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A Sacramento couple fell victim to serial squatters who left their property in disrepair after months of living rent-free.<\/p>\n
Karen and Skip Moriarty, landlords from Fair Oaks, rented their home to Ann and Mario Figueroa, who appeared trustworthy and provided necessary documents. They handed over the keys in August 2022, but issues began almost immediately. The Figueroas were late with rent from September to December due to alleged personal tragedies, and then stopped paying altogether.<\/p>\n
The Moriartys were stuck paying the mortgage on their investment property out of their own pockets, so they reached out to their real estate agent, Gary Meek, for help. Meek told ABC10 he\u2019s had \u201chours of conversations with Karen \u2014 frustrated, upset, crying.\u201d<\/p>\n
Property manager Barry Mathis, hired to assist with the eviction, called the Figueroas \u201cprofessional deadbeat tenants\u201d who exploit the system.<\/p>\n
Mathis criticized California\u2019s legal system for making evictions difficult and costly, arguing that it unfairly protects squatters while disregarding the struggles of landlords.<\/p>\n
While the real estate market remains hot across the US, average investors are increasingly worried about the hassles of being a landlord, and the potential for falling victim to scams like these.<\/p>\n
For those who feel deterred by these risks, you still have options. Thankfully, there are ways to invest in real estate without the trials that can come with property and tenant management.<\/p>\n
Crowdfunding refers to the practice of funding a project by raising small amounts of money from a large number of people. Through a crowdfunding platform, you can buy a percentage of physical real estate \u2014 from rental properties to commercial properties.<\/p>\n
First National Realty Partners (FNRP)<\/a> allows accredited investors to diversify their portfolio through grocery-anchored commercial properties, without taking on the responsibilities of being a landlord.<\/p>\n With a minimum investment of $50,000, investors can own a share of properties leased by national brands like Whole Foods, Kroger and Walmart<\/a>, which provide essential goods to their communities. Thanks to Triple Net (NNN) leases, accredited investors are able to invest in these properties without worrying about tenant costs cutting into their potential returns.<\/p>\n Simply answer a few questions \u2014 including how much you would like to invest \u2014 to start browsing their full list of available properties<\/a>.<\/p>\n Read more: Warren Buffett used 8 solid, repeatable money rules to turn $9,800 into a $150B fortune. Start using them today to get rich (and stay rich)<\/a><\/p>\n In today’s dynamic housing market, many regions are experiencing sizable price increases. By investing in home equity, you can capitalize on this upward trend without the massive down payment nor the traditional responsibilities of homeownership. This strategy can be particularly attractive in places with strong economic growth, job markets, and demographic shifts that are driving demand for housing.<\/p>\n But, if buying property is out of reach for you right now, there are still ways to invest in the appreciating value of U.S. homes in some of the country\u2019s biggest markets.<\/p>\n For accredited investors, Homeshares<\/a> gives access to the $36 trillion U.S. home equity market, which has historically been the exclusive playground of institutional investors.<\/p>\n With a minimum investment of $25,000, investors can gain direct exposure to hundreds of owner-occupied homes in top U.S. cities through their U.S. Home Equity Fund \u2014 without the headaches of buying, owning or managing property.<\/p>\n With risk-adjusted target returns ranging from 14% to 17%, this approach provides an effective, hands-off way to invest in owner-occupied residential properties<\/a> across regional markets. If you\u2019re not an accredited investor, crowdfunding platforms like Arrived allow you to enter the real estate market for as little as $100.<\/p>\n Arrived offers you access to shares of SEC-qualified investments in rental homes and vacation rentals<\/a>, curated and vetted for their appreciation and income potential.<\/p>\n Backed by world-class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived<\/a> makes it easy to fit these properties into your investment portfolio regardless of your income level. Their flexible investment amounts and simplified process allows accredited and non-accredited investors to take advantage of this inflation-hedging asset class without any extra work on your part.<\/p>\n Investing in a real estate investment trust (REIT) allows you to benefit from the real estate market without the hassles of property ownership, such as tenant management or maintenance issues.<\/p>\n Another easy way to invest in real estate<\/a> is through exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which offer a diversified portfolio of stocks. ETFs trade on major exchanges, making them easy to buy and sell, with options ranging from passive index tracking to active management.<\/p>\n Need some guidance before deciding which trades to make?<\/p>\n The team of former hedge fund analysts and experts at Moby<\/a> spend hundreds of hours each week sifting through financial news and data to provide top-tier stock and crypto reports to keep you up-to-date on what\u2019s moving the markets.<\/p>\n Moby\u2019s superior research can help you reduce the guesswork when selecting stocks and ETFs. In four years, across almost 400 stock picks, Moby’s recommendations have beaten the S&P 500 by almost 12%, on average.<\/p>\n With their easy-to-understand formats, you can become a wiser investor in just five minutes<\/a>, backed by a 30-day money back guarantee.<\/p>\n Mogul is a real estate investment platform offering fractional ownership in blue-chip rental properties<\/a>, which gives investors monthly rental income, real-time appreciation and tax benefits \u2014 without the need for a hefty down payment or 3 A.M. tenant calls.<\/p>\n Founded by former Goldman Sachs real estate investors, the team hand-picks the top 1% of single-family rental homes nationwide<\/a> for you. Simply put, you can invest in institutional quality offerings for a fraction of the usual cost.<\/p>\n Each property undergoes a vetting process, requiring a minimum 12% return even in downside scenarios. Across the board, the platform features an average annual IRR of 18.8%. Their cash-on-cash yields, meanwhile, average between 10 to 12% annually. Offerings often sell out in under three hours<\/a>, with investments typically ranging between $15,000 and $40,000 per property.<\/p>\n