Investing

Real Estate vs Stocks: The Great Indian Face-Off

  • July 6, 2022
  • 7 minutes read

Real estate vs Stock market: which is a better investment? Both investments have pros and cons you need to understand.

Nowadays, where everyone is a stock trader, it might seem like the best investment is to buy stocks. But is that the case? Stock trading has taken the world by storm, but for some reason, we Indians still prefer investing in real estate. Here is what you need to know about both options regarding investing.

In addition, I would like to share how real estate is the king of investments.

Investing in Real Estate Vs Stock Market

The most common question I get is: “Which is better, investing in real estate or stock market?”

The reply usually depends on your situation and goals. For example, if you are young, have limited capital, and are trying to build a retirement nest egg, it might be better to invest in stocks than real estate. On the other hand, investing in real estate makes sense if you want to buy a house or apartment for your family.

The answer also depends on where you live. The real estate market in India is not as developed as other markets worldwide. If you are thinking about investing in India’s real estate market, here are some points worth considering:

  • India has over 1 billion people who all need housing and homes. So, the demand for new construction will remain high for years (even if interest rates rise).
  • There are not enough houses built. The prices are rising rapidly; this means that an investment made now will likely be worth more than one made later on down the line (assuming interest rates don’t rise too much).

Thus, real estate is a wise investment for today and tomorrow.

Returns of Real Estate Vs Stocks

Real estate vs stock market in India? It is a question that has plagued investors for ages. It’s simple: both offer benefits, but on whom should you place your bet?

The stock market comprises companies that are traded on the open market and sell their shares to raise capital. If you want to invest in stocks, you need to buy shares from someone else who bought them at a lower price or sell them back to the company to cash in on your investment.

Meanwhile, real estate offers long-term security and high returns. It’s a fruitful investment with guaranteed results.

Suppose you have a rental property portfolio or are thinking about buying one. In that case, real estate is an excellent investment because there is no risk involved with selling your property if things go sour (as opposed to stocks). An investment in real estate is suitable for you and your family.

So, who do you think wins the bet – Real Estate.

There’s no doubt about it!

Risks of Real Estate Vs Stocks

Regarding investing, real estate and stocks are both excellent options. However, there are some risks to consider when making this choice.

  • In general, the risks of real estate investing include the possibility of the property being undervalued or overvalued by its current owner. They result in a loss of equity on your investment. Also, it may not make sense to invest in a particular area if it’s not considered an attractive market for investment opportunities because of limited supply or high demand.
  • On the other hand, there are risks to stock investing as well. One concern is that stock prices fluctuate based on many factors such as economic situation, industry trends, and consumer confidence levels. It makes it difficult for investors to know what their investments will be worth at any given time.
  • When buying real estate, you must be aware of the risks involved. For example, if something happens to the property—like a fire or an earthquake—it could keep it off the market for years. A home with this kind of history is not likely to sell at a price that would cover your investment costs. In addition, if you buy an asset that isn’t worth as much as it was when you bought it, you will lose money and pay back more than what you initially invested.
  • It’s also essential to consider how much interest rates will rise or fall over time. In contrast to stocks or bonds, real estate generally has lower yields due to the time it takes for repairs and renovations to return to investors. Investing in higher-yielding assets like stocks and bonds makes sense when interest rates rise; however, it can cost investors more in the long run if they sell down the road since they will pay back more interest than they originally invested.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Real Estate Vs. Stocks

Advantage –

  1. Real Estate is an excellent way to diversify your portfolio. It’s a hedge against inflation, as well as a hedge against recession.
  1. Real Estate is a low-cost way to build wealth over time, as long as you’re willing to pay rent and buy property when it’s on sale.
  1. Real Estate is generally considered an “insurance policy” for the future. Hold onto your property for ten or twenty years. It should be worth much more than the original purchase price (Assuming nothing changes).
  1. If you want to sell your property for profit, it can be done very quickly by selling at an auction or private sale (such as an estate sale). Despite significant declines in the market, this is still true!

Disadvantage –

  1. Real estate has much lower volatility than stocks. It is common for stocks to be traded every day, but it is rare for real estate to deal. As a result, real estate prices rise dramatically over a short period. On the other hand, stock prices tend to fluctuate relatively over time.
  2. Real estate is not as liquid as stocks. To sell your property, you must find a buyer and then sell it at the agreed price. But, this pain is worth your time and investment. You will receive a great deal. In contrast, when you sell shares in a company, you need to find someone who wants to buy them from you and set up an escrow account. If you want to sell your stock holdings quicker than usual, there may be no buyers!
  3. You can usually only buy real estate with cash or fixed-term deposits (typically five years). Some bonds, such as those denominated in euros or pounds sterling, do not require payment before maturity (which means they aren’t bonds).

Also Read: Ultimate Real Estate Guide for Beginners

Real Estate Investing Pros

Investing in real estate can be lucrative, but it’s not for everyone. Whether you’re looking to flip houses and make a profit or invest in a property to rent out, here are some of the pros and cons of investing in real estate:

Pros

  1. The Real Estate Market Is Increasingly Liquid
  1. Leveraged Investing Can Provide You with More Cash Flow
  1. You Can Make Higher Returns with Real Estate Investments Than With Cash
  1. Real Estate Investing Is an Excellent Long-Term Investment

Real Estate Investing Cons

Real estate investing is a great way to build wealth. But it’s not for everyone.

If you are considering real estate investing, you should consider the cons of this investing before you dive in.

Here are three significant cons of real estate investing:

  1. You need a lot of money to invest in real estate. You can’t just decide to buy a house or condo and start making money from day one. You’ll have to invest some serious cash if you invest in real estate.
  1. The market is volatile. It’s important to understand that real estate investment is risky. If something goes wrong on your end, you could lose everything (maybe even more). To mitigate risk, careful planning and management are necessary.
  1. In a year, rental properties can fall in value by as much as 20%! You don’t control your rental income: Rental properties are an asset class whose value fluctuates rapidly. That’s why rental property investors are prepared for sudden financial shocks that might lead them to lose their entire investment

Stock Investing Pros

Stocks are one of the best ways to invest your money. Here are some of their pros:

  1. Increase Your Income

The most important benefit of investing in stocks is increasing your income. If you know how to invest, you can expect a return. And with that, you can improve your income.

  1. Increased Investment Returns

Investing in stocks gives you an opportunity for increased investment returns. If you’re not careful, it can be easy to make bad investments that could lead to a loss of money and lower returns on your savings or retirement funds. But by investing wisely, you will ensure that this doesn’t happen to you!

  1. Growth Potential

Investing in stocks means that the company will grow with time and also gain value over time as well as expand its business operations globally and make more money for everyone involved.

Stock Investing Cons

Investing in stocks is a great way to make money and grow your wealth. However, there are also some cons to investing in stocks.

  1. Stocks are volatile. Stocks are also risky investments because they’re not as stable as bonds or cash would be. The price of a stock can go down and up, so you could lose money on your investment if the stock drops too low or rises too high.
  1. No income from dividends. You will not get any income from dividends. At the same time, you own a stock, even if it increases its value considerably over the long term. Companies pay dividends to their shareholders when they make profits, but this does not happen often enough for most people to make money off it.
  1. Inflation risk. Stocks can be affected by inflation — rising prices — in addition to other risks such as interest rates and recessions. This means that if inflation rises significantly over time and your investments fall in value due to inflation, you will lose money rather than gain it!

Summary

Stock investing vs. real estate investing: Both have advantages, but from multiple perspectives, real estate is the best investment. The Indian real estate market may not be as established as other markets worldwide but it is the best future investment.

  • The first reason is that real estate can never go bankrupt like a company. So you can take your time to make the right decision and be in a position to reap the benefits of your hard work later on.
  • The second reason investing in real estate is better than stock investment is that, unlike volatile stocks, real estate investments are relatively stable. This makes them more attractive to investors who want to earn more money through their investments over time rather than just now or tomorrow.
  • The third reason investing in real estate is better than stock investing is that, unlike volatile stocks, real estate investments are relatively stable. This makes them more attractive to investors who want to earn more money through their investments over time rather than just now or tomorrow. Also when there’s an economic downturn, you won’t lose all your money if you invest in a house instead of stocks which tend to go down during such times.
Written by: Marketing Fincity

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