Winston Rowe & Associates, a national advisory and due diligence firm specializes in structuring acquisition, refinance and portfolio repositioning of large and small apartment buildings.

Commercial real estate investors can check them out online at http://www.winstonrowe.com

They have prepared this knowledge based news article to provide current and prospective commercial real estate investors with a few strategies.

Investing in an apartment building can be a very profitable venture – if you find a building for the right price, with good potential cash flow and in a good investment location. If the location is not desirable, it won’t matter if you have the nicest building on the block or offer the most amenities for the lowest rents.

Research Your Potential Apartment Building Investment:

Visit the building at several different times during the day and night.

Observe traffic during rush hours; renters won’t want a difficult commute to work.

At night, how well lighted is the area directly around the building? Are the streets and parking lots well lit?

During the day, are children playing outside or people walking their dogs?

Visit the nearest police department and ask for information concerning any criminal activity in the area, particularly any directly involving the building.

Drive around the neighborhood and observe the condition of other apartment buildings or homes. Be sure to observe a fairly large area in all directions from the investment location.

Are there a lot of “for rent” signs?

Are the properties well maintained or run-down and in need of repairs?

Is there an abundance of old abandoned cars or junk in the yards?

Check Out The Local Population For A Source Of Tenants:

If you feel comfortable doing so, stop and talk people in the neighborhood.

As you drive through the neighborhood also pay attention to the local businesses.

Are there strip malls that are mostly vacant?

Eat at local restaurants and ask the staff about the area.

Evaluate the investment location by potential renters:

For families, check out the schools

For working singles or couples, is there easy access to public transportation?

If there is a college or university campus nearby, it may be easy to rent apartments during the school year but you may have a high vacancy rate during summer months

Medical facilities in the area may provide a good source of steady, year-round renters.

Read neighborhood newspapers; pay attention to the business section or “crime report” listings.

An apartment building in a good investment location will support higher rents which produce better cash flow.

When speed and experience are important and crucial to your commercial real estate investing success, a principal at Winston Rowe & Associates is always available to speak with prospective clients.

They can be contacted at 248-246-2243 or email them at processing@winstonrowe.com

They have some of the most aggressive rates and terms available, while managing every step of the financing through their advisory and due diligence processes from document collection to commitment negotiation and closing.