Mid-Life Money Matters: 5 Reasons You Should Invest In Real Estate Now

by Angela G. Solomon

People make a huge to-do about turning 40. The countdown to the “Big 4-0” begins with much anticipation. They have parties to celebrate being “Forty and Fabulous”. They toast with loved ones and close friends, pledging to live the next forty years to the fullest.

Forty was definitely a milestone birthday for me. In the months leading up to my birthday, I felt a strong desire to take an honest inventory of my life and all that I had accomplished and experienced. After caring what other people thought about me for way too long, I felt like turning forty gave me official permission to care less about the judgment of others. I felt liberated. I felt empowered. I felt…unsatisfied and uncomfortable. After spending my thirties being the mom whose wardrobe consisted of unflattering jeans and T-shirts with sponsor logos from school fundraisers, I was ready to devote more time to me. My children were older and I was wiser. Turning forty was the perfect opportunity for me to decide who I wanted to be when my kids grew up.

That year begin an era in my life that was both exciting and unnerving. Yes, forty can be fabulous, but it is also a time of major life changes. While my year-older husband and I set out to redefine and refine who we were as individuals and as a couple, I witnessed friends my age endure serious health challenges, tumultuous ends to long-term marriages, and sad goodbyes to loving parents. If you ever thought otherwise, let me tell you that the mid-life crisis is a real thing.

The “middle-ages” can wreak havoc on a marriage. It is a time when many couples deal with adultery and money problems, both leading causes of divorce. Trying to pay for college and save for retirement while clinging to the waning vestiges of youth in the pursuit of your (new) true calling can strain a marriage to its breaking point. An alarming number of my married girlfriends were blindsided by one or more of these mid-life marital challenges and suddenly found themselves single and financially struggling. For years, these women had sacrificed their careers for their families, and now outdated skillsets made reentry into the workforce difficult.

Knowing what I know now, I have made it my mission to educate people – women especially – about the benefits of investing in real estate for cash flow and financial security. Obviously, real estate cannot avert a health crisis or bring back a loved one, but having your financial house in order can be the soft pillow that breaks the hard fall of stressful situations – particularly a change in family circumstances.

This is why I am passionate about encouraging women to invest in real estate. Here are my top 5 reasons why I believe real estate investing should be in every woman’s financial plan.

1. There are so many ways to get started with real estate investing – some requiring little to no money.
2. You don’t have to have a particular college degree to start investing in real estate. You can learn enough to get started and learn even more over time.
3. Real estate investments can provide income to help cover your current expenses.
4. Real estate investments can appreciate in value over time which can help make your retirement more comfortable.
5. You have to own it. Yes, I’m talking about real estate, but I am also referring to being responsible for your own financial situation. People say money isn’t everything, but life is extremely more challenging when you don’t have any. Real estate is a proven way to build wealth.

Women have to be able to take care of themselves no matter what happens – because unexpected things do happen. Learning how to invest in real estate and adding real estate to your financial plan is a very smart mid-life money strategy for financial stability and security.

Always remember that, as with anything in life, you’ll need to protect your new assets. Make sure to secure the services of experienced estate attorneys. It’s the simplest way to safeguard the real estate you own and yourself.