There are few areas in business where the phrase caveat emptor – “Let the buyer beware” – is more salient than ground-up real estate development. “Due diligence” is the critical process of rigorously investigating a property before closing on an acquisition.

Business owners looking to maximize financial leverage and efficiency should take a deeper look at the rent they’re paying for their space. Owning your own building may be more affordable than you realize.

There’s no one-size-fits-all strategy to assembling a successful portfolio, but conventional wisdom says your investments should include some mix of savings, stocks, bonds and real estate. But for many investors – even high net-worth individuals – real estate is often underrepresented.