Real estate anchors may be positive or negative, and property with ocean view is one of the strongest in the positive category. The first rule of real estate investing is to stick close to the positive anchors, so you're not blown away in an economic storm. Hang onto your anchor.

Positive Anchors

Real estate trainer Todd Dotson defines an anchor as a feature or structure that solidifies the economy of any are. Think about some of the questions you asked the last time you bought a house? How far from the mall? How far from the school? People need certain services and don't want to drive all over the place to get them? These are the anchors that you want to be close to. Bear in mind, however, that anchors vary with the neighborhood, which according to Dotson fall into three socio-economic categories.

Low Income Anchors

Urban flight leaves a preponderance of low income families in aging neighborhoods. These are usually renters who look to Laundromats, convenience stores, and pawn shops for basic necessities. These are your anchors along with hospitals and universities that have been left behind in the inner city.

Stick within easy driving or walking distance of these sources of necessities in transitional areas that are being resurrected. The ratio of owner to renter in these areas may be as low as 20:80.

Moderate Income Anchors

Moving up a notch on the economic scale we come to the moderate income neighborhood. While lower income areas have a large portion of their residents on government assistance, moderate income areas have a large portion of their residents working in the blue collar sector. This stabilizes the area and makes for a more attractive investment arena.

The owner-renter ratio in the moderate-income area hovers around 50-50, which makes the area attractive for both landlord and rehabber. These neighborhoods are anchored by national chains like Rite-Aid, McDonalds, or Walgreens, that are attracted by the relative stability of the area.

Middle Income Anchors

Moving up another notch on the socio-economic scale we enter the upper-middle income community. Here we find retailers catering to the wants, not just the needs of the residents. You'll find national chains like Outback Steakhouse, Barnes & Noble, and Starbucks catering to the wants, not always the need, of the residents. The ratio of owners to renters flip-flops to about 80:20.

The important thing to remember about anchors is that they provide stability for an investor. Stick close to your anchors so you don't get driven onto the rocky shoals and capsize in the storm.

Water As An Anchor: Property With Ocean View

There's another kind of anchor that people don't always think about. Water. For some almost mystical reason people are drawn to the water. That's why property with ocean view is in high demand. Water can be calm, and placid, and peaceful. Or water can be wild, and tempestuous and threatening. Life and death mingle at its surface. Water is tantalizing. Property with ocean view allows people to experience the ocean vicariously.

Thus, you should anchor your investments on water whenever possible. Even a house with a pool normally has an advantage. Salt water trumps fresh water and so a property with ocean view would be the ideal. Even homes with an ocean view are often beyond the price range of the average family. One way around that is to purchase a villa in a resort community which can pay for itself during vacation season. This also has the advantage of giving you a nice vacation getaway.

Footnotes: Copyrighted information related to real estate anchors supplied by Todd Dotson Training Systems, Arlington, Texas (1-800-RE-DEALS. See also our article on negative anchors.