Many investors wonder about buying a house, a duplex, an office building or a small shopping mall. Experts say this is fine if you are prepared to manage the property and treat it as an ongoing business.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
Even though, as the saying goes, "they're not making any more land," there are different ways to invest in property. Here are some:
• Stocks – Investors can purchase shares in publicly traded development companies, as well as companies that may not specialize in real estate but include property in their holdings.
• Syndicated mortgages – This type of investment has two or more investors in one mortgage, usually for a particular property or development. The return opportunities and the risk will vary according to the type of development, the mortgage terms, the location and other factors. A borrower for a large project may go to a prime lender such as a bank for a portion of the mortgage, and then to a syndicate for the rest, at a higher rate for the lender. Syndicated mortgages can be eligible for Registered Retirement Savings Plans.
• REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) – REITs are bought and sold on the market in units like stocks or funds. A REIT will hold a basket of properties or a portfolio of mortgages. The tax treatment for payout to investors from REITs is different than for other investments – a portion is considered "return of capital," on which tax doesn't have to be paid in the year it is returned (though it will be taxed eventually).
• Direct investment – Many investors wonder about buying a house, a duplex, an office building or a small shopping mall. Experts say this is fine if you are prepared to manage the property and treat it as an ongoing business. You should know how to fix things, or at least whom to hire. Direct investors in property will need to be aware of business taxes, the cost of maintenance and repairs, landlord and tenant law for commercial and residential tenants, and in provinces such as Ontario and Quebec, rent control rules. Experts also say consistently: location matters.