Real estate agent
Category of real estate investment for new investors.
Real estate investing involves the purchase, ownership, management, rental and/or sale of real estate for profit. Improvement of realty property as part of a real estate investment strategy is generally considered to be a sub-specialty of real estate investing called real estate development. Real estate is an asset form with limited liquidity relative to other investments (such as stocks or bonds that openly trade on financial markets). It is also capital intensive
(Although capital may be gained through mortgage leverage) and is highly cash flow dependent.
It can be chaotic for a new investors to make a definite decision on how and what to invest on real estate. That is why we have decided to create a guide for new investors to be able to comprehend and invest with us.
There are 3 main types of real estate investment; Commercial Real Estate, Residential Real Estate, and Land. Each type has multiple sub categories.
Commercial Real Estate
Retail
Office
Industrial
Multi Family
Residential Real Estate
Single Family Rental Property
Section 8 Rentals
Vacation Rentals
Small Multi Family
Fix and Flip
Land Real Estate
Land for Commercial development
Land for Residential development
Land for farming
Land for mining
Real estate investing is like dating – there are more options than there are time and money to pursue. Stay in your league, and you’ll likely have a steady, predictable, and productive result. Get distracted with flash, and you can wind up penniless and alone.
Definition of Commercial Real Estate Investment:
Commercial Real Estate is a broad term used to describe the ownership of buildings used to conduct business or generate cash flow, or the acquisition of land for a long term return on investment.
It could be a building bought for the purpose of conducting one’s own business.
It can be a building an investor purchases to generate leasing income from someone else’s use.
It can be a parcel of land acquired to develop the above.
Below is a deeper dive into the types and sub types of commercial real estate investment, and a brief description of the risks and rewards associated.
Retail – Categories of Commercial Investment
Type: Regional Mall National
Example: Major Mall Development
Tenants Size: Regional and local tenants
Type:
Example:
Tenants Size:
Type: Community Center 3 major boxes
Example: Developments that include a Walmart
Tenants Size: National regional and tenants
Type: stand alone
Example: Gas station, bank, or single big box
Tenants Size: National Tenants, Local Brands
Office – Categories of Commercial Investment
Class A – Very high end finish levels, usually in the tech and finance areas of a city. Rents are above average for the area as these buildings have an element of prestige associated with occupancy.
Class B – Most common level of finish in good and stable areas. Have the highest level of demand in most market places. Class A properties are not considered competition for Class B properties.
Class C – Projects that are typically in older areas of town. The buildings have become dated both in terms of form and function. Rents are below market rate, and tenants can be hard to find and retain.
Medical Office is also a specialized sub category. This is space specifically designed for tenants in the medical field, and are often part of a development that attracts a variety of medical professionals.
Industrial
Heavy manufacturing: These facilities are designed for major production of products and need to be equipped with industrial sized tools like cranes, specialized welding equipment, chemical processing, and painting areas. They are heavily customized for the individual user’s needs.
Light assembly: These facilities don’t make components, but rather assemble and package them for shipping/storage. The zoning process for these are usually less restrictive than for heavy industrial and can be found in a broader area of a city.
Warehouse: These projects are commonly proximal to major transportation corridors and are designed for the storage of product. They include shipping docs for semi-truck access, have high ceilings, concrete floors, and consist of mostly open space. They may include refrigeration for cold storage.
Flex Industrial: This product is as described. It customarily offers a combination of warehouse style space with office frontage. It is generally smaller – from 1,500-6,000 sqft; 20’ roll-up doors in the rear and 8’ drop ceilings in the front office are typical features.
Multi Family
High-rise: A building commonly consisting of more than 9 stories. Built exclusively in major metropolitan areas.
Mid-rise: A multi-story building typically 5-9 stories accessible by elevator. These projects are high density and normally built in urban areas.
Garden-style: These are ordinary apartment style projects found in suburban and urban areas. Usually do not exceed 3 stories and are built with green belt areas in the center of the complex.
Walk-up: These buildings are mostly smaller and have fewer amenities than Garden-style projects. They are usually 1-2 stories with stairs accessing top floor. 4plex concepts are often called walk ups.
Manufactured housing community: Also called mobile home communities. Residents in these projects, generally rent either just the space, or both the space and the manufactured home.
Specific-purpose/project housing: A wide variety of housing for families and individuals including: student, government subsidized, retirement, recovery, and special needs.
Residential Real Estate Investment
Single Family Rentals: Can be one owner condominiums, town homes, or typical single family detached homes. Single family rental homes are the most common form of real estate investment. They can be either self-managed, or professionally managed by a property management company. The lease terms are commonly a minimum of 12 months.
Section 8 Rentals: These properties are typical to single family rentals with one exception. The owner has specifically applied and received special designation as an approved Section 8 home. The tenants are low to no income and the government pays either all or part of the monthly rent. This can be a guaranteed form of income, but can also come with its own unique set of challenges.
Vacation Rentals: Can be any single family home, but comes fully furnished and is available for short term rentals. These types of projects work best in highly desirable areas like near beaches, lakes, or major entertainment districts. Most often these units require professional property management companies.
Small Multi Family: These properties are also called small apartment or walk up complexes; they are configured as a duplex or Quad. These units often provide a strong cap rate and return if properly managed. However, this type of product is often found in older less desirable areas, where tenant issues are more prevalent. Month-to-month leases are common, so turn-over is higher than with single family
Fix and Flip: The subject of a million TV series that make this form of investment seem rewarding, simple, and profitable. The concept is simple, but the reality is far more complicated. You just need to buy a property under its actual value, add additional value through upgrades and repairs, and sell the property for a profit within a short period of time. The risks are unexpected repair costs, misunderstanding the post rehab value, or having a rapid and unexpected change in the overall health of the market.
Land Real Estate Investment
Land for Commercial development: Land that is acquired for the purpose of developing a commercial center. This usually involves working with architects to design plans, and local governments to ensure the appropriate zoning is in place.
Land for Residential development: Very similar in process to commercial but with a residential end user in mind.
