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Real Estate Investments in Chicago

Real Estate Investments in Chicago

Real Estate Investments in Chicago

Chicago houses usually appreciate almost 5% every year, based on the current market, building, region, or neighborhood. While 5% does not appear like a massive return, closer observation shows that real estate investments in Chicago are worthy.

Since your property taxes and mortgage interests are tax-deductible, the government is significantly financing your house purchase. Therefore, your rate of return is higher than every real estate investment you make in Chicago.

4 Primary Benefits of Investing in a Property in Chicago

With its high cost-effectiveness, comparatively large housing inventory levels, and low living costs, Chicago has many renters. Hence, investing in Chicago real estate properties and renting them out is a fantastic option for real estate investors.

Here are some points that explain why it is beneficial in investing in a Chicago property:

1. Individualism and Freedom

Renting a house means you have some limitations on what you will do to enhance your place. Spending thousands of dollars on upgrading a home that you don’t own does not make sense. But, buying your house gives you the freedom to make updates, adjustments, and enhancements according to your need, creating an ambiance you can call home.

2. Income Tax Savings

Another advantage of buying a Chicago house is saving on income taxes. Due to these tax deductions, the government will subsidize your home buy and deduct all of the taxes you pay on the house in a given year from your gross income, thereby lowering your taxable income.

3. More Space

Nowadays, many homebuyers seek to increase their square footage. Luckily, real estate in Chicago provides many options ranging from single-family homes to condo units that offer the same space as a house you can find in the suburban areas. Many provide outdoor space, along with your storage, laundry, and bigger rooms.

4. Forced Savings

Buying a house allows you to make savings in two ways. One is a part of your payment that matches the principal every month. It increases over time. The second is home appreciation. A home appreciates every year, which shows that owning a house is a significant financial investment.

Closing Thoughts

Making real estate investments in Chicago, for most investors, is one of the most crucial decisions they make. Consulting a real estate counselor or professional will be an essential part of the whole process. They have information about vital factors that impact your particular market areas like market forecasts, changes in market states, best places, customer attitudes, interest rates, and timing.

If you want to learn more about investing in real estate properties in Chicago, you can contact LD2 Development, a reliable Chicago home builder. We can help you make successful real estate investments by reducing all risks and increasing the practicality of your investment property in Chicago. You may consult with one of our investment counselors to find the best real estate properties in Chicago and invest in them without any issue. Don’t hesitate to contact us today to schedule a consultation with our experts!

Investing in Real Estate vs. the Stock Market

Investing in Real Estate vs. the Stock Market

Investing in Real Estate vs. the Stock Market

Of the two types of investing, investing in stocks and shares seems on the surface to be more accessible to many than the world of property investment.

So, why would you consider investing in real estate?

Both types of investment have their pros and cons but the beauty of investing in property lies in the low risk, stability, and predictability of the investment.

When you add incredible tax advantages, hedge against inflation and control of investment to the list of positives then choosing to invest in tangible bricks and mortar over stocks and shares makes much more sense.

Let’s take a brief look at some of the pros and cons.

Stocks and Shares – Positives and Negatives

Negatives

1. Volatility

During a dip in the economy, you may be subject to the disappointment of diminishing funds as the profitability of the company drops.

Stock prices experience extreme short-term volatility, depending on the day’s events. Most smart traders do not react to these volatile market cycles but take a long term approach; however, the unpredictability of stocks can take its toll emotionally.

2. Risk

Stocks are volatile by nature because they depend greatly not only on the economy but also on the performance of a company and more importantly on the performance of the flawed individuals that run those companies.

If a company goes bankrupt then the money that you have invested in those stocks is completely dissolved.

This is a bigger risk than many are willing to take; many investors prefer to have their capital tied up in an investment over which they have a greater degree of control.

Negative publicity can also affect stock prices unexpectedly and in this day and age of instant news and of fake news, the volatility goes through the roof.

For example, on January 29, 2013, Audience ($ADNC), a voice processing company, found itself in muddy waters, literally, after a Twitter account named @MuddyWaters published a tweet about a false report in which the company was being investigated by the Department of Justice. The tweet set the company’s stock into a 25% drop. Muddy Water’s published a tweet after, clarifying the hoax.

  1. Ambiguity

Accurate stock analysis calls for a great deal of study. Even many honest experts admit that they are barely scratching the surface when it comes to accurate in-depth analysis.

When you invest in stocks you effectively own a portion of the company that you are investing in. If that company manages to thrive then the value of your stock rises and you win. When the company struggles, you lose.

Positives

1. Passive Income

The entire process of investing in stocks can be automated.

Of course, when it comes to investing in property, you don’t have to be the one dealing with tenants’ problems. When you invest in a property deal that is syndicated by someone else then this means that your real estate investment income will effectively also be 100% passive. You are several steps removed from the day to day management of the property.

2. Liquidity

Buying and selling stock is a relatively straightforward and speedy process with low transaction costs. No tangible asset is being exchanged so the transaction is quick and inexpensive. The process of actually buying and selling stocks is obviously much more straightforward than buying and selling a property which often takes two or three months or more.

3. Diversification

Due to the relative ease of buying and selling stocks, it stands to reason that it would also be fairly simple to spread your capital across different stocks. This is a way to combat the volatility of the stock market where the prices of individual stocks fluctuate daily. Clearly, it would take a much greater investment of capital to diversify your real estate portfolio in the same way.

Real Estate – Positives and Negatives

Real estate is a tangible asset and as such for many investors, feels more real. A great appeal of this type of investment is its stability.

For many millions of people, this kind of investment has generated consistent wealth and long-term appreciation.

Real estate investment provides a very consistent and stable rental income. Having a home is a vital necessity for all people, and as a result, rental investors are relatively protected even during economic downturns.

Negatives

1. Lack of liquidity

With property, you can’t just sell it at the end of the trading day. You can’t go back on your decision to invest in a property at the click of a key on your keyboard.

It may be necessary to hold the property for several years to realize the anticipated big returns.

It’s interesting to note however, that most stocks dividend yields hover around 4% or less annually.  When you invest in a multifamily real estate deal, you start receiving income almost immediately. Investors are getting distribution checks every month from rental income and routinely the average annual returns even after fees, inflation and taxes, are above 10%.

2. Lack of diversification

If you’re putting all of your money into real estate you might be limiting your diversification.

In contrast, with stocks, by means of an index or mutual fund, you can have easy diversification.

However, diversification can be achieved in real estate investing; well-qualified advisors can help you to spread your investments across different communities and different types of property.

This is another advantage of syndication.

3. Transaction Costs

As we have seen, stock trading has much lower transaction costs than real estate.

Real estate is a longer-term investment and transferring property is expensive. There are title fees, attorney fees, agent commissions, transfer taxes, inspections, and appraisal costs.

Real estate is a tangible asset and as such for many investors, feels more real. A great appeal of this type of investment is its stability.

For many millions of people, this kind of investment has generated consistent wealth and long-term appreciation.

Real estate investment provides a very consistent and stable rental income. Having a home is a vital necessity for all people, and as a result, rental investors are relatively protected even during economic downturns.

Positives

1. Cash Flow

Property investment provides an opportunity to invest for cash flow which means buying a rental property for the income it generates each month.

With skillful management, this cash flow income can be increased significantly after your investment.

The passive income from your real estate investments can dramatically improve your quality of life.

Rental properties give a steady source of cash that keeps up with inflation.

With smart investment advice, real estate investing will bring a consistent stream of passive income.

Many investors are often able to earn cash flow completely tax-free.

2. Tax Advantages

The government gives many tax advantages to those that effectively help them with their responsibility to provide suitable housing for the populace. Owning real estate brings many tax advantages, not least of which is depreciation.

Depreciation is a key tax advantage with real estate investment.

Real estate investors earn back the cost of depreciation over a period of time after the initial purchase.

Because you are depreciating an asset that increases in value, you receive a tax credit accordingly.

This tax credit is received in addition to property maintenance and other costs that you can take away from the rental income you receive.

When you add in ‘bonus depreciation’ and ‘1031 Exchange,’ the tax advantages are truly extraordinary.

3. Hedge against Inflation

Depending on the type of securities you hold, Inflation can be problematic. Real estate investing serves as a hedge against inflation. The value of the property is tied to inflation as replacement cost goes up and the rent of the tenant is adjusted upward.

Summary

Investing in multifamily properties brings excellent returns with low volatility and many other financial advantages.

A great advantage of investing through syndicates rather than making a self-directed investment is that you get to leverage the investment company’s expertise. 

With a syndicator, you can bank on the knowledge and skills of several real estate professionals. 

Many investors don’t have the time or inclination to learn every aspect of owning and managing real estate investment, for example, negotiating purchase agreements, financing a purchase, negotiating leases and managing the property.

We look forward to supporting you in your desire to expand your wealth and reach your goal of financial freedom by means of multifamily real estate investment.