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| Financial Freedom Through Real Estate |
| This is a Mortgage and Real Estate Blog that covers important real estate related strategies, laws, and wealth building techniques. This blog features several topics that will cover the homebuying, refinancing, and real estate investing process. The Goal is to help build your wealth! |
| Language: English |
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Statistics |
| Unique Visitors: 10 |
| Total Unique Visitors: 94080 |
| Visitors Out: 1733 |
| Total Visitors Out: 3538 |
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| Is real estate investing coming back? |
| 2008-05-05 07:51:39 |
I have been on the lookout for some new Estate">real estate investments during the last few months. Most of the time, I have been met with unrealistic prices and expectations from the sellers. They still dream of the good ol days of 2005, where they could pick a number out of the sky and watch multiple bids come in. But now, things seem to be slowly coming back to earth. Whether it be a short-sale, or more favorably a seller that just needs to get out of a property, prices are starting to get to the levels where investors can consider coming back in and establishing sound rental properties. Based on the dynamics of the still depreciating market, rehabbing may be a little ways off, but rentals are starting to look attract...
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| 2008 Spring Real Estate Market |
| 2008-03-13 12:53:48 |
For the past couple of Spring seasons, the Estate">real estate market has been in a slow, steady decline. Prices stopped rising at the breakneck pace that we have become accustomed to during 2001 - 2005. Based on that frame of reference, any reversal in appreciation started to look like the deal.But something seems different about the coming Spring of 2008. I am beginning to see price reductions unlike what has occurred in the past 2 years. It seems like the true reality of the real estate market is finally starting to sink in. I have witnessed price reductions of 25% ...
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| Jumbo Loan Rates Set to Fall |
| 2008-02-16 12:41:58 |
Congress has just passed their economic stimulus plan that is supposed to put money in everyone's pocket so they can go out and boost the economy. This is the highlight of the plan, but it also covers another important provision that will be good news for homeowners and potential homebuyers. The conforming loan limit that is insured by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is $417,000. Fannie and Freddie are the government companies that buy and package mortgage backed securities from banks. Any loan amount over $417,000 is considered a jumbo loan and is not insured by these entities. Ever since the subprime fallout, these jumbo loans have become expensive and average about 1.25 percentage points higher than conforming loans. Wall ...
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| 2008 Refinance Boom May Be Looming |
| 2008-02-02 09:47:29 |
With the slowing economy, talks of recession, the tick up in unemployment, and the volatile stock market, the 30 year fixed rate mortgage has slowly continued to drop. A couple of weeks ago, the Feds finally took steps to combat the signs of recession by cutting the Fed rate by a combined 125 basis points. Usually the Fed funds rate has little to do with fixed rate mortgages, but it usually does not take long for fixed rates to follow the trend. Long-term mortgage rates are already low and may go lower. Usually when the economy faces a possible recession, these rates drop. We all remember what happened to rates from 2003 – 2005, after the 2001- 2003 recession. So, if history is any indication, there is a good possibility that rates can fall further. This is good news for potential ...
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| Home Staging Helping Today's Home Sellers |
| 2008-01-10 09:53:56 |
In order to sell a home in this market you must have a property that is in good condition and well priced. But one area that is often overlooked is presentation.Professional home stagers have been receiving more business and have helped increase the likeliness of a home selling. Prospective buyers want to be able to picture themselves in a home. A house with too many personal items or unique features will make it hard for a buyer to see themselves in the home. In order to cater to the variety of potential buyers, you should make your home as neutral as possible. This would include neutral furniture, paint, artwork, etc. You don't want to offend any prospective buyers.
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| 2008 Real Estate Outlook |
| 2008-01-06 21:00:04 |
Another new year has come and we are all looking forward to what it may have in store for us. This is true if you believe in New Year's resolutions or not. This may be especially true for all of the potential homebuyers out there. As most waited out the market shifts of 2007, 2008 may be the most favorable time than ever to dive into the market. There are currently some really nice deals out there, which has been absent from the market for a long time. Current home sellers are a bit anxious and the usual slowdown in sales that the winter months bring will accentuate this fact. As always, no matter what the sale price may be, it is always best to negotiate within reason. This goes for owner-occupants as well as investors. You must also be looking to hold the property for at least the next 4 - 5 years. This is definitely not the time to consider rehab projects if you are an investor. Good, solid long-term rentals would be a better strategy. Normally, Estate">real estate cycles last for about 5 years. This would theoretically put us somewhere near the bottom of this current cycle. So 2008 may be the year for the homebuyer. As for lending, FHA is back in favor again and should be considered especially if you are a first-time buyer. Their website www.fha.gov lists the loan limits for different areas around the country. If 2008 brings better loan programs that will allow more buyers to afford homes, we may see better sales a little sooner. The subprime mortgage crunch was one of the major factors that contributed to the drop in home sales for most of 2007.
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| Simple Tips for Controlling Mortgage Cashflow |
| 2007-11-26 08:11:30 |
Since we are in the middle of rising mortgage rates and potential foreclosures, I want to suggest a few ways for folks having cash problems to avoid potential disaster. The number one rule is not to close your eyes and ignore the problem that you are having. It is best to read the signs and address problems that you see coming down the road. The biggest mistake would be to allow yourself to make late mortgage payments. That will virtual eliminate about 90% of the solutions you would otherwise be eligible to receive. If you have an adjustable rate mortgage that you know will reset soon, pull out the paperwork and find out what new rate is due to adjust. Refinance ahead of time, because mortgage rates are pretty low right now. Also, if you have consumer debt (e.g. car loans, credit card balances, etc) that has a high interest rate (8% - 20%), you can consider paying off those loans with a cashout refinance. This only works if you have enough equity in your home. This strategy will give you a fixed mortgage rate and reduce your total monthly obligations. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan is also making a comeback. While most lenders require that you keep 20% equity in your home on a cash-out refinance, FHA will allow you to keep just 5% equity in your home. This results in a much larger cash-out refinance. With the squeeze in credit availability and the rise in consumer monthly payments, these suggestions should help you to manage your monthly cash flow.
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| Basics of a Reverse Mortgage |
| 2007-11-19 18:57:35 |
Reverse mortgages are starting to grow in popularity. In general the borrower must be over 62 years of age. This type of mortgage allows the borrower to receive monthly cash payments by tapping into their home's equity every month. The mortgage interest that the borrower will usually pay is added to the balance of the reverse mortgage. So the debt against the property increases each month. Most reverse mortgage programs do not have income qualifications. A retiree with no income can qualify. The interest varies and can fall between 6 percent and 9 percent. The closing costs for a reverse mortgage are generally higher than with a regular mortgage refinance $15,00 - $20,000). The lender may also may keep the appreciation accrued in the home once the borrower passes, even if this appreciation is more than necessary to cover the remaining mortgage balance.In my opinion, reverse mortgages are only good for individuals that do not have an income. If a retiree has some sort of income, a home equity line of credit (HELOC) may be a better choice. They have much lower closing costs and allow you to keep all of the remaining equity in your home, which allows you to pass it to your heirs.
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| Buyer's leverage increases |
| 2007-10-19 06:50:44 |
We have been in a buyer's market for more than a year now. Since the buyer's market began, buyers have gained leverage over sellers in negotiations. Over the past few months that leverage has grown even more substantial because sales have continued to decline while inventory has risen. The problem now is that as inventory rises, sellers have put a lot of "junk" houses on the market. These houses that are in poor shape are usually listed at or close to the price of homes that are updated. Many of these "junk" homes are unrenovated investor properties or foreclosures. Since most homebuyers look at the cheapest homes in a neighborhood first, they are forcing the owners of updated homes to list their properties at or close to the price of the homes in poor shape. This again plays to the advantage of buyers that are actively looking. In my opinion, this winter holiday season will be the most optimal time to buy this year. This should continue until about February of 2008. We may then see a slight bump in home sales as the spring season nears. For those in the market to acquire a home at a discount, the slow holiday season is the best time to make a deal.
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| Sellers must disclose defects in "as-is" sale |
| 2007-10-17 21:08:28 |
In this currrent market, there are a lot of properties listed as "as-is" sales. Many buyers are not clear on the meaning of "as-is" and what it may imply. Selling "as-is" does not protect a seller who lied about the condition of the property or who concealed huge faults that the buyer could not see. They must still disclose "known" defects in the property, they are just not obligated to make any repairs before the sale is finalized. When buyers take property in as-is condition, they acknowledge that they realize what repairs are needed and have offered below market pricing. But they have not agreed to accepting hidden defects in the condition of the property.
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| Refi your Subprime ARM into an FHA Loan |
| 2007-09-14 20:15:51 |
Last week, President Bush introduced a plan called the FHA Secure Initiative. This plan will enable homeowners to refinance various types of ARMs that have recently reset, and/or are delinquent into FHA loans. A Federal Housing Authority (FHA) mortgage is a government insured loan. Since it is backed by the government, the rates and terms are usually much more favorable than a regular conventional or subprime mortgage. These loan also have FIXED rate 30 year terms. This is important news for homeowners out there that have ARMs that are due to reset or are currently struggling to pay the higher interest rate on ARMs that have already reset.Here are the important points of the program:- The mortgage being refinanced must be a non-FHA ARM that has reset.- The mortgage payment history, during the 6 months PRIOR to the reset must show no late payments.- Late payments made after the loan has reset ARE acceptable.- In many cases homeowners may wrap late mortgage payments into the new loan.- There must be sufficient equity for FHA to insure the mortgages that include missing mortgage payments. This temporary initiative will expired on December 31st, 2008. Please contact me for more details if you feel you can benefit from this exciting initiative.
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| Where did all of the Mortgages Go? |
| 2007-09-12 12:42:42 |
The subprime crisis has been all over the news for the past few months. Every week, it seems like a handful of former high-flying mortgage companies are either shutting down operations or laying off numerous employees. This has caused a ripple effect throughout the industry and it is now harder than ever to acquire a home mortgage. Many programs that once ruled during the real estate boom are now no longer available. Many lenders are also increasing minimum credit score requirements and getting rid of "state-income" and "no-doc" loans. Nowadays the majorities of buyers have to possess good credit, low debt to income ratios, a healthy down payment, verifiable income, and be looking to finance less than $417,000. There are still many good programs out there but you really need to search hard for them. The best advice for someone looking to refinance in the near future is to pay your mortgage on time. Late mortgage payments (within the last 12 months) in this market will almost guarantee that you will not qualify for ANY loan.
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| Market Update |
| 2007-07-16 22:16:44 |
It has been a couple of months since I have sent out a newsletter. I have been out of the country for a while and just returned last week. From what I see the housing market is still slow, which of course is beneficial to potential buyers. The National Association of Realtors has pushed back the potential for price recovery to the 2nd quarter of 2008. There is an wide selection of homes available on the market today. My website, www.housewealthy.com covers many techniques that buyers can use to negotiate the best price in this market. With historically low mortgage rates this summer and sustained job gains, it could be a good time for first-time buyers with long-term plans to test the housing waters. Is Your ARM hurting?More than two million subprime adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) are about to reset at much higher rates in the next few months. Many buyers took out 2 and 3 year ARMs in 2004 and 2005 which offered low "teaser" rates. Once these mortgages reset, their payments may balloon more than 30%. With mortgage lending standards getting tighter, it is important to take advantage of refinancing into a more stable mortgage product before the loan payments increase. It is important to take a look at your credit rating and plan to get out of these loans ahead of time. An inability to qualify for a stable loan product may force you to sell your home (if you have equity) or lead you to foreclosure once the payments rise. This October alone more than $50 billion in ARMs will reset, according to Economy.com. They report that this will be a historic record. If you currently have a short-term ARM that is about to reset, feel free to contact me to discuss your options. Taking a proactive approach now may help prevent future financial strain.
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| This Week's Carnival Of Real Estate Investing |
| 2007-04-30 10:22:14 |
This is my first time hosting the Carnival of Estate">Real Estate Investing and I am pretty excited to be participating. I went to the Penn Relays in Philadelphia this weekend to watch some of the best Track and Field athletes compete in sprints, field events, and distance running. As I watched the events, I couldn't help but find a link between real estate investing and the races.I watched the sprints and noticed that the athletes trained to give a maximum effort for 10 - 45 seconds and then the event was over. This is similar to the real estate rehabber. They acquire a property, renovate it for 1 year or less and then try to sell for maximum profit...
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| Possible ARM Swapping???? |
| 2007-04-21 16:29:58 |
I recently read an article on Money Magazine's website that addressed the possibility of the government and lenders allowing some borrowers with ARMs to swap them out for fixed rate mortgages. Speakers at a Congressional hearing of the House Financial Services Committe called for restructuring ARM loans to help solve the subprime crisis. A Congresswoman from Ohio (which apparently leads the nation in the foreclosure rate) recommended the following three-prong approach:- Establish a rescue fund for short-term problems casued by illness, layoffs, or other one-time events.- Create a bond fund to pay for switching borrowers out of unaffordable ARMs.- Refinance loans for victims of predatory lending.These measures also calls for lenders to agree to modify the terms of existing loans to prevent the higher costs of foreclosing on properties. This suggestion may work because it costs more to foreclose on a property than to accept lower returns on existing investments. According to the article 10 to 15 percent of the value of a property may be eaten up by the foreclosure process.If it could be pulled off, this may be very helpful for the housing market as a whole as well as the economy.Here is the link to the original article Subprime solution: Swap ARMs for fixed-rates.
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| MyCommunity Mortgage: A Subprime Alternative |
| 2007-04-11 14:28:45 |
MyCommunity Mortgages: which are sponsored by Fannie Mae and is designed to assist low and moderate income families, public service employees, and disabled people to realize their dream of owning an affordable home. This program allows for 100% financing and little to no money required into the transaction for those who qualify. I can't stress enough how great this Fannie Mae sponsored program is. It allows certain borrowers to qualify for a home with no money down and less than perfect credit. It is a great alternative to some of the subprime loans that are now disappearing from the marketplace. The best feature of this loan program is that it offers a low interest rate that is fixed over 30 or 40 years, not just 2 - 3 years like the average subprime mortgage. Most subprime borrowers aren't getting in trouble because of their initial interest rate. Most of the trouble comes when these short-term ARMs reset and payments skyrocket by $300-$500 per month. A sensible borrower can combine this loan with some of the techniques that I cover in my How To Afford a Home with Little Money blog and should be able to comfortably afford the home of their dreams.
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| Professional Stagers Help Home Sales |
| 2007-04-10 17:30:26 |
I recently commented on the increase in business for the home inspector in this buyer's real estate market. The professional home stager is another real estate business that is seeing a resurgence in activity. This Spring will see an increase in homes on the market and each seller needs to get every competitive advantage available to them. The setup, look, feel, furniture, smell, and lighting of your home could have a more positive effect on a potential transaction than a lower sales price. Homes that are cluttered with children's toys and/or pet odors or hair may be hurting their chances of getting an interested buyer. With so much inventory on the market, it is easy for a buyer to move on to the next property. Sellers may consider hiring an accredited professional stager (ASP) who can help them direct a potential buyer's attention to the highlights of the home. For an average cost of less than $2,000, a home stager will make sure items that could be seen as objectionable to potential home buyers are noted and addressed. They are also able to stage your home based on your target audience. A large home with many bedrooms and bathroom should be staged for a buyer with a family. A smaller home or condo should be staged to appeal to a young professional or empty nesters. Homeowners with young children should try to neutralize the smell of diapers by utilizing effective deodorizers, don't just mask the smells, deodorize them. In addition to using a professional stager, hire a professional cleaning service to thoroughly clean the home to its optimal potential. Professional cleaning services have also seen a huge rise in business. In this new buyer's market the first impression will have a lasting effect and if it isn't good, it may take another few months to get another interested buyer.
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| Subprime Woes Affect Us All |
| 2007-04-04 20:25:59 |
We all know that the woes of the subprime market has now made it difficult for a good number of the population to obtain mortgages. Most of the 100%, no money down, no credit needed financing are now disappearing. Those of us with good credit may be thinking that "this won't affect me". Or maybe you are laughing at the people that took these loans and are now suffering the consequences of 2 year ARMs that are increasing by over 3% in interest rate. To make matters worse, these homeowners can't even refinance their homes because similar subprime loans are no longer available. In addition, their credit is not good enough to go "prime", so for many the only option is foreclosure. Well, the demise of the subprime market has some ripple effects on the rest of the market. For one, the tightening of the subprime standards has also resulted in tightening of prime standards. So even if you have a 720 credit score, most lenders are not offering 100% financing in any form. They are also padding interest rates to offer extra insurance in the event of a loan defaulting. The subprime market offered high margins and now with that profit going away the prime loans will begin to become more expensive.Even if you already have a 30-year fixed principal and interest mortgage your home value may be affected. Your neighborhood may contain a few homeowners that have subprime mortgages and may be facing foreclosure. Each foreclosure sale in a neighborhood inherently bring the total property value of the neighborhood down. Hopefully the casualties of the subprime meltdown will not be too bad. I guess the silver lining is that the buyers able to qualify for home mortgages will be in a much better position to negotiate prices.
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| Seek an "Educational" Mortgage Broker |
| 2007-04-01 19:58:31 |
There has been plenty of news on the demise of the subprime market and how certain unscrupulous loan officers/lenders preyed on the following individuals:1. Elderly2. African-American3. Low or Fixed Income4. WomenIn my opinion, these loan officers/lenders are a disgrace to the business and make it harder for the honest ones that truly have a passion for real estate and helping others. The best piece of advice that I can offer a consumer is too seek a mortgage broker, loan officer, or lender that is dedicated to educating you on the product that they are selling you. If it seems like they are too eager to close the deal quickly or have a sudden sense of urgency, then they may not have your best interest at heart. A good mortgage broker will take the time to thoroughly explain anything that you may not understand. They should also offer a solid contingency plan if you acquire a short-term ARM or other so-called "exotic" mortgage product. A mortgage can be key to systematically building your wealth if used properly, otherwise it can be an equity-stripping, wealth-reducing nightmare. I think this video from CNN sums up a lot of what has been going on during the last couple of years. Click here to view the video.
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| Beware of the "Trigger List" |
| 2007-03-30 12:33:20 |
Have you ever applied for a mortgage and all of a sudden get a swarm of calls from other lenders the next day promising to give you a better deal? This phenomenom occurs because the credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and Transunion) sell your information for a pretty penny and other lenders can buy this information on a daily basis. With the cooling of the hot real estate market, many lenders are investing heavily in this type of lead generation for business. It is very attractive to lenders because for the most part, all of the leads are currently in the market for a mortgage. The "lead" is generated when your current lender pulls your credit. This is one of the most sought after lead and the credit bureaus charge a premium for them. As a consumer, you are open to shop around as much as possible. Just be carefully of the "bait and switch". The competing lender can dangle falsely discounted rates and terms just to gain your business. After weeks of going through the process, they can change their tune and can either leave you with a higher cost loan or no loan at all. If you would like to opt out of any potential prescreened credit solicitations, which includes mortgages, credit cards, etc .... you can visit www.optoutprescreen.com. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) your request should be processed within five days. However, it may take over 2 months for calls to stop completely. In addition, you can also register your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry (www.donotcall.gov).
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| Update: How to Evaluate an Investment Property |
| 2007-03-28 01:22:35 |
Well .... I have submitted my offer for the investment rental property covered in the previous blog posts How to Evaluate an Investment Property I & II. I believe it was a competitive offer and will now wait to see what happens. It still seems like sellers are holding on to the the notion that they can get the astronomical prices of 2005. In my particular situation, I believe the seller may be misguided by following facts:1. In 2005, a similar building in the neighborhood sold in the $600ks.2. In 2006, another building sold in the $800ks.The problem with this is that the previous owners marketed the properties as condo conversion candi...
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| How Much Did The Owner Pay? |
| 2007-03-26 10:01:00 |
With spring upon us, there will be an increase real estate market activity. Sellers will definitely be selling ..... and hopefully buyers will be buying :). But what are the best strategies for getting the best deal out there. Well today, I am on the buyer's side ... sorry sellers ;). One technique that I use when negotiating an offer price is to find out what the current owner paid for their property. The days of $100,000 appreciation per year are gone, so owners are now more willing to negotiate. But what if the owner paid $500,000 for that great property in 2006 and now is selling it for $525,000 and it is really worth $475,000? Chances are he or she will not have much if any negotiation room. If a buyer offers less than that .... lets say $500,000, he or she may be wasting their time. But what if the owner paid $115,000 for that property in 1997 and now is selling it for $500,000 and it has been on the market for 6 months? In this instance, an offer of $425,000 has a greater chance of going over because either way the owner will make a lot of money at closing. Minus the owner having a huge 2nd mortgage, this technique can improve your chances of having better success in getting a great deal in this new buyer's market. The best places to find out how much the current owner paid is either through your realtor or through online county records.
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| Use the Home Inspection To Your Advantage |
| 2007-03-22 09:26:26 |
While many real estate professionals have experienced a slowing in business, there is one group that has seen an upturn .... the home inspector. While we had the torrid pace of home sales during the 2000 - 2005 real estate boom, the home inspector was relatively left out in the cold. If you presented a contract with a home inspection in many markets, the seller would chuckle as he or she dropped your contract in the trash. Even buyers' agents would urged their clients not to attach home inspections to their contracts. Most of a home inspectors business was based on "information-only" purposes inspections. Fast forward a couple of years and now the home inspector is back. The new market has made the home inspection customary and they are becoming an excellent negotiating tool for buyers. Nowadays, buyers are using the home inspection to gain leverage. It is used to either reduce the seller's price after the contract is ratified or to get more seller concessions. For about $400 - $500, you can save up to an additional few thousand dollars. Sellers are more likely to give cash concessions as oppose to fixing the problem themselves, because they usually are just ready to get out of the home. In addition, most sellers are more likely to negotiate once a contract is ratified and they have already spent a week or two committing to your offer. As a buyer take a thorough look at the home inspector that you will use. Don't always just rely on the inspector recommended to you by your realtor. Get other references and referrals. An inspector that is a member of the National Association of Home Inspectors (www.nahi.org) or the American Society of Home Inspectors (www.ashi.org) is always a good option. Try to nail down an inspector before you have a contract accepted, it will make the process a little less hectic. Also, it is a good idea to attend the inspection to make sure of the work and learn a thing or two about your potential new home.
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| Importance of Rental Property Depreciation |
| 2007-03-20 23:46:23 |
A common mistake among real estate investors (I am guilty of this too, when I first started investing) is that they often do not deduct depreciation on their investment properties when doing their taxes. The government allows you to take a depreciation deduction each year on your investment properties. There is a schedule that tells you how much your property has "gone down" in value each year. The idea is that property gradually degrades over time, so its value also decreases over time. In general this is true of furniture, television, vehicles, etc. But the same cannot be said for real estate. Real estate has a "perceived" value that usually gradually increases over time. But good old Uncle Sam has provide...
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| Strategy for High Equity Rental Properties |
| 2007-03-20 01:07:30 |
This is probably a tax law that many of you know already, but I feel compelled to state it just in case there are a few who are unaware of its benefits. We all know about the tax law that states if you live in your primary residence for two year out of the last five years, you can keep up to $250,000 from the profits from the sale as an individual or $500,000 for a married couple. The two years does not have to be consecutive. It could be one year in the beginning of the five years and one year at the end of the five years, does not matter. Well, if you have a investment home (single-family) that you have held for a while and has greatly appreciated, you can apply the same rule to the investment home. Normally, you would have to either pay tax on capital gains or roll the gain into another property through a 1031 exchange. This option would be to move into the investment property for two years and then take the gain out tax-free up to the applicable limits. Note, that you will still have to pay taxes on the recaptured depreciation that you benefited from during the investment period. This strategy works most effectively with single-family homes, because with a mulit-unit, only the part that is your principal residence will qualify.As always, consult your tax professional to see if this strategy will fit your needs.
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| Mistake Buyers Make around Settlement Time(audio) |
| 2007-03-19 15:41:05 |
Here is a link to part of an audio interview that I had with an owner of a reputable settlement company. We are discussing the mistakes people make before, during, and after settlement. Click here to listen to the audio. You can log onto HouseWealthy.com to listen to the whole interview (requires a quick registration).
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| The "Make Sense" Interest-Only Loan |
| 2007-03-19 09:49:51 |
With all of the fallout of the subprime market and the bad press on ARMs, Option Arms, and Interest-Only loans, it seems like the only good option nowadays is the traditional 30-yr fixed principal and interest mortgage. Rates are still at relatively low levels hovering around the 6% mark. It is true that a 30 yr fixed principal and interest mortgage is the safest bet, but I think homebuyers should also give some thought to the 10 year interest-only 30 year fixed mortgage. This is one of the only loans available that gives you a fixed-rate with an option to make interest-only payments when you want to. How is that? Well, an interest-only loan does not restrict you to making only interest payments. You can make payments to principal at anytime.For exampl...
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| How to Evaluate an Investment Property - Part II |
| 2007-03-16 15:11:36 |
I have completed my video of the investment property that I visited earlier in the week. Below is a picture of the front of the property:I ran a spreadsheet that took into account an offer of $550,000, a fixed 30 yr mortgage, different types of possible 2nd mortgages, the monthly costs of misc. expenses, heating, insurance, taxes, and water. I then compared that cost to the current rents and the future rents. Here is a link to the excel spreadsheet with a summary of the basic analysis: Rental Property Analysis Spreadsheet. I go into full detail of the rental analysis on my website HouseWealthy.com.Here is a link to a clip of the Real-life Evaluation of an Investment Property. video. The full video analysis is available on my Build Wealth Through Real Estate website. In summary, I plan to make an offer on this property that will be in the mid to upper $500k range. I will let everyone know if my offer is accepted :). Hopefully this video will help with your plans to acquire income-producing investment properties.
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| Getting Money Out of a 1031 Exchange |
| 2007-03-15 19:49:21 |
As many investors know. A 1031 exchange is a way to roll the gains of selling one investment property into another investment property of "like-kind". This method allows the investor to defer paying capital gains on the profits from selling the investment property. Taxes are not paid on the gains until the the investment property is sold without rolling it into another investment and the investor opts to take the proceeds as cash. Well, what if you need to get access to this money, but don't want to pay taxes on it. There is a real estate loophole that allows you to take out a loan on the property that you receive after a 1031 exchange. In other words, do the 1031 exchange, get the new property, and then refinance. This will allow you to access the gains without immediately paying taxes on it. Of course once this property is sold and the proceeds taken as cash, you will have to pay taxes on the money taken out during the refinance. Please consult your tax professional about this loophole to learn the exact procedures to follow.
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| Hold each Investment Property as an LLC |
| 2007-03-15 13:34:50 |
Many wonder if it is necessary to hold or transfer their investment properties in an LLC. I think it is not only necessary, but you should have a separate LLC for EACH investment property. This is especially true if you have multiple apartment buildings with many units. The whole idea is to protect your personal assets from potential lawsuits from tenants, etc. If you hold all of your investment properties under your name, then that leaves you open for getting sued for your personal assets (bank accounts, principal residences, etc). This can be devastating for most and I have seen a few people get burned this way. I don't even think it is a good idea to have all of your investment properties under one LLC. The problem with this is if someone sues you because of an incident at Apartment Building #1, they can also go after the equity and assets of Apartment Building #5 if they are under the same LLC. You will be personally protected, but you open yourself to potential liability with your whole real estate investment portfolio. Another good option, would be to get personal umbrella insurance. A yearly premium of a couple of hundred dollars can protect your personal assets for millions of dollars. It is relatively cheap and offers great protection. As always consult your tax planner, insurance agents, and lawyer (if you have one) to see if these options can meet your personal needs.
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| How to Evaluate an Investment Property - Part I |
| 2007-03-13 15:49:31 |
I took a look at the 5 - 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, multiunit in the Washington, D.C. area today. Just to recap, it has a list price of about $650,000. The rent is currently about $950 per unit and the onsite manager pays only $600. That is a grand total of $4400 per month. I will be getting the income and expenses statements for this property and will do a full analysis so I can come up with a offer that will actually give me a decent cashflow (approx. $300 - $800 per month) if possible. It will definitely be less than the list price of $650,000, which is way too high. It is a nice looking building.Here is the front of the building:Here is the back of the building:Here is the garage:Here is the backyard:The garage has the potential for being rented once fixed up. The tenants pay for their gas, and electric. The landlord pays for the heat. This property is close to transportation and has good potential ..... at the right price of course. I will have a summary of my evaluation and analysis around the end of the week. I also videotaped my visit to this property. This narrated video covering my visit of the property, evaluation, analysis, and final offer price will be available on my Building Wealth Through Real Estate Website www.housewealthy.com
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| Subprime fallout may hurt homeownership |
| 2007-03-11 12:20:33 |
With the increasing defaults of Subprime Adjustable Rate Mortgages, (Subprime is a loan that does not meet the quality of what is called A paper, in general usually a middle credit score of 620 or more) many lenders are leaving that side of the business and it seems like the federal regulations for these types of loans are going to tighten. For example, New Century a long time subprime lenders has stopped taking new loan applications because of the large increase in defaults. According to Reuters, they may soon seek bankruptcy protection. In addition, more than 20 subprime lenders have quit lending or gone bankrupt in the past year or so. Even large lenders like Countrywide recently halted their no-money down programs. Now borrowers are required to have at leat 5% equity in their home...
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| Going to see an Investment Property |
| 2007-03-09 09:37:32 |
I am going to see two investment properties in the Washington, DC area next week. One is a 4-unit building, with 3 - 2 bedrooms, and 1 - 1 bedroom. Of course it is listed way too high (mid $600,000). The other is a 5-unit building, with 5 - 2 bedroom units and parking for 5. Also priced in the mid $600s, but seems to have more potential. I am going to videotape each visit of these multi-units with my realtor. Then I will basically make a short video documentary of how I pick and evaluate rental properties and arrive at a reasonable offer price, step by step. The offers will be presented and I will let everyone know the outcome of the offers. I anticipate this video will be done by the end of next week sometime. I will use some of the principle...
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| First-Time Homebuyers ... get those deals |
| 2007-03-05 15:08:10 |
Now seems like the perfect time for the first-time buyer to step up to the plate and take advantage of the cooling market. A cooling market does not mean a bad market, just a return to a more normal market. Houses will continue to be sold …. sellers will sell, buyers will buy, and homes will appreciate over time. All of this will just happen at a more normal pace as compared to the 2000 – 2005 time periods. A normal market means that home buyers have more time to look around, compare homes, and make informed decisions. This was a non-existent phenomenon during the boom years. Many first-time buyers could not react quick enough to secure the house of their dreams. The quickened pace of home sales did not allow inexperienced first-time buyers to comfortably evaluate potential hom...
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| How to afford a Home with little money |
| 2007-03-02 02:42:02 |
I run across many first-time homebuyers that have trouble coming up with money for closing costs or downpayment. This seems to be a hurdle on the road to homeownership for many people. But with decent credit (600 or above) you can qualify for many community programs that allow 100% financing at competitive interest rates.In addition to these programs there are a few tricks and techniques that one may consider when making a purchase.Technique 1:If you are limited to only 3% closing help from the seller (because of a particular loan program), consider asking the seller to pay for all state transfer and recordation taxes. This is customarily split between the buyer and seller in most states, but you can ask the seller to pay for the whole amount. This is u...
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| Tax Liens as a Safe Investing Option |
| 2007-03-01 17:11:30 |
Most of you have heard about the tax lien sales either on T.V., books, or through friends. For those who may have cold feet about taking the jump into full-fledge real estate investing, tax liens may be a viable option. Tax liens are a more conservative, methodical approach to real estate investing. If done right, it is considered one of the least risky ways to invest in real estate. There are about $7.6 billion dollars in delinquent property taxes created each year according to TaxLiens.com. There are thousands of counties in the US that sell tax liens every year. Approximately 31 states currently issue tax liens every year according to the site. If you are considering this investment option, be sure to conduct the proper research. This will en...
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| Interest Rates Affect Affordability the Most |
| 2007-02-28 22:57:16 |
Now that the heated market is softening, many buyers seem to be waiting on the sidelines for the once high prices to decline even more. Their reasoning is that a lower price will ease the road to homeownership. Currently, prices have decrease and seem to be stabilizing. But, the true factor that affects affordability is Rates">interest rates, which is the most powerful component of the home-buying process. A drop in interest rates has a far greater affect on monthly mortgage payments than a drop in home prices. So, if home prices do happen to drop and if interest rates rise at the same time, that once affordable home will quickly become unaffordable. For example, a household with an annual income of $100,000 can affo...
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| Certain Investment Ideas may be Illegal |
| 2007-02-27 15:48:00 |
We can all agree that there are many ways to make money in real estate. You can buy a residential property and rent it out for a steady monthly income. You can purchase a commercial property and lease the space out the businesses for many years. On the other hand, you can acquire a fixer-upper, make some repairs, and resell it for a profit, or acquire a vacation property and rent it by the week to short-term visitors. Well as you embark on your journey of real estate investing, some moneymaking ideas may not be allowed by the local or county jurisdiction that the property resides in.For example, early in my real estate investing career I acquired a large property with many bedrooms and bathrooms. It was formerly used as convent. At the time, it was a ...
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