International Investors Jump into the U.S Market. Why Not You?

When you’re dining at an upscale restaurant, do you choose the straightforward steak, or do you bravely order the dish you can barely pronounce? Does your family spend summer vacations huddled in the same old cabin every year, or do you travel to new exciting destinations instead?

Moxie is an elusive trait. If you have it, you know the value of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone once in awhile.

Real estate investors from all over the globe have a surplus of moxie, and they’re using it to seize investment opportunities on American soil.

Lately, real estate investors from all over the globe have a surplus of moxie, and they’re using it to seize investment opportunities on American soil.
These experienced investors see something in the American real estate market that causes them to skip over their own backyards and purchase properties in the U.S. instead. But what exactly is it they see, and what does it mean for you?

High Quality at a Low Price

When you hear the phrase “the current state of the U.S. economy” in a conversation, someone’s usually talking about job loss, high health insurance costs, or one of the many other economic stressors plaguing American families in 2012. Bring up this phrase in a discussion with international investors, however, and you’ll find yourself surrounded by smiling faces.
America’s economic struggle has a silver lining for real estate investors.
The tough economic climate has caused many American families to lose their homes to foreclosure. Banks are overloaded with these properties and will sell them for as low as they have to in order to free up equity.
And these aren’t your typical foreclosures either – you know, the kind with leaky roofs and sunken porches that look like they were plucked from a Wes Craven movie set. These foreclosures are easy to find in even the highest of high-income areas, and it doesn’t take much additional time or money to get them ready to lease.
When international real estate investors learn how little they can pay for a beautiful American property, it’s no wonder they’re excited to jump on board.

High Demand and an Even Higher Income

Families who are forced into foreclosure don’t just disappear. Instead, they join the pool of renters, along with many other Americans who can’t afford home ownership at this time. The pool of renters is overflowing, and property owners are reaping the benefits.
Due to high demand, turnkey properties rent quickly and easily. There are far fewer vacancies compared to years past, and this increased demand also means increased rental rates. Owners are able to charge higher rates and collect even more passive income every month.
It’s a climate that favors property owners. And those with the capital to cash in on this opportunity are doing it in droves. It’s no wonder real estate investors from as far away as China and Australia are rushing to buy up properties on U.S. soil.

What’s the Best Part of These Investing Benefits?

You don’t have to be an international investor to enjoy them. Real estate experts from across the globe are making the U.S. market work for them, but that doesn’t mean that Americans can’t also profit from the properties in their own backyards.
In fact, it’s more imperative now than ever before: American real estate investors should seize the opportunities in front of them while they can. As more international investors enter the U.S. market, the amount of available properties will shrink, and the price for those that remain will climb.
So if you’re an American investor, maybe it’s time to get out of your “wait-and-see” comfort zone and set off on a brand new investing adventure in your own backyard. Maybe it’s time to rustle up some moxie and learn what international investors already know – that when it comes to U.S. real estate, now is the time to buy.

 

By Ben Yonge

Ben Yonge is president and founder of EquityPro, where he helps investors improve their livelihoods and plan for retirement income through real estate. Since 2004, Ben has helped thousands of investors and property owners build for their future. Ever since first grade when Ben asked his mom if they could make candy in their kitchen and sell it door-to-door, he knew he had a passion for business. Combined with a belief that the best deals benefit everyone involved, Ben focuses his energy on leading his team to these high standards at EquityPro. Delivering high returns isn’t the only outcome Ben enjoys. Helping homeowners who need to sell their home quickly and improving neighborhoods by renovating distressed properties bring a great deal of personal satisfaction. Ben’s focus at home is no different. Together with his wife he spends his time showing his two young children that anything is possible when you have a strong work ethic, stay true to yourself, and care about the people you work with.