Pros of Investment Real Estate:

  • Investment real estate can provide reliable income during retirement
  • Rent typically goes up during periods of high inflation so investment real estate makes a good hedge against inflation.
  • Investment real estate provides many favorable tax deductions.
  • Owning investment real estate further diversifies our investments when owned along with mutual funds in our retirement accounts.
  • We can use other people’s money (bank loans) to purchase the majority of an asset that we own and control.
  • We have control over the asset.  We can improve and alter it as we see fit to improve rents and equity.

Cons of Investment Real Estate:

  • Rental management isn’t for everybody.  It requires work to maintain the property and deal with tenants.
  • Risk of lawsuit.
  • Variability of income during periods of vacancy.
  • Investment real estate is a hard asset that cannot be liquidated quickly.