So you are contemplating of jumping on the wagon of real estate investing because you are finally convinced that there is some serious money to be made in real estate. But you are wondering how you could start when you only have few hundred bucks in your bank account and a struggling credit rating. Well, I’m going to borrow my answer to you from a rather common – but utterly true – maxim that says… if there is a will there is a way.
Before we delve further into the topic, you need to know that there are three kinds of resources you need to enter real estate investing. These are, of course, money, people references, and your entrepreneurial ability. Now the second and the third essential are relatively easier to accomplish so let’s discuss these two first.
The people, the right people! Your real estate investing career is much easier accomplished when you have the right people to help you. Especially if you’re new to this income-earning strategy, you need the right people to show you around. There’s a lot you need to learn from choosing properties, making deals, rehabilitation and the like, and of course, you also need to learn your different exit strategy.
Your learning is quickened if your mentors are competent people in the business. Now you need to be careful in choosing who to trust in this business since there are those that want your money more than help you get more money. You can meet wonderful, legitimate people by simply joining real estate conventions near you so don’t hesitate to register for the next available gathering.
Another thing you need when you invest in real estate is your entrepreneurial skills. Real estate investing is a business in every sense of the word. Your entrepreneurial skills are what will take your business into the next level. You need some degree of business know-how when you enter real estate investing – at least you should know how to trace your expenses and factor in cost to your selling price. But the rest you can acquire as you do the actual investing – experience is your best teacher.
However, the most controversial thing an aspiring real estate investor need – or don’t need -to invest in real estate is money. After all, there’s a famous line that says… you need money to make money. Let’s separate facts from fiction when it comes to money when investing in real estate.
The bad news is that you do need money to invest in real estate. But the good news is much of it does not have to come from your own pocket. What you need to learn is the big word leverage. In simplest terms, leverage means you invest in real estate using more money from other people than your own money.
In fact, the lesser of your own money you spent on investing, the higher your Return On Investment is going to be. Leveraging works by putting your own small amount of money to be match by a larger amount usually by a mortgage lender. Now you’re given a chance to own a property that is out of your budget’s reach before and a chance to double your possible profit.