Anytime is a good time to invest in real estate. Anytime that you can get a good deal. So, what’s a good deal in real estate? When you can get the price you are willing to pay for the property, or you can get the terms that are beneficial to your situation, then it becomes a good deal for you. The state of the economy does affect the price of real properties as we are currently well aware, however, other factors involved can help to create a good deal.

Real estate prices are currently 30 to 40 percent off their highs from several years ago. In a normal market, these discounts would be fodder for real estate investors. The key word is “normal.” The prices that were being asked several years ago were at the very top of the real estate cycle. That bubble top burst a little over a year ago. What this means to an investor is that maybe the reduced prices don’t represent that much of a deal, yet.

Depending on the location of the property, there may still be room for the prices to drop. Southern California and Miami properties were at their zenith in the price cycle a few years ago, so a 40 percent reduction just brings prices down to a more “affordable” level, only. What the investor has to look for today, is a property that can be purchased for a 20 percent discount off the current asking price. Bank owned, foreclosed properties are a good source for these types of deals, or pre-foreclosure and short sale properties that are on the market.

Cash is always king in real estate. It of course, doesn’t always have to be your own cash. Other people’s money is desirable, either in the form of equity partners, hard money loans, personal loans or institutional loans. There are many real estate investing clubs or networks that will have their own sources of partners, loans and lenders. These networks are excellent for investing in properties located throughout the United States. It’s what one network called, “armchair investing.” The larger networks have all of the infrastructure established in various locations where real estate investments are best found. Local real estate agencies, local property management services, and fellow network investors in the area create a comforting environment within which to begin investing.

So, once an investor has determined how he is to fund his investment in real estate, he can begin to search for the right investment property as to price and terms. Either funding the purchase solely, with a partner(s), or with a loan, the investor can concentrate on negotiating the best deal.