Is the Market Still Good for a Savvy Investor?
A recent Bloomberg Wealth interview with “The World’s Most Successful Real Estate Investor” shed light on one notable insider’s current thinking—views that should engage anyone with an interest in real estate.
“Is now a good time to invest in real estate?” was the question for Jon Gray, President of Blackstone Group, probing whether buying a home today makes sense. Given a “pretty good” economy that will probably “head down at some point,” that could be a reasonable question. House hunters may be primarily focused on finding the home that’s right for their housing needs, but they are also quite aware that their choice will also serve as a repository of value. That makes the views of “the most successful real estate investor” worth a listen!
Gray’s response began by pointing to a couple of warning signs of a dangerously oversold market: “too much leverage” and “too much capital.” He brought them up because they aren’t present today—they’re two reasons why his answer boils down to this: it’s “a pretty good time” for real estate investments.
Gray is known for bold mega-moves (like buying the once-foundering Hilton Hotel, in large part due to its terrific real estate holdings). It was a well-publicized purchase that initially seemed to be risky but proved farsighted in the long run. That makes his response to the question “what’s the best investment advice you’ve ever received?” all the more interesting. His answer is to be a “high-conviction” investor—made possible by knowing and understanding the field.
Gray offered his own list of the kind of areas that investors might delve into ‘when you see something’ that’s attractive. First on the list: “single-family housing”—for any number of reasons. That’s an opinion that was amplified in last week’s Mortgage Bankers Association post: “Yes, Real Estate Prices are Soaring and No, It’s Not a Bubble.” With today’s highly favorable mortgage interest rates, buyers and sellers continue to take advantage of opportunities in today’s market.
