Kevin Bratch

Consultant, Director, and Project Manager in Canada

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Real estate has a place in your investment portfolio if you want to build long-term wealth. With stable cash flow to tax benefits, this asset class provides a set of distinctive advantages that neither stocks or bonds can provide. Real estate investing veterans such as Kevin Bratch see how real estate investments produce stability and expansion even when markets are volatile. Real estate has a place in your portfolio in 2025 and beyond.

Property returns steady passive income in the form of rent payments. Whether residential houses, office complexes, or vacation homes, renters deliver steady cash flow to pay bills and earn income. Kevin Bratch usually points out that well-researched property in trendy locations—be it expanding cities or resort areas—can guarantee steady returns. The yield is a cushion of cash, which protects you during lean economic years or pads your original income.

The value of the property appreciates with time, particularly in emerging neighbourhoods. Even in fluctuating markets, property appreciates with time, increasing your net worth. Kevin Bratch recommends that investors target areas with enhancements in infrastructure, population increase, or emerging employment. For instance, investing in proximity to an intended transit centre or tech campus can accelerate equity sooner. The property presents a physical investment that increases consistently compared to stock and can drop drastically overnight.

Property investing comes with tax benefits that amplify profits. Deductions from mortgage interest, property taxes, insurance, and repairs lower taxable income, and depreciation allowances lower expenses. Kevin Bratch explains that tactics such as 1031 exchanges allow you to delay capital gains tax by reinvesting gains in new properties. Such savings give you cash to add to your portfolio or improve existing holdings.

Adding real estate to your investment mix balances risk. Property markets do not always ebb and flow with stocks or bonds, which means downturns in one market will not devastate your overall portfolio. Kevin Bratch recommends allocating 20–30% of investments into real estate to diversify. Investments like REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) provide diversification without the frustration of working with tangible properties.