What is Real Estate

I am a real estate investor and here is how I am planning to retire early, and build a safe financial nest for myself and my family. With real estate values low, this is probably the best time to make money buying real estate. This is my personal opinion and goal; always consult a real estate agent and/or tax attorney for real estate regulations in your area.

This strategy is for people who are in it for long term. This is not an easy business and takes lot of time, effort and some starter money to get set up. Keep in mind, you will not become a millionaire overnight (only lottery tickets can get you there!), and probably never become a millionaire at all (as claimed by the real estate “gurus”). But, if you stick on and invest wisely, and you can plan an early retirement, and buy your dream vacation home in the Caribbean! Personally, my goal is to have enough money to retire early, afford the best education for my children without having to cut corners, and do what I really want to do in life--travel.

Just as an FYI, there are lots of people who claim to be real estate “gurus”, and ‘offer’ advice and workshops at ridiculous prices. Please be very wary of such hoax, because after a while, their bread and butter comes from these workshops, training, and book writing, not real estate! There are several free sources out there, please do plenty research before you decide to spend thousands of dollars, attending such workshops. Yes, advice helps, but real estate investing is a lot of research and common sense.

So, what does investment in real estate mean?

Investing in real estate does not refer only to buying investment properties, like houses, condos, town homes and renting them out. It also refers to buying and renting out commercial property, like a store in a strip mall, or buying land, farms or ranches, or easier still investing in real-estate investment trusts (REIT) or buying shares in home builders and other housing-related businesses. I will explain all of them in detail in my later posts and pros & cons of each. Also, please remember, timeshares are not an investment- they are merely an expense that you incur for your entertainment.

The biggest roadblock in buying real estate is financing. Yes, it is a toughie, but not impossible. I will go into more details of financing and options available in later posts. In short, if you’re on the edge about buying real estate, the time is now. It is still a buyers market out there, and the prices are on the lower end; so act fast!