Much of the country recently has experienced a weakening in the local real estate market. If that is the case in your local area, now may be an excellent time to make the decision to invest in rental property. Investment real estate provides exceptional tax benefits which can a good deal, a great deal. If you already own a home you may be quite familiar with many of the tax benefits offered by owning rental property. For example, by using a mortgage to purchase rental property you very well may be able to write off your interest payments on your taxes.
In addition, you can tape into tax benefits which you may not already be aware of. Many rental property owners find that they can deduct a great many of the expenses incurred in the maintenance of the property. This includes such as items are repairs, utilities and insurance as well as much more. In the event you make the decision to hire a rental agent or a property manager, you will also have the benefit of writing off any fees paid for those services as well.
Depreciation deductions can also frequently be written off. In fact, depreciation is frequently one of the best tools available to owners of rental property due to the fact that it provides you with the opportunity to essentially write off the largest expense associated with owning and operating rental property-the price for the property itself excluding the land. It should be noted that depreciation does take place over a period of time. For residential rental property the time schedule is 27 ½ years while commercial property is depreciated over a period of 39 years. This means that if you paid $150,000 for a rental property (less the value of the land), the annual depreciation would be approximately $5,000.
You can also frequently include property improvements in your cost basis and depreciate them over time as well. Repairs can typically be deducted during the year in which they occurred. Not sure whether something classifies as an improvement or repair? Keep in mind that improvements will add to the property’s value and prolong the life of the property while a repair is intended to keep the property in good condition. It is also important to remember; however, that landlords are not able to assign a value to their own labor and then deduct the cost of it.
Many landlords are also able to deduct the cost of travel, whether it is driving or flying. In the event the travel is not local, you also have the advantage of being able to deduct such costs as hotel bills, airfare and part of the costs of meals.
If you choose to operate a home office in order to manage your rental property, you may also be able to deduct specific expenses such as part of your homeowner’s insurance, utilities and home mortgage interest. In order to qualify for this tax benefit, the space assigned as your home office must serve as the primary place of business where you handle matters regarding the operation of your rental property. In essence, the home office area must be used exclusively for business and not for any other purpose. You do not necessarily have to assign an entire room as your home office; however, as long as you can assign a part of the room that is definable as your home office.
When you are shopping around for rental investment property it should be kept in mind that just because you find a property with a good price; that does not necessarily mean that it will make a good rental property. There are simply some properties which are more suitable to renting than others. This can be one of the most common mistakes many people make when they purchase their first rental property. By understanding which properties should be avoided, or at least how to handle problem properties, you can be more confident of your success.
Outdated homes are a prime example of properties which do not make the best rentals. One of the main reasons that outdated homes do not often make good rental properties is the fact that they are simply more prone to have things go wrong with them. In some cases, this can turn out to be quite expensive. You will have two choices when dealing with an outdated rental property; you can either spend the money to update it and risk your profit or you can not update. The latter is also quite risky as most renters, if they have a choice, will rent a property that is updated. Renters typically expect the properties they are renting to be safe, secure and have working systems and appliances. Some of the main problems you may run into with outdated problems include plumbing issues, roof leaks, cracks and settling, electrical problems and the ability to obtain parts for appliances.
Outdated homes are not only frustrating because they tend to have systems and appliances that break down but they can obviously be expensive in many regards. Not only will you have to pay for the repairs but more often than not the repairs will need to be made when you least expect it and during the least convenient times; which usually translates to an even higher cost.
Homes with pools also do not frequently make ideal rental properties. At first, you may see a home with a pool as an advantage which would be appealing to prospective tenants; however, this is not always the case. Many prospective tenants, especially if they have young children, do not want to live in a home with a pool because of the risk factor. You should also take into consideration the issue of liability as well as the cost of maintaining the pool.
In addition, homes that are considered to be high-maintenance may not make the best rental properties. Consider how much time you are willing to spend each week working on your own home, if you are a homeowner. You might find the tasks of wedding, mowing the lawn and watering the flowers at least fulfilling if not rewarding. The thing about tenants; however, is that they are often not willing to perform these tasks for a home they do not own. If you have a property that requires all of these tasks consider hiring someone to handle the yard work and then including the price in the rent. You will be able to guarantee that the work is done and your property does not look unkempt without having to actually worry about it yourself.
Location is always important when it comes to real estate and that is no different when choosing a rental property than when purchasing a home in which you will live. Properties which are close to amenities such as shopping, schools, worship centers and are generally considered to be in a good neighborhood will typically make better rentals than homes that are located on busy streets or which are not near such amenities. Therefore, it is always important to make sure you take location in mind when choosing a rental property because most prospective tenants will be looking for properties that are in good locations. If there is competition on the market, a tenant will often choose a rental that is in better location even if it means paying a bit more in rent.
As a rental property investor, you will find it necessary to collect money on a regular basis. Generally, your income will come from rental payments; however, you will also need to collect a security deposit. A security deposit is used as a type of security to ensure that the property will be maintained well during the time of the tenant’s occupancy and also that they will not leave without paying their final rent. In the case that either of the above circumstances should occur, you will have the security deposit to serve as a recompense for the money you might would otherwise be out.
The exact amount of the security deposit which you collect will vary depending on circumstances. Some states have regulations regarding the amount of money that can be collected for a security deposit. Ideally, it is best to collect the largest deposit allowed in order to ensure that you do not run into any problems later on. Where allowed by law, many landlords find it beneficial to collect a security deposit that is equal to one and a half times the regular rent. There are some circumstances which may dictate a change in the normal amount of the security deposit which you collect.
For example, if you allow pets and the tenant has a pet, you may decide to collect a larger security deposits. The same would be true for other circumstances such as if the tenant has a waterbed, does not have any references, etc. In these cases, you may decide that it is a good idea to collect a larger security deposit than you would normally collect to cover the risk you are taking on; provided, of course, that you are allowed to collect a larger security deposit under local law.
Security deposits should always be paid in full prior to the time the tenant moves in. Keys should never be issues until a security deposit has been received in full; otherwise you will find that the purpose of the deposit has been defeated. It is simply not a good idea to allow tenants to pay a security deposit in the form of several payments. If you do so, you will likely find that it is veritably impossible to collect all of the security deposit once the tenant has moved in.
Ideally, security deposits should not be paid with a personal check as you run the risk that the check may not be good.
Remember that it is always important to check with and follow your state’s guidelines regarding what you must do with the security deposit after you have received it.
Generally, it is better if you do not complicate matters by labeling the different parts of a security deposit. In the past many landlords charged a variety of different deposits including a key deposit, last month’s rent, cleaning deposit, etc. This can become quite confusing very quickly and unfortunately, many landlords found that tenants still tended to move out without paying a last month’s rent because it was already paid. These types of tenants tended to leave the unit in a terrible conditions and necessary repairs that the deposit did not cover. You may even wish to state in your rental agreement that the security deposit is not to be used for the last month’s rent.
More and more people are becoming interested in investing in rental property due to the large number of advantages offered by owning rental property. One of the largest of those advantages is the fact that when you invest in rental property, you are able to take ownership of an asset that is tangible. Compared to other types of investments, this is a tremendous advantage. It can be difficult for many people to get excited about stocks and bonds; however, gazing at a piece of rental property that you personally selected and are maintaining can provide you with the same pride in ownership that you received when you bought your first home. Rental property is also an income-producing asset which can be a much appreciated inheritance for future generations.
If you have had concerns about investing your hard earned money in financial instruments in the past but are aware that you need to invest your money in order to grow your wealth, real estate offers the perfect solution. While the stock market is notoriously fickle in terms of fluctuation, real estate has historically held a strong foothold in regards to appreciation. Even with the current softening of the housing market, investing in real estate represents an excellent investment opportunity. To a large degree this is due to the fact that many consumers are finding it difficult to qualify for a home mortgage loan but still need a place to live that is comfortable and safe.
Income is another tremendous advantage of investing in rental property. While you will need to deduct the mortgage payment if you finance the property and any relevant expenses, a rental property is often able to produce ongoing income for you.
The value of appreciation should not be overlooked either. Generally, such properties improve in value over time. While appreciation can never be guaranteed, if you take the time to choose a property in an area that is stable then there is a very good chance that the property will continue to increase in value as time goes by.
Rental property owners are also able to take advantage of leverage. This is because you have the ability to purchase a rental property with funds that are borrowed. As a result, you are able to begin taking advantage of the benefits offered by owning rental property while only investing a percentage of the total value of the property. In addition, since the property itself will secure the debt you do not have to worry about using other assets to secure it.
Tax advantages are another important benefit of owning rental property. If you obtain a mortgage on your property, you will frequently be able to deduct your mortgage interest payments. There are also a number of other tax deductions which can potentially be taken when you own rental property including the cost of repairs and improvements.
The fact that you can be your own boss when you invest in rental property is a benefit which should not be underestimated. Whether you are considering quitting your current job to become a full-time rental property investor or you are looking to supplement your current income, you can benefit from the fact that there is a tremendous amount of independence to enjoy by owning and operating rental property.
One of the biggest problems for many rental property investors can be failing to plan for maintenance issues in their budgets. While it can certainly be quite tempting to see all income over and above the mortgage payment as profit, this can be dangerous when something breaks and you realize you do not have a budget to cover the cost of repairing it. The simple fact is that regardless of how well maintained your property might be, things can and will break from time to time so the best course of action is to plan ahead and budget for it so you do not struggle later on.
Ideally, the best time to begin thinking about your repair and maintenance budget is before you actually purchase the property. When you are looking at the numbers associated with the potential investment you will need to make in the property, it is essential that you take repairs and maintenance into consideration. Unfortunately, many investors completely forget to allocate funds they will need for repairs of the property and instead only take costs associated with taxes, fees and mortgages payments into consideration.
First, you need to consider those repairs that can be foreseen relatively easy if you are observant. For example, take into consideration the age of the roof. Generally, by studying the condition of the roof you can usually determine when you will need to replace it, more or less. The same is true of the home’s main systems including the air conditioning system. By taking into consideration the natural lifespan of many of these items you can typically predict when you will need to come up with the funds for these replacement costs.
When considering the potential repair and maintenance costs you may run into as you shop for property, it is important to take several factors into consideration. Property type should be one of the first factors you consider because the type of the property can affect repair costs later on. For example, if you purchase a brick property you certainly will not have to worry about painting it in a few years.
The size of the property should also be taken into consideration. Smaller properties are typically easier and less expensive to maintain than larger properties. Larger properties are more expensive to maintain because it simply costs more money for repair and maintenance issues such as replacing the roof, repainting the exterior and exterior, etc.
Surprisingly, the location of the property can also play a role in how much you need to budget for repairs as well. Take into consideration the distance of the property from your location. If the property is located more than 30 miles from where you are located, you are going to spend more money traveling to the property and that can add up quickly.
Finally, consider how you plan to manage the property. Do you plan to handle most of the maintenance work on your own or will you hire help? Hiring outside help can be more expensive overall; however, you must also consider the amount of time you have available for making repairs and your own skill and experience level.
It is also important to remember that there will typically be some problems which will come up completely unexpected and unscheduled. You will need to make sure that you budget for these items as well so that they do not hit you too deeply in the pocketbook. Generally, it is a good idea to plan an annual budget of between 1% and 2% of the value of the property for repairs which may come up unexpectedly. For example, if you have a $100,000 property you would need to plan to spend between $1,000 and $1,500.
By planning ahead and budgeting for maintenance and repair issues you can make sure you are prepared when these items inevitably arrive and will not be financially surprised.
