Barry Ritholtz offered up 10 common mistakes made by real estate investors based on an article by Bankrate’s Pat Curry. The mistakes pat identifies stem from the idea that “real estate has become the tech stocks of the 2000s, the darling investment that everyone seems to think will be their ticket to easy wealth.”
Barry sums up Pat’s 10 common mistakes made by real estate investors:
1. Falling in love with the property.
2. Not performing your due diligence.
3. Forgetting the rule of home improvements.
4. Thinking you’ll get those low mortgage rates you see on TV.
5. Not pre-screening tenants.
6. Breaking your own rules.
7. Investing long-distance.
8. Paying too much for the property.
9. Not studying the competition.
10. Being underinsured.
There’s a lot more background in Pat’s article, making it well worth reading.
This is a great checklist for investors to stay on track and remember their goal is return on invesment! Especially No. 1, “falling in love with the property.” Reminds me of that industry expression: Feelings, not features, sell houses. I guess that’s as true for investors as for homeowners.