Guidant Financial Group Blog

According to Zillow.com, in the 12 months that ended June 30, nearly a quarter of the homes sold in the nation garnered less than what the seller originally paid for the property (See 25% of Home Sales Result in Loss).

Ouch.

We do know that many of these sellers had no choice in the matter; but what this statistic means is, whereas it may not be the right time to sell, it surely could be the right time to buy!

For those of you with IRA or 401(k) money bobbing up and down in the stock pool, try considering purchasing a rental property. Maybe a flip? Or a tax lien? A self-directed IRA (also known as a real estate IRA) could open up your retirement funds to a whole new world of investment opportunities.

It is pretty obvious that now is not the time to find yourself stuck in the housing market with few options to get out. But it may be time to get into it if you have a long-term investment plan and intelligent exit strategy. According to many financial advisors, it will still be a few years before the housing market recovers; but, for those of you who have several years until retirement, this may not matter.

Contact your financial advisor, tell them you are considering real estate, and see what they have to say. You might be surprised!