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With a lot of money at stake, you wouldn't want to make the biggest mistake in property investment. You'd first want to know the ins and outs of the real market before you scout for a location, choose a property, and affix a signature on a sales or lease contract. For that, you need more than just a good hunch or some business instinct. To make the right investment decisions, you should have a look at different market studies and real estate reports to weigh in the calculated risks and expected returns. You should navigate the real estate market with an industry expert by your side. Here are the reasons why:

Finding a great match for your personal/business needs and investment profile
A residential and property consultant won't only come up with recommendations from off-market lists and other sources. The industry expert will also help you find a good investment according to your needs, income, and profile as an investor. You should be able to talk about your investment goals, available funds, and other expectations with the consultant or representative from the firm. In turn, the consultant should discuss with you your equity and borrowing capacity as well as the costs and obligations affecting the purchase or lease of a property, such as insurance fees, maintenance costs, taxes, and other accounts. With your property needs and goals in mind, you should be given options that best suit your investment profile, your capacity as an investor, and preference as a homebuyer or businessman.

Getting property and portfolio advice from a certified real estate expert
An industry expert can review your recent investments or current portfolio and guide you through the different aspects of property investments, from property search to transaction support for homebuyers, corporates, and investors. The real estate consultant will help you plan your investments-he or she can draw up some finance structure and legal documents, negotiate the purchase, and make other arrangements. More importantly, the consultant can create a more balanced or diversified investment portfolio. He or she will help set investment strategies or guidelines according to expected cash flow and returns and can offer a full-range of customized services, from sales and leasing transactions to asset and property management.

Minimizing risks and maximizing returns
The best way for you to minimize any risk in your investment is to know as much as you can about the real estate market. By working with a residential and property consultant, you'll get more details than what you can usually read on the newspapers. You'll be given far better options, aside from off-market listings and upcoming developments. A market insider will provide you with ground insights through collected data and research analysis. With in-depth market knowledge, he or she can guide you through recent market studies and forecasts on real estate trends and other factors affecting the market such as economic outlook for short- and long-term investments, price growth, and resale value. Armed with the right details, you can make informed decisions on where to direct your investments and assets or how to diversify your portfolio to minimize risks such as debts, taxes, and other liabilities as well as maximize returns through capital growth or income.