The current boom in real estate market has made real estate a safe and viable investment option for many people. If you invest wisely, you can easily double the amount of your investments in a period of five to six years. However, if you are new to the world of real estate investments, you first need to develop an understanding about the various categories of real estate investment options available in the market. Given below are some of the common categories of real estate investment options:



1. Renting single-family homes: If you are a beginner and own more than two or more homes, you can rent them out to prospective tenants who are wiling to pay the right amount of rent. This way you can maintain a regular source of income, which can be used for paying off your mortgage loans. The only drawback is that you will not receive any income when the house is vacant.

2. Fixer uppers: You can purchase houses that are badly in need of repair at low prices and then sell them at high prices after carrying out the necessary repair works. This way you can receive your returns in just one or two years. The only drawback is that the tax rates are high in such types of investments.

3. Low income housing: This investment option is similar to other rentals with the only difference that the cash flow is higher in such types of investments. However, you might have to invest in carrying out repair works and deal with tenant problems.

4. Selling rent to own houses: Selling homes on a rent to own arrangement is often preferred as it allows you to receive higher rent without having to invest funds in repair and maintenance. However, you will have to make use of your time and effort in maintaining records of financial transactions with the tenant.

5. Commercial properties: These types of investment options are usually for people who have in depth knowledge about the real estate market. Although the returns are high, it is often difficult to predict the future value appreciation of such properties.

6. Land, split and resold: This investment option is relatively simpler and offers the possibility of high returns. However, the process is slow and there is no cash flow while you wait for prices to appreciate.

7. Boarding houses: The cash flow is usually more as you charge for every single room. However, you may have to deal with tenant problems, especially in a college town.

8. Invest cash, sell with terms: If you have ready cash, you can buy properties and sell them on easy terms for getting a high price and high interest. However, you need to have plenty of cash and should be ready to tie up your capital for a long time.

9. Pure speculation: If you have a knack for taking risks, you can invest in properties based on pure speculation. If you are lucky, the returns will be sky high but in case there is a downtrend in the market, you can easily lose thousands of dollars.

You can use this information in selecting the most appropriate investment option based on the amount you are willing to invest and the level of returns you are aiming to achieve.