Before you rush into the decision to manage your own investment property you should think long and hard about the decision and ask yourself many different questions.  This is a decision that should not be taken lightly and should be carefully thought through.  Below you will find many different questions that you should ask yourself before making the big decision.

Are You Ready To Invest In Property

When you are considering investing in real estate you will find that this field is not for everyone.  You will need to know exactly where you stand financially and you will need to understand that working in the real estate field is not a get rich quick scheme.  This is something that will often take many years of your time and money before you start to see an improvement in your finances.  To discover if you are ready or not for property investing you should do your research.  You can do this by reading books on real estate, websites and forums just to see what it is all about.

Have A Plan

It does not matter what type of investing you are doing you need to have a plan.  Without a plan you are bound to lose money no matter what kind of investment.  When you set out with a plan you will be able to see where you are right now and where you eventually want to be in the future.

What Kind Of Property Should I Invest In

When you are starting out with investing in the real estate field you will find that it is very exciting for the simple fact that there are many different types of properties and strategies that you can use.  For example a popular strategy is one that is a fix it and flip it business.  This is where you buy a run down property, fix it and then sell it for more than you paid.  This can be expensive at first but if you have a budget and you stick to it you should be okay and come out ahead.

Research The Neighborhood

The location of the property is going to mean everything once you have made your investment.  It is not required that you purchase property in the best area in the most expensive town but it is necessary that you understand what the neighborhood is like and what you will likely see while you own the investment property.

Vacancy Rates

When you are setting out to invest in real estate you should research to find out what the local vacancy rates are.  As an investor you should expect to have some vacancy rates however you do not want your property to sit empty for a long period of time.

Know All Of The Investment Expenses Associated

If this is your first investment property you do not want to make the rookie mistake that many make.  That mistake is under estimating the amount of expenses.  You will need to be sure to account for every penny that is being spent.

Should I Manage The Property Or Hire Someone To Do It

You can save money by managing the property yourself but you might find that it is hard work.  You will also need to have the personality skills and money managing skills to do this.

Can I Be My Own Bookkeeper

There is a lot of paperwork involved when it comes to investing in real estate.  If you are confident that you can keep your own books and do it correctly you will find yourself saving money rather than hiring someone to do the work for you.

Conclusion

As with anything you will want to have an exit strategy.  Having a plan on how to get out of your investment is almost as essential as having a plan to get into your investment.  It does not matter what you plan is but you should know what to do if you want out.  Otherwise an investment property might be the perfect solution to you start out in the investment business.