12 Gifts for Real Estate Investors (That Don't Suck)

No one likes to give boring gifts. Especially to someone as fearless and entrepreneurial as a real estate investor!

So ditch the bland gifts like “gourmet popcorn” or gift baskets, and try something a little more personalized this holiday season. Something befitting the adventurous real estate investor you’re shopping for.

1. Batman Multitool

Real estate investors often find ourselves in surprise situations where we need a tool. We’re like Batman that way.

So give your investor a proper Batman multitool, that includes medium and large flathead screwdrivers, pliers, wire cutters, a file, two knives, a saw, and of course a bottle opener for celebrating all that hard work.

It fits in your pocket… or on your belt like Batman.

2. The BiggerPockets Intention Journal

You knew this was coming. Give the gift of BiggerPockets.

What better way for your investor to start the new year than with The Intention Journal by Brandon Turner. Available in the BiggerPockets Bookstore, this will be your gift recipient’s playbook to create the life that they’ve always wanted—whether their goals involve health, finances, businesses, relationships, breaking bad habits, starting good ones, or anything else that needs real intention to grow.

Plus, the journal might be their gateway to BiggerPockets in general—the largest community of real estate investors in the English-speaking world. On our site, they can get access to free educational materials, real estate investing tools, a network of like-minded people, five podcast shows with hundreds of episodes, and our real estate listings.

Equip your real estate investor with the tools they need to succeed.

3. The Book on Tax Strategies for the Savvy Real Estate Investor

Who wants to pay more in taxes than they have to? I certainly don’t. It’s one reason I moved out of Baltimore, then out of Maryland, and then moved out of the U.S. altogether.

Check out The Book on Tax Strategies for the Savvy Real Estate Investor by Amanda Han and Matt MacFarland. It was, cough, published by our own BiggerPockets press. Check out the dozens of other real estate investing books we publish, too.

Last BiggerPockets plug, I promise.

4. Pocket Power Bank

Nowadays, real estate investors (and everyone else, for that matter) rely on their phones for everything. They use them to look up comps on Zillow on the fly, to open smart door locks, to photograph prospective properties, as a flashlight to see in dark basements, even to find new deals while driving for dollars. All of which are spoilers for later gift ideas on this list.

The point is, we can’t afford for our phones to run out of batteries on us. Pick up a pocket-size power bank, that can recharge your smartphone a dozen times over. Try this one from IEsafy with a 26800mAh storage capacity. Or any of the hundreds of others on Amazon, for that matter.

5. Subscription or Gift Certificate to Deal Machine

The ultimate tool for driving for dollars, Deal Machine is a subscription-based app that pulls up all public records about a property, including its last sales price and date, recorded mortgage(s), and the owner’s contact details. All by simply pointing your phone at a property and snapping a photo.

You can even buy one-click postcard mailings, so when you see a property you like, you click a button and Deal Machine sends a mailing out on your behalf—a mailing you can personalize however you like.

Easy peasy.

6. Cell Phone Lens Kit

Today’s phone cameras take better photos than real cameras did 15 years ago. But they come with a serious shortcoming: the lens isn’t adjustable.

Pick up a lens kit with multiple swappable lenses, so your real estate investor can take photos under any conditions. That could mean zoom photos of distant homes while driving for dollars, or wide-angle photos for capturing more of an interior room, or anything in between.

It will help them take better real estate photos, without having to spring for a professional camera.

7. Keychain Flashlight

Your phone’s flashlight function works in a pinch, but it doesn’t illuminate very much or very far, and it drains your battery at lightning (or one might say “lightening”) speed.

Real estate investors sometimes need full flashlight brightness and for more than just a minute or two. Whether investigating abandoned property in attics, leaks in unfinished basements, or the vapor barrier in crawl spaces, it helps to have a real flashlight.

For a few dollars, pick up this tiny, lightweight nano flashlight that clips right on their keychain. Or barring that, sits innocuously in their glove compartment.

8. Keychain Measuring Tape

One tool missing from that Batman multitool? A tape measure—which real estate investors need all the time.

From measuring doorways to see if an appliance will fit through, to measuring windows, to measuring out cabinet spaces and beyond, investors find themselves constantly measuring spaces. But that doesn’t mean they want to walk around with a full measuring tape clipped to their belt like a giant nerd.

This tiny keychain measuring tape won’t measure a full room, but its five feet of tape is plenty for doorways and kitchen counter gaps. It weighs next to nothing, and at $4 marks the best deal on this list.

9. Gift Certificate to Home Depot or Lowe’s

Investors spend far too much of their lives wandering the tall aisles of Home Depot, Lowe’s, and other home renovation supply stores. And far too much of their money.

The ultimate practical gift, some extra cash toward that next appliance, that next set of cabinet hardware, or even new lighting fixtures that can boost property values. It may not be the sexiest gift you’ve ever given, but it sure is practical.

10. Smart Lock

Landlords often need to swap out locks. Unless, that is, they use a smart lock.

It allows landlords—or homeowners, for that matter—to grant temporary access to anyone to open the door. That could mean 30 seconds of access for a delivery, 30 minutes of access for a property showing, 30 hours of access for a contractor repair, or 30 months of access for a tenant.

As smart home tech for rentals go, it doesn’t get any more convenient than a smart door lock. Try this one from August for a reputable option.

11. Subscription or Gift Certificate to Propstream

Arguably the best software service for real estate investors, Propstream helps them find distressed properties online.

That includes pre-foreclosures, tax liens, divorcing couples, and several other types of distressed sellers, all mapped for you online. You set the parameters, both geographically and the type of distressed sale you’re interested in.

It makes a great way to find off-market deals and could help your investor score their next big one!

12. Drone

Yes, drones make fun toys. But they also help real estate investors do practical work.

Work like inspecting the condition of the roof, chimney, soffits, and other out-of-reach home components. Or taking gorgeous high-angle photos to help your home listing stand out from the competition.

Drones range in price from $40 up to $3,000 and above. You get what you pay for, but you can still find surprisingly good drones that take sharp photos even at low price points. For a sub-$100 option that punches above its weight class, try the Ryze Tech Tello.

Final Thoughts

Boring gifts are for accountants and insurance agents.

As real estate investors, we’re adventurous entrepreneurs and expect awesome gifts. While not every gift above is the perfect fit for every investor, you should have plenty of gift ideas at every price point by now to deliver a gift that your recipient will absolutely love.

Or at least get plenty of use out of.

What gifts are you hoping for as a real estate investor?

Leave a comment below.

Note By BiggerPockets: These are opinions written by the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of BiggerPockets.