If you already own a home or business, now could be the perfect time to buy your first investment property.

The TV shows make it look easy and exciting, and with the right team by your side, it is! But there’s a lot to consider when you’re ready to purchase a home or commercial building as an investment property, especially if you’ve never done it before. It’s about more than a just smooth transaction; it’s also about a smart buy.

Dream Builders Realty and dbrCommercial are here to help. Our residential and commercial divisions have all the bases covered in Central Florida—from vacation homes to undeveloped land to everything in between. Our associates and research teams are equipped to help you through the process every step of the way. Here are five things to consider when buying your first investment property.

If you’re purchasing commercial property for the first time, you might not know what kind of insurance you’ll need to protect your business.

We’re here to help, but like with any real estate transaction, we recommend that you engage a licensed insurance agent to help you navigate the process – it can be complicated!

When purchasing your next home, some land or a business, it’s always good to have an idea about the zoning codes, laws and ordinances within your county and city. Specific parcels can appear to be the prime place for usage but looks can sometimes be deceiving.   

Each jurisdiction at the city and county level will have established zoning regulations to help regulate the development and growth of their community’s needs in different areas. Each area may not be contiguously zoned and will more than likely vary in size. Within these zoning codes are a mix of alphabet and number code abbreviations to explain zoning maps. Each locality will have specific designations for zoning categories that don’t necessarily mean the same thing in the next county over so be sure you ask your local REALTOR® for help before proceeding.    

Read the following scenarios to see how “in the zone” you are and how a knowledgeable REALTOR® could have helped: