For several years it was easy to find 100% financing of investment property. Just go to a bank and get an 80/20 no doc loan. You didn’t need great credit, you didn’t need cash and the investment didn’t have to make sense.

But the credit crisis of 2008 forced the banks to pull back from their loose lending practices. Now most require 25% down payments when you are trying to buy rental property – if you can get a loan at all. Many would be investors seem locked out of the market at a time when foreclosures are creating many buying opportunities.

So what should you do? Well, some obvious points are:

* save money for a down payment
* improve your credit score
» Read more: How to Find 100% Financing of Investment Property in a Bad Economy

Property investment strategies aren’t just for the rich. Many people are real estate investors and don’t even know it. Those who own their own home for example are investors. To round out your investment portfolio, consider real property.

The old saying, don’t put all your eggs in one basket, is especially true in investing. You should never buy just one stock or even have just one investment strategy like stock investing. The smartest investors know that it is best to have as many different investment strategies as possible. This is about property investment strategies you might want to consider adding to you portfolio.

Strategy one- Buy and hold. This is about purchasing a property and holding onto for the long haul such as buying your own home to live in but also including any property you wish to hold onto. There are many different ways to go about this strategy. You could for example purchase a run down home, fix it up and keep it forever which creates instant and long term equity if you purchase it for the right price of course. You could simply purchase a regular house for a regular price knowing that the area has a serious influx of cash coming its way. For example, perhaps the area is getting a new school or a new sports arena. This strategy is very conducive to a portfolio due to its annual returns.

Strategy two- Flipping houses for profit. This strategy is more for the aggressive investor who is looking for short term gains. This involves searching for an area that is usually middle class although it’s feasible you could find a property anywhere. Then you find a property in that area that is run down. The best kind of run down property is one that is very ugly. The trick here is to find one that only has superficial damage, meaning no substantial damage has occurred to the property.

Some examples of extensive damage would be foundational, electrical, and plumbing. The best properties are ones that require maybe some paint, fixtures, landscaping and so on. The value would increase significantly from the repairs and would become marketable. The most important aspect of this type of investing is the timetable. Getting done as quickly and efficiently as possibly is the name of the game in flipping, thirty to ninety days is the goal. Once all of the repairs are done it is time to sell for profit or flip the property to another investor or a home-buyer.

Strategy three- Combination property investment strategies. Sometimes it is best to create your own style of investing to fit the situation. One example is starting off with the flipping strategy and then ending up with a long term hold. This is actually one of the most profitable, especially if you can do the work yourself. You get all the profit from the fix up, which only cost you materials and time if you do it yourself, and you get all the growth from the inflationary aspect of owning the home. For maximum benefit you would have purchased the home in an area you knew was about to have a significant increase in value as we talked about earlier.

As you can see there are numerous property investment strategies, and with time you will become an expert. You will see your income increase potentially into perpetuity. You could even become your own bank using the equity from one property to invest into the next.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aris_Thanatose

Should you buy investment property? What kinds of properties can actually be considered investments? Some people are under the false impression that nearly any property is an investment, but this simply isn’t the case. There are lots of things that go into determining whether or not the property you purchase will be worth something in the end.

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that all properties will be worth more than their value in a few years. Instead, try and follow some simple steps that will lead you towards a real investment. Below, you will find some of the things that should be considered before purchasing any kind of property.

Before you buy investment property, think about the location of the property itself. The property that you are considering should be located in an area that has a lot of job opportunities. This location should also include schools, shopping, transportation, and it should also be relatively easy to locate and reach when you need to visit your property.

Lastly, make sure the area is safe – nobody will want to purchase a property in an unsafe area. If you are going to purchase a rental property, the next thing that you need to do is find out what the going rental rate is within the neighborhood that you choose.

Speak to local landlords, find out what price other rentals are being let at, and find out how other landlords in the area are doing with the current market. This is the best way to buy investment property. If you rush into purchasing any kind of property, you will likely live to regret your decision.

However, a well informed decision is one that is worth your time and energy. You should never be in a hurry to purchase any kind of investment property. Instead, you should always take your time to find a property that meets the criteria listed above.

If you follow these steps before you buy investment property, then you should be able to find something that meets your needs. Remember to look for location above all else, and never try to rent a property for more than it’s worth.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Smitts