When Loyola University student, Beena Khan, asked her parents for some help on a down payment for a condo in downtown Chicago, they said to wait for a better time.

Beena's parents were paying $1100 a month for rent while she studied, but looking back, she says, the rent money could’ve turned into ownership. This was eight years ago, when Beena and her family could have purchased the unit for $180,000. Today, that same unit commands $290,000+. Appreciation combined with a roommate’s rent could have cushioned Beena's living costs and produced cash flow for the family.

An increasing number of foreign student families are investing in U.S. real estate. Investors from any country have great opportunity to convert rent money into equity, but they should be informed and committed. Experts suggest holding on to a property for 5+ years, and according to Jennifer Openshaw (Marketwatch), "[b]est bets are large... university towns with growing student populations, a strong international presence and lots of related businesses and research facilities."

To learn more about investing in real estate, please contact us at: asiapacific@americaninvsco.net