Investing in single-family homes can be a perfect way to learn whether you like the real estate world.

It’s an opportunity to work with one tenant or owner at a time and have generally predictable costs and stable profits. Some people who are active in purchasing and flipping properties or renting them enjoy this option.

But there are other avenues that some can explore that may have more variety and higher cash flow but different challenges: multifamily real estate.

This could include apartments, condos or buildings where several individuals, families or roommates live together. This type of investing should be done by those more familiar and confident with real estate since there are different tax items to be considered.  Like with single family, multifamily real estate requires regular maintenance and upkeep.

Getting started can include:

  • Do your homework. Look carefully at different types of property as well as the price. A low price could mean a good deal from the owner or perhaps could mean that there’s a lot of work that needs to be put in. You’ll need to figure out how the price can balance out based on rent and other costs.
  • Learn the property value. This could also have an effect on whether a place is perfect except for a hefty assessment each year. It also depends on your budget and nearby sales and purchases. This figure will tell you how much past owners have historically paid for property taxes.
  • Down payment. As with any real estate transaction, the more you pay up front, the less you pay later. But in a multifamily real estate situation, the cost may be higher because the overall price is higher. Then, the interest rate may be higher as well, requiring  a larger cash output. However, some discounts could apply if you plan to live there as a primary residence.
  • Rental costs. How much to charge your tenants can be a complex formula based on your overall investment but nothing too high to drive people away.

For more investment strategies visit Prime Wealth Development.