For many people, the bulk of the money that they’ve saved is in an employer-sponsored retirement plan (such as a 401k) and/or IRA account. So, in order to access these funds to purchase certain “tangible” assets like real estate, you could face some significant penalties – on top of losing the tax-advantaged status of the [...]
If you’ve been considering the expansion of your investment property empire, it is possible that you’ve thought about the purchase of a duplex, a 4-plex, or even a larger multi-family apartment building. There a several reasons why multi-family properties could provide you with added benefits – starting with the ability to attain several income streams [...]
As a landlord or the owner of rental real estate, you are likely looking for ways to keep your tenant(s) in place and in turn, the rent checks coming in. Certainly, one way to accomplish this is to communicate regularly with your renter(s). But, while good landlords will typically respond to tenant needs in a [...]
While owning rental real estate can provide you with the opportunity to earn “passive” income from your tenants, would you still be able to earn a nice return from your investments if you stopped doing everything that you’re currently doing? The list of landlord duties can be a long one, which oftentimes includes some – [...]
It is every rental property owners’ dream to have a steady stream of income from their properties each month like clockwork. But, if you’ve owned rental real estate for any length of time, you are likely well aware that this is not necessarily always the case. In fact, even if you have good-paying tenants residing [...]
For many rental property owners, the key goal for purchasing properties is to receive a steady, ongoing income from the tenants. But, just like any other type of investment, knowing whether or not your property is growing in value is also key. Unlike the price of a stock or mutual fund, ascertaining the approximate value [...]
Although there are countless investors who own rental property - and who are also making good money "on the side" - there are some who may be wondering how to take this part-time endeavor and turn it into a full-time career. The good news is that being a full-time real estate investor can be profitable. [...]
Owning investment property can be a great way to generate additional income - or even to make a full-time living. But before diving in, it is important to know just how much investment property you are able to purchase. There are several different financial "components" to take into consideration when you are determining what you [...]
While investing in real estate can offer a nice steady cash flow and appreciation for investors, owning truly profitable properties may not be an easy road. But for those who are able to consistently take on investments that provide positive incoming rent, while at the same time increasing overall net worth, there is some required [...]
As a real estate investor, the thought may have crossed your mind to purchase rental property in another state. This may be due to having family in that particular area, the desire to live there in the future, or possibly even because you have come across deal that is hard to refuse. But, before moving [...]
A good real estate investment can help to accelerate wealth, as well as to diversify your overall financial portfolio. Just like any other type of investment, though, moving forward with the purchase of a property should entail making several good choices up front. Even if a particular piece of real estate may seem like a [...]
As a real estate investor, just like any other business owner, you want to be sure that you have good, quality "inventory" for your customers. So, when going out to locate property for potential rentals, you need to ensure that you are using all of the possible sources, because in this particular business, you just [...]
Owning real estate can be a great way to build wealth, as well as to provide yourself with regular cash flow over time. However, unless it is done correctly, investing in real estate can also be a path to financial ruin. With that in mind, it's important to ensure that you avoid the common - and [...]
Although many real estate investors purchase property in order to offset their stock market investments, there are some ways that investing in real estate can be similar. This is primarily in the way that you go about finding the very best deal. For those who are savvy investors in the stock market, it isn't likely [...]
As an investor, there are numerous ways in which you can go about purchasing property. However, buying real estate through a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or transferring the ownership ofproperty to an LLC, can be a smart way to protect your personal assets. This is because an LLC cannot be held responsible for personal debt. [...]
As the owner of rental property, you certainly want to maximize your investment to the fullest. But at the same time, you also need to make the best use of the hours that you have available in the day. So, how do you know when it could be the right time to consider taking on [...]
Finding a property for sale that is already taking in rent can be a nice investment. Already having a tenant (or multiple tenants) in place, can save you a great deal of time and money, and it can provide you with immediate cash flow. But, before making an offer on the rental property, you need [...]
Unlike selling a stock or a mutual fund, to sell your investment property - regardless of the reason - is not something that's as simple as calling up your broker on the phone and having a check for the proceeds in your mailbox by the following week. In fact often, the time that it takes [...]
While many real estate investors prefer one type of residential property over another, the truth is that it is possible to achieve success with either. What makes the biggest difference is whether or not you follow a particular investment strategy. There can, however, be definite advantages and drawbacks to owning either single family or multi-family [...]
When searching for the perfect investment property, there are actually a lot of choices available out in the market - and at first glance, it may seem like there are a myriad of "good deals." After all, when viewing the For Sale listings online or through other sources, you may even see some that are [...]
Now that things have stabilized somewhat in the Florida real estate market, it may seem like you would be able to pick up properties with the potential to appreciate faster. Unfortunately, that isn't necessarily the case - and investors who dive in without first having a strategy can oftentimes end up losing a great deal [...]
As a real estate investor, you've probably heard it a thousand times before, but it bears repeating again - the three most important criteria when purchasing real estate are location, location, and location. The question here is, though, what really makes for a good location when searching for a good rental property? The answer is [...]
As we've watched the stock market dive throughout the first few weeks of 2016, now may be a good time to talk about various investments and who really controls what when you take hold of a particular type of investment vehicle. For example, when you purchase an investment such as a stock or a bond, [...]
While there are many wealthy Internet and "dot.com" business owners in the world today, of all the business and investment opportunities that are out there, there are also many millionaires who have made their wealth through real estate. In fact, the real estate industry has produced the largest number of self-made multi-millionaires, as well as [...]
There are some larger commercial real estate investors who seek cash flow and diversification by investing for income with shopping centers. These types of investments can offer regular incoming cash flow. In addition, the property can also appreciate independently of the stock market, which can allow these investors to profit, regardless of market conditions. In [...]
There are many real estate investors who prefer to invest in commercial properties over residential. This is because these types of properties can provide numerous opportunities for income, as well as for appreciation. Prior to investing in commercial and industrial buildings for income, there are several important criteria to consider. First, just as with any [...]
For real estate investors who are looking for more than just a single income from one home or property, an apartment complex may provide the answer. An apartment complex is considered to be a commercial property - which is essentially a property that consists of five units or more. One of the key advantages to [...]
When just starting out in real estate investing, many investors are unsure as to what type of property to focus on. In order to determine the best type of property to purchase, however, the answer will depend on the goals that you have set for your investing overall, as well as the amount of time [...]
If you're a first time real estate investor who is eager to purchase a house or condo, there are some steps that you'll need to take prior to seeking the ideal property - and the majority of them are financial related. Finding funding as a first time investor is most likely your initial step to [...]
One of the most profitable real estate investment strategies is the long term buy and hold method that involves purchasing a property and renting it out to tenants. Over the years, through the ongoing receipt of regular rent checks, the mortgage on your property (or properties) is essentially paid down by other people's money. Yet, [...]
You entertain clients and business prospects to build relationships and gain new business so lets talk about meals and entertainment tax write offs for real estate investors. In some cases these meals/entertainment can be tax deductible. The expense must meet either the directly related test or the associated test as defined by the IRS. [...]
People often ask me: Should I rent or buy in Orlando? Which is the savvier financial move? While there are many pieces to the puzzle in determining this, many of which will surely be discussed in later blogs, let’s take a ‘basic’ approach for this post. I have ‘basic’ in quotes because, while this is [...]
If you were born before 1986, you have probably heard a lot of Georgia Tech alumnus Jeff Foxworthy’s ‘You Might be a Redneck, If…’ jokes. Well, I've compiled a similar list that pertains to types people you shouldn't rent to. And they aren't jokes. So, without further ado… If they show up to view a house [...]
Is water heated by a free hot water heater any less hot than one you purchase? Unless you’re a rap superstar, you probably don’t like spending money you don’t have to. And, unless you have a religious issue with it, odds are pretty good that you enjoy getting stuff for free. Luckily for you, if [...]
No one is born a landlord. Nobody is born with the investor mindset. Some choose to become landlords as part of an investment strategy. Others become ‘accidental landlords’ when a job transfer or other unpredictable life event forces them to rent their former residence. Regardless, to be a good landlord requires a little finesse, a [...]