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In this day and age, many people are wary of investing in the unstable stock market which requires a lot of time and expertise. Unfortunately, leaving excess money in the bank is hardly an attractive option given the current rock bottom interest rates. One avenue of investment which hasn’t lost its charm is real estate.

Real estate investments in Israel create both a passive and active income for the investor. If the investor chooses to rent out his or her property, they may collect rent money, as well as reap the benefits of the steadily rising value of their property. Given the nature of the real estate market in Israel, this kind of investment provides both stability and relatively high capital gains.

Many people fear making an investment while the market is down, but low prices shouldn’t deter. The right investment will be profitable at any time. Of course, an economic crisis holds greater risks, but it also holds greater opportunities for profit than other times. In Israel, recent years have brought about many changes: new railways, roads, infrastructure, schools and many military headquarters moving to the southern part of the country mean many great opportunities for wise investors. A small property in the periphery of Israel will usually mean higher yields from rent, while at the same time, investment in real estate in one of the major cities is still a good, reliable and more secure option.

So how does one choose where to invest? In what? And whether to do so in Israel or some other country altogether? The most important advice is to research and thoroughly check all the options. Independently investing in real estate requires knowledge, understanding and information. Many people opt out of investing in this field although they have the required capital, just because they lack the necessary knowledge; they know they are missing out on golden opportunities. This article aims to highlight a few of the important things one must consider regarding real estate investments in Israel.

Before beginning the search for the perfect investment, it’s important to plan and define the details of the investment, including the following subjects:

- The purpose of the investment: if you are aiming for maximum returns, you might consider investing in housing units in the Tel Aviv central bus station area, where the rent potential from the foreign workers who inhabit the area will probably be higher than other alternatives. However, you should ask yourself whether you are prepared to deal with the inevitable day to day maintenance that accompany such a choice: collecting rent on a weekly basis, working with different populations. You should also take into account future needs: will you want to live in the apartment or to make it available for family at some point? In that case the character of the neighborhood, and vicinity to the center should also be taken into consideration.

- Partners: Will you be investing alone or with a partner? A partner may be a family member, friend or business acquaintance. There are many advantages to investing with a partner: risk dispersing (for instance, you could invest in two halves of two apartments in different locations), shared planning and research etc. But shared investments are not for everyone, and come with the dangers any joint venture naturally encapsulates.

- Level of risk: How “risk averse” are you? Someone who is “risk averse” will prefer a solid investment in an established location such as central Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, whilst a “risk taker” may prefer to invest in less “conventional” areas with less predictable prices but more potential for profit, such as Sderot, Ariel and more peripheral areas of Israel.

- Correct financial planning of the investment:

- Is your investment based on private equity? Or will you be taking on a mortgage? The level of equity you have will impact the amount of leveraging and the quality of the loan you get. These factors should be considered before searching for the right property, as they will determine the optimal amount for your investment.

- Risk management: what are the potential risks associated with the investment, and how would you deal with them should they be realized? Although Israel has enjoyed financial stability compared to other countries across the globe, and has escaped the last global economic crisis more or less unscathed, there are inherent risks to investing in any market. A few examples include sudden inflation, an abrupt change in the dollar-shekel exchange rates, a deceleration of the renting market. You should leave a margin of equity that will enable you to return any debts and loans you have taken on, bearing in mind such scenarios and others.

- Defining the nature of the property: this is one of the most challenging aspects of the investment process. For maximum gains, this stage must be carried out with due care and thought. Some of the most important aspects influencing the potential revenue from a property are:

- Location of the property (central areas are the most popular, but are also the most expensive. A small property on the outskirts of a major city may yield higher returns)

- Size of property (most renters live alone or with a partner. 1-2 bedroom apartments are popular amongst renters, while larger apartments usually incur bigger utility costs and municipal taxes)

- Accessibility (vicinity to public transport routes, availability of parking etc.)

- Price

Apart from these issues to consider, it is important not to fall into the following “traps”. What NOT to do:

- Investing in a property in your “comfort zone”: Israel holds many opportunities for the wise investor. But it is important not to choose an investment based on your fondness for a certain “comfort area”, be it because it is a favorite holiday location, close to family members, a job etc. One should choose an area to invest based on cold hard and objective returns potential, unless the investment will be a place of residence.

- Full reliance on personal capital: It is better to consider leveraging your investment, even if you could afford it on your own. This decreases the risk and allows you to make further investments.

- Not leaving an emergency “cushion”: Do not acquire a property for a total cost that leaves no room for unexpected payments and costs. Take into account additional costs such as purchase tax, payments to a realtor, an attorney, renovation funds etc, as well as additional unforeseen costs.

Once you have properly outlined the nature of your investment, its purpose and scope, you are ready to invest. But there are still many more questions to consider: whether to buy a new apartment from a contractor, or an existing apartment (and what to look out for in each type of deal), the crucial tax implications of investing in different kinds of properties (which may affect the entire profitability of the investment), and once you have decided upon a property – what are the necessary legal precautions you should be taking. In order to protect your interests at all times whilst making the best investment, it is always recommended to consult an attorney who specializes in the field.

The Jamaica real estate submarket

The general market for goods and service is made up of many submarkets. When left free to operate without private or governmental interference, each submarket and the general market as a whole should theoretically regulate itself by the laws of supply and demand.

One of the submarkets of the general market for goods and service is the Jamaica real estate market. While the real estate market differs in a number of distinctive ways from other markets, it acts much like all markets with respect to changes in supply and demand, but with a slower response time. It has the appearance of being a single, simple entity when in fact the real estate market is itself composed of many complex sub markets. This would include Jamaica homes for rent as well. This would be known as a parent category.

Real estate is a commodity just as wheat, gold and sugar. By combining the other factors of production with land we can produce wheat, gold and sugar or buildings.

Major sub markets of Jamaica Real Estate
Most authorities agree that the five major submarkets of Jamaican real estate are:
1. Residential homes for rent in Jamaica;
2. Commercial;
3. Industrial;
4. Agricultural;
5. Governmental and special – purpose properties

Each of these five categories is further divided into minor submarkets. For example, “residential” as a major submarket can itself be divided into minor submarkets as follows:
1. Urban;
2. Suburban; and
3. Rural

Each of the minor submarkets can be divided further into single-family and multifamily, which could then each be classified as owner-occupied and rental. The point is what appears to be one big, but simple real estate market is in reality, a complex structure of many individual submarkets, each of which contributes to the overall market.

The characteristics of the real estate market
If the real estate market were allowed to operate without any interference or restraint whatsoever, each person could use his or her property in any way that would produce the greatest return. This could result in one person’s use of Jamaican property causing a loss in value to another person’s property. Obviously, we cannot permit land to be used for whatever purpose the owner thinks best for his or her private gain.

For example, if you lived in a very fashionable up-market residential subdivision and your neighbor bought two undeveloped lots adjoining your property for use as a pig farm or for a paper mill with its offensive odors, the social costs to you and the rest of the subdivision would far outweigh the private gain to your neighbor. Therefore, the real estate market cannot be permitted to operate free of all controls and restraints.

Listed below are five primary characteristics affecting ownership and sale that set real estate apart from other markets.
1. The market is local in nature; the product is immoveable.
2. It is slow to respond to change in supply and demand.
3. There is relative permanence of improvements; land is durable and fixed in location.
4. The market is not organized and is without central control; there is no standard product and no central information.
5. Governmental controls influence the market through zoning, building codes, taxes, etc

Local in Nature – The market for real estate is uncommonly local in nature compared with other markets. The reason, of course, is that land and the improvements thereon are immoveable. For example, we cannot transport sugar cane lands from Westmoreland to Kingston. If we were in the market for tomatoes we could haul our produce to the place where demand might be greatest. However, despite the demand for housing in Area A, we cannot produce an apartment complex or single-family subdivisions on land located in Area B and take it to where there is greater demand.

Slow Response – The property market is unusually slow to respond to changes in supply and demand. Very often the number of houses (supply) in an area begins to fall behind the demand, however, since the design, land acquisition, site preparation and construction phases of real estate are so time consuming by the time demand responds the market becomes flooded. The equilibrium between supply and demand is thus destroyed because the supply of the town houses exceeds the demand at the time.

Permanence of improvements – The characteristic referred to as permanence of improvements is also closely related to the above characteristics. The typical bungalow-housing unit has a long economic life compared to other commodities. Once we have built a block of offices we are stuck with it when perhaps we could have invested our time and money in a hotel. Therefore, the permanence of the improvements created eliminates many alternatives available to markets.

Decentralized nature – Another characteristic of the real estate market is the lack of a single, central exchange for dealing with the real estate island wide. If one wishes to buy 100 shares in General Motors, California, the product will be the same as General Motors, Florida. However, if one wishes to buy 100 hectares of beachfront property in Westmoreland, Jamaica the product will be different in many respects from beachfront property in Portland. This focuses the attention on the two main reasons why there is not a central exchange for real estate.

First, the product cannot be standardized. No two tracts of land are the same. Even two lots side by side on a street have different geographical locations on this earth. This concept is referred to as heterogeneity or non-homogeneity.

Second, no central data bank or information source tells about all real property in Jamaica. Also, one needs to be careful when using information about properties in one area to assess properties in another. If one wants to know about real property in any location, it is best to go to that particular place and seek local information.

Governmental Controls – The fifth and last of the primary characteristics of the real estate market, governmental controls, plays an inordinately important role when compared to other markets. Most people are familiar with direct controls such as zoning and building codes which govern construction and use of property.

Governments also exercise indirect controls, such as the monetary policies of Central Government. For example, if Government reduces the overall money supply to slow the inflation rate, higher rates for mortgage bans turn, drives many potential buyers out of the real estate market in Jamaica. This does impact heavily on the drafting of a rent agreement in Jamaica.