Retire early?? ... you're 50 with no plan!!!! Ya' sound a little greedy bro', but yes it is still possible.
We work ourselves to death and still over 90% of the population can't afford to retire at the age of 60. Why?
While many reasons exist, you have to decide when you want to retire and plan accordingly. Idle wishing will not accomplish this. Your ship probably will never come in, unless you direct it into the harbor. With so many opportunities to put your money into, what is the best way to retire early? As it has been for hundreds of years, investment property is the best choice.
Unlike other forms of securities, investment property forces you to save. You have to pay the home mortgage every single month with investment property. If not, you lose the property. This can be looked upon negatively by some but it is a great advantage to you in the end. This is what is referred to as LEVERAGE.
What does this mean exactly? A standard down payment required on a home mortgage is 20%. Let's say you wanted to buy an investment property for $100,000. You only have to put up $20,000 of your own money. However, you get all of the appreciation of the investment property. This means you're actually making money on $100,000 instead of the $20,000 that you put up.
Investment property also requires less risk than other types of investment. If the stock market plummets tomorrow, you've got nothing. If your investment property burns to the ground tomorrow, you have insurance. This is a great advantage in itself. Even if property values plummet in your area, the investment property will still be worth something.
Another major advantage of investment property is the positive cash flow that is created through rent. In many cases, you can pay the entire home mortgage with the rental income that you make from the property. The people that rent it are making your mortgage payment for you and you reap the benefit. When you sell the property, you get the profit, not the renter.
The advantages of investing in real estate are numerous. There is less risk and more reward than almost all other forms of investment. We all want to find a way out of the daily grind of a job. This could be the best way out.
Contributing: Marian Rozwenc, PhD, property and auto insurance specialist.