There is no doubt that the real estate market has changed dramatically over the past few years. Housing values have declined rapidly, foreclosures are at an all-time high, and investors have to hold onto properties for far longer than anticipated. And if these reasons aren’t enough to scare off the most die hard investor; there are a host of other things that further diminish the allure of real estate investing.

Many have simply pulled out of the market altogether and are waiting on a brighter time to come along before they start investing again. But those that have stayed in the game continue to rake in staggering profits. Why are they succeeding while so many others are failing? They have adapted their investment strategies to compliment the current market.

The real estate investing game has changed, so it seems reasonable that investment strategies have changed as well. Gone are the days of buying a property only to flip it in a month’s time. Gone are the days where property prices inflated overnight and investors awoke to find that they amassed a fortune while they slept. While these days may be gone, the following strategies are still proving successful:

•    Foreclosure investing – Foreclosures are hot, and there a ton of foreclosures on the market. The most successful strategies involving foreclosures today are purchasing foreclosures to be used as rental properties, selling foreclosures through rent-to-own programs and purchasing foreclosures dirt cheap and flipping for a modest profit.
•    Holding – Since most property values are either stagnant or dropping, selling an investment for a quick profit is no easy task. Therefore, many investors are buying properties for pennies on the dollar and holding onto them until the housing market turns around.
•    Financing – Many investors are helping people stay in their homes by offering to buy distressed properties that are facing foreclosure. They purchase the property and allow the original owners to remain on the property and pay rent. Once the homeowner is back on their feet, they have the option of repurchasing the property from the investor.

Successful real estate investing is still possible. All that is needed is a positive attitude and a good strategy to get started.

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