Why Angel Investors and Real Estate Go Hand in Hand

Published on
October 28, 2022
Why Angel Investors and Real Estate Go Hand in Hand
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When it comes to investment opportunities, angel investors and real estate are a perfect match. For one thing, the return on investment (ROI) on real estate can be quite high when done correctly. And unlike traditional investments such as stocks or bonds, real estate doesn't fluctuate wildly in value - meaning your investment is less likely to lose its value overnight.

In addition, since most people will always need somewhere to live or work, the demand for property is relatively stable even during economic downturns, making it a fairly safe investment overall.

Angel investments carry a significant amount of risk, and one way to mitigate the risks is by diversifying your portfolio with stable assets such as commercial real estate. Let's break down the details of angel investors and real estate investing.

What Is an Angel Investor?

An angel investor is typically an affluent individual who provides capital for a business start-up, usually in exchange for convertible debt or ownership equity.

A small percentage of angel investors are organized as angel groups or angel networks, giving them greater resources and clout.

Angel investors are often the friends, family, or acquaintances of the entrepreneurs seeking funding. They may also be retired business executives who are looking for new opportunities to invest in.

Angel investors typically invest their own personal funds, which means that they can afford to take more risks than venture capitalists or banks. However, this also means that they expect a higher return on their investment.

Angel investors usually provide seed money, which is the early-stage funding that a startup needs to get off the ground. This type of funding is essential for businesses that are too early-stage for venture capitalists but too risky for traditional lenders.

Seed money can be used to cover a wide range of expenses, including research and development, product development, marketing, and even salaries.

For angel investors, the decision to invest is often based on more than just the financial potential of the company.

They also look at the quality of the team, the market opportunity, and the overall business strategy. If you're thinking of starting a business and are in need of funding, angel investors may be a good option to explore.

Key Takeaway: Angel investors are wealthy individuals who provide capital to business startups in exchange for equity. They tend to be more risk-tolerant than banks or venture capitalists.

Benefits of Angel Investors and Real Estate Investments

There are three reasons why angel investors should consider investing in real estate: low risk, high return, and low correlation with other assets.

Low Risk

Although angels are putting their money into startups, the businesses are still in their early stages, and there’s no guarantee they’ll succeed. Because of this, most investors aren’t able to strike it rich. In fact, most will miss out on multiple opportunities before finding a winner.

Investing your money in real estate is a much safer bet than trying to invest in startups and new products. With real estate investing, you’re putting money into a physical, concrete asset. With other types of investments, you run the risk of losing everything.

In addition to receiving an immediate return, investing in real estate also provides steady income. For example, an apartment complex can provide a steady flow of revenue to investors, whereas an angel investor’s investment may take years before being returned.

There are additional benefits to real estate investing, such as depreciation, which help reduce the risk. Real estate investors can also enjoy tax breaks with depreciation.

Investors can also take advantage of a 1031 exchange, which lets them sell a property and reinvest the profits in another property, deferring any capital gains. They can do this indefinitely, building up their portfolio, and eventually passing it on to their beneficiaries, who will enjoy an "untaxed" step up in cost basis for inherited assets.

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High Potential for Return

Most angels typically invest in startups at the seed stage, investing $500,000 or more in a company. These investments often aren’t used to bring in other investors but are used to help the company get off the ground.

Compare this to commercial real estate investing. Most loans for real estate investing require that you put 20% of the purchase price into the property. Therefore, for each dollar you put into the property, you’re getting a 4-5x return.

Because you’re leveraging your capital with commercial real estate investing, your cash-on-cash return can be much higher than angel investments.

Low Correlation with Other Investments

The liquidity of real estate is much lower compared to other types of investments. It can’t be bought and sold as easily as other asset classes such as stock.

Because the real estate industry is not as susceptible to market volatility as other industries, it provides some stability during recessions and other times of economic hardship.

The real estate market is relatively stable. Investors who own apartment buildings, for instance, can continue to collect rents despite the stock market crashing. As such, investors can consider adding rental properties to their portfolios.

Key Takeaway: Angel investors make money in real estate by investing in commercial real estate development projects.

Why Angel Investors Should Focus on Real Estate

Angel investors should focus on real estate for three reasons.

1. Tax advantages

When you invest in real estate, you can take advantage of many different tax breaks that are not available when you invest in other assets, such as stocks and bonds.

For example, you can deduct the interest you pay on your mortgage, as well as any depreciation of the property. This can result in a significant reduction in the amount of taxes you pay each year.

2. Appreciation

Unlike most other investments, real estate tends to go up in value over time. This is due to a number of factors, such as population growth, inflation, and the limited supply of land.

This appreciation can provide a significant return on your investment, in addition to the income you receive from renting out the property.

3. Leverage

When you invest in real estate, you can use leverage to purchase a property that is worth much more than the amount of money you have invested.

For example, if you have $100,000 to invest, you can purchase a $1 million property by borrowing the other $900,000 from a bank.

This leverage can enable you to achieve a much higher return on your investment than if you had invested the same amount of money in another asset, such as stocks or bonds.

While there are many other reasons why angel investors should focus on real estate, these are three of the most important. If you are an angel investor with additional capital to invest, we strongly recommend that you consider investing in real estate.

Key Takeaway: Angel investing in a startup company can be risky, but also has the potential for high rewards.

Angel Investors and Real Estate Investment Opportunities

If you're looking to get involved in angel investing and real estate investment opportunities, you may be wondering where to start.

There are a few different ways to go about finding more information on these topics.

One way is to attend investment events and meetups. This is a great way to network with other investors and learn more about what's going on in the industry.

Additionally, many online resources exist that can provide valuable information on angel investing and real estate investment opportunities.

Another way to find more information is to speak with someone who is already involved in these types of investments. This could be a friend, family member, or colleague. These individuals can provide first-hand insights and knowledge that can be very helpful in making informed decisions about these types of investments.

Whatever route you decide to take, it's important to do your research before making any decisions.

Angel investing and real estate investment opportunities can be very lucrative, but it's important to understand the risks involved before putting any money down.

Key Takeaway: It's important to do your research before getting involved in angel investing or real estate investment opportunities.

Conclusion

Overall, investing in real estate can be a very lucrative opportunity for angel investors. However, as with any investment, there are always risks involved.

But if you do your research about angel investors and real estate, the rewards can be great.

About AngelSchool.vc

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Jed Ng
Author:
Jed Ng

“Jed is the Founder of AngelSchool.vc - a program dedicated to helping angels build their own syndicates.

He has a track record of exits and Unicorns, and is backed by 1000+ LPs.

He previously built and ran the world's largest API Marketplace in partnership with a16z-backed, RapidAPI".

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