Banking and Finance  » The Rich are Making Big Money in Real Estate

The Rich are Making Big Money in Real Estate

The over-whelming majority of America's wealthiest families have

made their fortunes in real estate, according to a new study.

The survey, conducted over a two-month period before the end of

2005, indicates those surveyed made their fortunes investing in

real estate. The study was conducted by Real Estate Add, which

is an information driven website.

Many start out investing in single family homes, par-lay their

profits into other real estate and discover wealth in investment

real estate. The stock market has produced many wealthy

individuals, but not like real estate. Only eleven percent of

the 500 respondents surveyed said they made their fortunes in

stocks or other investments.

An over-whelming majority of 83% of the Nation's wealthiest

families surveyed made their wealth investing in real estate.

Only 11% made their first million dollars in the stock market or

other investments. The full report may be read on the Real

Estate Add.com website.

Fifty-one percent bought their first few investment properties

and waited long enough for the real estate market to appreciate

There are many places like that in the Nation's real estate...

to make substantial profits. Nearly all got financing to start.

Some 92% said long term planning was the key to their success.

Only 10% indicated they made great profits by buying

fixer-uppers or other properties they made repairs to and sold

quickly.

Flipping properties, which is buying real estate and making

either repairs to the property or taking advantage of a rapidly

appreciating market without making any changes and selling them

for a great profit, is the exception to the rule rather than the

norm, according to the study.

Most real estate investors who are in the investment real estate

market for more than 5 years, which is considered a long term

investor in real estate, make their profits over more than

double the initial amount they invested. That's understandable

when there are real estate markets like Portland, Oregon, which

has tripled in price in the last 10 years.

Other places like Destin, Florida, which is a resort real estate

market and as such is leading the real estate industry growth in

the second home market, has seen property values double in the

past five years. The Silicon Valley, home of the high tech

industry in San Jose, California has seen prices increase at

even higher levels.

There are many places like that in the Nation's real estate

markets from coast to coast. However, there are still some great

buyers markets where there are shortages of investment real

estate for tenants to rent.

Real Estate economists compare the trend to other forms of

investing, but caution investors to have a long term plan to

cover expenses in case there are unexpected periods of vacancy.

Some investors in today's real estate market have purchased

properties without sufficient funds to cover expenses in case

tenants suddenly move out.

About the author:

Mike Colpitts is the publisher of Real Estate Add. com, which

provides up to date real estate market information on

residential real estate for all 50 states at

http://RealEstateAdd.com Mike has been counseling real estate

investors since 1989.