What is Commercial Property?
Commercial property refers to any land or building that is used exclusively for business purposes.
This could mean a store, an office building, an industrial unit, or even a hotel. The big difference between commercial property and residential property is the purpose of use.
For example, when buying commercial property you should consider factors such as how many people need to be able to access it at once, whether the building needs specific safety requirements, and how large an area the property covers.
Although it requires greater upfront costs than purchasing residential real estate, owning commercial property can pay huge dividends if handled correctly – it can lead to higher tenancy rates at above-market prices and more control over your investment strategy as well as making long-term strategic decisions about taxes, depreciation cycles, cash flow management and more.
Types of Commercial Property
When looking to buy commercial property, it’s important to understand the various types available.
These include industrial buildings, factories, warehouses, and retail spaces such as shops and malls.
Buying Your First Commercial Real Estate Investment:
Step 1: Choose Your Niche and Become The Expert
Buying commercial real estate is a great way to diversify your investment portfolio, but it can be quite intimidating for first-time commercial real estate investors.
The key is to become the go-to expert by understanding the basics and learning the ins and outs of commercial real estate investments.
First, choosing a niche can help you decide which commercial property type to pursue and help you create an investment strategy tailored to specific types of commercial properties.
After deciding on your niche and property type, research different market opportunities by reading up on market trends, researching area demographics, and getting familiar with commercial market cycles.
Finally, utilize keywords such as commercial properties in order to get familiar with industry acronyms, fine-tune your search filters, and understand what professionals are looking for when they evaluate commercial properties.
Gaining these insights can help you make smarter decisions as a commercial real estate investor so you can make profitable investments.
Step 2: Learn How To Underwrite Commercial Real Estate Investments
After you decide on the commercial real estate property that interests you and receives it under contract, the next step is to learn how to underwrite commercial real estate investments.
It’s important to become familiar with analyzing commercial real estate deals so you know what questions to ask and which criteria to evaluate in order to make an informed decision about the commercial real estate deal.
Through careful underwriting, you’ll be able to determine the price per square foot, expenses, rental income, and occupancy rates of a commercial investment property.
Evaluating this information carefully will make sure your commercial real estate investment pays off for years to come.
Step 3: Build Your Team
An experienced commercial real estate broker should be at the top of your list – they will provide expert advice during negotiations and can help make sure you get the best deal.
Also consider finding a commercial real estate attorney, a contractor that specializes in commercial properties, a commercial property management company, and building relationships with commercial lenders.
Having the right people on your side when buying commercial real estate property can make all the difference in ensuring a successful investment.
Step 4: Underwrite At Least One Deal A Day
One of the most important pieces of advice for real estate investing is to practice, practice, practice.
New real estate investors should always remain committed to regularly underwriting potential commercial real estate investments; it is even suggested that such investors attempt to underwrite at least one deal a day.
Doing this for as long as possible will not only better inform real estate investors of what a good deal looks like by forcing them to analyze dozens or even hundreds of properties, but doing so daily also allows real estate investors to refine their investment criteria and stick to it in the future.
This helps real estate investors find deals more quickly and determine which ones are worth pursuing without veering off course or overlooking something significant that could mean either a missed opportunity or the avoidance of an otherwise disastrous real estate decision.
source: livemint