Real estate has always been considered a good long-term investment. This is because house prices have a tendency to rise over the long term. These rises also tend to be greater than inflation, meaning that you are actually making money.
However, the world, and global markets, have been rocked by the pandemic that stretched across the globe. It has hit several industries hard, you’re right to be cautious about investing.
The good news is that the price of property appears to be continuing to rise. Records show property prices jumped 22% in 2021!
However, before you can make money from real estate, you’re going to need to invest money. That means you need to be certain about what you are doing. It’s difficult to invest in real estate without any risk unless you are lucky enough to win the home lottery, that’s definitely worth trying.
There are several things you need to be aware of before you decide whether to invest in real estate in 2022.
Prices Are High
Thanks to the boom in prices in 2021 you’re entering a market that is enjoying high prices. That’s great if you’re a seller. But, if you’re looking to buy you will be paying more than you would have done for the same property a year or so ago.
While this can seem positive as you want the prices to rise, you need to remember that 2021 saw the biggest price increase in real estate for 20 years. In short, there is no guarantee that prices will rise in the same way.
That means investing is likely to be a safe bet if you’re in it for the long term. But, if you want to invest in order to create a profit this year, you’ll need to proceed with caution, after such a big rise in values it is possible the housing market will crash.
Interest Rates
Interest rates have stayed low for many years. This means you won’t have to pay a huge sum to borrow the capital you need for your real estate investment.
There is no guarantee that interest rates will remain low, especially as the world recovers from the pandemic. That makes 2022 a good year to invest in real estate and take advantage of the low rates before they change.
Rental Demand
The pandemic forced many people out of their homes. These people will be looking for new places to live and, if you’re looking at investing in real estate property to rent, you will find there are plenty of candidates waiting to use your property.
That will make it easier to cover your costs and even start making a profit at the beginning.
Uncertainty
However, before you jump into real estate it is important to assess all the risks. The pandemic has changed many people’s approach to life. That means the traditional living arrangements could be changing. While property is still essential for everyone and real estate is a good investment opportunity, make sure you understand what the people in your area want and focus on investing in that type of property.