In this article we’ll consider why serious real estate investors—those who want to make the best return possible on their real estate investments—use real estate investment software to evaluate investment opportunities.

1. It’s fast. Good real estate investment software makes it possible to analyze cash flows, rates of return, and profitability of rental properties in minutes. This enables investors to collect the data needed for decision-making quickly.
2. It’s precise. Good real estate software makes accurate calculations for a wide-range of returns and measures deemed crucial to sound real estate analysis. The last thing analysts should have to worry about is faulty math.
3. The reports are informative. Good real estate investment software creates professional-quality reports investors can confidently pass on to colleagues, partners, and lenders.
4. It knows what data is required. Good real estate software includes forms specially designed to gather the appropriate facts and figures about a property. This is particularly helpful to investors with little or no real estate analysis experience because they just fill in the forms and print.
5. It keeps the seller’s data honest. Investors who have the ability to run the numbers themselves prevent anyone from making an unrealistic presentation of the property and perhaps “slipping one” by.
6. It’s inexpensive. Good real estate investment software does not have to cost an arm and a leg. Anyone can create top-notch real estate analysis presentations forever for just a few hundred dollars.

Okay, now let’s consider the alternative.

1. You can create your own spreadsheet. Excel makes it possible for anyone to mimic most real estate investing software solutions. But it takes time (lots of time) to develop the reports and calculations provided in good real estate investment software. You should ask yourself whether you are inept enough about real estate investing and Excel before you get started. Plus, remember that your goal is make a profit on real estate investment and not to shave a few bucks off your analysis presentations.
2. You can rely on rules of thumb. It’s easy to calculate a property’s cap rate or gross rent multiplier. But what about cash-on-cash return, cash flow after tax, internal rate of return, and mortgage amortization? Bear in mind that you are planning to make a huge real estate investment, so you should rely on something more meaningful than on simple calculations you can do in your head.
3. You can accept the seller’s data. But it’s never a good idea to accept property data point blank because it leaves too much room for others to embellish reality. You should always be prepared to verify the numbers you are presented about any investment opportunity to be sure that they comply with your real estate investing plan.

You get the idea.

The important thing is to realize that real estate investing is a business and real estate investment software is a tool that will help you to grow that business wisely. And in the same way that serious real estate investors have come to rely on good real estate investment software to help them make smart real estate investment decisions, so should you.

If you are new to real estate investing you should find these six suggestions on how to get started in real estate investment extremely helpful.

1. Develop a plan – How much can you invest comfortably? Are you expecting cash flow or merely looking to make your money when the property is resold? How long do you plan to own the property? What amount of your own effort can you afford to contribute? What amount of wealth do you plan to accumulate with the real estate investment, and by when?
2. Acquaint yourself with the local rental market – Read the local newspapers and see what types of income property have the highest demand for tenants. If there are tons of classifieds seeking apartment tenants, perhaps retail space is more in demand, and vice versa. In other words, learn what product would be best for you to invest in.
3. Acquaint yourself with the rates of return – At the very least understand the difference between cash and cash return, return on equity, and cap rate. Whereas cash on cash might show what your cash investment might achieve in one year, and return on equity over future years, cap rate helps you choose a property at a fair market value.
4. Invest in real estate investment software – It is never a good idea to rely on someone else’s numbers. It’s your money. Always run your own numbers on potential investment opportunities. Having the ability to create your own rental property analysis with quality real estate investment software gives you more control about how the cash flow numbers are presented and a better understanding about a property’s profitability.
5. Create a relationship with a real estate professional that knows the local real estate market and understands rental property. A qualified real estate professional acquainted with both your market and real estate investment nuances can be a real plus. It will not advance your investment objectives to spend time with the agent of the year unless that person knows about investment property and is adequately prepared to help you correctly procure it.
6. Avoid buying into real estate investment “trade secrets”. Tons of real estate investment gurus out there repackage and sell the exact same material as the next guru. The sizzle in the business of real estate investing, however, is about owning a piece of ground that, if unduly researched and purchased sensibly by impartial numbers, with careful management, will likely be more valuable tomorrow than it is today.