Maryland is one of the most densely populated states in the US, much of it due to the proximity to Washington DC and the vast number of government institutions, military, and defense operations within its boundaries and nearby. Over 460,000 people work for the government in the state of Maryland, and probably that many more commute out of state to work in others, elsewhere. Let’s see how all those government workers affect the real estate investment market in Maryland.
Maryland has always been historically significant to governance and business
As one of the thirteen original colonies, Maryland was founded by George Calvert, a Catholic convert who hoped to provide a safe haven for Catholics and others avoiding religious prosecution by the British. The Maryland Assembly passed “An Act Concerning Religion” in 1649, making it illegal to disparage a fellow Marylander based on their religious practices. It’s agricultural base and central location played key roles with heavy involvement in both the Revolutionary (the Maryland Line and the Maryland 400) and Civil Wars (both Antietam and Sharpsburg are here). Heavy industrialization and home to one of the busiest commercial ports in the nation, Maryland saw massive immigration from Europe, particularly, in the 19thcentury. It is among the most densely populated states in the U.S. even though one of the smallest.
Maryland has always been front and center in the development and running of the U.S. government in one form or another, then and now. Roughly 460,000 people go to work every day in the state of Maryland for the federal or state governments, or the military. A lot of people do not know that Annapolis, Maryland, was the first capital of the United States, through the 17thcentury, and is the capital of the state. The United States Naval Academy, which is what Annapolis is probably best known for now, was established in 1845. No less than 33 key federal facilities are home based in Maryland, including the Social Security Administration, NSA, DOE, EPA, FDA and Census Bureau.
Maryland is strategically located real estate
Maryland has some advantages and is actually sought after in some industries for location. Centrally located between 
the Northeast and South on the eastern seaboard, Maryland is a good transportation hub. For over 200 years a series of canals provided connections between major rivers heading west, some still in use. They also have a good centralized public transport system that makes it easier to get around to work and school. Some very predominant educational institutions are in Maryland, including Annapolis and John Hopkins University, as well as the John Hopkins Medical Center, Walter Reed Hospital, and the National Military Medical Center, or Bethesda as it is known.
Many people do not know that a lot of Maryland is not just continuous city. 43% of Maryland is still forested and leaf peeper season is a big tourism 
draw. The state also has over 4,000 miles of shoreline, much of it around the Chesapeake Bay estuary, and most of it high-ticket real estate. A peculiarity for the state, though, is no natural lakes. Since Maryland was not a glaciated area, there are none. Being on the eastern side of the Appalachian watershed, however, there are multiple rivers and creeks, and Maryland is known for many beautiful waterfalls.
What else is pushing Maryland’s economy?
Agriculture is still very important in the state. Originally cultivating primarily tobacco, important crops now include greenhouse and nursery stock, corn, soybeans, grains, tomatoes, poultry, shellfish and famous Maryland blue crabs. With rich river delta alluvial areas, crops grow well with 
high yields, and those agriculture and aquaculture crops help feed the eastern seaboard. The varied terrain and climatic conditions are furthered by the north-south transverse of both the Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains in the state’s western areas. Maryland is often referred to as “America in the Miniature” due to having nearly every U.S. weather and topography represented within its boundaries, and you can see everything from subtropical palm trees growing in the southeast to New England cooler climate hardwood forests in the mountainous west.
What Is Driving the Maryland Real Estate Investment Market?
Maryland is an anomaly when compared to other places for income and who spends what on real estate. One of the richest per capita income states in the U.S., Maryland has the highest median income of any in the U.S. It is also the fourth largest by number of employees that work for government. The primary industries besides government, military, aerospace and defense are cyber-security, medical and biosciences, and other technologies. There are over 60 federal facilities alone in Maryland, and twice as many laboratories that work for government. Part of this is due to proximity to Washington D.C., and the central location on the eastern seaboard.
Is It Worth the Traffic and Commute to Move to Maryland?
Due to all this “landed industry”, unemployment is lower than nearly anywhere in the U.S., but it also has created a real estate shortage, mostly in residential and rentals. It also means that many, many people commute in Maryland, up to 900,000 daily into Baltimore alone, and an untold number to Arlington, VA, Washington, DC, and the surrounding areas. It is kind of amusing that the state nickname for Maryland is “The Free State”. No, not free – it is being paid for with your tax dollars.
Sadly that is a not a joke, either. Maryland is one of the highest states in the nation on property taxes, state income tax, and sales and other taxes. You may be working for the government at one of those high paying jobs, but they are going to get part of it back. Those facts kind of offset that Maryland real estate has averaged just over 5% a year in valuation increase for the past several. Property taxes can off-set that value increase fairly quickly.
What about Real Estate Investing in the Suburbs?
Since it tends to be a lot cheaper to live in Maryland and commute to D.C. rather than live in D.C., most people live in the suburbs. This fact helped keep Maryland property prices a lot more stable during the recession starting in 2004, and most areas did not experience double-digit drops like most of the rest of the country suffered.
Rental real estate is probably the safest bet for investing in Maryland, especially in the suburbs. One reason is people who work for the government never truly think they have a job for life, and do not assume they are “safe” in their position. Therefore, many do not buy a permanent home that they might get saddled with. This is coupled with the fact that residential property in Maryland is expensive, period with the average home value at $282,500 and median listing at $320,000. The high cost of buying a place, along with the high property taxes, keeps many people from being able to afford a place of their own. About 30% of the people in Maryland rent for those reasons alone.
What Kind of Property is the Best Real Estate Investment in Maryland?
Maryland also has a very high default and foreclosure rate on home mortgages, due to the excessive prices of property. Last year it ran around 14.6% of all mortgages were in arrears or default. That means that property can be had for usually marginally below market value, and turning it into rental property is an option. You do have to figure in the taxes and any repairs and upkeep, though, to make sure that the rental rate will be sufficient to offset those costs. The default rate explains why the average home selling price is only $260,400, which is a sizeable drop from the median listing – or want or what I think it ought to be worth – price.
It can be very challenging, though, to locate good buys on rental property in Maryland, particularly in or near major cities. Part of the reason is you truly need to be local and there to even get wind of a good buy. Maryland real estate bargains are hovered over like vultures hunting food by the real estate investment associations, and more so, the direct investors. With rent averages around $1750 a month, it is a big bite out of a lot of people’s budgets. Rental law and regulation has been pretty much non-existent throughout most of Maryland history, and eviction was easily enforced. Just in the last year “anti-landlord” laws have started to be passed to provide some arbitration, lead time, and fairness to tenets regarding landlord access to rental units and eviction processes. Because of the history of shady landlord practices, there tends to be mutual protection among them and agents that support the system.
It is important to research the average valuation increases, as well as employment rates, very well, area by area if you are looking to invest in Maryland real estate. The valuation increases vary quite a bit between cities, and many hover around 2%. 2% is not going to pay the increases in property taxes for assessment when it turns into rental property. Baltimore, while having a massive amount of computer traffic and workers, has shown slow job growth and slower yet economic growth for several years running. Some outlying cities like Fredericksburg are doing a bit better, mostly due to its being a more livable and pleasant living situation. Some like Rockville are growing very slowly, but at least steady, with 1% increases in job growth or less, and 2% or less in house values.
Due diligence for ordinances, rules, about renting out is critical
Neighborhoods, or developments turned into high end, self-contained mini-towns are very common in the areas surrounding the major cities, and on the waterfront. Prices tend to be high, and checking regulations and association fees is tantamount if you are buying a place that needs remodeled. It is very important to see if you can even rent the property in the location, and note that Maryland municipalities are passing ordinances blocking additional licensing for short term rentals as we speak. This will especially affect markets around medical, educational, and federal facilities where workers, patients, or students often come for limited time periods and need a place to stay.
Overall, real estate, if you have deep pockets, can be had in Maryland for rentals, but the returns are often offset by taxation. And I am curious, are we talking real estate investment increases here, or savings account yields? Yikes. Any hiccup will wipe out 1-2% increases. I like my lead gen properties that regularly have an 80-90% return on investment into my pocket – unlike Maryland real estate at 1-2%. Check out how I do it here https://www.bestrealestatedirectory.com/lead-gen/
There is a better way to invest in real estate in Maryland – do it digitally
It just seems so much simpler to me to earn my money first so I know I can afford to do what I want to in investing, rather than chancing it with properties that I have a lot out on, and then have to put more into, to get a little back. While I know there is a return on most real estate at some point, there is also a lot of volatility depending on the economic situation. No one mentions what happened during the government shut-down. How many renters did not pay their rent in those areas that rely on the government as a primary employer, often to everyone in the household?
It also never ceases to bother me when I see the investment firms stacking up ads and articles that all are very contradictory to the information from those entities for whom honestly is integral to survival when it comes to data and numbers. A few points here or there I do not worry over, but when the difference is 300-400% or more, someone is not telling the truth. The REIAs in Maryland would like you to believe that ROI on real estate runs 20% or more. I could not substantiate that anywhere. Call me cautious, but I lean towards those who have to keep their nose clean. Most of the searches come up with real estate investment firms, Maryland or Baltimore REIA, and the Baltimore housing bubble. Bubbles burst, and it is never a good thing.
That is why I like my lead gen business so much. It is straight forward. I create websites for businesses to bring them in more customers who are already trying to find their services or products. It is simple as that. Warm leads. It is amazing how well things work when you are offering what people already are hunting and need. My returns for the entire time I have been in this business have averaged 80-90% return on investment, an extremely high rate of return. Let me explain how I got here to start with.
When I graduated from college, I immediately started work in corporate USA at the $35k/mo I thought was my dream job, at least for getting ahead. Little did I know, and man was I naive. I started out ok, but very quickly realized there was no surviving in the big city I lived in on that salary, and I was frugal, too. I had to be to pay my bills on my own and prove I could do it. I was working my butt off on salary, too, and quickly learned that it was not one shred about my success, but making money for someone else. I knew I had to find another way to make some extra money to start saving.
The first thing that popped up that looked lucrative was multi-level marketing. They had been around forever, and I thought meh, what could happen. Well, what happened was lots of expensive buy in, lots of inventory, and LOTS of competition. I very soon had a lot more in them than I ever got out, was cramming meetings between trying to do sales and in the process started loosing friends and family would not return phone calls. It also did not take very long to figure out that it was like my corporate job, another way for the “guy up there” to be making the bucks off my labor. Had to find something else.
After a lot of research I decided that drop shipping looked good, and I set it all up, and invested a lot into inventory. I admit, I did make a little, better than the MLM’s, and my friends and family were speaking to me again. But – I had zero time to spend with them. Every minute after the 40+ grind I was boxing, shipping, handling orders, returns, you name it. My apartment became packed with stuff. I was exhausted, not very far ahead, and living in a warehouse. That was not how I wanted to live, even if I was making a little money. I needed to keep looking.
By now I had really become frustrated with the day job grind and facing more at home. I stole every minute I could to hunt for another way to make a decent living and be my own boss, make my own mistakes and be responsible for my own success. One night really, really late I was surfing the business blogs I watched and an article caught my eye about a young guy not much older than me that had figured out how little business owners knew about generating customers off the internet. That got my attention, because I already knew how little people knew about internet marketing. I read with more interest, and learned this guy, Dan, was writing simple websites for people to get hooked up with the business owners on a referral to find what they were already searching for. That made a lot of sense to me. I made some notes, and the next night started to dig up what I could learn about it and Dan through research searches.
I found out Dan was for real and was making some really good money. I was impressed that he was working the business himself every day, and was obviously a hard worker and a family guy. That appealed to my background, as I was brought up to respect that. There was a link https://www.bestrealestatedirectory.com/lead-gen/
to get more info about Dan and the training program he had put together to help people learn how to do what he was doing. He had also created kind of a support work group and tech help, which I thought was pretty cool. The idea of being my own boss and having people who were like-minded around me instead of feeding off me was really appealing. I decided to click the link and made an appointment for a call to ask questions. There were some videos and training information on the link, too, that made me even more curious.
When Dan got ahold of me and explained what he was doing, and how reasonable the training was, I did not hesitate. I signed up for the lessons and started to learn. The first thing I did was build this site, which took a whole grand total of about six hours –
I followed the easy to understand lessons and did exactly what Dan suggested and called around to see if anyone in the niche was interested in the leads that had started to come in almost immediately (that had surprised me enough!). Sure enough, right away I found a customer who agreed to pay me $750/mo for the leads. I was surprised at how easy it was, but mostly how excited the customer was to get the leads for extra work. The same customer is with me to this day, five years later, paying me $750/mo. My expenses are really minimal, and to date I have cleared $36,400 in profit from this one six hour build that I hardly ever have to even look at.
Wow. Could you use an extra $36,400 in your pocket after expenses? I know I sure could back then, and it is still good money.
Well, I was hooked, so I worked and built and worked and studied and called customers. I was still at the 40+ hrs/wk corporate job, which by now I knew was never going to be the future I wanted. In five months I was able to turn in my resignation and walk out the last time.
I never looked back.
Five years later, I just turned 30. I will be doing over 7 figures this year in my lead gen business. I keep building, growing, and helping businesses get new customers and grow. I am my own boss. I travel when I want, work when I want. And yes, it was work at first. But it sure beats working for someone else who makes all the profit off your labor, I can tell you that.
Now, when I want to invest in a piece of property, a business, I have it in the bank. I do not have to sweat bullets if the government has a shut down or the market drops. I know I can afford to meet the mortgage payment, if I did not just pay cash for the property to start with. Someone else can manage them, do the repairs. I do not have to spend weekends hauling drywall, unstopping plumbing, or worrying about the renter’s dog tearing up the whole place. And it has also let me look at other places to diversify my profits and income besides the volatile real estate market.
If you are tired of making money for someone else, click this link https://www.bestrealestatedirectory.com/lead-gen/
If you are ready to work a little and be your own boss, make your own money, click this linkhttps://www.bestrealestatedirectory.com/lead-gen/
No one will hassle you. Your information is private. We won’t call you back. I just know that there is way too much business out there across the globe that I will never, ever be able to tap into to help businesses grow, and it is my way of giving back for what Dan did to help me become my own, successful, financially stable and well off boss at the age of 30.
The internet is the future, and the future is now.
Grab on and make it your ride to freedom.
Captain John Smith first mapped the region in 1608. Originally settled by English settlers, by 1659 two different cities of Baltimore had started to grow. The town was named after Cecil Calvert, the Irish second Earl of Baltimore, who was given the land grant after he found his first in rural Newfoundland to be too cold, barren, and inhospitable.
people do not realize that Baltimore Harbor is where Ft. McHenry is located, the bombardment of which was observed by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812, leading to his penning our national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner”. Irish influence was important, as Baltimore became the location of the first Roman Catholic diocese in the United States in 1789.
climates, less winter, lower crime rates, and simply a change.
Baltimore actually is going down in population, and more than they are admitting. Last year they were down -0.89%, which does not sound like a lot, but the rest of the US went up 0.7%. That means Baltimore lost 1.59% of their population comparatively just last year. Real estate investment groups are praying the younger crowds come to Baltimore to rent, not buy. Baltimore, you see, traditionally has been one of those places where more people rent than own homes, due to wage levels. The REIA groups are banking on that trend continuing, as rent profitability and increases far outstrip real estate valuation increases in the city.
Can you make money flipping houses in Baltimore?
priced” houses are tend to be row house areas in tougher or rougher neighborhoods, or those with big diverse mixes. While diverse is a good thing, rough is not. You really have to know what you are getting into to even have an inkling if the place will be desirous to rent out to someone, and get them to stay.
regulations, which extends the time for an eviction to take place and mandatory arbitration. Cities that traditionally have those issues have a problem with blue color neighborhoods being strong-armed. Do you really want to go up against that as an absentee owner?
While Baltimore is hoping to gear up for people exactly my age needing rentals because most of them (thankfully, not me) cannot afford to buy a home and must rent, what Baltimore is really experiencing is a population decline. Sources will say they are flat-lined, and that is just not true. They were flat lined for a number of years post recession and have been going down the last several. The US grew by +0.7% last year. Baltimore was at a -.86%. That means compared to the rest of the country, Baltimore lost 1.56% in population. The reason is people are moving away.
There is most likely a rental shortage because the people who are there cannot afford to buy. Baltimore is one of the top metropolitan areas in the US where more people rent than own homes. Fact.
marketing, from common ones to more esoteric varieties. They were expensive, buying in was expensive, and I made a lot of people mad pushing them to try and get them involved. It also was not a great match for my personality, but I pushed through it until I found drop shipping.
I did some digging around about this Dan guy and found out that he was for real, and had started from scratch. He was making good money and was making a lot of headway helping small businesses especially grow, hiring people, adding locations, buying more trucks to put on the road. I could get into that. I am a big believer in owning your own business as a way to succeed, and making money helping others do it was even better, because everyone wins! There was a link, this one 
Five years later I just turned 30. I will clear well over seven figures this year off my lead gen business. I am my own boss, and I write my own schedule. Yes, it was work at first, but it sure was worth it! I travel when I want, work as long or as little as I want, and am investing in a comfortable future for myself.
So you want to move to Canada, eh? Beautiful and lotsa wild, Canada has everything from rugged coastline to 
forested bays, wide waves of golden grain as far as the eye can see and mega-metropolitan modern cities. Hockey rules, cultures converge, and Canada reaches clear to the North Pole 
– really. With a thriving economy and land to expand, it seems like a great real estate investment opportunity. I looked and learned our neighbors to the north have a whole lot going for them, and they plan to keep it that way.
Moving to Canada is a lot harder than you might think. First, Canada is it’s own country, not an extension of the US like a lot of people seem to think. They make their own regulations and they are protective of their land and citizens. It is far easier for a British Commonwealth citizen, someone from a country the Crown has under their umbrella, to move to Canada and work than anyone from the US.
Lots of people move to Canada for quality of life 
and pretty comfortable about it, and have something for just about everyone from skiing to the arts to great cities. It is just nicer to live in most places in Canada, and they look out more for their citizens. It does come with a cost, though.
housing and food costs. Canadians walk and bike more than you might expect given the weather, and public transport is a hot topic for increasing availability in major metro areas. Utilities are nationalized, so the price is about the same but much more stable than US prices.
One of the big challenges for cost of anything in Canada is the strength of the US dollar and exchange rate. A lot of Canada’s trade is based on agriculture and raw fuel materials. That means their economy is heavily tied in some ways to what is going on in the U.S. When the US economy/dollar is strong, Canadians suffer with their dollar dipping. When the US has an economic downturn, Canadians win as their dollar is worth more than ours.
Building codes are extensive and strict in Canada. Far more is regulated than in the US, including everything from how deep your insulation is required to be to efficient, high output heating systems so winters don’t freeze ya’. Skilled construction labor does not come cheap, as much as $50/hr, and materials are not either mostly due to transportation. The building code compliance is monitored closely by lenders and insurers to make sure rules are met and requirements as well, or you will not be able to pass a house appraisal, insurance inspection, or assessment.
where it came from for at least 90 days back. They also will require it be on deposit in a Canadian bank for at least 30 days. And, all Canadian banks require you to be in person to open an account.
While Canada has no federal law restricting a foreign investor to a maximum number of properties, there are limits on the number of mortgages some lenders will allow per foreign investor.
allowing you up to 2 years of stay, and is easier to obtain if you have a child or grandchild in the country. It is possible to apply for a work visa, which is hard to obtain, or a Skilled Work Permit for high need areas.
There is some really grey area in Canadian immigration policy, though, if you are operating a business, i.e. real estate investments for rental income, and not a Canadian citizen. A variety of special permits can be applied for as an entrepreneur, but nearly all assume you intend to live in the country, and if not, will hire at least one Canadian full time and/or lease a business location for at least one year.
Toronto is deemed worth it to some when they can sell a suburb house, move to Brantford or another area of the “Golden Horseshoe”, and buy for 60 cents on the loonie (slang for Canadian dollars). A bargain house is considered $420,000. Wow. That’s loonie, all right! The 11 year ROI on a Brantford house is 4.1%. I regularly make 80-90% ROI on my lead gen sites. Here’s some info 
Capital gains tax apply to gains you make on property purchased for rental income, and many investors underestimate these and maintenance costs. It is important to realize property taxes throughout Canada are based on the market value of a parcel, not the assessed value as in most of the US. This means your property taxes can be substantially higher there, and you are not entitled to discounts as a non-resident.
Canadian Revenue Authority showing all the taxes and withholding was paid. If the seller does not, the buyer is allowed to withhold part of the purchase price in case they have to cover any of the outstanding taxes. If you have moved to Canada, and then leave, you are liable for “deemed disposition” costs. Those costs also apply to heirs for non-resident owners.
In nearly every city of any size at all, rental rates are going up – substantially – across Canada, regardless of province. Rental rates as well as increase in property valuations steadily see anywhere from 8 – 22% annual increases. This is one reason the cost of living is so high in Canada, because housing is wicked expensive.
If you are an outdoors type, you might think a resort is a great option to combine a hobby and investment. Appreciation is usually far slower on resort properties than on homes, especially away from any urban area. Canadians tend to live very concentrated, large populations around major cities. Due to the increase in metropolitan populations, issues that plague any large city are prevalent, from street crime to infrastructure issues like sewerage and other utilities. Traffic is a serious problem in some larger areas like Montreal and Toronto, as Canada is trying to catch up but has not made it yet for full public transportation.
This is all way too much work with way too little return. When I looked into Canadian real estate investment property, I learned the average ROI for a non-resident is 4.5-6%. That does not even begin to interest me when I regularly make 80-90% on my lead generation websites. Since they are digital real estate, I don’t have all these fees, taxes, and mumbo-jumbo to go through. Let me quickly explain what I mean.
Viva Las Vegas! The City That Never Sleeps, Sin City, Lost Wages. It is too bad that Las Vegas only seems to be known by most people as a place to party and try and parlay – and loose – your fortune. Vegas, as it is called by nearly everybody living there, is a thriving, fast growing metropolitan all grown up town that is becoming a haven for people moving away from bad weather, income tax, and nothing to do. Even though a lot of boomers are heading there, it is a young crowd due to the work force. The city has worked hard on redevelopment and cleaned up a lot. I happen to like to party there, as there is lots to do, and thankfully due to my successful lead gen digital real estate, I can.
Bernardino Mountains, the City of Neon is way out in the desert and pretty much in the middle of nowhere. It was a wide spot in the road after crossing the Mojave on Hwy. 66 for decades. Legalized gambling, wedding chapels, and brothels changed that, but Las Vegas still did not really start to grow up until the last 20 years. Over 320 days of sunshine annually, along with no state income tax and a strong job scene after the Great Recession set up Las Vegas as a good place to get a start, raise a family, and invest – especially in real estate.
looked like one of the many ghost towns dotting rural Nevada, reminiscent of another rush for wealth 150 years ago. But, in Las Vegas, one thing is certain – everything is a gamble. You either make it or break it in Vegas, and many a fortune has been won or lost – mostly lost – on the Strip and elsewhere in Glitter Gulch.
sufficient potable water. Water is still a very important and trying issue in this dry, arid region, especially now with the greater Las Vegas area population approaching 2 million, an increase of over a million in less than 20 years.
Real estate in Las Vegas might seem to go on forever with miles to grow into. Nothing could be further from the truth. Actually Las Vegas is running out of space to build, as it is nearly surrounded by federal lands, with a few state properties sprinkled in. In fact, right at 85% of Nevada is owned by the feds. Clark County and the State of Nevada have requested permitting to develop 27,000 additional acres from Bureau of Land Management properties around the greater Las Vegas area, but the request has gone no where.
Sources differ considerably about what the average price for a home is in Las Vegas, ranging from $198,000 to near $275,000. Zillow reports that the median host price is currently $273,500, Trulia $275,000, realtor sites $226-$246K. What we do know is real estate in Las Vegas does not stay on the market long, an average of 44 days, with 2 offers by then. Las Vegas was the top real estate market in the nation the last two years in a row.
registrations, just about anything to prove you are there and why you are there and why you have money there. It goes back to the transient nature of Nevada due to the gaming industry, and the high number of people that have financial issues in the state due to their gambling habits. Writing a mortgage is a reach and requires a lot more proof of income and stability than nearly any other place in the U.S. That goes for investment property and second homes used for rentals, also. Cash purchases for homes, once the standard for the region, are no longer, and banks intend to not be taken by surprise due to the number of borrowers increasingly under water due to inflating prices.
There are a few things the investment blogs and prognosticators are not telling you about the Las Vegas real estate market. The valuation increase for homes is that high because the increase has been driven the past several years by high-end luxury homes – those over half a million. Lower priced single-family homes in Las Vegas simply have not gone up nearly as quickly.
What is going on with real estate investment opportunities in Vegas?
Las Vegas had nearly 43 million – yes, 43 million – tourists in 2017. Year-to-year increase runs around 16-17%. They gotta’ put them somewhere. While you can stay cheap Monday-Thursday in Las Vegas, weekend prices on accommodations anywhere in the city are no longer anywhere close to a bargain. It is no longer cheap to eat out in Las Vegas, and show prices sure have caught up. Las Vegas no long just makes a buck off you in the casino. They get you before, 
during, and after the roulette table. One of the largest number of units in the nation for online rental is greater Las Vegas now.
terrible hit. Homes that had not had a lot of TLC for years got none. Many of the homes that were abandoned had very little maintenance for long periods of time.
Some Las Vegas real estate investment firms will try and tell you property increased 46% last year – a figure I could not substantiate anywhere. However, all the responsible economists, due to the economy slowing nationally and real estate leveling out in most places out west (or heading down) – all of them are stating the property values will go into deceleration in Las Vegas after third quarter 2021.
One thing that really bothered me when I started to look into investing in real estate in Las Vegas was the lack of independent information. All, and I mean ALL, the information is from investment firms. Not even the realtors have hardly anything up. No one is talking, except those who are trying to dig into your pocket. I guess what happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas.
go out and put my hard earned money down some rabbit hole of an investment group based out of country who wants to tie up my money long term for a not so bright outlook return. Here is how I learned to do what I do to make the money I do 
A couple of years at not winning sent me hunting again. I started drop shipping and made a little money, but still not enough to really invest in anything. I was also working stupid hours, had no life, and my apartment was stacked full of boxes and packing materials and stuff. I had no life. That was not what I wanted for myself, either, so back to the hunt I went.
I was pretty impressed. I kept studying, working, and building sites. Yeah, it was work at first, I had to hustle as I still had the 9-5. But in five months I got to walk out of the 9-5 – permanently.
not have to hit the alarm in the morning. I can fly anywhere in the world I want and my office is in my laptop. I work when I want, how hard I want, party when I want. And the businesses I work with are thrilled to get the help.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a lift-off. Houston is alive and well.
You cannot think of Texas without thinking of oil, gas, and other energy production. Houston is the heart of everything oil and gas from production to planning to marketing to research. Because fuel is less expensive this close to production, nearly 6,500 manufacturing plants are located in the greater Houston area and a multitude of warehousing and transportation hubs as well. All this industry and research in so many segments adds up to a very large skilled worker base, and a reason to think about investing in Houston real estate.
area. It is logical that Houston has one of the most diverse populations by origin of any city in the United States and it makes Houston a good place to raise a family.
After the massive devastation from Hurricane Harvey in 2017, it would seem logical there ought to be a lot of houses sitting vacant ready for flipping. Nothing could be further from the truth in Houston. In fact, it has been hard to find a house to flip in Houston since right after the storm. While the typical post-hurricane insurance issues are still grinding slowly after nearly 18 months, the truth is many damaged houses in Houston where people decided not to stay for record flood #4 put them up for sale and sold them nearly immediately after the storm to investors. That is why when you hunt for property to invest in, you come up with bunches of real estate investor groups in Houston and not neighborhoods, property listings, or independent investment opportunities.
Houston has a lot of investment property still up for sale, but it is a combination of commercial, residential and bare land. Houston, unlike some large cities, still has area to grow into, but there is also considerable real estate downtown that is abandoned or vacant that need bulldozed and started new.
Location, location, location – and water
When you look at the job growth in Houston, it does not seem the flooding has influenced the influx of people coming to Houston to look for work in this diverse and international city. But, even for all the flood damage, Houston is not a cheap place to live.
The average home is around $187,000 in Houston now, but Houston varies tremendously by neighborhood, perhaps more than any major city. The market is considered neutral at this point. With the 20% fluctuation that can occur monthly, repeatedly and with no warning, investing in Houston real estate is a true game of nerves and timing. You hit a high and you may immediately loose substantial money. You hit a low and you can be ok, make some money – until the next high crashes.
Bare land values have not taken much of a hit around the area, and in 2018 residential real estate enjoyed a 4.8% across the board increase. In typical Texas fashion, some of the strongest increases were on the devastated peninsulas and barrier islands. Go figure.
A lot of historically architecturally significant homes were lost in Harvey and other recent flooding in Houston. Houston led the nation in modern home-style building after California, both locations for the space program. The rambling ranches of Texas fame also took a lot of damage, and with so many homes taking sewage (yes, sewage) and refinery contamination for extended periods of time, tearing down and rebuilding may be the only sane option.
either.
The flood maps were redone by FEMA several weeks into adjusting after Harvey, and it was done based on claims submitted and GPS coordinates taken at the front of the property. A lot of places did not flood at the road because roads tend to be built up in that part of Texas because of the flooding. The new flood maps also did not take into account areas flooded subsequently due to rivers backing up and floodwater standing over long periods of time, often containing significant chemical waste and biologics.
Then I got into drop shipping on Amazon. That worked better, but I was working stupid hours, had a ton of money in inventory, and had no life. I was making a little extra cash, but it was still not enough to really make a dent in my goals. I was working the regular job, working the side gig, and still searching for the golden arrow business that would hit my target.
I was really pleased and realized the builds were not hard, even though I had never done one before. I kept building. I put in some work, and I knew it would take that as any business and anything worth having takes work. I stayed focused, and in five months I was able to resign and leave the J-O-B. It was not too long after I got all the inventory out of my place for the drop shipping, too. It took more time than it was making me, my time was more valuable writing sites and selling the leads to businesses. I found out it was a lot easier than I thought, as business owners really truly needed more customers, and had no idea how to gain them digitally.
Aloha! Welcome to the Place of the Gods – Hawai’i 
What do Spam®, poke, pineapple, and Pele, all have in common? Not soccer. They are all near and dear to hearts, stomachs, or both, of Hawaiians. Food, faith, and fire surround the intricate 
web of cultures and history making up the land in one of the hottest real estate markets in the U.S. And we’re not talking scalding lava from Kilauea here, baby.
Hawaii’s real estate forecast is good
Our 50thstate may be known for tropical drinks and world championship surfing, but living in the middle of the Pacific Ocean has its challenges. Did you know that the most expensive place in the world to buy toilet paper is Hawaii? It is also the most expensive place for electricity and gasoline in the U.S. The reason is importation. Nearly everything you need in Hawaii has to come in by plane or ship. And the cost of that 2,500 miles from the mainland adds up quick.
planes when it became the 50thstate in 1959. It was, and still is, a key strategic U.S. military location. A waypoint to the Far East, Pacific, Asia, and Middle East for carriers, cruisers, and flights, the Joint Base Pearl Harbor – Hickam headquarters the US Pacific Fleet, and Hickam “Field” as it is still called, the Pacific Air Force 
Command, on Oahu. This large military facility is adjacent to Pearl Harbor and is a strong economic force in Hawaii after the #1 tourism trade.
either, having been dedicated to appeasing Pele, the goddess of fire, and ruler of the volcanoes.
A volcanic wonder, Hawaii has eight main islands and 126 more small islands, atolls, shoals, reefs, banks and seamounts stretching 1,500 miles in its archipelago. This includes the famous Midway Island of WWII, all while sitting atop one of the most active seamounts, or volcanic seafloor tectonic areas, in the world. After the most recent Kilauea eruptions that wiped large parts of towns and significant structures and roads out of Volcano National Park, Hawaii has done what is has always done, whether it is eruption, tsunami, or typhoon. They immediately 
started to rebuild, and bounce back. Lava was still sending up steam tendrils when moveable B’n’B and tiny homes began to pop up on the 100’ deep new lava fields. And Hawaii gained some valuable real estate in the process.
It is not like you are miles and miles away anywhere on Hawaii
Hawaii is unique in that there are ocean views from a lot of each island, not just beachfront or oceanfront. Often better views with far less traffic can be found further inland, up the mountain, or in smaller neighborhoods. There is also a better probability of finding a home in need of TLC in those areas. Homes in Hawaii do depreciate faster though, than on the mainland, due to weather and temperatures.
Hawaii is no longer just Honolulu, Diamond Head, and Waikiki Beach
Single-family homes bring the highest rent, but if considering rental property, it needs to be near busy areas and accessible. Small houses are the most reasonable homes for Hawaiian residential real estate investments, but any SFH is difficult to find for a decent buy. Townhouses and condos including studios are more readily available, but often in areas specific to rentals having zoning restrictions. Those restrictions include if you may rent at night and rules for long term stays.
Vacation rental property in Hawaii is more likely to need additional maintenance, and who is going to handle it while you are away? If you are not a local, Hawaii requires you to hire a local company to do maintenance on the property and take care of guest issues. This is not optional. Property taxes have remained low in Hawaii, and one reason is quality of property care. Hawaii is a nice place and they intend to keep it that way, and keep their worldwide tourist base happy during their stays.
There are more and higher costs than normal to hold rentals in Hawaii
Hawaii, especially for investment. Nothing could be further from the truth, for the most part. Hawaii has both fee simple property, meaning you can own the improvements and the land, and leasehold and Department of Hawaiian Homelands property. For either of those categories, you must be a certain percentage of direct Hawaiian heritage. There are a few more regulations for non-residents, too.
While there may be conditions dictating where a single family home would be purchased, especially if you plan to move to Hawaii as many now are, there really are few “bad” places to look for the best place to buy real estate in Hawaii. Know, though, it is all going to be high. There are no bargains to speak of in Hawaii. If you do snag a total repair job, remember – everything pretty much comes from the mainland. You need to be very realistic about the repair and remodeling costs, as they will be far, far more than they would be in the upper 48.
When you do find a place that has been used for a rental, ask to see their books and maintenance logs. Any reputable owner will be happy to share them with you, as they know it will increase their chance at a sale near the price they are asking. If they have been responsible, it will provide you a good idea of earnings potential and expenses, as well as turnover rate, taxes, utilities, and other costs you need a clear handle on before signing on the dotted line.
Then I got into drop shipping. I made a little, but I had an apartment full of stuff, was working stupid hours on top of the job, and had no, zero, life. I could pay all the bills easier, but I still could not really save. So I kept reading, browsing, asking questions, looking at other business models. That was when late one night I ran into a blog talking about a guy named Dan who was into lead generation websites, and had written a training program based on exactly what he was doing every single day. He was making good money. And he had a life.
pretty much no where) I decided to give it a try, as I did not have a lot to loose and had not seen another business model that looked anywhere close to this solid. I also knew the massive potential for businesses needing help getting customers. I paid my tuition and dug in.
If you want a cliff hanging view of the Pacific over Diamond Head, do it the old fashioned way. Earn it. It is a whole lot better than sweating a $10,000 or more a month mortgage payment when the house is empty. The lead gen model is efficient and the future of business. There are millions of businesses that have to get customers, all competing. And the internet is the future of marketing, hands down. Some of the money going out to attract customers may as well be in your pocket.
anything you want, and we will tell you right up front if you do not seem like a good fit. We want people to learn and become part of a supportive group that want, to be their own boss, leave a legacy for their family, and have some time to do the important things in life. Yes you will have to put in some work. You will learn some skills. And you will gain so much more than skills and work ethic. You will recover your soul and hope, to really make a difference for yourself.
Wilkommen zu Deutschland! 
but for cleanliness, safety pretty much everywhere in the country, a strong economy, and open arms to diversity. Couple that with cutting edge quality, precision, and technical skills, and you have a business environ that is healthy and stable compared to many other places in Europe.
Germany has long been known for quality manufacturing and practical application of materials and workmanship to make things that work, run, and last. From tools to electronics to autos, Germany sets a high mark. Even the Autobahn is a work of practicality – you can go as fast as you want. You are, however, personally responsible for any damage you cause. However, getting a driver’s license in Germany is like many other things there, a lot more challenging than what we are used to in the U.S.
Buying an East German castle ever been your dream? It won’t be East German, because it does not exist any more, but yes, castles can be bought in Germany. A farm in Schleswig-Holstein? (You really didn’t think the cow was named after someone, did you?) Ditto. Homes, apartments, flats, even just buy a room can be a real estate investment in Germany, a concept that might seem a bit odd in the West. Germany in general is stable in their real estate market and happy to take the money of foreigners, and was pretty much unaffected by the recession while the rest of the EU suffered.
It is fairly easy for foreigners to buy property in Germany
Since buying a home or castle in Germany is kind of a permanent thing, at least in terms of how the Germans look at it, getting a mortgage is more restrictive, especially if they think you are a short-timer. Another factor is commission rates and fees are much higher than you are used to. The average home sale price is $345,00 USD, so they make a bunch of Euros off the 
average home sale. German real estate agents act as house headhunters due to lower supply, German incentives for nationals, and local real estate investors (who hold the lion’s share of all German real estate), as finding what you want can be very challenging. You pretty much have to use a German real estate broker if you don’t have personal insider info just to find out something is for sale, as no real estate for sale signs appear in German yards.
That fairytale castle is not so cheap now, huh?
A big challenge is Germany underwrites their own on mortgages. If you are pensioned through the statutory program or are buying a “used” home, the government gives incentives or provides subsidies for German nationals to buy property. It might be easier to just get acquainted with a real estate investment firms in the area you are hunting, or look into the German Real Estate Association. Their directories, besides brokers, list accountants, real estate attorneys, appraiser, surveying companies, notary of the public, and others that you may need to find in the future.
Yes. No. Depends. Rental rates vary widely, much wider than in the US. Some areas like Leipzig you can rent an apartment for around 330 EU a month, or about $375 USD. That does not leave a lot of meat on the bone for ROI. Rents, as well as house prices, have seen substantial increases in popular places like Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, and Bavarian Alps, so much so there have been public protests and unrest over it. In contrast, mortgage rates are at all time lows due to the situations the EU facing in international politics and trade, Brexit, and otherwise.
Short answer, it is an EU challenge, it can cause economic issues and fluctuate the Euro a lot, and it affects every member of the EU, of which Germany is one. Since Germany is on the Euro, and the Euro is used all over Europe, everyone gains or suffers by Britain’s leaving the Union. It also affects things like trade agreements, tariffs, fuel prices, fees at borders/ports/terminals, and many other things. Things ripple out, and Germany is one of the biggest frogs in the pond to get jostled around by major issues within the EU, political or economic.
The future of business starts with www
Thinking about investing in Atlanta real estate? Not much beats a vibrant, exciting, younger mind-set big city with anything you can imagine to do. When mixed with cutting edge technology and business, as well as some well steeped history and four distinct seasons, nothing compares. That is why you should look at the Atlanta real estate market when you are thinking of investing money in real estate.
Atlanta, the capital of Georgia, is a key business hub for the southeast. Historically significant from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement, Atlanta is a vibrant, growing, progressive modern city with a diverse population. Home to the 1996 Summer Olympics, Atlanta has embraced a broad spectrum of culture and diversity to move into the 21stcentury. The Atlanta Development Authority created 
some prime incentive programs to draw real estate investment to the city with heritage zones, dream down payment assistance, homebuyer incentives, and what they call opportunity zones, areas they are seeking urban and suburban revitalization. Atlanta has been aggressive in getting people to buy their way out of recession.
including I-75, one of the heaviest traveled in the U.S. All this makes accessible Atlanta a primary location for business and growth.
One of the top ten fastest growing cities in the U.S., Atlanta boasts a younger average age population than most large cities. The greater Atlanta metro area has about 5.8 million in it, expected to gradually grow to 7 million by 2030. The unemployment rate is a decent 3.4%, and average income sits around $54K, well above the national average of $40K. It is also more evenly ethnically and racially diverse than most cities its size. This gives Atlanta an edge for up-and-coming technology, medical development, and business innovation and incubators, and corporate relocation. All those things need skilled labor to push them into the future.
Atlanta does have some safety and crime issues, especially in some downtown neighborhoods. If you are in the suburbs, though, you generally are ok. Buckhead, Marietta, Decatur, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, or lovely man-made Lake Lanier are all really nice (read: luxury for the most part) neighborhoods. In fact, several Atlanta suburbs were voted as one of the top places in the US to raise a family last year, if you can afford to live there.
The fact that a lot of the better neighborhoods have had bidding wars going on over listed property, and that the price advertised versus sale is still in the single digit range, tells you that Atlanta property is still hot. It makes a tough and not cheap investment market, though. You have to really hunt, or be willing to be creative or take some risk in a less healthy or more remote area to really be able to buy a property you can make investment dollars on, though.
Another fact they do not advertise is last year Atlanta had one of the largest major market mark-downs on real estate in the nation due to it sitting and not selling. Atlanta was averaging about a 9% drop in prices between listing time and sales previously. Last year the figure went up to 27.9%. Yikes. That means that Atlanta real estate is stalling and falling. Is it really safe to buy an investment property in Atlanta? It sure would make me pause hard.
Access to public transportation and major business zones is a key factor in those hunts, too. People simply do not want to have to deal with the brutal Atlanta traffic. Due to this, being on-site to view and immediately make an offer on a property helps a lot if you are determined to buy property now in Atlanta. Otherwise you should consider a trusted, vetted real estate investment group with a lot of Atlanta area experience to put equity money into. And remember, people in Atlanta do not like to commute from far outlying areas, so know where the location is and proximity to things before you invest.
A challenge to this, though, is the strong potential for a rising prime interest rate. Real estate market experts are saying they expect the average mortgage interest to reach 5% in 2019-2020. That means a tougher approval process and harder to save down payment for Generation Z and X, Millennials, and other first time home buyers. Many federal programs are also in jeopardy of being gone. Many of these buyers will seek a rental until they can afford to try and buy their own place.
While browsing around I ran across an article about lead generation, and how businesses needed vast amounts of help getting hooked up with their customers who were already hunting the internet for their goods and services. Now that was something I could relate to because I knew it was totally true from my corporate job. The article mentioned a guy named Dan who was killing it with lead generation websites, and he had written a training program to show how it was done. He was working the business himself, day in and day out. I liked that idea, as it told me he probably was pretty legit or he would not be doing it himself. I did some serious research and found out that yeah, this Dan guy was for real and was making serious money at what he was doing in lead gen.
You can invest in real estate with little to no money down
If you really want to try your hand at real estate investing and have little money to do it, there are some ways to reach that goal. It can be done running it from home, with little cash or no credit to start out.
Sometimes sellers will agree to finance the property, or “carry the paper.” This works well for people with little credit history or poor credit, if the seller agrees to the deal. Interest rates often are a higher than regular lenders. There is a legally binding agreement between the seller and buyer, as the seller is literally lending you that amount of money for a set period. It is a good way to get your foot in the door, though, when you have little or no credit history, or are recovering from bad.
Taking over a mortgage is pretty much a thing of the past
Don’t bite off a fixer upper you don’t have the skills to fix it
Look for low, or no, closing costs
Crowdfunding, real estate investor groups, and real estate investment trusts (a corporate investment group over which you have little say, but are closely regulated) are the newer ways to invest in real estate with little money down. A group of people pools their resources to buy or invest in the equity for a property, and share in the profits. It is important to know who you are working with and their experience and track record in picking and then selling the properties. Often you can start investing for as little as $500 – $1000 in these types of groups, but you do not stand to make a lot, either.
What a good feeling to finally see a healthy balance in the nest egg account. The emergency fund is funded, the bills paid down, and time to make some smart investments. You have looked around and real estate keeps coming up in conversations and articles. There is about $50,000 sitting in the account, and you are wondering – how can I make money with $50,000? Is that enough to realistically invest in real estate?
I did a lot of research when I started to make good money in my lead gen business and wanted to find a source for second income. There are different ways to invest in real estate, and you can invest $50,000 and make a return. I will touch on a few of them. If you are interested in how I made my extra cash to invest quickly in my lead gen business, you can click on this link and get some free information, no obligation 
One of the most common ways to invest a small amount for real estate is to buy a property that needs repaired. This could be a distressed property, one that is older, or went through foreclosure and was damaged. The common term is a rehab or flip property. A flip often needs repairs, remodeling, or cleaning up, requiring time and money. Some people buy and flip, some buy, remodel, and rent out, referred to as a buy and hold, utilizing the rental income to pay the mortgage.
Renting works best when the property is a duplex, four-plex, or multi-unit, as it allows you to leverage your $50,000 investment. You can live in one, and the rent from the other units pays the mortgage and hopefully at least a portion of your expenses. Some buy and hold investors also buy like they are going to flip, remodel/repair, then refinance the property to use the rental income to pay the mortgage, and the gained equity to invest in another property – the best of both worlds. Multi-units that are rental ready may prove easier to find than ones needing repairs, however. The later inventory overall is less, and they are snapped up quick.
Planning for emergencies and the unknown is a must
A variation on the buy and flip is the buy and live in flip. You have to have a place to live, right? Maybe the house needs a bathroom and kitchen remodel, and you can do the work, and can also live with what is there while you do it. This can be a good way to build up equity in a property, and once the remodeling is done, list the house and use the added value to find your next house to live in. Each time you can go up in value, or use the extra cash to finance additional properties while living in the current project. This model also may have tax advantages if you stay in the house long enough, as profits usually are not taxable after so long a time of residency. Talk to your tax professional about your state laws and your particular tax situation.
Is a real estate investment joint venture or group right for you?
It is important to know who you are dealing with, especially if the investments are flip properties. Are they a seasoned investor who is willing to share their real estate financials with you? It takes a lot of money pooled together from a number of sources to buy larger properties, making it sometimes more challenging to know who you are dealing with.
Last but not least is real estate investment trusts, or REITS. These funds are purchased usually through your brokerage account, and act like other funds groups. They vary tremendously by the initial investment amount, but most must distribute 95% of their earnings to shareholders. They range from private to traded accounts, and fees vary and may be higher than other forms of real estate investment. Ask your broker for clarification and what is currently available as they tend to bury information in massive bulletins. Know not all are liquid, so you may be locked into something you do not want to be in the future. Make sure to ask questions about fees, returns, values of the company, risk factors, and how they distribute.
I know mine was when I started looking into real estate investing when I had my first nest egg out of my lead gen business. I knew when I graduated from college that I had to find another means to put money away, so after starting the corporate grind for $35K, I looked into many money making opportunities, ranging from MLM and drop shipping to real estate. I did not have enough to invest in real estate at the time, so I hunted for a good business to do on the side. Since my background was in computers, I started there. I made a little, but the hours, along with the corporate job, were killing me. Rehabing real estate is kind of like that, every weekend spent cleaning, tiling, fixing, plumbing, painting, digging, pounding. Not the most fun. Especially for a 25 year old. We want to snowboard and party some!