In this week's Cash Flow Friday tip I'd like to talk about the topic of allowing emotions to get involved when purchasing an investment property and why this can have disastrous consequences. Over the years I have seen many investors make bad decisions on real estate purchases because they let their heart do the talking and didn't focus enough on the numbers. What I mean by this is never fall in love with a building because it's got great architecture or because it's in the neighborhood you grew up in or how about a piece of raw dirt that you feel (no know) has a promising redevelopment future without knowing the facts. Try to resist this so-called "falling in love" with any given investment property because I can promise you one thing - It will never love you back.

To make things easy you need to take a rational approach to decision making when it comes to investing in a property. And to do this you need to only figure two things

1. What you would like to pay for this property

2. What the maximum amount you should pay based on its actual performance

Now I know this is easier said than done and there are always going to be exceptions to the rules. For instance, I own an mixed use property that sits on a commercial lot and has an office building and a 6 unit apartment building on it. Immediately next door to my property is a rundown 4 unit property that based on its current income is worth about 80k but the owner is asking 130k. The beauty of this is that the assemblage of his lot and my own would significantly increase the value of the total package to an end user, primarily because of the redevelopment opportunities that would now exist due to the almost doubled lot size and I'm getting ready to put this property on the market so the timing is right. So the moral of the story is that if you're planning on paying top dollar for a property make sure it's a good business decision and not some sort of emotional rationalization.

I will tell you from experience that there will always be another deal down the road so don't get hung up on one if it doesn't make sense. Invest to make money, not to fulfill your emotional obligations - that's what girlfriends or wives are for.

Alright guys, that's all we have for today. Thanks again for listening in to the Cash Flow Friday Tip and until we meet again next week, Get out there and make some cash flow happen.

 

Recommended Resources

•  Download my free success guide,  “7 habits of highly successful multi-family investors” by going to www.KevinBupp.com/guide
• Schedule a free "no obligation" call directly with Kevin by clicking this link https://www.timetrade.com/book/KV2D2
•  Looking to invest in Mobile Home Parks? Want to partner with the industry experts? Check out http://www.SunriseCapitalInvestors.com