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11 Ways to Finance Commercial Real Estate Energy Retrofits

11 Ways to Finance Commercial Real Estate Energy Retrofits
by Michael C. Polentz

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, commercial buildings account for 35 percent of U.S. (and 40 percent of global) electricity consumption. Most commercial real estate professionals accept that energy efficient buildings can, and do, impact the value of the underlying asset. Notwithstanding this recognition, existing commercial buildings on average spend 30 percent of their budgets on operating costs and account for close to 20 percent of all global carbon emissions.

While they understand the benefits, the challenge for most commercial real estate owners and operators is not whether to implement energy efficient retrofits, but rather how to pay for or finance such improvements. Continue reading “11 Ways to Finance Commercial Real Estate Energy Retrofits”
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12 Key Factors When Buying Land

Congratulations!  You’ve decided to build your own home.  But where do you start?

Now that you’ve drawn up the plans or maybe even picked out your perfect manufactured or modular home, you’ll need to find the land to put it on.  It may sound like a simple process.  Pick the home, buy the land and move-in, but it’s much more complex than that.  Finding that right piece of land can be just as cumbersome as searching for the perfect home, if not more.  And, to complicate matters even more, not all real estate agents know land, so make sure you find one that does. Continue reading “12 Key Factors When Buying Land”
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Real Estate vs Stock Market

Why Real Estate is Better than Stocks

The thing I love about real estate is that it allows you to leverage your money. Here’s what I mean. Let’s say that you have $40,000 to invest.

Option 1: Investing in Real Estate. You find an income producing property, maybe a little run down that is only $200,000.  You put 15% down, or $30,000 and still have $2,000 for closing costs and $8,000 for upgrades.

Option 2: Investing in Stocks.  Say $20,000 goes into mutual funds and $20,000 into an aggressive stock.

Now, move forward one month. Continue reading “Real Estate vs Stock Market”
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We live in a litigious society. Be cautious.

How do you know if an investment property is a good rental?

There are a couple basic items to consider when looking at an investment property.  Just like in real estate, rentals are about location, location, location!

If you are considering a full-time rental property, is it close to schools, shopping or allow for easy commuting?  If you are looking at a vacation rental, what is the draw for that area and why do people visit?  Is there a golf course, beach or another attraction that brings people to the neighborhood consistently?  Even a retirement community?  Find out what it is and utilize that. Continue reading “We live in a litigious society. Be cautious.”
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First Time Real Estate Investor (Part 1)

Now is the perfect time to begin investing in real estate.  Many buyers are sitting on the fence waiting for things to change and talk about how our market is “down.”  In reality, you now have more negotiating power than ever.

If you are a new investor starting out, I recommend starting small.

Duplexes and Mother-in-Law apartments are a great beginning.  They allow you to live on one side and keep an eye on the premises while generating income at the same time.  Of course, there are drawbacks to this set-up.  Continue reading “First Time Real Estate Investor (Part 1)”
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First Time Real Estate Investor: Good Rental (Part 2)

So, you’ve decided it’s time to purchase an investment property.  How do you know if it’s a good rental?

There are a couple basic items to consider when looking at an investment property.  Just like in real estate, rentals are about location, location, location!

If you are considering a full-time rental property, is it close to schools, shopping or allow for easy commuting?  If you are looking at a vacation rental, what is the draw for that area and why do people visit?  Is there a golf course, beach or another attraction that brings people to the neighborhood consistently?  Even a retirement community?  Find out what it is and utilize that. Continue reading “First Time Real Estate Investor: Good Rental (Part 2)”
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First Time Real Estate Investors: Long Term (Part 3)

As with any investment, part of planning is knowing how long you are going to keep it.  If you plan on keeping a property for 20 years, chances are you’re going to have to replace the roof, water heater and other items with a limited lifespan.  If you plan on keeping the property for only 5 years, then you’ll want to avoid those costly items if possible.  Or, at least take them into account with your costs and purchase price. Continue reading “First Time Real Estate Investors: Long Term (Part 3)”
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First Time Real Estate Investors: Value (Part 4)

If you are just tuning in and are interested in investment properties, take a minute to browse through my previous articles before you get started. Part 1 – Tips for First Time Investors.  Part 2 – Is it a Good Rental?  Part 3 – How Long is Your Horizon?

So, you’ve found a couple properties that might be a good investment.  How do you know if they are worth it?  First, when looking at a potential investment property, use actual numbers, not future projected numbers. Continue reading “First Time Real Estate Investors: Value (Part 4)”
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First Time Real Estate Investors: Final Steps (Part 5)

To wrap up this series on investment properties, let’s take a look at some final pieces to keep your investment an investment.  If you haven’t read previous articles, start here for some worth while information on how to look at investing.

Investment-Income Producing Properties are a wonderful thing to have.  While everyone else is waiting for the market to change, this is the ideal time to negotiate some fabulous deals.  But it takes more than just purchasing a property to make it worth your while. Continue reading “First Time Real Estate Investors: Final Steps (Part 5)”