Cash flow is integral to any business. In real estate investment, having ample cash flow can mean the difference between capitalizing on a great opportunity and missing out.
Real estate is an asset and anyone who owns real estate is an asset manager. There are a few asset management techniques that can be followed to increase cash flow and profits.
Know the Market and Submarket
No matter the property, the vast majority of future residents probably already live within five miles of the property. Which means that you need to know the competition in the market. Know what other units rent for. Know the upgrades and amenities that justify higher rental prices.
This is a rent survey and it is a must for real estate asset managers. It means making the most of your dollars so that you can potentially raise rent and force the property to appreciate instead of hoping that inflation can carry it.
Don’t Fall in Love
One of the biggest concerns that real estate managers deal with is becoming far too emotionally attached to their properties. While that pride of ownership is natural, it can also cloud judgment as well.
Simply upgrading the premises is not a guaranteed method to improve the property and stay competitive with local market prices. If no one in the market is going above and beyond for those upgrades, it just means that you are overpricing your market. Not being overly attached can be crucial.
Don’t Ignore the Property
Another huge misconception that those who have not invested in real estate don’t realize is that you can’t just forget about the property. By missing repair requests and ignoring tenants, it can lead to a loss of revenue for the building.
Residents will gravitate towards the more desirable properties in the area. Having a landlord that ignores everything and doesn’t perform necessary repairs and upgrades will get around. Before long, it will become harder to find tenants at all, let alone the ones that are desirable.