by Shawn Boday | Apr 19, 2021 | Real Estate, Real Estate Investing, Real Estate Tips, Shawn Boday, Uncategorized
A commercial real estate property is an asset that generates income for its owners. The property offers favorable returns over a long time. It benefits the owners with consistent monthly rental income and adds value to the total investment portfolio. The process of commercial real estate appraisal determines the current or market value of a commercial property which in turn helps seek financing, insurance, purchase, or sale deals.
Commercial real estate investments have earned solid returns in the past. Unfortunately, these gains have dissipated due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Clients choose to move out of office spaces they no longer afford to save on rental costs as employees work remotely. Whereas there is some semblance of a return to normalcy, it will take time, and companies worldwide will have to adapt to new business models to survive the post coronavirus era.
This trend has been long in the works as the past decade will show, with brick and mortar businesses switching to digital platforms. Global brands have set up massive distribution centers across the continent to serve an ever-growing internet consumer base. Notably, the near-collapse of coworking spaces company WeWork has cast doubt over flexible working spaces options that the sector had started to acclimatize.
With global travel at less than 50%, short-term stays companies will continue to struggle in the foreseeable future casting further doubts on investments in real estate startups such as Common, Quarters, and Ollie. Deloitte projects that economic activity across Europe, large Asia-pacific economies, e.g., Japan and Australia, India, United States, and China, will face a severe downturn if the coronavirus vaccination is not practical. As it will take time to develop enough vaccines and deploy them, economists expect growth to remain constrained for a long time. Nonetheless, the economy will recover. The critical question for Commercial Real Estate owners is whether CRE companies are ready for the future.
By tapping into tenant data, commercial real estate companies will become more resilient. IoT sensors collect proprietary information about the behavior of users in multiple real estate properties. This data provides a valuable commodity that could help technological and marketing companies build trust and increase user engagement. These observed trends are bound to take commercial real estate to a whole new competitive phase.
by Shawn Boday | Apr 12, 2021 | Business, Real Estate, Real Estate Investing, Real Estate Tips, Shawn Boday, Uncategorized
Whether you are looking to purchase or sell a property, commercial real estate appraisals are key to determining the price or value of the property in question. Appraising commercial real estate is beneficial to a seller and a buyer as it helps identify the comparative value of a particular property against other available properties in the market. Commercial property is defined as a property used exclusively for business-related purposes or to provide workspaces rather than private living spaces.
Commercial real estate should not be confused with residential real estate appraisals, which looks at the value of single-family homes, condominiums, or townhouses mainly used as private living spaces. Whereas commercial real estate properties are typically leased by tenants who conduct income-generating activities, residential properties are purchased for personal use. Knowing the distinction between the two will help you choose the right valuation approaches when you are buying or selling.
Commercial real estate appraisal is the process of identifying the current value of a commercial property. It is mainly conducted by sellers to identify the market value of their property when considering selling it to other parties. In other cases, buyers undertake a commercial property appraisal to verify whether the asking price is competitive against other options in the market. In both instances, the derived value of the property acts as an unbiased, fair estimate that sets a foundation for negotiations, financing, restructuring or insurance purposes.
The current market value of a real estate property helps banks determine how much financing they can safely lend against such assets. Financial institutions provide capital to investors, individuals and businesses against assets that can be sold off to recover the total sum of principal and interest accrued on loan should the borrower fail in their obligations to repay. In the case of real estate, the current market value forms a basis for calculating the maximum mortgage value a bank can lend safely.
Further, insurance companies use commercial real estate appraisals to determine how much you should pay to insure the commercial property’s value against such perils as fire, theft, and natural disasters. Whichever the case, it is essential to identify the exact purpose of the appraisal report to determine the correct method of undertaking commercial real estate valuations.
by Shawn Boday | Mar 17, 2021 | Real Estate, Real Estate Investing, Real Estate Tips, Washington
Technology is disrupting many industries. Even a sector as old as real estate is being affected. Here are some innovative real estate technologies that are changing the scene.
New Buy and Selling Platforms
Platforms like Redfin and Zillow are emerging. They’re making it easier for consumers to directly sell their house on their own, without an agent. “For Sale By Owner” (FSBO) was previously difficult to do but the advent of the internet changed things. Real estate has very high fees, typically 5-6% of the selling price. These new platforms can save sellers a lot of money.
Virtual walkthrough
Sometimes potential buyers are in a faraway city. Or they’re unavailable during an open house. Either way, they’d benefit from a virtual walkthrough of the property. This is easy to do with some low-cost apps available.
With the technology available today, you can stage a property by digitally adding furniture. You can also create realistic photos even before construction starts.
Drones
Drones have already found a couple of use-cases in society. For real estate, they can be used for aerial photography. A flyby would be a great way to get a feel for a neighborhood.
As of now, it’s difficult to move a drone around a tiny, enclosed place. This means drones aren’t good for exploring the interior of a house.
Artificial Intelligence
Currently, you can plugin to the MLS (or another real estate database) that you want a studio or a four-bedroom house. In the future though, AI will be able to make recommendations based on your values, personality traits, and preferences.
Chatbots are rapidly improving every year. They’ll be able to answer questions from customers. Eventually, they’ll be able to accompany clients to real estate showings. An agent might be able to take on more clients or lower their fees.
Big Data
Along with AI, big data will assist in making personalized recommendations. The more data a company has, the better it can make data-driven decisions.
by Shawn Boday | Feb 26, 2021 | Real Estate, Real Estate Investing, Real Estate Tips, Uncategorized
In 2019, Vacasa released its report of the best places to purchase a vacation home. The key takeaway is that locations within the Smoky Mountains and Florida beaches are the top contenders. Further, you do not have to be a millionaire to consider purchasing a second home as a getaway. The median home costs within the report range from $178,000 to more than $708,000. Feel free to read through the entire report. It lists 25 different locations in total. However, the below list contains the top 5:
Kissimmee, Florida
This city is located in the Orlando Metro Region and is housed right near several of the most popular theme parks in the nation. These parks include SeaWorld, Legoland, Universal Studios, and the famous Walt Disney World.
Whittier, North Carolina
Whittier is nestled between the Smoky Mountains and the Nantahala National Forest. This small community houses approximately 5,600 people and is close to several attractions. The Eastern Cherokee Reservation, Harrah’s Casino, and Dollywood are all within driving distance. Other interesting and family-oriented activities nearby include gem mining, hunting, fly fishing, and river rafting.
Davenport, Florida
Davenport is a small city sandwiched between Orlando and Tampa. It is a city that is growing daily, but it still only houses about 5,400 residents. This is a great location for individuals who want some distance from the big cities, but still close enough to enjoy them when necessary. Tourist locations near Davenport include True Blue Winery, Providence Golf Club, and Lake Davenport.
Killington, Vermont
Killington is a tiny little town of only 800 people. However, it is famously known as the largest ski area on the east coast. Not only is Killington great for skiing, but hiking enthusiasts will feel right at home as well. The Appalachian Trail runs right through Killington. Individuals will also be able to enjoy biking, ATV rides, local restaurants, and shopping centers.
Sevierville, Tennessee
Sevierville, nestled near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is best known as the hometown of the famous singer and actress, Dolly Parton. In 1986, a local theme park by the name of Silver Dollar City was renamed to Dollywood after Ms. Parton purchased an interest in the park, sparking an uptick in tourism.
by Shawn Boday | Feb 1, 2021 | Business, Housing Market, Real Estate, Real Estate Investing, Real Estate Tips, Seattle, Shawn Boday, Washington
For any Millenials considering or even beginning to scope the real estate world, you’re on the right track. Real estate investing is one of the smartest moves anyone could make, considering the versatility and potential returns. Investing in property comes with neat benefits like passive income, tax benefits, and full control over not only the property and your investment strategy but also your profits.
That being said, deciding to invest in property can be super daunting. Where do you start? What do you do with the property?
To nudge you in the right direction, here are some essential things that Millenial real estate investors should know before jumping in.
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Know your budget and credit score
While it’s not necessary to be wealthy to invest in real estate, having some savings will help buffer any risks from investing or at least reduce the uncertainty.
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Establish a financial goal and investment strategy
Know your goals and the best plan to get there. Generally, most investors don’t need to pay for an entire, say $250,000 property. This is for the Millenials who are still struggling to pay off school debt: don’t worry, you can invest as well. The cool thing about real estate investing is you can purchase most properties with a down payment, which tends to about 20% of the total price. Options like getting a bank loan or lending from a trusted partner are also helpful for millennial real estate investors with limited cash at their disposal.
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Scope the market
Knowing where to look for viable property options requires looking at patterns like population growth, rental demand, and job availability.
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Consider the type of property.
Here, you have a few choices at your disposal. The top types of real estate include single or multi-family properties, syndications, or buy & hold turnkey funds. Single or multi-family properties are in high demand and involves a short-term strategy. Syndications are larger, commercial properties with a group of investors, resulting in less risk. Turnkey real estate funds are longer-term investments that offer immediate passive income from tenants already living there.
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Research locations
When you know the type of property you’re looking for, it’s time to take a look at locations you’ve identified based on the real estate market. With your budget in mind, figure out if you want to flip a house or if you’d rather be a long-distance landlord for a turnkey property.
Above all, millennial real estate investors must continue learning and growing. While the first step is to try it out without hesitation, further education will make Millenials savvier in their real estate journey.
