The commercial real estate market can be a confusing subject with all of the different opinions and information that is available – especially when a lot of it is contradictory. If you are looking for all of the basics regarding commercial real estate, plus some other tips that you might not have heard of, this article is for you.
Don’t get too set on one type of commercial real estate as an investment. You may be thinking that buying an apartment building would be the best investment because people always need a place to live, but look at storefronts, office buildings and warehouses, too. You might get just as much income with a lot less hassle!
If you are going to buy a car you always look at several options first. The same should go for choosing a real estate agent. Do several interviews by phone and then make a short list of 2 or 3 of your favorites. Meet these agents in person to see if you have a good chemistry with them.
TIP! Beware of dual agency. Dual agency occurs when an agent works for two parties in a transaction.
Have several different individuals evaluate the value of the commercial property you are considering buying. Fresh perspectives will be able to give you a clear view of how much others believe this property is worth. You may find that you are paying too much, or that your real estate agent is overvaluing the property for your offer.
If you are having issues with a renter that is not paying what they owe you, you should do your best to communicate openly with them. If they are avoiding you, they are clearly not planning on paying you. Establish a payment plan with them if possible. Take legal action if it is the only solution.
Even though your broker has all of the connections and the know-how, make sure that you find one that is still going to allow you to be in control. In the end, you are the one that is going to be dealing with the property, so you should have the most control over the situation.
Be sure to have all of your requirements for the deal in writing before beginning work with any seller or broker. Include the meetings that you may want to have with managers, heads of departments, and maybe even an architect. Be sure, also, to interview different brokers prior to signing with any of them.
TIP! Before you begin the process of purchasing a commercial real estate property, make sure you find a commercial broker who can help you with your specific needs. Some commercial brokers are not skilled in all commercial real estate areas, which could prevent you from getting what you are specifically looking for.
One important tip to remember when investing in commercial real estate is that you need to approach it differently in every aspect than residential real estate. This is important to know ahead of time because you will need a much higher down payment ratio, and you also need to find out which lenders will cater to your particular situation. One aspect that is safer than residential real estate is the fact that your own personal credit will not suffer if there are negative unforeseen circumstances that cause the deal to end prematurely.
If you plan on investing in commercial real estate, you must be sure you understand the risks involved. Even though the sponsor should disclose “risk factors” to you, you need to review them and understand the risks of different options before selecting one. There is a different risk involved when investing in real estate with a few tenants, as opposed to, one with ten or more.
Find a mentor to help you in your real estate adventures. There are other people out there that have been through it all and have a lot of good information to offer you. Don’t feel like you have to go through everything by yourself and figure it all out on your own.
Be sympathetic to the other party in the purchase or sell. While you don’t need to make concessions to them, sympathy in conversations is still required. Remember, even though this is a purchase, you are both still humans and a little politeness goes a long way. In some cases it can even help to seal the deal.
TIP! If you are not making enough money with your investment, consider raising the rent. You should justify this increase by explaining to your renter why you cannot afford to manage your property with the rent they are currently paying.
In commercial real estate, go ahead and go big. If you are already going to have to go through commercial financing to work a deal, then why not look at bigger properties? The cost per unit decreases the larger the property and management of a bigger property does not require an exponential effort to the number of units. The management of a a few units is virtually the same as managing a complex.
As stated at the beginning, there is quite a bit of information regarding commercial real estate. Hopefully you will find these tips beneficial. You should now find yourself ahead of the game if you are working to become an expert, or just trying to get a bit of background information.