Robert Shumake

Most people would say no, because they don't have the cash to get started

Detroit, MI - Earl E. Bird, III, recently spoke at a real estate investor's meeting. No introductions were necessary as the group already heard him speak before and they were anxious to hear more from him.

Earl Bird asked, "Are you ready to be the next Donald Trump?" This simple question had everyone's attention. "Many people want to learn how to make the big bucks when it comes to real estate investments; generally this means getting involved in commercial real estate. This is how Donald Trump got started."

One investor said, "Most of us don't have the money that Trump has, so how is possible for us to make such a large investment?" Earl explained, "Even in commercial real estate, it is possible to start small by investing in REITs. Like other mutual funds, you purchase shares of a company who builds and manages commercial real estate and pays out dividends to shareholders. The dividends are derived from income producing properties like strip malls, office buildings and apartment complexes."

Earl explained that by law, 90 percent of the profit made from REITs must be returned to the shareholders in dividends; therefore, if the fund does well the stockholders do well. Earl said, "If you are wondering if this is right for you, remember what Will Rogers once said, ‘Buy land, they aren't making any more of it.' This is so true; there is only so much land to go around and with a growing population, more and more people are going to want a piece."

Earl has published over 100 articles about REITs and real estate mutual funds. He has made this information available to the public on many blogs that he has recently posted. To read more about real estate investing, visit Earl's blog at http://cramerjim.blogspot.com/

The average return on REITs is 6-10 percent which is a lot more than savings in the bank

Detroit, MI - A real estate networking group recently invited Earl E. Bird, III, to join a panel of real estate investors to answer questions on making money with real estate in today's economy.

Earl has done extensive research in REITs, which are essentially, real estate mutual funds. Earl said, "If you like to save money in the bank you have likely been discouraged to do so today because of very low interest rates. You should consider REITs which is an investment in a company who builds and manages real estate ventures. REIT shares are purchased just like any stock, mutual funds or commodities on the stock market that allow money to grow. The average return on REITs is 6 - 10 percent, which is triple or more what savings accounts or bank CDs are offering.

Earl explained how REITs are a strong investment as they are based on tangible assets that will always have value, even if the value fluctuates. Earl said, "Unlike buying real pieces of property, which means investing a large amount of money, management, paperwork and the hassle involved with selling it later; you instead buy and sell shares of REITs, like any other stock, mutual fund or commodities."

Earl has been very successful investing in REITs and he wishes to share his secret of success with others who wish to invest today for a financial secure future. Earl has a blog at http://jimcramermoney.blogspot.com/ with many articles about REITs and real estate mutual funds where investors can learn more.

Many people love the idea of investing in real estate but are not sure which way to go with their investments. When it comes to real estate you can go from one extreme to the other, having real estate holdings that are liquid like stocks, bonds and other stock market offerings to literal property purchases that are much more permanent.

Property

The first way many people think of investing in real estate is to purchase a piece of land or a home that becomes an investment property.

While property values can fluctuate over the years, the truth is there is only so much property on the planet. With the population always growing, that means over time property will always have great value.

The only problem with purchasing property is the amount of paperwork and money that is involved. In order to be a property owner you have to finance the purchase and sign dozens of pages of paperwork to take ownership. While this is all well and good, if you every needed the money that you had put into the property it may be very hard to get a hold of as you will have to be able to sell the property at the price you want to get that money back. That may not happen in a tight market, not to mention the time involved to do it.

Real Estate Mutual Funds

Real estate mutual funds are mutual funds that are focused on the real estate market. That means inside the fund could be anything from holdings in real estate management companies, financial services or even manufacturing interests.

The nice thing about real estate mutual funds is that you can own a stake in the real estate market without being tied down. If you need your money you can sell your shares and pull it out of the fund.

REITs

REITs are real estate investment trusts. These are financial investment funds that were brought into existence by legislation in the 1960s. Essentially these are glorified real estate mutual funds that have a little more stringent rules.

Inside a REIT fund can be anything from real estate property interests to real estate management groups, financial service companies or manufacturing interests.

There are a couple unique rules relating to REITs. The most important one to investors is the way profits work. 90% of the profits from the REIT must be returned to the shareholders. That means you can expect nice dividend checks. If you are smart you will put them back into the fund and enjoy watching it grow even more.

When you are ready to put your money into a real estate venture, make sure to do your research first. Using a site like REITBuyer.com will allow you to do all the research you need as well as purchase the REITs and real estate mutual funds you want in your portfolio. They are the first and only online brokerage that specializes in real estate mutual funds and REITs.

REITbuyer.com, a site dedicated to educating Real Estate Investors on how to invest in Real Estate Mutual Funds to diversify their investing portfolio. Learn more at http://www.reitbuyer.com

If you have been thinking of putting a little money into real estate investments you may like the idea of being able to make a nice return on your investment, but are not sure just how it all works.

Can you get your money back if you need it?

For many people the real estate market is a wise place to put their money. It's a mostly stable market that is based on something tangible - real estate, which will always have value.

But in many people's mind investing in real estate means purchasing a piece of property. That is a lot of paperwork and responsibility. And what happens if you need that money? Perhaps you need a medical procedure or someone in the family desperately needs some funds. What would you do? It's very hard to sell a piece of real estate quickly, so your money could be caught up for some time.

There is another option. Instead of putting your money into individual pieces of real estate, why not put your money into real estate interests that are more liquid. In this case we are talking about real estate mutual funds and real estate investment trusts (REITs). Instead of being paperwork-layered investments like purchasing property, getting into REITs and real estate mutual funds has you buying into a fund. It is much the same as purchasing stocks, bonds and any of the other offerings on wall street, while keeping in the real estate market.

In case you haven't heard of them, here's a quick look at REITs and real estate investment trusts. REITs are specialized funds in the real estate industry. Inside these funds could be stocks, bonds and financial assets relating to real estate from financial services to manufacturing supplies.

REITs were set up by the US Government in the 1960s as a way to let everyone get in on the real estate industry. The money you put in must be used for real estate related purchases by the fund. As profits come in at least 90% of those profits must be returned to the stockholders.

Real estate mutual funds are just like any other mutual funds, but are focused in the real estate arena.

Before you buy you need to know what you are getting into. There are a number of Real estate mutual funds out there as well as REITs and they are all a little different. Some of them focus on residential properties, others commercial real estate and still others industrial. Other funds are geared towards the financial services portion of real estate while some are focused on the manufacturing world.

Log on to a site like REITBuyer.com where you can take a closer look at the REITs and real estate mutual funds out there that best suit your investment desires. They are the first and only online brokerage that specializes in real estate mutual funds and REITs. Once you have found the funds for you, you can purchase them and monitor those purchases on the same website.

REIT Buyer.com, a full service online information resource dedicated to assisting investors who are interested in learning more about Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), Real Estate Mutual Funds and how to invest in them. Visit http://www.reitbuyer.com to learn more.

If you are looking to get into the real estate investing field and want to really build a financial nest egg, there are some rules you need to follow. One of the most important ones is to invest regularly.

Many people get the investing bug and put a chunk of change into the real estate mutual funds or REITs that got their attention. Then they leave that money there and don't really pay a lot of attention to their investments. Perhaps they will look at it from time to time, but not much more.

This is not the way to build an investment portfolio. In order to see real long-term results you need to be regularly investing into your financial future.

Set a Budget

The easiest way to do this is to decide how much of your monthly income will go into your investment portfolio. If you are saving for your future this is no different than what you would do if you were involved in a retirement savings plan at your place of work. Every month a certain amount would go into the fund. You need to be doing this at home as well if you want to see results from your portfolio.

Be prepared to struggle with this part of the investing process. When you first start this will be easy as you will be excited about the idea of investing. But as the months and years wear on you will become less excited about investing and may find yourself thinking of other places you would prefer to put that monthly money. You have to avoid that urge or you will end up with much less than you had hoped in the end.

Spend Wisely

The next thing to consider is where you are going to put your money. There are a number of investment avenues out there, but you want to make sure your money is waiting for you (with some profit) when you need it, so you need to choose your investment options wisely.

Real estate is always a wise investment option. While it can change in value, just like everything else on the market, it also is based on something tangible - real estate, so it often holds strong even when other markets are floundering.

Now you need to choose which real estate mutual fund or REIT you want to put your money into. There is no need to make a rash decision on this. Instead, do your research. You want to get to know the funds out there and find one that seems to call to you.

This research, and the subsequent purchase of the REIT or real estate mutual fund, can be done on REITBuyer.com. It is the first and only online brokerage that specializes in real estate mutual funds and REITs.

Once you have made your purchase with REITBuyer you also will be able to monitor your portfolio and keep your eye on news feeds and market reports that will let you know if there are changes coming that may impact your investments.

REITbuyer.com, a site dedicated to educating Real Estate Investors on how to invest in Real Estate Mutual Funds to diversify their investing portfolio. Learn more at http://www.reitbuyer.com