Real estate investing is often hailed as a lucrative means of wealth creation. However, it is far from a safe bet. Contrary to popular notion, property ownership is not a foolproof way of getting rich. Like any other type of investment, real estate can be vulnerable to economic shifts, industry downturns, and market volatility.
Any experienced investment property owner knows that things hardly go according to plan: the market ebbs and flows. In one quarter, business might be on an upswing, and occupancy might be full. In another, the economy could push tenants to leave in droves, thinning the bottom line quickly.
Those who are unprepared for such real estate fluctuations will inevitably face challenges. Knowing the strategies to protect you from real estate volatility is crucial as a current or future property investor. The more prepared you are, the less such changes will affect your cash flow, life circumstances, and business.
What causes volatility in real estate investments?
People need to understand what makes real estate markets volatile. Inexperienced investors might directly correlate real estate market volatility to renter demand. However, it is strongly influenced by other factors.
Well, before potential tenants walk in to view properties, the forces that influence their financial decisions are affected by inflation, high interest rates, recession (or the threat of it), and any world event that triggers market instability.
A convenient rule of thumb to identify such factors is to look for anything that would cause consumers to worry about their savings or paychecks.
Effective Strategies To Help Weather Real Estate Market Volatility
To protect your property investments and maximize your returns over time, you need several strategies in place. These time-tested principles help property owners navigate the industry’s and market’s ups and downs. Such techniques also help you avoid the common pitfalls based on misconceptions about real estate investing, preventing unnecessary missteps and losses.
Diversify your investments
If you dream of creating a real estate empire, remember that despite your goals, keeping your investments concentrated on one type of asset is a bad idea. We’re not just discussing spreading your investments broadly—among different asset classes. In the case of real estate, you can diversify within the sector or asset class.
It’s perfectly fine to start investing in one type of property, but then eventually, savvy investors branch out by investing in different properties, including residential, commercial, medical, and industrial properties. It is also wise to include land in your investments.
Another way you can diversify is by region or geographic area. You can spread out your real estate investments by diversifying their locations. This move helps guard against unpredictability. Should a downturn in one area or region occur, the other assets might be spared, thus minimizing or offsetting your losses.
Some seasoned real estate investors diversify their portfolios using the 60/20/20 rule. They allocate 60 percent of funds on multifamily residential properties, 20 percent on vacation rentals, and 20 percent on private equity real estate funds.
Partnerships and pooled investments
In many types of investments, it helps to share the risk with others. There are two basic ways to invest with other people. The first is by getting a partner. Partnering with someone else shares the profits and the investment risks. Draft a proper contract, establish a legal business partnership, and avoid informal deals.
The second is through REITs or real estate investment trusts. REITs are companies that own, operate, and finance income-generating properties.
Most REITs are publicly traded, similar to stock trading, and are as straightforward as when you trade options online for much smaller investments than when buying a physical property. Like stocks, REITs are highly liquid, presenting an advantage over physical property investments. These instruments can provide you with a steady income stream. However, they offer little in terms of capital appreciation.
REITs allow you to invest in properties owned by others and among different property types, including cell towers, data centers, hotels, apartment buildings, offices, medical facilities, warehouses, and retail centers. They take expenses such as property maintenance and management off your hands.
Think long-term
Approach real estate investing with a long-term perspective. Avoid seeing property as a short-term windfall. Managing your expectations enables you to hold on to investments and find lucrative deals years down the line as your properties appreciate over time.
Focus on quality, not quantity
Buy your properties strategically. Instead of purchasing cheap buildings, aim to buy properties in areas with better access to utilities and transportation. Find buildings that are well-maintained in reputable parts of town.
Such decisions can benefit you by being more likely to withstand market volatility. Even a tiny portfolio can grow substantially over time if the purchases are based on quality.
Protect your cash reserves
As a real estate investor, you need to maintain liquidity. Sufficient cash reserves provide you with a safety net. They are crucial for unscheduled maintenance costs, gaps in occupancy, or prolonged vacancies. A cash stockpile allows you to seize opportunities through new investments when the real estate market experiences a downturn. Cash deals are favored when less-prepared investors are rushing to liquidate portfolios.
Invest in financial technology
The advancements in digital financial technology or fintech can help you navigate real estate volatility. While old-school methods like paper deals, in-person consultations, and phone calls work just fine, digital tools equip you with valuable knowledge about market trends, new potential investments, and fluctuations in property values.
Technology also helps you decide with speed and act with immediacy, accomplishing everything through a mobile app or web platform.
Think beyond rental properties
Ready-to-rent properties are practical and provide a steady income. However, you should consider other investment deals like fixer-uppers or value-added properties. Value-add properties like “total rehabs” or those that can be repositioned have the potential to generate a better ROI or return on investment than new buildings.
Improve the resilience of your portfolio
If you depend on rental income from your properties, make them more resilient by conducting careful due diligence, proper tenant selection, and keen property management. By screening your tenants, you reduce the risk of default, ensuring a steady income stream. Continually maintaining your properties to a satisfactory standard attracts tenants of a higher quality and reduces the impact of market fluctuations on your income.
Be adaptable and pay attention to market trends
As a real estate investor, it can be tempting to sit back and assume that your investments will appreciate. However, this needs to be corrected. The economy experiences shifts. World events have an impact on markets.
The most successful real estate investors monitor market trends and adjust accordingly. When well-informed about interest rates, regional developments, and economic indicators, you can make strategic and timely adjustments to your portfolio. When it comes to weathering economic volatility, being proactive beats being reactive.
Navigate Economic Volatility by Building Resilience in Your Real Estate Portfolio
Real estate investments, while an excellent component of wealth creation, are vulnerable to market volatility and economic ups and downs. You can protect yourself from the fluctuations in the market by putting proven strategies in place and being proactive about your investments.
Diversification sets a solid foundation for a resilient real estate portfolio. Spreading out risk in your investments can help you navigate numerous unforeseen market events. Apart from diversification, you must be vigilant about managing your properties and investments by staying informed and adapting accordingly.
Ensuring that you have enough liquidity to weather the storms, maintaining the quality of your investments, and investing in real estate securities (REITs) and not just physical properties all add up to a resilient real estate investment strategy that will hold up during the most challenging times.
