Real estate investment software is one of the best tools real estate investors and professionals can use to analyze and evaluate multifamily property.Here’s why.Good real estate investment software provides the forms, makes the computations, and creates the reports required for a real estate analysis. Any user (experienced or not) can create professional-quality rental property reports for a myriad of reasons, such as decision-making, or as property presentations to buyers, sellers, colleagues, partners, or to lenders. All within minutes.Moreover, real estate investing is all about the numbers. Therefore, real estate investors who are considering real estate investment opportunities look for and make their investment decisions based upon the bottom line. So real estate investment software becomes an essential tool for real estate analysis because it provides quick and concise cash flow, rate of return, and property valuation numbers.Though most real estate analysts prefer to buy real estate investment software, it should be pointed out, though, that you do have other options.You can, for instance, scratch out the numbers with a pad and pencil, or perhaps make a hasty rule-of-thumb calculation off the top of your head. But it should be obvious that these approaches, although maybe useful in limited cases, do not provide the best solution. They clearly do not provide the deep property analysis required to make a smart investment decision, nor do they include the data likely to sway the opinion of any other person, entity, or institution like a partner or lender.You can also use Excel and develop your own spreadsheet. The problem here is time. It takes countless hours to embed the computations properly, and to format the forms and reports, even if you’re familiar with Excel. If you’re not familiar with Excel, then triple the time.Before you pursue those options, though, be mindful that successful real estate professionals do not waste time or effort reinventing the wheel. They prefer to invest in real estate software so they can spend their time generating moneymaking deals.But I digress. So let’s get back on topic and look at what you should expect in good real estate investment software.1. Easy to learn and use – You want simply to enter the values and have the software do the rest. You never want to look and wonder, “What do I do next?” To check, examine the website. Remember that the same company praising their software publishes the website. If the website is not well organized and informative, or if its lack-luster and confusing, the software might not be what you want.2. Unlimited units – You want the ability to analyze one unit or a thousand units, or even more units if necessary.3. Loan amortization – You want ample control over the financing assumptions. For example, you want the ability to enter multiple loans, the flexibility to enter the loan either as a loan assumption or as a new loan, and then have it computed as either a fixed or interest-only rate.4. Crucial rates of return – You want the real estate investment software to calculate cash flow returns and loan ratios such as cap rate, gross rent multiplier, cash on cash, operating expense ratio, net operating income, debt coverage ratio, loan-to-value ratio, break-even ratio, and profitability index.5. Tax shelter computations – You want the ability to determine cash flow after tax as well as your tax benefit or loss. To do this, the real estate investment software must include computations for tax shelter elements such as cost recovery and mortgage interest.6. Time value of money – You want the software to create computations involving the time value of money such as internal rate of return and net present value. Why? Because you will discover that in real estate investing, the timing of cash receipts can be as important as the amount.7. Concise, top-quality reports – You want printable reports that are easy to read and have eye-catching appeal. Remember, you might be trying to influence the opinion of a buyer, seller, colleague, or lender regarding this property, and they might have to make their decision based on the reports even before seeing the property.8. Upgradeable versions – You want the ability to “upgrade” from a less-than-platinum-grade-version to a platinum-grade-version without having to re-purchase the platinum-grade version at full retail price.9. Technical support – You want to have open access to tech support in the event of a question or problem. Preferably, email and telephone support . Exercise caution if the company or developer appears overly allusive–there is nothing more frustrating than encountering a problem and then not being able to talk to the software developer about it.10. Affordability – You should be able to find very good real estate investment software on the web for about $300. Which is very affordable given the fact that you will be able to start working with income-producing property immediately.11. Customer satisfaction – You should examine the names, professions, and titles of customers who have submitted a testimonial. If you can relate, then you may have a winner.There are other things you want real estate investment software to provide such as seamless printing, picture function, branding and name-rider integration, email capability, help file, Windows compatibility, and so on. The point is not to be hasty. Spend time on each website looking around to be sure you get the essentials and perhaps a little extra at the best price possible.
Tips For Commercial Real Estate Investment
Commercial Real Estate Investment involves buying commercial properties that are bigger than a 4 unit apartment building. It is that real estate investment in which an estate is rented out or sold to make profit through rental income, interests, dividends, royalties, etc. but not for primary residence. It is better for the investors who are beginners in the field to avoid commercial real estate investment strategy. On the other hand, experience investor can go for for this kind of investment as the competition is much less. It is also the best choice asset class for building wealth, you may ask why? This is because there is a limited supply of land; no more land is being created! If you select a real estate with a land component in an area of increasing population and demand, the laws of supply and demand will work in your favour to increase the value of your investment. It provides better leverage than any other asset investment, with the ability to typically borrow at least 80% of the purchase price on house and land packages. 100% lends are possible in some circumstances. It physically exists and everybody needs a roof over their head. Wherever there are people, there will be demand for real estate. Given a healthy national economy, no deflation, an increasing population, or at least increasing demand for property in your chosen investment area, then your investment is liable to increase in value over time. You may have no control over the state of the economy, but I tell you, you can stack the chips in your favour by selecting the right type of property in the right area. Commercial deals take longer than other investments. They take longer to purchase, renovate, and get sold. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but something to keep in mind so that you don’t get impatient or rush into a bad decision.Tips to help you succeed in commercial real estate investmentThis investment is not a get rich quick scheme. It takes time as I said earlier to buy, renovate and sell, so you need to be patient. Think big and embark on big investment, buy properties at least 10units, remember that the more the unit you buy the cheaper they are per unit. Be prepared to spend a lot of money at first, fight the temptation to be discouraged by this, always have in mind that you can overcome this by borrowing from real estate investment trust or other source as I mentioned in one of my articles. Predictability is required in this investment because it follows a cycle which can be predicted, with predictability you can grow. It also requires consistent and persistent. Learn to analyse properties, know the worth before buying. Before now you suppose to know that commercial real estate is the business of marketing and finance, so you have to be master of finance, learn about mortgages and interest rate, loan programs that are out there. Also you need to be a skilled problem solver for anything going on in the business field in other to excel in this investment. Finally, remember that this business is not static, it changes in strategy and other aspects, so you have to be updated in the latest information, to do this you have to continue with your education/training on this.Thing to look for when buying commercial real estate investment property1. Solid Land Component; Aim for an investment where at least 30% of the purchase price is comprises of the land component. House and land, villa units, townhouses, and low apartment buildings can all fit in the bill. Land is the only limited resource, and that means value for you. If you purchase a unit in a high rise, not only will the value of the building depreciate over time, but what is to stop developers erecting more high-rises and diluting the supply in your market?2. Stable or Increasing Population; Invest in an area with an increasing, or at least stable, population base. Avoid towns which are dependent on a single industry for the bulk of their employment. If the industry folds, so will the tenants.3. Transport, Shops and Public Amenities; Invest in an area close to schools, shops, public transport and good public amenities such as a post office, library and park lands. These are the basic factors that make an area desirable to live in and will help to ensure continued demand for property in that area over the long time.4. Affordable for an Average Worker; Select a median property in a median area, one which is affordable for the average workers. High end real estate is prone to vacancy and busts in recessionary times. Low end real estate is less desirable, can attract a lower quality of tenant, and cost you more in maintenance. Aim for a property that will rent for no more than 40% of the average household income for that area, preferably 30% of the household income.5. Affordability for you, the investor; Try to invest in property that at least pays for itself, that is to say that the rental income will at least cover your mortgage repayments, insurance, maintenance, management fees, local rates and taxes. If this is not possible in your area, consider alternative areas. Otherwise you can still build wealth with negative geared property.Above are few tips on how to succeed and buy a good investment properties. Just bear them in mind when buying commercial real estate properties and I bet you, you cash flow will boom.