A Guide to Real Estate Real Estate
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  • May30th

    Owning Rental Property

    Posted in: Investment

    Many people today are intrigued with the idea of owning investment real estate. It sound like an awfully simple way to make money: Owning property, renting it out to tenants, and collecting rent payments. The truth is, it can be an extremely profitable venture, or it can be a train wreck.

    An individual who is purchasing rental property for the purposes of income has a long road ahead of him, and he should be involved every step of the way to ensure that his investment turns out in the end.

    The first step in figuring out if you’re ready to own investment property is to ask yourself how much money you have to pay up front. Buying your own home can require costly down payments, but investment properties generally require that plus much more. You may very well have to come up with not only the down payment on the property, but also the cash needed to bring the place up to code and rental standards. There are different standards for a rental property than for a private home. Unless the place you purchase has been a rental before, expect to be shelling out quite a bit of cash upfront.

    Keep in mind, there are loans available for those buying rental properties. But rates and terms for investment real estate loans are harsher than those for private homes, since lenders believe there is not as much emotional investment for the borrower, and so their loan is more at risk. Explore your options and check into a few different lenders, trying to get the best loan rates you can. It may not be easy, but if you are not planning to back down from the task, you will not be wasting your time.

    Once you manage to get your property renovated and you’re ready to go, you’ll face the issue of finding good tenants through the screening process. You can certainly hire a property manager to help you out here, as well as to deal with repairs that come up later, but most small landlords are much better off doing this process themselves. Screen tenants carefully and don’t let emotional involvement get in the way. Set some standards regarding credit reports and income, and stick to them regardless of who walks in your door.

    Don’t expect to make a profit at first. Your rate of return is going to be small, even if you have done the math and figured out your rent cost as carefully as possible. Also prepare yourself for unexpected repairs which are going to bring down your profit margin and require some work on your part. The first three years of a rental property are, typically, the shakiest. If you’re committed to being a landlord, you’re not afraid to roll up your sleeves, and if you’re planning to stick with it, you can reasonably expect a decent profit at some point in the future.

  • April7th

    How to Afford Your Dream Home

    Posted in: Buying

    Is it your dream to one day own a holiday home in the sun; a beautiful house where you can escape, relax and be free of the worries that seem to go hand in hand with every day life? Well, you’re not alone!

    A recent survey by a well known mortgage lender in the UK revealed that up to one in three Britons not only dream about owning a home in the sun but fully intend to make that dream a reality some day. And in the US the number of Americans planning to one day buy that ideal second home haven is now up to three in ten people.

    Now let me ask you another question: If it is your dream to ‘one day’ own that beautiful home in the sun what exactly are you waiting for? Why wait for ‘one day’ when you can make your dream a reality today? Here are just five simple ways that could free you up to make your ideal property purchase today. Read More

  • March30th

    Real Estate Investment – Why is it big business?

    Posted in: Investment

    When examining the different asset classes, real estate is generally far less volatile than shares and real estate tends to be the haven that investors flock to when other asset classes are suffering. It is true to say that investment properties can have many benefits in terms of building long-term wealth, but we must never forget that this wealth is not guaranteed!

    Following the global real estate boom of the late 1980’s many investors learnt this hard lesson when they found their properties were worth far less than they had actually paid for them and the bottom seemingly fell out of the over-inflated market. The bottom did not truly fall out of the market however as all real estate retained value; the real estate market simply experienced an overdue rebalance and has gone on to build from this point of stability.

    Since the booming 80’s ’sensible’ investments in real estate have still offered major attractions and advantages, and it is back to real estate that investors have turned in recent years.
    Read More

  • March30th

    Real estate auction action – Buying a home at auction

    Posted in: Buying

    Due in part to the popularity of the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s home auction program, more potential homebuyers than ever are buying homes at auction. Homes for auction aren’t limited to just HUD, however. Many government entities auction homes for payment of back taxes, and some homeowners even auction their homes on eBay.com!

    Homebuyers considering buying a home at auction should take some steps in advance to help them with their bid price, and even whether to bid at all on a specific home. There will always be a degree of risk when buying a home this way, but with a little diligence, potential homebuyers could save a lot of money buying in this manner.

    Before the auction, you should have your financing arranged, and have enough cash on hand or in your bank account to cover a deposit on your purchase. You need to check the features, location, condition, and ownership history first. Afterwards, be sure to learn what the property is worth by looking at sales of comparable properties in the same area. Compare homes with the same number of rooms is possible, but be sure to allow for price differences due to pools, decks, carpeting, window treatments, etc.

    At the auction itself, resist the temptation to get into a personal bidding war, just “to beat out the other guy”. Have a set price limit and stick to it. Other houses will come along, and you don’t have to win the first auction that comes your way.

    You should know that the price of a home at auction is typically the loan balance (if foreclosed), plus any back taxes owed, plus legal fees and other expenses in foreclosing the property. This will typically be the opening bid amount, and the price will go up from there. Even so, it’s possible to get a great deal in an auctioned house, with a little research and planning first.

    Also, know that you probably won’t be able to get an inspection, and are buying the home “as is”. If you can’t do any needed repair work yourself, or can’t hire it done within your budget, you may not end up getting such a bargain in the end.

  • March30th

    Secrets of Resale Value

    Posted in: Investment

    Whether you currently own a home or are looking to buy one, chances are you’re interested in resale value. There’s always the chance that you will be selling your home in the future, and with that in mind, it’s good to know you can get good payback for your purchase. Here are three things about house resale value that may surprise you.

    First of all, swimming pools are not worth much. Not in resale value, anyhow, even if you did pay a lot to have one installed. There was a time when having a pool in the backyard meant a lush and expensive home, but nowadays they are more common than you might think. Many modern home buyers are more interested in a backyard for the kids than they are in having a tiled pool outside their back door. Speaking of the kids, that’s another reason the resale value of homes with pools has gone down: With the ever-growing number of Americans with small children, many would just as soon steer clear of a large body of water in the yard. This is not to say that swimming pools do not have good resale value to the right buyer. It does mean, however, that there are fewer “right buyers” for this type of property than there once were.

    The second surprise is an easy one: You can never have too many bathrooms. Nowadays bathrooms are prime space in a home. Even installing a shower and toilet in a corner of the basement can add remodeling potential to your home. Ideally, every house would have a main floor bathroom, a guest bathroom, and a bathroom off of the master bedroom. In short, the more toilets and showers for today’s family, the better your home will fare in the market of the future.

    The third and final surprise source of value is this: If your home is the smallest in the neighborhood, it might be the best in terms of resale value. A small, modern, nicely kept home in a neighborhood of larger houses may fare very well. Picture it this way: Your neighborhood is desirable, and you’re lucky enough to have the most affordable house on the block. Compared to the prices of the property around you, what might seem like a high price for the size of your home can be considered a very good deal.

    Calculating resale value for a home that you plan to sell in the future can be a tricky job. It’s sometimes difficult to predict what will come and go in the buying market. The best advice is to keep the basics updated and in good shape- this means your kitchen, your roof, your yard, and other obvious hubs of the household. When the time comes to sell your home, be prepared to spend a little money to invest in one or two areas that can increase your home’s value considerably. It will be worth it.

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