Investing in real estate can be quite lucrative if done correctly and with the right resources. Often, when people embark on a real estate investment project, they do it with the help of a partner, which can be for a variety of reasons. Most times, they may not have the start-up capital to fund the project by themselves. Other times, they may need the knowledge, expertise, and experience of the partner in question. While a fantastic venture, real estate investment is not an easy niche to penetrate for many people, and this is because it requires a lot of money to get off the ground. For this primary reason, it may make sense to many people to have a partner, but on the other hand, it also has its disadvantages. If you are weighing the pros and cons of having a partner, keep reading.
Is a partner necessary for what you want to do?
Many people embarking on the real estate investment business have heard that having a partner will be convenient for having someone to share responsibilities with. It is essential when considering a partner to have particular roles for them to play. Do you have specific roles in mind that your partner can play an influential role? It is also important to partner with someone who has a high level of expertise in at least one area of the real estate investment venture that you are embarking on. This is because if you don’t have much experience, and your business partner also does not have much experience, then it is a recipe for disaster in the long run, so it is crucial to choose wisely.
Consider what a partner can bring to the table.
Not all partnerships are created equal; therefore, it is vital to assess the situation critically and determine what a potential partner can bring to the table. Here are some important factors or skills that a business partner can add to your team:
- Money
- Time
- Experience
- Network
- Financing
- Labor
Usually, people go into partnerships because one partner has money to finance the real estate project and the other person does not. If this is the case, then it is imperative to create a sustainable relationship dynamic where one person is supplying funds, and the other is either experienced, doing the labor, or investing time into making the project a sustained success.
What are the alternatives to having a partner?
Other people prefer to go without looking for a partner, and they do this for various reasons. Some want to keep all of the equity and profit to themselves, and others prefer to work by themselves because of their personalities. People in these categories need to know that making someone a partner is not always the only option. The alternative to bringing a partner in is paying someone. An alternative to having a partner is paying someone to teach you what you do not know about the business to handle most aspects alone. Usually, doing it this way leads to fewer conflicts and misunderstandings because everyone is clear on their role, what they are getting out of it, and what to expect in the long term.
Consider what can go wrong in a partnership.
Too often, people experience bad business deals go down the drain because they had misunderstandings with their partners or specific terms were not explicitly spelled out. Often, things can get very complicated, and usually, to end a partnership, one party must buy out the other party, or the asset must be sold. Frequently, in the process of doing this, things can turn into an ugly fiasco, causing both parties to lose valuable time and money, so this is something to think about before moving forward.
Conclusion
Partners can bring a lot of value to the table, but like everything in life, there are pros and cons, and sometimes, partners are not always necessary. In many cases, people have used private money lenders instead of partners and found a much simpler alternative. If you decide that you would still prefer to work with a partner after reading this article, make sure as many scenarios as possible are covered and that it is clear what the responsibility of each partner will be down the road.