Patrick McGregor 
Understanding personal finance is the first step on the way to financial independence. Now you can make that money you’ve saved work for you, and investing is the most effective way. It allows you to earn money while you sleep and take advantage of compounding.
Prepare for Emergencies and Retirement
Many Americans don’t have enough money saved for retirement, or even enough for an emergency. Saving and investing is a great way to ensure that you won’t be one of them. Investing in real estate is also a great way to diversify an existing portfolio and allows you to take advantage of tax deductions on cash flow, depreciation, and mortgage interest.
Inflation Proof Investment
The Great Financial Crisis has left a last impression on many Americans, with many not invested at all for fear of it happening again. Real estate offers a more stable investment than stocks or bonds and has the potential to generate income every month. Additionally, the value of properties tends to appreciate over time, making real estate one of the few investments that’s inflation proof.
You Choose the Terms
While the amounts of money tend to be larger, real estate investing is quite diverse, making it far more accessible than many realize. You can build your strategy as you see fit. Some will require more commitment while others are more passive. Once you’ve decided, there’s nothing stopping you from exploring other strategies along the way. In fact, diversifying is very effective risk management technique.
Improve Your Community
Real estate investing can also benefit the neighborhood around you. By purchasing and improving on the house or apartment building you increase the value of the property and the surrounding properties. This benefits the whole community by getting rid of an eyesore and increasing the local tax revenues.
Put Your Money to Work for You
Financial independence is a goal we all can identify with. The ability to live on our terms and not be burdened by what we can’t afford. Investing can be risky, there’s no doubt about it. Employing the right strategy with discipline will do wonders in mitigating that risk.
Next, we’ll discuss some of the roadblocks you may encounter when starting to invest, followed by all the different types of real estate assets that you can choose from and the different strategies you can employ to maximize your time and money. Before we get into that, make sure you familiarize yourself with common terms and concepts here.
