few years and comes with zero protection. Investing in real estate requires a few more hoops to jump through, but in the end, you will still have your shirt and a comfortable retirement to look forward to. Find out how you can get into real estate investing without the hassle by talking to the property experts today.

Robb and Penny are owners of a real estate investment company Mountain View Investors. We have been actively involved in Albuquerque NM for our Fix and Flip projects. In Kansas City MO area for our Buy and Holds properties. We have been investing in Albuquerque NM for 10 years.

Our mission is to provide quality housing for first-time home buyers and owner-financed buyers, while at the same time providing an above-average return on investment (R.O.I) for our investor partners and ourselves. It is truly a win-win-win way of investing!

Robb and Penny offer their investor partners hands-free investment opportunities. If you are interested to learn how to earn an above-average return on your investment, backed by a solid asset, and without the hassle of being a landlord, please contact  Robb and Penny.

For more information about  Robb and Penny and their investment program,
please call (505) 404-1131, or visit  https://robbkrautbauer.com/

We’ve all heard the advice that diversifying your investments is the best way to protect yourself should one of your investment channels bottom out. It’s good advice, but there will always be investments that consistently perform better than others. This article will discuss mutual funds and how they stack up against real estate investments.

Real Estate Provides More Leverage

When purchasing $1 of mutual funds, you get one dollar’s worth of value. When you buy real estate, you are leveraging your investment dollar because you are paying a 20% deposit and mortgaging the rest.

If you have $100,000 invested in mutual funds, which doubles in value in 10 – 12 years, you have made $100,000. Not bad, but you can do better with property investing.

An investment in a $500,000 house that has increased to $750,000 nets you $250,000. It’s not unheard of for homes to double in value in that amount of time, potentially raising your gains to $500,000. That net gain is before we’ve even talked about rental income.

Essentially, the ability to borrow your real estate investment gives you significant leverage that is impossible with most other types of investment.

Mutual Funds Expense Ratios and Fees Can Devalue Your Investment

Mutual funds are popular as a hands-off type of investment. However, if you don’t pay attention, the fund expense ratios and fees can eat away the value. Management fees can also vary between funds, and some will pass on sales and marketing costs to their clients.

The fund manager’s expertise can also enhance or degrade the performance of your mutual fund. Your investment may be exposed to corruption, unnecessary trading, and selling losses at quarter’s ends to balance the ledger. Unfortunately, you have little control over these events other than to cash out and try your luck elsewhere.

While real estate investments come with costs, most property expenses can be used to reduce your tax liability. Mutual fund fees and expenses are not tax deductible. You must also pay tax on any capital gains the mutual fund produces every year.

Property Rarely Loses Value Over the Long Term

It’s possible to lose out no matter what investment vehicle you choose. However, over the long term,  property values are unlikely to be worth less than the amount you originally paid.

Mutual funds invest in the stock market, so an economic crisis can pose a significant risk to your capital gains. Many people at the cusp of retiring have been forced to rethink their plans after their mutual funds lost tens of thousands in value overnight.

Property investments are much less volatile. While property values do experience dips and troughs, they are rarely catastrophic. Short of a zombie apocalypse, a couple of decades of appreciation will still put you in front by a significant margin, even if you do happen to be selling at a low point.

Are you ready to consider property investing to secure your financial future? Increase your chances of purchasing income-producing property with potential by talking to experts prepared to share their experience and expertise. A solid real estate strategy will give savvy investors more leverage and options. Property investment also provides stability during economic strife than more volatile mutual funds.

Robb and Penny are owners of a real estate investment company Mountain View Investors. We have been actively involved in Albuquerque NM for our Fix and Flip projects. In Kansas City MO area for our Buy and Holds properties. We have been investing in Albuquerque NM for 10 years.

Our mission is to provide quality housing for first-time home buyers and owner-financed buyers, while at the same time providing an above-average return on investment (R.O.I) for our investor partners and ourselves. It is truly a win-win-win way of investing!

Robb and Penny offer their investor partners hands-free investment opportunities. If you are interested to learn how to earn an above-average return on your investment, backed by a solid asset, and without the hassle of being a landlord, please contact  Robb and Penny.

For more information about  Robb and Penny and their investment program,
please call (505) 404-1131, or visit  https://robbkrautbauer.com/

Bonds are a relatively secure investment option, but safe choices in the money market rarely produce an attractive return. In contrast, real estate often outperforms bonds by a significant margin, especially over the long term. This article compares bonds against real estate investing to determine which one will give you the best value.

Risk vs. Return

Rental property investing will often yield high single-digit returns and often result in double-digit returns when you hold for long enough.

Government bonds are not complex investments, making them relatively straightforward for new investors to start growing their money. However, the built-in security of government bonds means your investment can lag behind inflation, possibly producing a negative net return.

On the flip side, property investment delivers equity appreciation over time and rental income that increases over the years.

Bonds and Income Taxes

Bond returns increase your tax liability, and you will also be lumped with capital gains tax on the increased value of your bonds.

Property can also attract capital gains tax when you sell, but you have the advantage of offsetting your liability with depreciation. Claiming for depreciation means you can deduct a portion of the property’s value every year against its income, making it one of the most lucrative tax breaks of any investment strategy.

Real Estate is an Excellent Hedge Against Inflation

While real estate investments require more capital and time to get into, and your money is not as liquid as other assets, other advantages will more than offset these inconveniences.

Property values will tend to track inflation. So, as the price of goods and services creeps upwards, so too will the value of your property. You also get the advantage of an income stream that tends to follow the CPI (Consumer Price Index).

Eventually, your monthly rental income will outpace your mortgage and other expenses to produce a positive cash flow. Of course, you will need to pay tax on this income, but you can offset that burden by using your equity and improved cash flow to acquire more property.

Real estate investing is the way to go if you want to ensure your investment dollars are worth more than you paid for them when you retire. When you add the potential for capital gains on the passive income stream, real estate investing takes the lead over bonds by a wide margin. Yes, bonds are almost as safe as houses, but the meager returns are far from exciting.

As we mentioned, purchasing investment bonds is not difficult, making them an easy path to investing. However, if you want to make your money work harder for you so you can enjoy a more comfortable retirement with options, real estate investing could be the right vehicle for you. Unfortunately, locating the best properties in the best neighborhoods can be challenging for inexperienced property investors. Take the stress out of property selection and reduce your risk exposure by partnering with the experts. Contact us today to find out more.

Robb and Penny are owners of a real estate investment company Mountain View Investors. We have been actively involved in Albuquerque NM for our Fix and Flip projects. In Kansas City MO area for our Buy and Holds properties. We have been investing in Albuquerque NM for 10 years.

Our mission is to provide quality housing for first-time home buyers and owner-financed buyers, while at the same time providing an above-average return on investment (R.O.I) for our investor partners and ourselves. It is truly a win-win-win way of investing!

Robb and Penny offer their investor partners hands-free investment opportunities. If you are interested to learn how to earn an above-average return on your investment, backed by a solid asset, and without the hassle of being a landlord, please contact  Robb and Penny.

For more information about  Robb and Penny and their investment program,
please call (505) 404-1131, or visit  https://robbkrautbauer.com/

Why Real Estate is Better Than Stocks

Stocks are a straightforward, no-fuss investment strategy for putting money away for the future. However, the stock market has inherent risks that can put investors at a significant disadvantage compared to real estate investing. Learn why property investing is the best strategy for building long-term wealth.

Real Estate vs. Stocks: Which Is the Better Investment?

Many Americans diversify by investing in real estate and the stock market. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that 65% of residential properties are owner-occupied, and 55% of U.S. citizens contribute to an employer’s retirement plan, which is usually in stocks or a mutual fund. 

Diversifying your investments is sound advice, but If you want to get the best performance out of your investment dollar, you should know where to focus your efforts to maximize your gains. 

Real Estate Investment Advantages

Even though buying and selling real estate is a complex and legally intensive task, professionals handle the most challenging parts of the job. Most investors only need to focus on finding the right property at the right price, holding it for the long term, and selling it for a higher price after enjoying years of tax concessions and rental income. 

There are always going to be maintenance and tenancy issues, but even here, a good property manager can all but make your property investment a passive one. 

For the most part, property prices tend to keep pace with inflation, ensuring they grow in value from one decade to the next. Property investment also delivers tax advantages, with deprecation, wear and tear, and other property ownership costs reducing your tax responsibilities. In contrast, dividend income from stocks will increase the tax you need to pay, even if their current market value is less than what you paid come tax time. 

Stock Investing Disadvantages

Stock investments are easy to liquidate and diversify, but these advantages come at a cost.

Stock prices follow the mood of the market. A panicked market can bring prices crashing down to wipe out your capital gains, even though you may have been holding the stock for decades.  

During periods of economic unrest, stock owners are always the first to feel the pain. Should companies you have invested in go bankrupt, it can wipe out the entire value of those stocks, with no hope of recovery.

Real estate is unlikely to suffer the same fate because everybody needs a roof over their head, regardless of the state of the market. 

The extra liquidity of stocks means it’s easy to sell on an emotional whim when the most sensible strategy would be to hold for a more market correction. It takes more effort to sell a house, making it almost impossible to offload it in a panic. 

Real estate investing is unmatched in flexibility, tax incentives, and income production if you are researching strategies to diversify your investments away from stocks. While finding a property with potential can be challenging, partnering with the right team can ensure the security of your financial future with professional advice and guidance on every aspect of property investing.

Robb and Penny are owners of a real estate investment company Mountain View Investors. We have been actively involved in Albuquerque NM for our Fix and Flip projects. In Kansas City MO area for our Buy and Holds properties. We have been investing in Albuquerque NM for 10 years.

Our mission is to provide quality housing for first-time home buyers and owner-financed buyers, while at the same time providing an above-average return on investment (R.O.I) for our investor partners and ourselves. It is truly a win-win-win way of investing!

Robb and Penny offer their investor partners hands-free investment opportunities. If you are interested to learn how to earn an above-average return on your investment, backed by a solid asset, and without the hassle of being a landlord, please contact  Robb and Penny.

For more information about  Robb and Penny and their investment program,
please call (505) 404-1131, or visit  https://robbkrautbauer.com/

So, what happens to real estate investments when interest rates rise? With the global economy in its current state of disarray, inflation is trending upward at an alarming rate. It was only a matter of time before the reserve bank stepped in to flatten the curve with an interest rate hike. Keep reading to find out why interest rates rise and how they influence the real estate market.

Why Do Interest Rates Rise?

As with most other market factors, interest rates are influenced by the supply and demand for credit. When credit demand increases, the interest rates will rise, while a decrease in demand tends to reverse interest rates. 

When more money is available to borrowers, the more money there is in the economy. 

Inflation will also cause higher rates. When the inflation rate increases, the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates. Credit is more expensive, which reduces the amount of money in the economy. 

Of course, the economy is more complex than our straightforward explanation. The Federal Bank needs to maintain a delicate balance to create a stable economy, and interest rates are a significant part of their strategy. 

How Sellers are Affected by Rising Interest Rates

Real estate values are inextricably linked to the Federal Reserve’s interest rate. Higher rates make mortgages more expensive, which reduces the pool of available buyers.

For example, a seller trying to attract buyers to a $400,000 property would suddenly find that their pool of prospects could only afford $355,000 should the interest rates rise by 1%. If interest rates kept rising suddenly, it could still bring prices down even further. There’s nothing quite like uncertain interest rate hikes to spook investors out of the market, which creates more opportunities for savvy property buyers.

Profit could still be made on a property that has been held for a while, but sometimes, the best investment strategy may be to hold for a while longer until the market improves. 

Rising Interest Rates and Property Value

Rising rates will affect cash flow and housing prices. However, a growing economy that keeps pace with mortgage payment increases may not have as much of an impact on real estate values.  For example, if monthly mortgage payments were to increase by $240, but a strong economy enabled employers to deliver a 5% wage increase, the extra wages could offset the increased mortgage costs and keep property values stable. However, the economy would need to keep growing to prevent the market from plateauing. 

Focusing on your financial goals and sticking to your investment strategy is critical to creating a profitable property portfolio. Housing prices invariably trend upwards despite occasional dips in the market like we are currently seeing. For this reason, buying and holding for the long term is almost always the key to successful property investment. 

While property investment is a long-term strategy, buying the right property at the right price will improve your gains, but it’s not easy. Researching the market and analyzing the demographics of an area are time-consuming and challenging tasks. Fortunately, there are experts available who have made all the mistakes and are willing to teach you how to avoid them. Check out the website today to learn how you can improve your future cash flow through real estate investing.

Robb and Penny are owners of a real estate investment company Mountain View Investors. We have been actively involved in Albuquerque NM for our Fix and Flip projects. In Kansas City MO area for our Buy and Holds properties. We have been investing in Albuquerque NM for 10 years.

Our mission is to provide quality housing for first-time home buyers and owner-financed buyers, while at the same time providing an above-average return on investment (R.O.I) for our investor partners and ourselves. It is truly a win-win-win way of investing!

Robb and Penny offer their investor partners hands-free investment opportunities. If you are interested to learn how to earn an above-average return on your investment, backed by a solid asset, and without the hassle of being a landlord, please contact  Robb and Penny.

For more information about  Robb and Penny and their investment program,
please call (505) 404-1131, or visit  https://robbkrautbauer.com/

Many variables will influence your property investment decision when considering your options. Demographics is just one, but it has a critical role in adding value to your property portfolio through making good choices. Learn more about how demographics will influence your investment decision.

Demographic Factors Affecting Real Estate

Real estate demographics data are quantifiable data that analytically describe a community. A study of demographics will include age bracket, income, crime risk, school quality, employment opportunities, and population growth, all of which will impact your investment and the returns you can achieve. 

Research the Real Estate Demographics Before Investing

Demographics are critical to your investment research before buying real estate because they are the next best thing to a crystal ball when predicting the future value of real estate investments in an area. For example, a location with a decreasing or increasing population is a good predictor of the future market. 

Another key demographic is the crime rate. This information will give you essential insights into your prospective rental pool and the possibility of increased rental costs such as maintenance. 

While we would all prefer to live in a low-crime rate area, many new investors make the mistake of overlooking this essential real estate demographic. As such, they increase their risk exposure and their ability to improve their portfolio with capital gains. 

Job Growth and Real Estate Values

Research into the job market of an area is another factor to consider. If there are no employers or none are hiring, then the location is less appealing as a place to live. You may find that you can not charge the rent levels you need to create a positive income stream. 

Carefully examine the employment and income data for an area, and extend your search into the surrounding areas as well. Many people are prepared to sacrifice travel time for slightly cheaper rents if the commute is reasonable. 

How Amenities Can Impact Real Estate Investments

Families will search for affordable places to live by balancing rental values against easy access to good quality schools for their children. An area that is local to good schools will generally improve the value of your investment and provide a greater pool of rental possibilities. 

For example, Worcester, MA, is the second largest city in New England and provides an excellent example of how educational opportunities can be a critical factor influencing the quality of an area. 

Many of the suburbs around Worcester have some of the nation’s worst performing schools, with a correspondingly disappointing result in the real estate values. However, one suburb, Westwood Hills, is an exception, as the schools have a solid rating. The local real estate also achieves higher median values than the surrounding areas.

Your research into real estate demographics should seek out these anomalies as they are often less well known to other investors and, therefore, less competitive to enter. 

Rental Versus Owner-Occupied Demographics

The ratio of owner-occupier versus renters real estate demographic data is another indicator that can help you achieve more value in your real estate investments.

Owner-occupiers tend to take more pride in their property’s appearance, so streets with more owner-occupied homes tend to appear well looked after and more appealing. A house on a good-looking street will generally fetch a higher price than a street full of rental stock whose landlords put little value in the property’s general appearance. 

As you can see, researching a prime real estate investment can be overwhelming to investors entering the market. Fortunately, you can ensure you purchase a well-positioned property by talking to the experts who are already successful real estate investors and can help you do the same. 

Robb and Penny are owners of a real estate investment company Mountain View Investors. We have been actively involved in Albuquerque NM for our Fix and Flip projects. In Kansas City MO area for our Buy and Holds properties. We have been investing in Albuquerque NM for 10 years.

Our mission is to provide quality housing for first-time home buyers and owner-financed buyers, while at the same time providing an above-average return on investment (R.O.I) for our investor partners and ourselves. It is truly a win-win-win way of investing!

Robb and Penny offer their investor partners hands-free investment opportunities. If you are interested to learn how to earn an above-average return on your investment, backed by a solid asset, and without the hassle of being a landlord, please contact  Robb and Penny.

For more information about  Robb and Penny and their investment program,
please call (505) 404-1131, or visit  https://robbkrautbauer.com/

Governments can have a profound effect on the state of the real estate market. Policies, subsidies, and infrastructure projects will significantly influence the current and future prices of properties in an area. Learn more about why your research should include an in-depth analysis of government influences.

Zoning Regulations and Building Codes

Governments have been regulating land use for centuries, with zoning regulations and building codes undergoing frequent changes. Local governments create their own building codes, with requirements varying substantially between areas.

Consider the surrounding properties and ensure your property is zoned for the area’s intended use. For example, a residential property next to a commercial zone will have less value than a residential property in a residential area.

Regardless, homes that are up to code are generally more expensive than ones that need repairs or remodeling. When considering a property that needs work, understanding the extra costs should factor into your decision.

Local Goods and Services

Government-provided goods and services such as fire protection, law enforcement, water sanitation, schools, public transport, and roads make an area more attractive and drive prices upwards.

Locating an area where the government may be planning significant upgrades could help a savvy investor score a lower-priced property that will be significantly more appealing after the planned upgrades are complete.

Government regulations and services can impact the long-term growth prospects of an area. Zoning regulations and building codes often enforce restrictions that prevent investors from doing what they need with a property, such as developing a high-density living area. Every analysis must include the costs for the investor to comply with the local regulations and building codes. 

Investors must also consider the property taxes and the level of government investment in public goods and services. These government-run projects can significantly influence rental prices and the future growth potential of the property, such as market rents, vacancy rates, population, income growth prospects, and overall property values.

Government Subsidies

Subsidies related to property markets provided by the government are often contentious issues. While the government’s goal is to stimulate the economy and make new houses more affordable to more people, you cannot ignore the influence a sudden influx of new buyers will have on house prices. Significant tax deductions and subsidies put more air into a housing bubble until it has the opposite effect as house prices rise to even harder to reach heights. 

Any property investment requires careful analysis, and it’s often challenging to navigate the government’s intentions or even trust they know what they are doing in the case of subsidies. However, opportunities abound in any market; you just need to know how to find them. If you would like to get into the property market, but would rather avoid costly mistakes, talk to investment professionals immersed in the property market every day. The best advice will help you buy the right property at the right price so that you can invest with confidence.

Robb and Penny are owners of a real estate investment company Mountain View Investors. We have been actively involved in Albuquerque NM for our Fix and Flip projects. In Kansas City MO area for our Buy and Holds properties. We have been investing in Albuquerque NM for 10 years.

Our mission is to provide quality housing for first-time home buyers and owner-financed buyers, while at the same time providing an above-average return on investment (R.O.I) for our investor partners and ourselves. It is truly a win-win-win way of investing!

Robb and Penny offer their investor partners hands-free investment opportunities. If you are interested to learn how to earn an above-average return on your investment, backed by a solid asset, and without the hassle of being a landlord, please contact  Robb and Penny.

For more information about  Robb and Penny and their investment program,
please call (505) 404-1131, or visit  https://robbkrautbauer.com/

The housing market often reflects what’s happening in the economy. When times are good, there’s money in the economy to invest in housing. If times get tough, the Federal Reserve may intervene to reduce the pool of spending money. Unfortunately, when the Federal Bank starts looking at the possibility of an interest rate hike, it usually means there are leaner times ahead for homeowners and real estate investors alike. Keep reading to learn more about how the local economy influences the real estate market.

How Does the Federal Reserve Determine Interest Rates?

Many factors will cause the Federal Reserve / Central Bank to fiddle with interest rates. In general, though, it’s the state of the economy that determines the interest rate.

High interest rates make credit and mortgages more expensive, reducing the amount of money circulating in the local economy. Of course, some areas are harder hit than others when interest rates change.

The top end of the market takes a heavier hit due to significant price differences. After all, one percent of one million is a lot of money, but 1% of $400,000 can hurt more for lower to middle-income earners, which is the demographic where mom and dad investors have most of their finances tied up.

Why Are Interest Rates Critical to The Real Estate Market?

Interest rates influence the value of a property. When interest rates go up, credit gets more expensive, and property buyers’ borrowing capacity decreases. Buyers who may have been considering properties close to the city will need to look further out. In these cases, appealing suburbs outside the metro area can suddenly benefit from higher values.

Housing Starts Versus Home Sales

The housing market has two main sectors: home sales and housing starts. Home sales include established homes, while housing starts refer to new homes that have not yet been built.

The volume of housing starts, usually in brand-new suburbs with the latest, most up-to-date infrastructure, increases when the economy is full steam ahead. After all, who doesn’t love a brand new, shiny home that’s never been lived in before?

Housing starts will influence the local economy in many ways, including employment, land sales, raw building materials, and the businesses and support services that grow up around new suburbs. A weaker economy usually creates a corresponding drop in new home sales and a slight uptick in the sale of established homes.

Slow economies can have a dramatic effect on the housing market. Economic slowdowns influence the local economy as finance gets more expensive and the number of buyers in new home builds dries up. The reverse is true in a healthy economy.

Whatever the state of the real estate investment market, you can always find lucrative opportunities when you know where to look. However, it can be challenging to know where to put your investment dollars when you are not immersed in the property industry every day. Invest with confidence by talking with the experts who have successfully navigated the property market and consistently come out on top.

Robb and Penny are owners of a real estate investment company Mountain View Investors. We have been actively involved in Albuquerque NM for our Fix and Flip projects. In Kansas City MO area for our Buy and Holds properties. We have been investing in Albuquerque NM for 10 years.

Our mission is to provide quality housing for first-time home buyers and owner-financed buyers, while at the same time providing an above-average return on investment (R.O.I) for our investor partners and ourselves. It is truly a win-win-win way of investing!

Robb and Penny offer their investor partners hands-free investment opportunities. If you are interested to learn how to earn an above-average return on your investment, backed by a solid asset, and without the hassle of being a landlord, please contact  Robb and Penny.

For more information about  Robb and Penny and their investment program,
please call (505) 404-1131, or visit  https://robbkrautbauer.com/

Many investors regard real estate as one of the best strategies to hedge against inflation because property prices over any given decade tend to trend upward. This article will discuss why inflation occurs and how it can affect your real estate investments.

What is Inflation?

The economy is dynamic, and many variables will impact inflation. However, at its core, inflation is a measurement of the increase in prices of goods and services over a period of time, including real estate costs and rent prices.

Inflation is influenced by the amount of money circulating in the economy. When more money is available, prices tend to rise, but there is also the expectation that prices will always go up eventually. A more straightforward way to think of inflation is that the dollar’s purchasing power degrades over time.

Real estate creates a reliable buffer against inflation because property prices increase over the long term. Investors also gain an advantage through cheaper interest rates and the ability to increase their yields by rising rental prices in line with inflation and supply and demand.

Why is Property a Reliable Asset against Inflation?

Real estate investment is a long-term strategy. Property prices can fluctuate in the short term like any investment vehicle. However, holding an investment property over the long term is when the magic really happens.

As property prices rise, the original mortgage repayments remain reasonably stable. Of course, the Fed can make repayments more or less affordable if it decides to get aggressive with its interest rate adjustments. Even so, your repayment responsibilities will tend to balance out over the long term.

Rising property values are often matched by increases in rent. Should you keep a property for ten or more years, the value of the rent you can charge may have doubled, but your mortgage repayments will be similar to when you first bought the property. You will have effectively increased your rental yield two-fold or more.

Such increases in yields are difficult, if not impossible, to match in other investment vehicles. Plus, you also have the advantage of a significant increase in equity, as property values can often double or more over a decade.

In short, a long-term real estate investment strategy is an excellent hedge against inflation.

Investors can take advantage of lower interest rates to purchase property that will increase in value over time, often at higher rates than inflation. They can also pass on inflationary costs to tenants in the form of higher rents and profit from capital gains in property prices over the long term.

Robb and Penny are owners of a real estate investment company Mountain View Investors. We have been actively involved in Albuquerque NM for our Fix and Flip projects. In Kansas City MO area for our Buy and Holds properties. We have been investing in Albuquerque NM for 10 years.

Our mission is to provide quality housing for first-time home buyers and owner-financed buyers, while at the same time providing an above-average return on investment (R.O.I) for our investor partners and ourselves. It is truly a win-win-win way of investing!

Robb and Penny offer their investor partners hands-free investment opportunities. If you are interested to learn how to earn an above-average return on your investment, backed by a solid asset, and without the hassle of being a landlord, please contact  Robb and Penny.

For more information about  Robb and Penny and their investment program,
please call (505) 404-1131, or visit  https://robbkrautbauer.com/

Investing in a mutual fund might seem logical. It’s an opportunity to let a seasoned investor decide where your money goes, and typically, the investments made by a mutual fund are fairly diverse. That is to say, they fall into a variety of markets, and as such you can feel protected. If one market doesn’t pan out, perhaps one of the other ones will.

A lot of experts say that diversification in your investment portfolio is a good thing, and to a certain extent, they’re right. Investing in, say, only one stock, is a bit of a dangerous move, because what if that stock crashes? But diversification can also be very dangerous.

If you invest in a mutual fund that invests in a hundred different companies, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve reached optimal diversification. A lot of mutual funds invest specifically in a single industry, which means that you still face many of the same problems you would if you only invested in a single company. And what about mutual funds that invest in multiple industries?

At that point, you run into a problem of overdiversification, which is sometimes, adorably, called “diworsification”.

If your money is in a million different companies, keeping track of how all those companies are doing is a nightmare. Another problem is that investing in a lot of companies means having to own a lot of stocks in each of them, meaning that you have to put in quite a bit of cash up front. And perhaps one of the biggest issues with overdiversification is the fact that having your cash scattered in all directions means that even if one stock is performing well, you still might not make money after you account for how another market is doing.

Now let’s think about another investment: real estate. It might seem on the surface that real estate is an investment inherently lacking diversity, but the truth is, there are all kinds of real estate. You can invest in single family homes, multi-family dwellings, or office properties. You can invest in different parts of your city, or even in other cities. There are plenty of ways to have diverse real estate investments, and yet it would be really difficult to run into a problem of overdiversification, because it’s all real estate.

Real estate is a reliable, steady investment. Everyone needs it, and so it’s not going anywhere. This is just one of the many reasons real estate could be the right investment choice for you.

Robb and Penny are owners of a real estate investment company Mountain View Investors. We have been actively involved in Albuquerque NM for our Fix and Flip projects. In Kansas City MO area for our Buy and Holds properties. We have been investing in Albuquerque NM for 10 years.

Our mission is to provide quality housing for first-time home buyers and owner-financed buyers, while at the same time providing an above-average return on investment (R.O.I) for our investor partners and ourselves. It is truly a win-win-win way of investing!

Robb and Penny offer their investor partners hands-free investment opportunities. If you are interested to learn how to earn an above-average return on your investment, backed by a solid asset, and without the hassle of being a landlord, please contact  Robb and Penny.

For more information about  Robb and Penny and their investment program,
please call (505) 404-1131, or visit  https://robbkrautbauer.com/

Stocks are probably one of the first things you think of when you think of investing. The stock market is a big, well-known path of investing.

But just because something is popular doesn’t mean that it’s the best thing! Stocks, like any investment, come with a set of downsides that you’d be a fool to ignore. Today we’re going to talk about just how risky the stock market can be.

The stock market is controlled by supply and demand like any other market. That’s just the way it goes in the economy. But the stock market can move fast — too fast to keep up with. A stock can crash in a few months, if not weeks, if things go south for the market. And there are so many ways things can go wrong.

If people stop buying iphones, what do you think your Apple stock is going to be worth? It all comes down to how much the company itself is worth, and that depends on the economy at large. When things start dipping, as they have throughout the year 2020, then the stocks go down with them. You simply can’t rely on most stocks to not flake out on you.

And what about the long term? A company that made, say, the tapes for answering machines might have been doing great in the eighties, but how well do you think they’re doing now? Most companies don’t live to see their hundredth anniversary. The sad truth is that most things eventually become obsolete, and with technology advancing faster and faster by the day, that’s a bigger risk than ever

So, why not invest in something steady? Something people are always going to need? There are a few things that are simply necessary for human life, and one of those is shelter. Real estate is never going to become obsolete. As long as there are people, those people are going to need a place to live, a roof over their heads. Furthermore, real estate is a relatively stable market — even when it goes down, it doesn’t do so as rapidly or dramatically as some other markets do.

If you’re thinking of expanding your portfolio, think about real estate before you start looking at the options in stocks. It’s an essential asset you can count on to provide a prosperous future for you and your family.

Robb and Penny are owners of a real estate investment company Mountain View Investors. We have been actively involved in Albuquerque NM for our Fix and Flip projects. In Kansas City MO area for our Buy and Holds properties. We have been investing in Albuquerque NM for 10 years.

Our mission is to provide quality housing for first-time home buyers and owner-financed buyers, while at the same time providing an above-average return on investment (R.O.I) for our investor partners and ourselves. It is truly a win-win-win way of investing!

Robb and Penny offer their investor partners hands-free investment opportunities. If you are interested to learn how to earn an above-average return on your investment, backed by a solid asset, and without the hassle of being a landlord, please contact  Robb and Penny.

For more information about  Robb and Penny and their investment program,
please call (505) 404-1131, or visit  https://robbkrautbauer.com/

Everyone wants to increase their wealth; however, it can take some time to figure out how to make that happen. Many look to mutual funds and real estate for investment opportunities. Perhaps they know somebody who has seen success from one of these methods.

Still, the question remains: which of these investments is the better option? The first step to answering this question is to understand what each option entails:

Mutual Funds vs Real Estate

To put it simply, a mutual fund is a hodgepodge of investments pooled together by many different people. Mutual funds may include stocks, bonds, and various other types of assets. Professional money managers oversee these funds. As such, they make the calls on what to do with the money to see that multiplies with time. While some investors may prefer this hands-off approach to investing, it has some disadvantages. Perhaps most notably, there are quite a few middlemen in the process.

Real estate investments are a little more straight-forward. Real estate investments involve purchasing property for profit. This often involves renting the property out to tenants, which results in the collection of revenue from rent. The increase of the real estate’s value over time can also provide revenue. Unless an investor chooses to hire a rental property manager, the sole responsibility of the real estate lies upon the investor. This increased responsibility calls for a more hands-on approach, but results in more control over the investment and involves less risk.

JD Esajian, president of CT Homes LLC and national speaker with FortuneBuilders Inc., explains that “real estate continues to be one of the most popular investment strategies for protecting and growing one’s wealth. Combined with the enticement of generating cash flow, investing in real estate also opens a treasure chest of tax advantages.”

Some tax advantages include:

• Deductions
• Passive Income & Pass-Through Deductions
• Capital Gains
  • Capital gains are the profits homeowners make when they sell their real estate property.
    • Holding property for more than one year before selling is the most beneficial option presented to an investor, as it calls for a lower tax rate to be paid by the investor
• Depreciation
• 1031 Exchange
• Tax-Deferred Retirement Accounts
• Self-Employment/FICA Tax
• Opportunity Zones

Mutual funds do not offer these same tax benefits. In fact, mutual funds face many challenges that real estate investments do not. Some cons presented by mutual funds are:

• High fees
• Tax inefficiency
• Poor trade execution
• Potential for management abuses

Why Real Estate Comes Out on Top

Real estate offers more control over the investment, whereas mutual funds rely on complete trust in the money manager. It also has the potential to bring in more revenue than mutual funds thanks to tax benefits that mutual funds do not share. The obvious conclusion is that real estate investments are a much better option than that of mutual funds.

Robb and Penny are owners of a real estate investment company Mountain View Investors. We have been actively involved in Albuquerque NM for our Fix and Flip projects. In Kansas City MO area for our Buy and Holds properties. We have been investing in Albuquerque NM for 10 years.

Our mission is to provide quality housing for first-time home buyers and owner-financed buyers, while at the same time providing an above-average return on investment (R.O.I) for our investor partners and ourselves. It is truly a win-win-win way of investing!

Robb and Penny offer their investor partners hands-free investment opportunities. If you are interested to learn how to earn an above-average return on your investment, backed by a solid asset, and without the hassle of being a landlord, please contact  Robb and Penny.

For more information about  Robb and Penny and their investment program,
please call (505) 404-1131, or visit  https://robbkrautbauer.com/

Looking for a way to make extra money over time? If you have the means to do so, investing is always a good idea– as long as you’re making smart investments. Making risky investments in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin can certainly be thrilling, and it’s definitely become somewhat of a fad in recent years; it seems like everyone and their mother has money in some sort of cryptocurrency at the moment. But you should think twice before putting a significant amount of your savings into cryptos, no matter how good of an idea it seems in the moment. That’s because it doesn’t have any tangible backing, among other reasons.

If you’re looking to make a more promising investment, real estate investments could be one great and much safer, more tangible option. If you’re not quite convinced yet, just put down the DogeCoin for a second and let us explain why cryptocurrency comes up short when compared to real estate. 

Cryptocurrency and its risks

Your first question might actually be what, exactly, cryptocurrency is and how the infamous process of investing in it works. Essentially, a cryptocurrency is an electronic currency that does not physically exist, but still holds worth. The value of cryptocurrency goes up and down based on how many people are purchasing it– it’s all about supply and demand. So, if you buy cryptocurrency at a low price, you may be able to sell it for more money once it becomes more valuable. The key word here is may.

One of the risks of cryptocurrency is that it’s extremely volatile. What seems like a good investment one day could be thousands of dollars wasted the next. And while most investments come with the risk of losing your money, cryptocurrency poses another unique risk due to its intangibility. Cryptocurrency isn’t backed up by any physical assets– it’s all electronic. That means it’s susceptible to glitches, errors, and hacking. 

Real estate investments and its benefits

Meanwhile, real estate is one highly tangible asset that offers a much safer investment– it definitely has a physical form to back it up! It’s a whole house! While the fact that property can’t be hacked like cryptocurrency can is a huge plus, real estate investments also offer tons of other benefits: great, steady cash flow, tax breaks and deductions, and steady appreciation in value. It also comes with competitive risk-adjustment returns: over the past 50 years, the average annual return has been about 11%. 

While real estate is a long-term investment, the overall return will be worth the wait. Overall, it offers long-term financial security and a nearly guaranteed great return. This, along with its tangibility, makes it a more secure option by a landslide when compared to cryptocurrencies.

So before you jump on the next big cryptocurrency bandwagon, really think about the risk you’re taking and ask yourself if that money could be better spent on real estate. Sometimes it’s best to play the long game. Happy investing!

Robb and Penny are owners of a real estate investment company Mountain View Investors. We have been actively involved in Albuquerque NM for our Fix and Flip projects. In Kansas City MO area for our Buy and Holds properties. We have been investing in Albuquerque NM for 10 years.

Our mission is to provide quality housing for first-time home buyers and owner-financed buyers, while at the same time providing an above-average return on investment (R.O.I) for our investor partners and ourselves. It is truly a win-win-win way of investing!

Robb and Penny offer their investor partners hands-free investment opportunities. If you are interested to learn how to earn an above-average return on your investment, backed by a solid asset, and without the hassle of being a landlord, please contact  Robb and Penny.

For more information about  Robb and Penny and their investment program,
please call (505) 404-1131, or visit  https://robbkrautbauer.com/