Short time investment

[hien.nguyenquoc]

Hi, I have a question which I think it is selfish. I am in construction and my job is moved from place to place depending on the project. Time for each place is normally 1.5 or 2.5 years.

Is it a good chance to buy a real estate near the place I do project and sell it before I start moving?

[LauraAlAmery]

You can buy properties anywhere, as long as you buy at the right price. Especially in this economy and with only a couple of years at the most before reselling, I would certainly buy only properties that you can get at a bargain and keeping in mind that if you had to resell at today's values, you would still make a profit and get out ok.
Probably the values couple years down the road will be better, but that is just speculation. Invest with the mindset of what is going on today in the marketplace and you should have enough buffering to protect yourself.

[bryner123]

This is very risky. Property purchase carries other expenses (not only money, but also time - you need to analyze the market properly, can't just grab the first house you see). And if the market drops, what you will do? wait 10 years owning a home three states away?

[realestategirl]

I would not recommend for you to be doing this since you only spend a very limited amount of time in each place that you move in to. In the current climate of the housing market, Houses are sitting with the for sale sign for almost a year and it still has no buyers. You are also expected to pay up the taxes in each property as long as there is no buyer. It is most advisable that you look into rental properties for now, and only consider actually buying a property, once you have found an employment where you are going to be assigned for a considerable amount of time, then you consider buying a property.

[dmike101]

Its not the properties its the banks! There is much much much lending going on now. The houses would have buyers for the right prices but if you cant get financed why even look for a house? Real estate is a long term investment. If your looking for short term I would try to wholesale if you can.

[JohnWoodward]

Prices really aren't moving up quick enough for a 1-2 year turn around. I think it's great time to buy but you need to have a longer horizon. You might make it work if you new the area which it sounds like if you move that often you don't. I would not do it in the current environment and in your situation....at least for what I see here in South Florida.

[uspropdeals01]

Holding onto your investments for only a short while can also incur other expenses. For example, you may be charged higher brokerage commission fees. In addition, if you are a speculator, you will have to pay many more transaction costs for all that active trading, thus reducing your returns.

[mhomes]

Short term investment and real estate are almost opposite terms.
Seriously, I don't know exactly how it works in the US, but here in Budapest, Hungary you'd get killed with taxes, brokerage commissions, lawyer costs, and the incredible amount of paperwork if you wanted to do this. Except for a couple of special cases, of course.
In sum, I'd be looking someplace else for short term investing.

[Cleo]

I would be very nervous in taking such risks. Even if you are very familiar with the area the odds will still be against you. Unless you held on and rented the property out after you moved.

[mhaian]

if buying a real estate would be convenient to you and you will be comfortable with it than to rent, then go and buy it.