Financial planning and investment is all about finding out where to invest your money so that you can get the best possible returns. Real estate investment has always been considered as safe because seldom the demand for real estate witnesses a dip. Property investment is the safest and there are strong reasons as to why it is given priority than other forms of investments like mutual funds, bonds, stocks and ETF. You can literally grow your money through property investment with minimum risk.

Investors skittish of stock market investments prefer to invest in the real estate market but there are many who have not yet got over the 2008 downturn. Scars of those days have not yet healed for many and they are not ready to invest just for the sake of property investment. They need strong and logical reason behind this investment; they prefer to wait it out rather than put in all their money hastily.

If you take property investment decisions in haste, chances are high that you will end up with something in your portfolio that would fail to produce the desired ROI. In property investment, only four different routes prevail; however, here we are going to look at only two of the most popular ones.

First: You can go ahead and invest in a rental property

Second: You can buy shares in the REIT or real estate investment trust

Buying the rental property is quite straightforward method wherein you buy a rental property and give it out on rent. However, this type of investment is not for everyone as many fail to juggle their professional lives and at the same time upkeep a property like a landlord. It takes a lot of time and effort to maintain the property you buy unless you are using the services of a management company. You can obviously use the services of a management company but be ready to take a cut in your profits.

On the other hand if you invest in REIT, you don’t have to actually own a property on the ground and go into the landlord-mode. It operates just like a mutual fund and the only difference here is that it is property investment. The trust is a group of investors who make property investment and lets the individual investors buy its shares. The trusts are able to receive tax benefits as they pay a major chunk of their income to their shareholders. You can buy shares on public investments, which implies that your investment is quite liquid. You are ensured of regular dividends.

Two other methods of property investment that are often used by investors include notes and croudfunding portals.

Notes – You will be able to invest in second mortgages, paper notes etc. You can even sell or buy notes just like other real estate invest estates. The best thing is that there are no brokers involved in this.

You’ve asked yourself this question for the thousandth time. You’ve heard all the hype and skeptically turned your head away from the opportunity, only to find yourself attracted to it once again. You’ve seen the advertisements and laughed at the idea, but somewhere deep inside you wonder if it’s really possible.The question keeps coming back…Is it crazy starting a home-based business?With all the negative misconceptions surrounding home-based businesses, I feel it is important for you to understand the main reasons people start a home-based business in the first place. The purpose of this post is not to sell you on any one business opportunity or to convince you to even start your own business.The purpose is to help understand the mind-set of individuals who seek to create a different future for them self and/or their family. Perhaps you landed on this article, because you are looking for a better way to secure your future.Maybe you have already convinced yourself to start a home-based business, but are skeptical that you even have what it takes to succeed in your own business. Whatever your purpose may have been that found you reading this post, I hope you take away a fuller understanding of what led you to the world of entrepreneurship.It is well known that a home-based business is not everyone’s cup of tea. So, why do so many even venture into this career path?1. Dissatisfied With Current EmploymentHow many of you have walked into your place of employment bright and early on Monday morning and said to yourself, “I can’t wait for Friday afternoon to come!”? I can safely assume that the majority of you right now are raising your hand in your mind.There is no shame in feeling this way. Most of us live for our weekends, when we can relax with our families and get tasks completed from our to-do lists. We can sleep in past 6:00am and go to bed later than 9:00pm.Weekends = Freedom.Now, many are perfectly content with staying in their current 9:00-5:00 job. This is okay, because this equates to familiarity and stability for so many.For others, however, they are dissatisfied with their job and with the restrictiveness of its expectations. They are tired of missing birthdays and holidays, vacations with the family. We spend more time with our co-workers during the day than we do with our own family and friends.Activities and events are all planned around our work schedules and, many times, it is easier to just cancel the event than to try to request the time off from work.Now, there are two types of individuals who are dissatisfied with their current employment: those that are hungry to do something about it and those that will continue punching that time card. Again, it is respectable to stay in one’s current job, because they are taking care of their responsibilities and, possibly, working hard for that next promotion.However, for those that are hungry to make a change, starting a home-based business has proven to be the answer to their problem.As a home-based business owner, you make your own schedule and you dictate the amount of time you are able to spend with your family and friends. You are afforded the luxury of time, because there is no boss to report to but yourself.2. The EconomyIt is no secret that the state of today’s economy is one of uncertainty. Property values have fallen and unemployment rates have risen. Recent college graduates struggle to find employment, after racking up thousands of dollars in student loans. More and more families have to apply for government assistance just to meet their most basic needs.We are currently in the middle of a presidential election year and what has been a significant focus of both campaigns? The economy.With the current state of the economy, more and more people are looking for ways to secure their financial future, because they are not confident in placing this in the hands of their employers and of their government.With a home-based business, many have been able to start building a financial cushion for them self and for their family and all from the comfort of their own home. This is especially suitable for those currently employed and/or have families, as they are able to grow their business part time if need be.3. Financial Freedom & SecurityWith a home-based business, the potential to earn a significant amount of money is so much greater than with a traditional job. In a regular private or government job, the only way to increase your income is to obtain a promotion or get hired in a higher paying job.With a home-based business, your efforts and commitment truly does predict the amount of money you can earn. There is no interview, there is no politics. There is simply your ability to reach the maximum amount of your target audience (your ideal consumer) and be able to attract them to your product or opportunity.The dream of financial freedom and security is realistically attainable, and more individuals are recognizing this potential within the home-based business industry. Financial freedom and security is important to many in various ways, but there is one common benefit to all: the opportunity to live the lifestyle one has always dreamed of.

Many people starting up a home-based business find it difficult to start working from home, especially if they have gone out to work every day of their working life.Having a home-based business is just like going to an office to do your daily work but without some of the negatives. You have flexibility in the working day because you spend less time travelling. For those new to a home based business are a few tips:-• Plan your working day and working week – so each day you know what you have to do before you start• Be disciplined – if your plan is to be in office at 9 make sure you are at your desk at 9• If your home-based business is part time and you only have, for example, a couple of hours a day to spend working, be disciplined and do those two hours a day – every day• The most important item you need when you have a home-based business is a desk – have an area of your home that you use as your office. It may be a spare bedroom, dining room or even a converted garage! Or you may be lucky enough to have a study already set up• You will need a phone. If you have a landline and want a separate number there are several options you may wish to look – internet phones or free phone numbers can both be obtained very cheaply• Access to the internet – a brilliant way to communicate with potential customers. If you have a Blackberry or equivalent then this will help you get started• Stationery – when many people start their own home-based business, they think they need letterheads, compliment slips, business cards and brochures. In most cases when you start perhaps the only one of these you will use is business cards – this may depend on your business. Don’t spend money on stationery unnecessarily until you need the items.• If you have family members in the house during the day make them aware that if you are in ‘your office’ and are not to be disturbed I have had a home based business for over 18 years, starting when I had two small children.I love having my office at home and I wouldn’t ever consider taking office premises. My office has a laptop, printer, photocopier, phones, radio – and more importantly no one to distract me! I think home-based businesses are the way forward, especially with so much work these days being done on the internet and with many having to pay for childcare.