When William Arthur Ward wrote that “gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings…and change ordinary opportunities into blessings,” it is a near certainty that he did not have the 2016 housing market in mind. However, as a self-described “Christian optimist,” there is little doubt that were he still opining in this plane today, he would probably advise real estate investors and the broader population to be ready to “adjust our sails” to face the headwinds that appear to be blowing in our direction. Then, true to form, he’d likely advise us to seek the best in the situation in order to bring out the best in ourselves as he does repeatedly in his oft-quoted works.
In the spirit of William Arthur Ward, Think Realty would like to celebrate Thanksgiving with a list of five of the many, many things to be thankful for in today’s real estate market. Here they are:
1. Unprecedented Transparency in Real Estate
We may not always be able to finagle it out of our politicians, but when it comes to real estate and economic trends, access to information abounds. A real estate investor willing to do his or her research (or read fine publications that specialize in such) can feel more confidence than ever that evidence of market growth, volatility and meltdowns will be out there in the record long before the event occurs.
2. Higher Degrees of Accessibility to Funding in the Real Estate Investing Sector
While many still imagine that truly successful real estate investing is the realm only of the already-monied, in truth investing is more accessible at any income level than ever before. Whether you choose to start “small” with wholesaling contracts or jump in with crowdfunding, your paycheck and your savings no longer are the sole determinants of the scale of your success. Investors at all income levels can effectively and profitably participate in today’s real estate market.
3. Sweat Equity Pays Off
It’s always been true that those who work hard in real estate have the wherewithal to succeed, but it never hurts to be thankful for this one. Real estate is not just the source of the “most millionaires,” it is truly a great equalizer. In this business, hard work will pay off. The numbers show it to be true time and time again. And for that, we’re all very, very thankful.
4. Fine Educational Options at All Levels and Locales
Whether an investor already knows what he or she needs to get a deal done and is looking to put a finer point on the process and profits or the investor is brand-new to the business, real estate excludes no one and, in today’s housing market, it’s not necessary to invest in your own backyard or even partner with experts in your geographic area. Investors can pick the strategy and the guidance that is right for them rather than only picking from what is at hand. As more organizations place increasingly high value on educational content, real estate investors at all levels and locations can only benefit.
5. True Advocacy Where None Previously Existed
As 2016 winds down and the New Year begins, investors will see more and more occasions on which they can impact their own economic environments via avenues like socially responsible investing and community building and through organizations dedicated truly to investors, not just to investors’ money. “More than ever before, individual investors have the opportunity to be represented by reputable advocacy groups and not just solely by financial organizations with potentially opposing interests,” said Bryan Ellis, executive director of the Self Directed Investor Society, of this development. Real estate investors have already begun to exert new levels of influence on their local economies for the good, and these types of organizations will only help bolster the economic benefits solid real estate strategy brings.
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