Those of us who are business owners often buy property at a location to conduct business. Then we hold it for years, doing business and not thinking much about what may be happening to the real estate.
Consider buying a building where things are beginning to improve in an existing community or city center.
Consider the family retail store that has been doing business in the same location for nearly 50 years. Its city location was nearly abandoned by other businesses when shopping centers and big box stores almost made downtown areas a thing of the past. When they considered moving to the mall the rent seemed way too high and the customer mix seemed wrong for their needs. Since the business was not location sensitive they stayed where they were and bought two other buildings adjacent to their original property.
Surprisingly the quaint Victorian buildings of the main drag eventually made a business comeback, housing restaurants, professional offices, hotels, apartments, family homes and shops. This kind of resurrection is not really that unusual. If they wanted to sell either the buildings or the business or both there would be lots of interested buyers, at least some of them investors looking for rental income.
The investment they made was secondary to the business, BUT IT WAS STILL A GREAT INVESTMENT!
Do you own your building?
Maybe you could tap the real estate value of your building to help you grow your business. Maybe you could sell your building for a profit and purchase a different location for your business.
Many types of businesses are not location sensitive. Some examples are law offices, jewelry stores, veterinarians, MD's, dentists, CPA's, auto repair shops and many others.
Other kinds of shops are very location sensitive, like antique stores, art galleries, designer clothing, etc.
So what are you looking for and how do you evaluate what you need?
Look for property and buildings that are in the path of development. As cities expand outward, rural and residential property gets rezoned as growth reaches them. This kind of property may be more affordable initially and a good investment, too.
As an example, an award winning pet supply store is located in a small strip mall north of a small city. It is a destination for local pet owners whose newer homes were nearby. Initially the owner rented space to other businesses but now occupies the whole building for her own business as it has grown along with the area. It has also attracted other businesses and created a “DESTINATION” where none existed before she located there. Her real estate is now worth a lot more, too.
You might be able to invest in a large building or strip mall. Your business could use the space and you could also realize rental income. You could also live over the store, saving commuting time and expenses.
Maybe your business is outgrowing its present location and needs more room. Check out the value of your property and consider your options.
You have to have a place to do business, but also try to make the real estate pay off. In some cases the land might eventually be worth more than the business. More than a few property owners have made this happy discovery.
In one case a woman inherited a lot of land around a western city from her father who bought it up during the Depression. He just held on to it, but she sells a parcel here and there to developers. She actually has a monopoly on open, developable land in her area. She is quite comfortable. It has been a very long-term wait for the payoff, but her father recognized what was happening and made a very good investment for his family.
The book, The Millionaire Next Door (Thomas J. Stanley, Ph.D. and William D. Danko, Ph.D., Pocket Books Nonfiction) talks about the happy accident of investing in a good business and the property it occupies and waking up one day a millionaire. The appreciation of the real estate is often the factor that makes it happen to the ACCIDENTAL MILLIONAIRE.
So look for the direction of development in your area. Take notice of under utilized or abandoned property that could be reused to serve your business needs and your investment needs. Your payoff could be a lot better if you can teach yourself to recognize unperceived value in real estate in your area. Donald Trump always says, “Make your money on the front end,” when you buy right and then sell or develop at the right time for a premium. Buy low, sell high. It's the perfect business model to emulate.
Paula Stone is a former realtor. She now works with her husband Ron in his commercial mortgage business specializing in No Doc Commercial Mortgages
Tags: real estate, money, amp, monopoly, hotels
