One of the least considered, but perhaps most important aspects of successful real estate investment is insurance against losses. Even though the market for residential real estate has begun to cool, commercial real estate investment opportunities abound. Commercial properties have additional risks that need to be mitigated and in today’s litigious society, it is important for investors to take the steps necessary to protect themselves and their investments.
When it comes to commercial real estate investment, investors often want to know which types of properties they should consider investing. This article discusses about 5 groups of properties and reasons why you should or should not consider them.
Investing in shopping centers in California presents a real challenge for many investors. Most shopping centers in the state offer very low if not the lowest cap rate in the nation, e.g. 4-6% range. As a result, the cash flow is weak compare to shopping centers in other states. Investors will also need more money for a down payment, e.g. 40-70% of the purchase price to qualify for a loan. The upside is that the vacancy rate for retail properties in the state is among the lowest in all 50 states. For example, the retail vacancy rate in San Jose is only about 4%, the second lowest in all major metro areas (Oakland has the lowest vacancy). This means the income stream should be very stable. So, as an investor, if you don’t achieve strong cash flow, you must look for property with strong potential for appreciation to achieve better investment returns. To accomplish this, you could:
