A real estate investment partnership can work wonders, or it can be a nightmare. The challenge is finding the right investment partner. Find a real estate partner and there is a likelihood that you can complete twice as many deals or more. Some methods for finding the right fit include an online search, word of mouth, and real estate investment groups.
Here are a few additional tips to help you make an informed decision when considering investing with a partner.
Does the individual have their own source of capitalization? This is necessary because people make mistakes in real estate quite often. Investors need access to a lot of money, especially cash. Setbacks and unforeseen events are the rules for investing. So, make sure that every partner has enough cash on hand to handle unforeseen events.
Trust is a key element when investing with a partner. It may sound odd, but if you can trust them to look after your children it is a good thing. To complete deals, there must be trust between every investor in the group.
You must all have common objectives. Will the goal be to create positive cash flow, or will it be to purchase and flip? How long can you both agree to hold on to the property? If the other individual has a similar mindset, and feels safe investing for the long, or short run, then there could be a sound basis for a partnership.
Consider the five-deal rule when considering a real estate investing partnership. There is no reason why you should not ask for proof of success. Five deals are typically the rule of thumb. Get the information and follow up by stopping by those addresses. Follow up on paperwork as well. If asking makes you cringe in any way, that person may not be the right fit. Keep looking. The fact remains that there are a lot of scumbags who pretend to be real estate investors who are out to make money by screwing newbies in the market. Anyone who claims to be a guru should be able to offer sound proof. If not, find the exit as quickly as you can.
Make sure you all agree on exit strategies. Before entering a real estate partnership, or any business deal for that matter, make sure you agree on how you will exit the deal, or partnership, of necessary. Markets can change overnight, and you may have to make the decision to rent or sell a property. Many partnerships dissolve in a lawsuit, or one partner having buy out the other partner to get out of the deal.
You should also seek out complementary skill sets. Also, being handy with carpenter tools is a good thing. It allows you to jump right in and complete work at cost. This can save you a lot of time and money in the long run.
It is always a good thing to define roles and responsibilities in a real estate investing partnership from the start. Everyone’s role needs to be defined. Who will do what, and how will the parties split the compensation? Is the maintenance talent in-house, or will your team decide to outsource responsibilities? Also, what happens if a partner can no long carry on their duties in an effective manner?