1. RETURN ON INVESTMENT:
Receive a cash flow return of 6 or 7% yearly, PLUS a capital gain on your down payment. (Quick, simple example.. $200,000 purchase, 20,000 down payment, value increases by 10% in one year. Your $20,000 down payment is now worth $40,000, a 100% gain o your initial capital investment!)

2. TAX ADVANTAGES:
Here’s just a few... Tax free capital gain on your home; Ability to write off rental suite income against some of your home related expenses; Deduction of real estate property investment expenses against income such as repairs, improvements and depreciation; Reduced tax on any capital gain you earn.

3. PRINCIPLE OF LEVERAGE:
This means that you can put in a relatively small amount of money and use a mortgage for the rest.

4. LOW RISK:
It's not completely without risk, but historically, the basis of most wealth in the world is in Real Estate.

5. APPRECIATION:
The national average annual appreciation over the past 25 years has been 5%. Coupled with item number one above, the returns on investment are much higher.

6. EQUITY BUILD UP:
Whether it's your home mortgage or a tenant is paying the mortgage for you, the monthly principal portion or your payments reduce the mortgage and increase your equity.

7. INFLATION HEDGE:
This helps in at least 2 ways. The value of Real Estate has increased 2-3% faster than the inflation rate. Further, as time goes on, you are paying your mortgage off with inflated dollars.

8. INCREASING DEMAND FOR LAND:
We all know this on Vancouver Island. There's only so much good land available and the boomers are coming from everywhere to buy it.

9. PART TIME AND FLEXIBLE:
Investing in Real Estate does not require more that a small portion of your available time.

10. SKILLS CAN BE LEARNED:
Real Estate investment is a relatively easy process, especially when compared to the stock market, futures and commodities.