Real estate is the fundamental asset. It appears on the balance sheet of most publicly held companies and therefore, part of the value of the stock in that company is supported by real estate. Many bonds are partially or completely secured by the underlying value in real estate. When you get down to it, real estate is our food, shelter, raw materials, recreation, transportation and a place to live. There is no practical alternative to real estate for any of our fundamental needs.

We live in one of the most secure nations in the world. With a growing population and a free market system, it is virtually a given that real estate will continue to rise in value. Therefore the income derived from it should also continue to rise. It should be said that there will be fluctuations from time to time in local markets and some conditions and locations will make exceptions to the basic premise that real estate will continue to appreciate. But ultimately, a diversified real estate portfolio that has been carefully acquired is one of the soundest investment strategies anywhere and history has shown this consistently.

So what we need to do is outline the necessary steps to begin a real estate investment business.