Distressed Property: Is it a Positive Investment?

There are many investments that are made in real estate, most which are expected to allow the price of the property to go up.  However, sometimes the value of a property starts to decline. If you have run into a property that is like this, you will want to decide if it is worth investing in.  Distressed property is one of the questions that several ask when investing into real estate. 

If a property is distressed, it means that it has not had the care and attention needed by the previous owners.  Most likely, the home is part of a foreclosure, abandoned home, or other problem and may have not been lived in for a specified amount of time.  Any distressed property will need a lot of attention given to it if you decide to invest in the property. 

Before looking at this type of property, you will want to make sure that it will be worth your investment.  While a distressed property will usually go down thousands of dollars because of the quality, it may not be cheaper.  It will be expected that you put a specific amount of work and money into the home in order to repair it and get it back up to being part of the market. 

If you are able to get an extra loan, have more money, and want to fix up a home, then a distressed property is for you.  However, if you don't want to put in the extra effort, then finding this type of property may lose you money and comfort in your own home.  You will also need to decide whether you will be able to profit off of the investment in the long run according to the neighborhood, market, and your intentions for using the property. 

While a distressed property can benefit, it will need to fit your goals and your lifestyle in order to be an effective investment.  As long as you have assessed your financial stability and goals and are able to put in the extra money, time and work, you can take a distressed property and turn it into what you want.  This will give the property the dream of moving from rags to riches.  

Author: Christos Nikolaou

BEng Mechanical Engineering, MSc Real Estate, ETEK Property Valuer, Register and Licensed Real Estate Agent.

Christos Nikolaou is the founder and Managing Director of Property Canvas, he holds a license as an Estate Agent from the Association of Real Estate Agents of Cyprus and he is a registered Property Valuer in the Technical and Scientific Chamber of Cyprus (ETEK). He is the author of our “Distressed Property: Is it a Positive Investment?” and is a certified advance negotiator.