Classic cars and real estate… two investments you can enjoy while they go up in value if you choose carefully and maintain them well.

It’s a fairly common saying that your home is an investment (hopefully one you enjoy) and classic cars have the potential to be great investments, too.

So, How Can Real Estate Be Connected to Classic Cars?

I’m going to use Albuquerque real estate as an example for this, though some variation of the idea can be expanded on anywhere in the country…

In an area like Albuquerque, where weather conditions and New Mexico classic car scene provide an abundance of low-rust cars that haven’t seen snow or road salt in winter, there are some things car enthusiasts may want to look for when shopping for real estate – mainly a good place to park their classic cars, of course.

• Real estate tip #1: One of the first things experts recommend looking at in real estate is location. Some basic tips are to (a) check the crime rate for the neighborhood you’re considering, (b) check out the landscaping at neighboring homes to see if neighbors tend to their lawns, and (c) browse around the neighborhood to see if houses seem t have junk piled around them. (This is kind of linked to the well-maintained lawns, but junk piled around neighboring homes can bring down the value of all properties in the area even if the front lawn is mowed.)
• Real estate tip #2: If you want to keep your classic car or cars at home, look for a property that either has a decent garage or room to build a garage. If you invest in classic cars, you don’t want to leave them sitting outside, so having a climate controlled garage space is part of keeping your vintage autos in good condition.
• Real estate tip #3: Look for property that has a security system, or consider having one installed. This makes the home worth more, keeps your family and property safer, and it helps keep insurance costs a bit lower, which is great because it helps offset the cost of the security system.
• Classic car tip #1: This may seem obvious, but consider the value of the kind of car you like best… Are you looking for a driver that makes you feel like a kid again with everyone turning to look at your car when you drive past? Or, are you looking for a show piece that won’t be driven often or at all? Investment-wise, you may want one that’s not driven much, to keep the mileage low – but if you want one to drive and enjoy – you might look more at the style that gives you the eye-appeal you want over rareness or its price sticker.
• Classic car tip #2: Check out the production run numbers to find out how many of the model you’re considering were made. This helps you determine how rare – or how not rare – it is.
• Classic car tip # 3: Get an assessment of the classic car’s condition. Condition is as important with classic cars as location is with real estate. Then, use the condition information to get an accurate estimate of the car’s value.

So, with these few tips in mind, it’s your turn to start dreaming about how great your new-to-you classic car is going to look sitting in front of your house, and how safe it, and your family of course, are going to be in your great new home.

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If you have any tips you would like to add about making the most of your real estate and classic car investment dollars, give us a shout out in the comments below, or visit one of our Facebook pages like Best Classic Cars for Sale Online, to join the conversation there.