Types Of Real Estate Investment For Building A Legacy

TYPES OF REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT FOR BUILDING A LEGACY

Which types of real estate investment may be best for building a legacy estate?

Real estate investment can be one of the best tools for preserving, growing, and optimizing an estate, and creating a legacy that will go on giving during your lifetime and beyond.
The exact mix of investments, and structures which are best for your individual portfolio are certainly a personal decision. They will depend on what you are starting with, your anticipated timeline, and your age and health, and that of your heirs. However, the following are some staple selections which can be a great fit for many estate plans.

The Family Home
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The most common type of property in most estates is the family home. The associated tax breaks and legal shelters this asset offers is one of the reasons that sophisticated individuals often invest so heavily in their primary residences. The one caveat here is considering what heirs will really want to do with that property after you pass, and perhaps your long term housing needs. Should it be kept, or will it become a burden? When is the optimal time to resize your residence?

Second Homes & Vacation Homes

These types of properties can often offer a hybrid combination of the benefits of pure investment real estate and personal residences. They can also offer geographic diversification for your portfolio, and often an equity building head start on a retirement home. This may also provide an advantage in shifting residency to a safer and lower tax environment later.

Student Housing

Higher education is only getting more expensive, and so is student housing. If your children are still planning on attending college it may be beneficial to secure them housing near to education. Any additional income or equity produced by the property could offset education expenses as well.

Starter Homes

The recent and current real estate and finance environment has left a significant void in lending and benefits of leaving money deposited in the bank. This has created a new trend and more advantages in parents financing their children’s starter homes. It reduces the burden and credit hit for children, while helping to get the most out of capital for parents. Explore different options for gifting down payments or providing private mortgage loans, and the tax breaks.

Commercial Income Properties

With so much of the above invested in the residential market it can be wise to diversify into commercial properties for income and wealth preservation. Retail, office, multifamily, and mixed use properties can all offer diversification as well as passive income for principals and heirs for the long term.

Future Development Sites

Land, infill lots, and prime buildings which are ripe for future development can balance other assets by providing potential for bigger wealth leaps and cash gains. These investments can be staggered to deliver at different life milestones while minimizing holding costs and management now. You don’t have to be the one to develop or build either. You could sell the opportunity on, or partner with someone else.

Summary

All of the above may be great choices for your estate and portfolio. Leveraging 1031 exchanges, trusts, and self-directed retirement accounts for limiting liability and taxes can make these options even better too.