Fixing a leaky faucet, re-painting walls, or patching holes in the drywall. That’s what it takes to get into real estate investments, right?
Well, not exactly.
Being a landlord is certainly one route you could take to investment success, and it’s often a lucrative option.
Still, it’s not the only path you can take to becoming a real estate investor—not by a long shot.
The fact is, if you make smart, informed investments real estate could be one of the most profitable decisions you’ve ever made.
It all starts with knowing what you’re getting into. You’ve got plenty of investment options, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be a walk in the park. So, if you’re just starting out, keep reading!
We’ll explain what your options are for entering the wild world of real estate, and what you can do to improve your potential profits!
Like we mentioned earlier, you don’t have to become a landlord to invest in real estate.
That’s where real estate investment trusts (REITs) come in.
Essentially, you won’t have to take the risk of owning physical property with REITs. The real estate investment trusts own the property (malls, apartment buildings, warehouses, etc.) and they allow you to invest in a portion of whatever property they own.
Most REITs are publicly traded—so you can think of it as buying a stock. You invest, and the REIT does the rest.
If you’re a new investor, REITs can be a great starting point, because the risk for publicly-traded REITs is generally low, and the returns tend to be high.
But be sure to do some research before you invest! Like any stock, you’ll want to get in when the price is low. Plus, you’ll need to pay attention to interest rates—if they rise, your investment could lose value.
You’re probably thinking…
Doesn’t this option mean I’ll have to be a landlord?
Well, yes and no. One of the benefits of renting out a vacation home is that you’ll be able to use the home some of the time.
In fact, you’ll need to stay in the home for at least 10% of the days you rent it out for the rental to be considered a “second home.”
And you’ll probably want to classify your investment as a second home…
Because investment properties (full-time rental properties) mean greater risk for your lender, they’ll generally charge you much higher down payments and interest rates.
Still, vacation rentals aren’t the perfect choice for everyone. You’ll likely need to hire a property manager—at a price of around 20 - 25% of your rent profit. Of course, you could manage it yourself, but that’ll take a lot of extra work.
Overall though, investing in a rental property could be a great opportunity to make massive returns, especially if you own a home in a popular vacation destination.
When you ‘house hack’ you’re essentially profiting off of the home you already live in (or the home you’re going to live in) by renting out extra rooms.
If you’ve got 2 - 4 extra rooms and don’t mind some lack of privacy, house hacking is an excellent way to make a profit on your home and even pay off your monthly mortgage payment.
And because the home is your primary residence, you won’t have to worry about the extra costs associated with mortgaging an investment property.
So, let’s say you buy a triplex for $250,000 with a 3.75% interest rate. With taxes and insurance, we’ll estimate that your monthly payment is right around $1,100.
If you live in one apartment and rent out the other two for $700 a piece, you’ll be paying off your monthly mortgage payment with about $300 of profit to spare!
That’s a seriously good deal, especially because your mortgage payment is often the most expensive bill a homeowner pays every month.
Of course, the problem you may have with house hacking is the lack of privacy. With 2 - 4 tenants living under the same roof, you’ll probably have to share common areas, and you’ll have to act as a landlord for your tenants.
You’re probably familiar with this investing strategy—it’s fairly straightforward. You buy a house that needs some serious remodeling, you renovate it, and you sell it for a profit.
And the profits are attractive—in 2019 the average house flip generated a gross profit of $69,400. That’s a 40.6% return on investment.
Of course, it’s never as simple as fix and flip.
Big rewards mean big risks, and if you’re not careful you could lose thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars on your investment.
The golden rule for flipping houses is 70%. That means the cost of the home and any repair expenses shouldn’t account for more than 70% of your expected selling price.
So, budget before you buy. If you’re not able to get the home with your anticipated repair costs for less than 70% it’s probably best to back out of the deal.
There’s a lot to look out for when you decide to flip a house. You’ll want to find a home that has a low asking price, ideally in a neighborhood where the property values are increasing.
Consider the future value of the home’s location and the state the home is in. If you do it right and you choose carefully, you could end up with a huge profit and the experience under your belt to continue flipping houses.
There’s no doubt about it:
Investing in real estate doesn’t typically come cheap.
You can save some money by starting with REITs, but as soon as you start buying physical property you’re playing around with some serious cash.
Maybe this won’t be a problem for you—if you’re exploring your options for physical property you’ve probably saved up enough cash to feel comfortable about investing.
But what’s the single greatest monthly expense for most homeowners and investors alike?
The answer probably won’t surprise you…
It’s your monthly mortgage payment.
And a large part of what makes that monthly mortgage payment your most expensive bill is your interest rate. Lenders use it to make money off your loan—and a lot of it.
We figure you’re probably not going to invest with cash, so you’re going to need a mortgage. But that monthly mortgage payment is going to take a serious chunk out of your investment profits. So, what can you do about it?
Whether you’re a homeowner or an investor (or both) there’s one thing you should always remember about debt.
The longer you spend paying it off, the more expensive it’ll be for you.
So, if you buy a rental property with a 30-year mortgage, you might be making a decent profit…
But you’re also putting a sizable chunk of change in the lender’s pocket.
We want to change that narrative, and we want you to be a part of it with the Money Max Account.
You’re probably not investing for yourself and your lender, right?
Of course not! You’re investing to make a return on the cash you put into it.
That’s where the Money Max Account can help.
By consolidating your debts into a single, centralized location, Money Max uses cutting-edge banking software to calculate the best possible monthly payment for you.
You pay however much you can into the Money Max Account each month, and you receive a personalized financial plan.
It’s engineered to get you out of debt as quickly as possible.
When it comes to investing, time is money. Don’t sit on your hands while your lender makes a profit on your investment.
Money Max can help you pay off a 15 or 30-year mortgage in as little as 7 - 10 years! For you, as a new investor, that means the most profit possible in less time.
Think of it as your investment advisor. Money Max is there to keep track of your debts, payments, and expenses, every step of the way.
Start your investment career off right, with the Money Max Account.
To get started with the Money Max Account or to learn more, visit our website or give us a call! Our representatives are standing by to answer all of your questions.
Jason Nightingale- SafeMoneyJason.com
Independent Agent
Phone: 208-935-5180
Email: Jason@yoursafemoneysolution.com