The real estate industry involves buying and selling land and buildings. The facets of the industry are many and diverse. There are buyers, sellers and brokers, as well as appraisers, lenders, and attorneys. Real estate encompasses land and anything permanently attached to it, such as trees, water, valuable mineral deposits, oil, and even air rights above the ground and underground rights below. It also includes a building, and any improvements made to it. The most common real estate improvements are structures like houses and commercial buildings. Other improvements include roads, sidewalks, and fences.
The most important characteristic of a piece of real estate is its location. People prefer some geographic areas over others, and these preferences create varying property values. A piece of real estate in San Francisco will typically be worth more than a similar piece of property in Oklahoma City. Other characteristics of real estate are its immobility, indestructibility and uniqueness. These factors are what make real estate such an attractive investment, whether it is to swap renting for owning or to add to a portfolio of stocks and bonds.
To understand the nuances of real estate, it helps to divide the market into different segments. Residential and commercial real estate are the two broad categories, with residential being used for purposes such as single-family homes and apartments, and commercial being used for business purposes such as offices and retail spaces. Industrial real estate is a subset of commercial real estate, and it consists of property used for manufacturing and production. Other types of real estate are vacant land and special purpose property.
Vacant land is land that has no permanent structure on it. This land can be used for various purposes, including farming, development and mining. Some people buy bare land as an investment, with the expectation that it will increase in value over time. Others purchase bare land and build a house on it, either to live in or to sell for a profit.
Real estate has many facets, and those facets are what attract investors and people looking to buy or sell a home. Buyers and sellers can be individuals or entities, such as corporations. Real estate brokers are licensed professionals that facilitate transactions between buyers and sellers. Mortgage lenders are financial institutions that provide financing for real estate purchases. Attorneys and consultants provide legal and financial advice.
The real estate market is heavily dependent on the economy. That’s why analysts and investors keep an eye on the statistics for new housing starts, which can provide a general sense of direction for the market. Increasing home starts usually means that the economy is strong; declining home starts can indicate a slowdown. These trends can then be used to predict future interest rates and inflation. Real estate is a complex and lucrative market, and understanding its complexities can help people navigate it successfully.