Investing in real estate

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently released the results of a study, finding that of all homes sold in 2004, some 23% were bought as investments. That can be fine -- building wealth via real estate is something that can be and has been accomplished by many. But it's easier said than done. If you're planning to buy, fix up, and then sell in short order, lots of things can go wrong:

• Fixing up can take much longer and cost much more than you expected. Good contractors are not always easy to find and they tend to have a lot on their plates at all times.
  
• Things change, even in the short term. Interest rates might surge, making people less interested in buying the property you're selling. Home prices might plunge, especially if they'd been rising rapidly recently. Neighborhoods change, too. If a liquor store opens across the street from your property, your number of potential buyers has just shrunk.
  
• Being a landlord, if that's your plan, has its own set of dangers.

Long-term investing in real estate is a more conservative approach, and it may even be the one practiced by most. The NAR has found that just 3% of those who buy homes sell them within a year. Another study, cited by a U.S. Newswire story, found that in 2002, the typical owner of a second home had owned it for nine years.

So what should you do? Proceed with caution. And consider alternatives. There is always the stock market, for example. And within it, you can even invest in real estate.