Investing in real estate: interview with Luziya Ignatanova
Acquiring your real estate is not only becoming one of the main goals in the life of every person in the modern world, but also one of the best ways to invest and increase your funds. You get a real and inflation-resistant object whose value rises every year and you can increase your capital using the right tools and strategies, when buying real estate.
Luziya Ignatanova is an expert on real estate investment, entrepreneur, owner of an investment agency, blogger, author of a methodology for effective real estate investment, founder of the closed club of successful investors “Luziya Club,” founder of Russia’s first school of real estate investment for women. Luziya Ignatanova is a practicing investor, lawyer and strategist. Luziya shared her path in investing.
1. Investing in real estate remains one of the main trending areas of investment. Can you share your story and what inspired you to become a real estate expert?
Oh, I completely agree with you. This direction is not only trendy, but also the most reliable. I came to this conclusion when I began working in the field of building as a surveyor-designer. The real estate sector is a huge part of the economy of any state. Most people dream of their cozy place that is why they start investing in real estate.
I started thinking about this at the age of 14: my mother could not buy our own apartment, the cost of real estate was constantly increasing, we saved up money, but again we did not have enough. At that moment I firmly decided that I would do everything necessary so that I had not one, but 5 real estate properties, and my family did not need anything.
At the very beginning of my journey, I could not imagine that I would own 14 properties and a large team, but I went ahead using every opportunity: I made mistakes, acquired illiquid properties, lost money and time. At the same time I never gave up and achieved everything that I have now with my work, perseverance, knowledge and experience.
2. How did you get the idea to open the first real estate investment school for women in Russia? What is its founding purpose and concept? Who is this school for?
Over time, I already owned 10 real estate properties, but I felt unfulfilled, I wanted to share my experience and knowledge, help people buy real estate just as easily.
Once, at a session with a career coach I came up with the idea of creating a team of experts, that would help me implement my plans and bring all my ideas and goals to life. Thus my School appeared. This is a safe space for competent investment.
My school is created for everyone who wants to create, increase capital and provide themselves with a passive income for life, that does not depend on the current activity. An individual approach is provided for each student, a unique strategy is created based on the opportunities that are at the starting point.
3. How do you feel about mortgages? What is the difference between the specifics of mortgages in Russia and the UAE?
I had a bad experience in buying a communal apartment to all funds, so I concluded that this was the wrong decision, because I received almost no profit. I began to study such an instrument as a mortgage. I began to study such a tool as a mortgage. Since then, it has become not bondage, but an ally, because its percentage is often approximately less or equal to the average annual inflation, and its capital can be easily diversified.
It is quite easy to get a mortgage in Russia, if you have been a tax resident for at least a year. Our school has an experienced broker who helps to approve a mortgage with just two documents, as well as solve problems with a credit history.
Everything is much more complicated in Dubai: mortgages are only possible for residents. To obtain it you must work in Dubai for at least 6 months, occupying a highly paid job. Installments are possible here for objects with a down payment starting at least $ 200,000.
4. “It takes a lot of money to buy real estate.” Is this true in your opinion?
The phrase “a lot of money” has its own meaning for everyone. For me personally, it’s about 500 trillion. I believe that you can start investing with minimal capital; the main thing is that you have the knowledge and understanding of how to do it correctly.
The more you invest, the more you get. However everything depends on knowledge. Just imagine: you invested 10 million in one apartment. What will you get? An increase of 20%. If you invest 2 million in 5 apartments? You get 100% to the amount of investments. You have a new way to invest even with this bit of information. And then a competent strategy from an experienced specialist comes into play.
5. Tell us about the main mistakes that can be made when buying an apartment and how to avoid them?
You can easily find a huge list of legal and documentary mistakes on the Internet. In my opinion, the main mistake is a lack of understanding for what purpose a property is purchased (even if you buy it for your own residence, based on your capabilities).
For example, you would like to live in a five-room apartment, but you can buy only a three-room one. And when you buy it, you feel like you’d like more. How can this be achieved faster? Of course, using competent strategies.
I have bought a property in Dubai; however, I do not plan to live in it, as I would like to live in a higher standard apartment. Using the right strategy, I plan to rent out the apartment I bought, and rent what I would like for myself, because my worth is more important to me.
And in the case of a five-room apartment, I consider it an ideal solution to buy several small apartments and rent them out, receiving passive income, increasing capital, and renting the desired housing ourselves. Bingo!
First of all it is important to decide on the goal of what you would like when considering investing: cash flow, capital growth, saving funds or active income, and start acting.
6. How do you spend your free time? Do you have a hobby?
My hobby is investing in myself, creating emotional capital, self-development. Travelling helps me in this: I have visited more than 20 countries and am not going to stop there.
I also love to play sports, because investments in my body pay off not only in the form of physical attractiveness, but also in the form of insights even after a simple run, not to mention yoga and meditation.
I am ready to devote most of my time and finances, first of all, to my education. Now I am going to study for an MBA at the Business School in London, where I will take my project to the international level.
We thank Luziya Ignatanova for the interview, as well as for sharing with us her valuable experience and some tools for starting a successful investment; we wish her great success in achieving her goals.
Follow our Telegram Chanel
