The Chicago Journal

5 Critical Questions Examined for Successful Real Estate Investing

Real estate investing is a fantastic way to replace your income, build your wealth, and build financial independence, yet many hesitate to jump in and get started. Here are some of the common questions real estate investor and tax attorney, Brian Boyd is asked, along with tips on how you too, can take advantage of this opportunity. 

What are some of the pros and cons of investing in real estate?

Investing in real estate can have many benefits, but it also comes with some potential drawbacks. Here are a few pros and cons to consider:

Pros:

  • Potential for steady income streams through rental income and property appreciation.
  • Real estate investments can provide diversification to your investment portfolio.
  • Real estate has proven to be a good hedge against inflation over time.
  • Tax benefits, such as deductions for mortgage interest, property taxes, and depreciation.

Cons:

  • Real estate investments can require significant capital upfront, making them less accessible to smaller investors.
  • Real estate values can be volatile and are subject to market fluctuations.
  • Property management can require significant time and effort.
  • Real estate investments can also be impacted by government regulations, zoning changes, and local economic conditions.

Overall, investing in real estate can be a lucrative and rewarding endeavor, but it requires careful consideration and planning, therefore you will want to pay attention to what experienced real estate investors have to say in order to save yourself time, money, and potential heartache.

Real EstateWho should consider investing in real estate?

Real estate can be a viable investment option for a wide range of individuals, depending on their financial goals, resources, and risk tolerance. Here are a few groups of people who might consider investing in real estate:

  1. High-net-worth individuals who are looking to diversify their portfolios and generate passive income streams.
  2. Young professionals who have some savings and are interested in building long-term wealth through smart investments.
  3. Anyone who wants to replace their income from their day job
  4. Real estate professionals or those with a deep understanding of the industry, who can leverage their expertise to identify promising investment opportunities.
  5. Retirees or those nearing retirement who want a reliable source of income (e.g. rental income from real estate investments) to supplement their retirement savings.
  6. Anyone who is interested in owning property and has the financial resources to do so, whether as a full-time landlord, vacation home owner, or some other arrangement.

While real estate can be a lucrative investment option, it is important for investors to carefully assess their financial goals, resources, and risk tolerance before making any decisions. 

How much money do you need to invest in real estate?

The amount of money required to invest in real estate can vary widely depending on the type of investment, location, and other factors. Here are a few examples:

  1. Rental properties: Purchasing a rental property typically requires a down payment of 20-30% of the property’s value, plus closing costs and other fees. Depending on the price of the property and other expenses such as repairs, renovations, and property management, investors may need anywhere from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars to get started.

  2. Real estate investment trusts (REITs): REITs are securities that allow investors to pool their money to invest in a portfolio of real estate assets. Minimum investments in REITs can range from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars, depending on the fund.

  3. Real estate crowdfunding: Crowdfunding platforms allow investors to pool their money to invest in specific real estate projects, such as commercial developments or apartment buildings. The minimum investment amount can vary widely, but it is often in the range of a few thousand dollars.

  4. Real estate mutual funds: Mutual funds that invest in real estate can be purchased for as little as a few hundred dollars, depending on the fund.

Ultimately, the amount of money required to invest in real estate will depend on a number of factors, including the type of investment, the location, the investor’s goals and risk tolerance, and their available resources. 

What are some ways you can easily invest in real estate?

There are several ways to invest in real estate that require varying levels of time, resources, and expertise. Here are a few examples of relatively easy ways to invest in real estate:

  1. Real estate investment trusts (REITs): REITs are publicly traded companies that own and manage real estate assets, such as apartment buildings, office spaces, and shopping centers. Investors can buy shares in a REIT just like they would buy shares in a stock or mutual fund, allowing them to invest in real estate without having to buy physical property.
  2. Real estate crowdfunding: Crowdfunding platforms allow investors to invest in specific real estate projects, such as commercial developments or apartment buildings, by pooling their money with other investors. This can be a relatively low-cost and low-risk way to invest in real estate, as investors can participate with as little as a few thousand dollars.
  3. Real estate mutual funds: Mutual funds that invest in real estate can be purchased through brokers or financial advisors. These funds typically invest in a diversified portfolio of real estate assets, providing investors with exposure to the real estate market without having to manage properties themselves.
  4. Real estate investment groups (REIGs): REIGs allow investors to pool their money to purchase and manage properties. This can be a good option for investors who want to be involved in real estate investments but don’t have the time, expertise or resources to do it alone.

How should someone decide if real estate investing is a wise decision for them?

When considering whether real estate investing is a wise move, there are several factors that individuals should consider:

  1. Financial goals: What are your financial goals for investing? Are you looking to build long-term wealth, generate passive income, or diversify your investment portfolio? Real estate can be a good option for achieving these goals, but it is important to ensure that your investing strategy aligns with your goals.
  2. Resources: How much capital and other resources do you have available for investing in real estate? Investing in real estate typically requires a significant upfront investment, so it is important to ensure that you have the resources available to make the investment.

  3. Risk tolerance: How comfortable are you with risk? Real estate investments can be subject to market fluctuations and other risks, so it is important to have a clear understanding of your risk tolerance before investing.

  4. Knowledge and expertise: Do you have the knowledge and expertise necessary to make informed decisions about real estate investments? If not, it may be beneficial to consult with a professional or to conduct additional research to ensure that you are adequately prepared to make investing decisions.
  5. Market conditions: What are the market conditions in your area and in the real estate industry more broadly? Investing in real estate can be impacted by economic conditions, interest rates, and other factors that may influence the market.
    Real EstateWhen considering investing in real estate, it is important to do your research and seek professional advice where necessary to ensure that you are making informed decisions about your investments. Replace Your Income: A Lawyer’s Guide to Finding, Funding, and Managing Real Estate Investments by tax attorney Brian T. Boyd is specifically for those thinking about or relatively new to real estate investing.

CEO and Stock Trader Simon Lerner Empowers Traders to Choose the Best Investments in the Market

Everyone wants to make an investment, but not everybody is equipped to analyze trends and predict how the market will perform in a given period. Investment opportunities are abundant, but choosing which will yield the most promising long-term returns necessitates a certain skill. CEO, stock trader, investor, and real estate developer Simon Lerner stays on top of his game by studying investment opportunities daily, and his success today was made possible because of his unique discernment when it comes to trading. Despite his success, the 22-year-old trader is making time to empower others to identify the best investment opportunities in the market today. 

Simon is the CEO of NetCon, an online trading community that helps students and aspiring investors become profitable traders in the long run. NetCon leverages real-time tips, tactics, and growth by using a tested and proven system. The data gathered using this system is shared with other traders within the community Simon has built. The NetCon Group is the mother company of several other sub-companies focusing on various niches. These sub-companies include the NetCon Trading Academy, NetCon Events, and the NetCon Apparel. 

In the past few years, Simon surprised everyone when he hosted four large networking conferences for entrepreneurs in several key locations: Long Island, the Hamptons, New York, and Los Angeles. He has invited influential individuals to these conferences, including Jason Capital, Dan Fleyshman, John Mallot, Jeff Sekinger, Ravi Abuvala, and Sean Mike Kelly. He was only 18 when he started organizing these conferences.

At his very young age, the Russian-born and raised investor has accomplished a great deal of feats over the past few years, including making multiple six-figure trades and investments in the stock market. He developed a trading community with more than 1,000 members, many of whom he helped transition from their day jobs to full-time trading. Simon acquired eight real estate properties and has five under construction. His most prized achievement, by far, is having more than enough finances to be able to make his mother retire, who raised him as a single mother.

Simon moved to the United States to pursue higher education when he was only 13 years old. When he was 15, he started selling video game items online, and strangers would pay him online for internet goods and services. It became a turning point in his will as he realized he had a gift in entrepreneurship. He attended college in New York and pursued a degree in engineering, but he later realized that he wanted a degree in Business. While attending his classes, however, he also realized that he was learning more by listening to podcasts than from his teachers. 

Simon dropped out of college and started investing heavily in his own trading education by paying to be mentored, attending seminars, reading books, and studying courses. He had a rough start with trading after losing $15,000, but he soon found his footing and competitive edge. Today, Simon is an inspiration to multiple people in the business world. And what is admirable is that he shares everything he knows with others so they can achieve their dreams. 

“With the growth of my personal brand and sharing my entrepreneurial journey on social media, I’ve had incredible opportunities to speak at many events in different countries and share my story and experience with people around the world,” he shared. 

With Simon at the helm, NetCon has evolved into a progressive organization allowing people to build meaningful and lasting relationships. Simon showed everyone that it is possible to build wealth without a college degree, but with the proper education, through the online courses and conferences, he attended. At the end of the day, it was his determination to succeed that helped him realize all his dreams.

Low sales prompts Burger King to make huge investments for the long run

On Friday, Burger King announced plans to spend $400 million over the next two years to promote and renovate its restaurants.

The decision is part of a broader strategy to revive US sales.

Investment

At its annual franchisee conference, Burger King shared its plans for Las Vegas.

The investment is expected to increase by 10 to 12 cents a year based on adjusted earnings per share this year and next.

The company expects that the investment will pay off in 2025.

Meanwhile, Wall Street analysts polled by Refinitiv expected earnings per share of $3.24 next year.

Sales

Burger King’s US same-store sales growth was flat in the second quarter. The burger chain has lagged rivals like McDonald’s and Wendy’s with weak sales in the US last year.

The sales numbers worry Restaurant Brands CEO Jose Cila. During his tenure as CEO, Cil worked to revive demand for Burger King’s sister chain, Tim Hortons, in Canada.

Last year, he also hired former Domino’s Pizza CEO Tom Curtis as the new president of Burger King in the US and Canada.

Some of Burger King’s changes include a more streamlined menu to reduce wait times and fewer paper coupons to encourage customers to switch to its mobile app.

Changes

Burger King will make bolder changes. The company plans to spend $200 million to finance renovations at more than 800 locations.

More than $50 million will be used to upgrade more than 3,000 restaurants, including improvements to technology, kitchen equipment, and buildings.

Burger King hopes that a more selective and strategic approach to other projects will lead to better revenue growth, although it may take some time to see results.

“We might see remodels start to hit the market mid-2023 and going forward,” said Cil.

“It should really be a gradual ramp of the business over the course of the couple of years.”

The company also increased its advertising budget by 30%, investing $120 million over the next two years.

Investments will start in the fourth quarter.

“We expect that to start having an impact on sales over the next quarter,” Cil said.

$30 million will be spent on improving mobile apps by 2024.

Burger King also plans to revamp its menu in a multi-year project that includes developing new Whopper flavors, committing to Royal Chicken Crisp sandwiches and investing more in employee training.

Franchise support

Burger King’s strategy is supported by subsidiaries that operate 93 percent of its restaurants in the United States.

Operators and companies will spend money on renovations and advertising.

Over the past three to six months, Tom Curtis and his team have been building a pool of franchisees to develop a strategy.

In addition to Burger King’s funding, franchisees upgrading restaurants must make similar investments to finance these projects.

Burger King is also changing its incentive structure, encouraging the operator to undertake a major overhaul.

The operator of the former renovated Burger King restaurant has been granted a discount on advertising and licensing fees for more than seven years.

The new program also provides them with funding after projects are completed and allows them to choose a discount on royalties paid to the company.

However, Burger King franchisees will have to pay higher ad fund fees if profitability targets are met.

References:

Burger King unveils $400 million plan to revive US sales with investments in renovations and advertising

Burger King investing $400m in US revamp to boost sales