There was a time in the not too distant past when it took a sizable sum of money to invest in real estate. Without the help of special homebuyer programs, an investor in a single-family home needed to come up with a minimum 20% down payment plus enough additional cash to cover renovation costs and reserves. REITs and real estate mutual funds catered to those who already accumulated a certain level of wealth and could afford minimum investments in the thousands. For many years, it seemed that real estate investing was a game for high rollers or those willing and able to make up for lack of capital by investing considerable time and labour in doing the bulk of the work themselves.
Opening Doors to Real Estate
Many members of the millennial generation (27% of the Canadian population in 2019 according to the Nielsen data analysis company) feel shut out when it comes to real estate investing. Student debt and a high cost-of-living have left many with less disposable income and the false belief that opportunities at their level of investment are non-existent. Given recent changes that have altered the landscape considerably, not only can most millennials afford to invest, they can’t afford not to! In addition to believing that they lack the capital needed to invest, many young people also report that they simply do not know how to get started in picking properties. They lack the time and inclination to do the number crunching on their own and have absolutely zero interest in becoming a landlord.
This is where real estate crowd sharing platforms come into play by demystifying the whole process and making real estate investing something anyone can do from the comfort of their own sofa on a smartphone. Technology has made investing accessible to all. addy, with its emphasis on micro-investing, has revolutionized the real estate investment industry by removing financial barriers. Anyone can invest with as little as $1.
Millennials Changing Markets and the World
The only generation that can compete with millennials in terms of numbers and strength are the baby boomers, but their ranks will diminish dramatically in the next few years as baby boomers either pass on or reach an advanced age where they consume much less and invest very little. The future belongs to millennials and they have an incredible opportunity to reshape the world to their liking. Whether they realize it or not, the millennial generation is already flexing its considerable muscle and exerting heavy influence on markets and trends. The recent mega success of the Beyond Meat IPO is a perfect example of the power millennials possess to move markets and change the world. In a recent article in “Utopia Press”, Michael E. Spencer wrote that “Investors have been drawn by the potential for increased demand for meat alternatives, a category that is growing rapidly and will soon become more crowded. But it’s being driven by the behavior of millennials who are re-thinking how they eat and live on very fundamental levels.”
If millennial attitudes toward clean eating and living can change the way we all eat, their attitudes toward the economy, investing and lifestyle choices can and will change the way the world views real estate investment. In fact, massive change is already underway and yes – millennials – you can and must start investing in order to ensure a comfortable future. Perhaps you cannot afford to buy a development property, but you can probably afford to buy a piece of that property and help shape your community and the world in the process. Mindful, ethical micro-investing has already arrived and is the future. Start investing now or risk being left behind.
DON’T GET LEFT BEHIND:
