Investment advice

[Lawman]

As a result of high energy prices, which I believe will continue to rise, I believe that residential real estate values in Houston and Dallas/Ft. Worth will appreciate considerably in the next few years from the current levels. These cities have very little to offer for public transportaion and residential property values in these areas are much lower than many other large cities. I would like to invest money in a Real Estate Investment Trust or some similar vehicle that invests heavily in residential properties in large cities.. Any suggestions?

[Whip]

Stay away from San Antonio.......you'll send em even lower....

 

[David]

My impression has been that REIT money is primarily about commercial real estate, not residential, but I wouldn't do it in either case!

[Dave McReynolds]

There apparently are REIT's that invest in residential property, as discussed in this article. Disclaimer: I don't know anything about this company; just found it as an example.

 

There are several other ways to invest in real estate without getting too hands-on. The most common would be owning membership shares in an LLC. Some LLC's are nationally syndicated, and sold similar to shares in a REIT. Another way is through a TIC (tenancy in common). This means that you have an actual fractional ownership in real estate rather than owning shares of a company, as in a REIT or LLC. The fractional ownership any one person has is generally quite small. There can be some tax advantages in owning a TIC or LLC over REIT shares. There can also be some disadvantages, in that TIC interests or LLC shares are generally not as liquid as REIT shares.

 

People are already thinking that homes close to where people work will go up in value, whereas homes with a substantial commute will go down in value, due to increasing gasoline prices. This thinking has already been affecting values, so I don't know if you're in time to catch that particular train or not. There are a number of new condominium projects either under construction or planned in downtown Sacramento, for example, and I have looked a few over myself, but the prices are way higher than I want to pay. But then compared with what similar condos were selling for in San Francisco 10 years ago, they might be cheap.

 

Of course, another angle where the train might still be in the station would be to get some commercial activity going near the outlying residential areas where home prices are really depressed. Or if somebody really had the bucks, guts and vision, buy the depressed homes and build on some nearby commercial lots.

 

For me, about the extent of my bucks and guts is to consider buying the office condo next to mine, since I've somewhat outgrown my own, and could probably rent out the rest of the space to other CPA's.

[JustJean]

We have offices in the Houston and San Antonio area. If you go to www.sealynet.com and click on the investment opportunities it may help? We have been in the Dallas and Houston news recently for going into a 600 million dollar deal with a teachers association out of California. The movie industry is interested in some places around the San Antonio area last I heard. We are in Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, and Tennessee. At the end of last year we sold properties in Florida at a very nice profit.

 

Just a thought.

[Lawman]

Thanks Dave and Just! Plenty of stuff there to get me started...

[SOTA]

with inflation, stocks, oil, the dollar tanking,

 

you guys are more brave then I am.

 

I started moving every thing into gold, silver and platinum

about 6 months ago, and has worked out great. I don't think I will get rich but at least keep the little wealth I have.

 

And think it won't be to long the way the stock market is going, that there will be alot more money pouring into precious metals.

[tobyzusa]

I started moving every thing into gold, silver and platinum about 6 months ago

 

 

Ah commodities... with the current state of world affairs, my uranium and plutonium investments are doing quite well! I highly recommend them.

 

[Lawman]

I bought gold two years ago...just not near enough!

[BadAdam]

I left all my funds in stocks and am riding the wave downward. The good news is that I have 40 years left before I need the cash...

 

If you really think that buying in Texas is a great idea then look into buying stocks of local companies there that you think will do well (I'm assuming oil companies) and leave the cash there. Finding REIT's that target certain markets is not always the best idea because their investments become so highly concentrated that you take on more market risk than average and it can leave you in a bad position should you need to sell at a 'low' point.

 

 

[eddd]

I started moving every thing into gold, silver and platinum about 6 months ago

 

 

Ah commodities... with the current state of world affairs, my uranium and plutonium investments are doing quite well! I highly recommend them.

 

 

Brad, are you taking over from North Korea as the Texas leg of the Axis of Terror? You aren't storing that stuff in the garage, are you???

[eddd]

As a result of high energy prices, which I believe will continue to rise, I believe that residential real estate values in Houston and Dallas/Ft. Worth will appreciate considerably in the next few years from the current levels. These cities have very little to offer for public transportaion and residential property values in these areas are much lower than many other large cities. I would like to invest money in a Real Estate Investment Trust or some similar vehicle that invests heavily in residential properties in large cities.. Any suggestions?

 

 

I'm eating cat food, living in a tent, and riding my bicycle to get by, and Tycoon Billy is gobbling up large chunks of Texas.

 

It just aint right!

[Lawman]

Ed,

 

I also sell cat food and there is tremendous markup in it..I might be able to save you a little money. How much are you paying?

[eddd]

Ed,

 

I also sell cat food and there is tremendous markup in it..I might be able to save you a little money. How much are you paying?

 

Pay? Who can afford to buy the stuff? I just sneak nextdoor and grab what I can from the cat's dish.

[Mike05]

Ed,

 

I also sell cat food and there is tremendous markup in it..I might be able to save you a little money. How much are you paying?

 

Pay? Who can afford to buy the stuff? I just sneak nextdoor and grab what I can from the cat's dish.

 

Ed,

 

Glad you cleared that up; for a minute there I thought you were eating cats!

[tobyzusa]

I started moving every thing into gold, silver and platinum about 6 months ago

 

 

Ah commodities... with the current state of world affairs, my uranium and plutonium investments are doing quite well! I highly recommend them.

 

 

Brad, are you taking over from North Korea as the Texas leg of the Axis of Terror? You aren't storing that stuff in the garage, are you???

 

No, you have to be discreet with that stuff. I keep some in the freezer, some in the pantry, and a smidge in my underwear drawer.

[VinnyR11]

I started moving every thing into gold, silver and platinum about 6 months ago

 

 

Ah commodities... with the current state of world affairs, my uranium and plutonium investments are doing quite well! I highly recommend them.

 

 

Brad, are you taking over from North Korea as the Texas leg of the Axis of Terror? You aren't storing that stuff in the garage, are you???

 

No, you have to be discreet with that stuff. I keep some in the freezer, some in the pantry, and a smidge in my underwear drawer.

 

That's gross. Ooooops, sorry, my fault. I thought you were referring to a "smudge" in your underwear drawer.

[Lets_Play_Two]

with inflation, stocks, oil, the dollar tanking,

 

you guys are more brave then I am.

 

I started moving every thing into gold, silver and platinum

about 6 months ago, and has worked out great. I don't think I will get rich but at least keep the little wealth I have.

 

And think it won't be to long the way the stock market is going, that there will be alot more money pouring into precious metals.

 

How are you holding this? The metal, shares in producers, funds investing only in metals? With the second two you are still subject to the whims of the market. With holding the metal you have zero current earnings and have to pay to store it unless you are taking delivery in which case you will later have assay costs should you want to sell. In any event, not much diversification in the portfolio made up of only precious metals. Most people think hedge funds are risky....this is risky!!! IMHO.