Real estate is a perennially popular investment type for individuals to pursue within their self-directed IRAs. The ability to invest in real estate – both developed and undeveloped properties – can provide an investment and risk profile that generally can’t be mirrored with traditional stock market investments.
But holding real estate within a self-directed IRA can also require a greater level of investment involvement as compared to those other asset classes.
With stocks or mutual funds, the only investor decision is generally just whether to buy or sell. But with real estate, you’ll need to take a much more active role in your investment. And as your real estate portfolio grows ever larger (as is often the case, because many investors view real estate as the ultimate “buy and hold” asset, and therefore tend to add to their positions more than they sell existing investments), you will want to make sure you’re managing your portfolio as efficiently and effectively as possible.
1. Have a Plan.
One of the biggest differences between real estate investments and other investment types is simply the transaction costs associated with making the investments. You can buy stocks, for example, and pay a relatively small commission – and if you quickly change your mind about the suitability of that investment you can sell it the next day and similarly pay a similarly small commission. That’s not the case when it comes to real estate. You need to do your research and planning ahead of time to be comfortable that you’re making the right decision.
You may also wish to consider how subsequent additions to your real estate portfolio in terms of risk and exposure to particular market downturns will affect you. For example, if you own multiple units in a single neighborhood or very small geographic area, then you’re bearing risks (both to the upside and downside) associated with that area’s growth.
2. Stay Active.
By “staying active” we mean that you’ll want to stay on top of your investments and frequently monitor the local market conditions, the condition of the property, and that your tenants are meeting all of their tenant obligations. The value of your investment can erode over time if you’re not paying close enough attention. When you monitor your investments you may also be able to identify opportunities or efficiencies to be gained across multiple real estate investments in your account.
3. Seek Out Professional Assistance.
The larger your real estate portfolio, the more you stand to gain by using a professional property management service. While you’re permitted to perform repair and management related tasks on your own investments, you can’t compensate yourself for your time or effort – doing so would constitute a prohibited “self-dealing” transaction. This is true even if you’re in the business of providing these services to other clients.
But you can hire an outside company or individual (provided they’re not related to you) to perform these services. Not only might that just bring a higher level of professionalism and service to your investments, it can also save you time and energy by not having to manage a growing portfolio yourself.