If you have the budget, time and a goal, then real estate is the place to invest. But the most important thing that should be there is that you should have an understanding of the real estate industry, and what your strategy should be to invest in it. The market is different everywhere.

Keep in mind three things when looking for a rental place – what are the home prices, and rentals, what is the economic situation and what is the future of rents and home prices.

Some markets are so expensive that people rent places because they want to and others do so because they have to as they have no choice. An expensive market is identified by dividing the average local home price by the average annual rent. Any market above the ratio of 20 is considered expensive – for instance for San Francisco the ratio is 44, New York it is 25 while other expensive markets are L.A., Seattle, Portland, Denver.

Listed below are some pretty useful real estate investment strategies, tips, and tricks that one should keep in mind while trying to make money off of a good real estate investment –

• Here it is difficult to buy a single-family home and rent it out. There are always people who want to rent, but not many. So, your property may remain empty for a long period of time. A better option is to buy a large single-family house and fashion it into small rental units. Rent them at above average rent, do not reduce as there will be problems. Converting a house into many units will cost an investor money and time, but the return is high.
• Real estate is a long-term investment as it will appreciate over the years and is also a source of steady income. The best advice is to buy and hold on to it for appreciation and find various strategies that will give you high returns on real estate investments. But before that, do a thorough research of the neighborhood, area, property price and market.  You need to know and understand the real estate investment strategies.   If you are holding on to the property, then become a landlord or hire a property management company to deal with the management. Not all properties are the same – they can be a family home, apartment, bungalow, office or industrial area.
• Airbnb properties: The property can be held as and given on rent as vacation homes or short-term rentals. Check the occupancy rents in your area, legal regulations for short-term rental or Airbnb. There has been an increase in the number of Airbnb investors as they have proved to be more lucrative than traditional investment methods. They have higher returns.
• Fixes-and-Flips: Fix-and-flips are for those investors who are looking for short-term active investments to make money quickly. Fixes/flips are properties which are bought, renovated, and then sold. It is not a get-rich scheme but you can make a good profit if you do it properly. Once you select a property, set a budget and consult an inspector, contractor, and appraiser to identify various problems and issues and to avoid losing time and money. Time is important for a fix and flip as it will add to expenses.
• Commercial: The commercial market in the USA is huge, and joining the real estate industry can give you huge returns. Such properties are leased out to businesses small or big and can be anything from a tiny store to a shopping mall. Renting out to big businesses will bring more money but they can remain vacant for a far longer time than residential properties. However, this is not for beginners who have just stepped into the field of real estate.
• Passive investments: The word passive makes it clear that it involves you investing in it but not wanting to get your hands dirty. You give your money to someone else to invest. This is usually the case when a group of investors wishes to pool in and buy real estates like malls, skyscrapers or many single-family homes. Each investor gets his share of the profit. Passive investment has higher returns and less risk. Different types of REITs include residential, office, healthcare, e-retail, and mortgage REITs. Get f.iy a financial expert to consult on matters relating to real estate investment strategy. The best way to invest is to lend the money to an investor looking for a property to flip.
• Wholesaling: Investing in real estate is not the only way to make money here. Wholesaling is one way this is done without spending any money. A wholesaler finds a seller who wants to put their property up for sale but has not gone to the market. The wholesaler finds a buyer and is entitled to a share in the selling price. To be successful in real estate investment you need to have a network and have contacts database of potential sellers and buyers. This is the best real estate investment strategy that will help you make substantial profits.