Setting the right rent can be one of the most difficult areas for many people who are investing in rental property.  If your property rents out in no time, it could be an indication that you are not charging enough rent.  On the other hand, if your property seems to take a long time to rent out, it could be a clear indication that your rent is too high.  So, how do you go about setting a rental rate that is in line with the current market?

One of the best places to start is the local newspaper.  It is imperative that you do some research to find out what rent prices are driving the local market. Location is the most important factor in determining rental rates. For example, a three bedroom, one bath home in one part of town may rent for $1,100 a month while a similar property on the opposite side of town may only be able to draw $900 per month.

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The ultimate goal of investing in rental property is to turn a profit.  To ensure that you achieve that goal it is essential that you follow several critical guidelines.

First, always make sure that you check tenant references.  This can be a burdensome step and many landlords overlook it because they feel as though they have good instinct when they meet with the tenant.  But not checking references can lead to a number of problems later on.  You will uncover a wealth of information about potential problems before you rent to a prospective tenant.

Second, make sure you have everything in writing.  This is to protect your rights as a landlord as well as the rights of your tenants.  Everything from the code of conduct you expect your tenants to abide by while renting your property to the rental application itself must be in writing.

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As a real estate investor, you can help maximize your profits by knowing the liquidity of a given real estate market. By knowing the liquidity of a market, you will better understand that market and therefore be able to take advantage of the various buying strategies afforded by it.

One of the measurements frequently used to gauge the liquidity of a given market is the absorption rate. This is basically the rate in which a specific segment of a real estate market sells in a given time frame. These segments are usually categorized by price range but may also be categorized by property type.

The easiest way to understand absorption is to put it in more tangible terms and measure it in “Months of Inventory”. In other words, we take the number of active listings and divide it by the total number of sold transactions within the same month to give us the months of inventory.

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As the housing market continues to decline in areas around the country, especially Florida and California, and with the threat of a recession looming like a dark cloud overhead, Texas’ economy and housing market remains strong.

According to numbers released by the U.S. Census Bureau, eight out of the 10 fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the U.S. are in the South, and the South also accounted for more than half of the 50 fastest growing regions.

Dr. James Gaines, a research economist at the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University said, “From 2000 to 2007, 3 million people moved to Texas, a 14.6 percent jump in the population, making Texas the fastest growing state in the country.”

“In the next 25 years we’ll add another 13.6 million people, that’s the equivalent of another Metroplex, metropolitan Houston and metropolitan San Antonio with enough left over to add another Corpus Christi.”, he said.

Dallas/Fort Worth drew in more people than any other metropolitan area in 2007.  The population there increased by 162,250 between July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007, according to a new U.S. Census Bureau report.  Houston, Atlanta, and Phoenix also witnessed a swell by more than 100,000 people each.

With its affordable housing, low cost of living and cost of doing business, rising employment opportunities and attractive lifestyle, more people than ever before are being drawn to Dallas.   Continue reading »

There are more signs of improvement in the real estate markets around the country.

Nationally, sales were up by 2% in May with the Midwest reporting a 5.5% increase and 6% in the Northeast. Condo sales also jumped up by 6% nationwide. Even some of the hardest hit markets showed increases including Sacramento, CA, Sarasota, FL and battle Creek, MI.

Mortgage rates took a welcomed dip recently reversing the upticks over the previous weeks. Thirty years fixed rate loans are back under 6.4% and fifteen year rates are under 6%.

It’s going to take more than lower interest rates and increased sales to help the housing market recover, but they are positive signs in the right direction. Along with increased prices in the hardest hit markets we should begin to see the beginning of a recovery.

With interest rates still at historic lows, and investment opportunities in single family homes abundant, 2008 may one of the best years to invest in 30 years.

Even if prices drop a little more within the next twelve months, you may still be getting a great deal over the long term given the low interest rates which may not be around in the years to come.

It is best to stick to well-located detached single family homes in well researched markets that offer good prospects for growth and resale down the road. Middle of the road, bread-and-butter homes might be best in most cases for attracting your largest resale market.

Duplexes also make for smart investments but remember they are a little more difficult to sell because your typical buyer will probably be another investor.

And finally, avoid condos since you lack the control you have in single family units. Condos also require extra due diligence to make sure that you are not buying from speculators or developers at prices above market value or where there is excess inventory for sale.

The dire headlines coming fast and furious in the financial and popular press suggest that the housing crisis is intensifying. Yet it is very likely that April 2008 will mark the bottom of the U.S. housing market. Yes, the housing market is bottoming right now.

How can this be? For starters, a bottom does not mean that prices are about to return to the heady days of 2005. That probably won’t happen for another 15 years. It just means that the trend is no longer getting worse, which is the critical factor. Most people forget that the current housing bust is nearly three years old. Home sales peaked in July 2005. New home sales are down a staggering 63% from peak levels of 1.4 million.  Continue reading »

The worst performing markets, according to a recent report by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO), where property values are falling the fastest in the country are Florida with eight (8), California with six (6) and Michigan with three (3).

Merced, California has the honor of being that fastest deflating city in the country with an annual depreciation of -13% over the past 12 months. This is followed by Punta Gorda, Florida at -12%, and Santa Barbara, California, one of the most expensive markets in the country at -12%.

So where are some of the best markets? Well, the US Gulf Coast where markets are rebounding from hurricane Katrina happen to have some of the best investment opportunities for investors today. Housing is affordable, rental numbers make sense, and property values are increasing between 6% to 7% per year. Those are some of the biggest reasons for our Bayside Park investment opportunity in Waveland, Mississippi.

Last year investors accounted for 21% (about 1 out of 5) of new home purchases according to a new study by the National Association of Realtors (NAR).  That’s a whopping 1.35 million housing units – a large portion of the total market.  The record was set in 2005 at the height of the boom at 28%.

A major difference today is that investors are not buying to speculate and push prices up quickly as we’ve seen happen in the first half of the decade.  The median price for an investment property in 2005 was $183,500 compared to $150,000 in 2007.

According to the study, about 50% of the investors said they planned on holding onto their properties for anywhere from 3 to 11 years.  Another 18% planned to hold from one to three years and 20% were not sure.  Only 10% said they planned to sell (or flip) their property in a year or less.

The median household income of all home buyers last year was $71,700 while investor’s median income was about $93,000.  Interestingly 40% of all investor sales last year were accounted for by those under age 35.

The study also revealed that investors are optimistic about the direction of the market.  57% said they plan on buying additional property in the next 24 months compared to 44% primary vacation home buyers.  80% of investor buyers said that this is a good time to buy real estate compared to 59% of primary home buyers.

I agree that most real estate investors know there are many good deals out there.  They key is to have a clear investment strategy and know where to buy based on local economics and market timing.

Imagine if you had the foresight 7 years ago to invest heavily in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Miami and Honolulu, and to get out 2 years ago. Each of those markets appreciated over 100% in a 5 year period. Many savvy investors made enough money in those markets in just 5 years that they never have to work again. Now, instead of waking up with that 7 am alarm clock, many of them softly awaken by the warm breeze off the ocean blowing through their open window.

Mobile, Alabama (pronounced ‘moe beel’) is a city located in southwest Alabama at the mouth of the Mobile River. Spanning about 38 miles on the north shore of Mobile Bay, it was the city held by the French, British, and Spanish until it was seized by U.S. forces in 1813.

Today, Mobile, Alabama is one of the country’s hottest growth markets. Any real estate investor looking for a market with a solid economic foundation and strong appreciation potential will find it here.

According to a new research forecast by Moody’s Economy.com, Mobile County will have the fastest growing economy over the next five years among all 363 American metropolitan areas, growing over 34% from 2007 through 2012.  Continue reading »

The Capitalization Rate (also known as “Cap Rate”) is used to compare an income property with other similar income properties.  It can also be used to place a value on a property based on the income it generates.

The Cap Rate merely represents the projected return for one year as if the property was bought with all cash.  But since we don’t normally buy property using all cash we would use other measures, such as the cash-on-cash return, to evaluate a property’s financial performance.

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One of our blog readers submitted the following question:

“I have a home that was appraised at $130,000 this month. However, I think it’s worth at least $200,000.  Would you agree to keep it until the market comes back up and try to sell then?  My ex-husband will rent it from me until then.  Thanks, Bev”

Well Bev, there are several things to consider:  Continue reading »

The cash-on-cash return of an investment property is a measurement of its cash flow divided by the amount of capital you   initially invested. This is usually calculated on the before tax cash flow, and is typically expressed as a percentage.

Cash-on-cash returns are most accurate when calculated on the first year’s expected cash flow. It becomes less accurate and less useful when used on future years because this calculation does not take into account the time-value of money (the principle that your money today will be worth less in the future).  Continue reading »

Most experts agree that the days of flipping properties are over.  With weak demand, slow sales and high inventory in most US markets, the question real estate investors are asking is, “Where do I invest now?”

As always, there are markets around the country where homes are affordable, the underlying economy is strong, and appreciation is imminent.  These are the markets you should consider looking at for your next long-term real estate investment.  Continue reading »

Is the housing crisis over?

The Wall Street Journal published an interesting opinion article on May 6, 2008 titled “The Housing Crisis Is Over”. Here’s the link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121003604494869449.html

Although our business has seen a small upward tick in sales activity over the last four weeks, it’s hard to believe the crisis is over. (For those of you who don’t know, our company markets real estate investment opportunities to investors nationwide).

There are still a very large number of adjustable rate mortgages that were originated three years ago that are set to reset this year. These will likely increase the pace and number of foreclosures throughout 2008 and into early 2009, and those problems will extend into other areas of the mortgage industry. All of which will keep lending guidelines very tight this year.

It could be argued that the housing market is dragging along the bottom, but the fact of the matter is that lenders are still pulling back on their lending programs and that doesn’t help to sell houses in order to absorb existing inventory and help stimulate the housing market.

The large number of expert opinions and reports predict the national housing crisis to end somewhere between 2009 and 2011. What’s your opinion?

We are currently experiencing the worst real estate recession this country has seen in decades. Property prices in some areas have fallen to the point where many people are paying more on a mortgage than their property is actually worth! In fact housing prices dropped at the fastest rate ever in February indicating that the housing slump is probably gaining momentum. The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller home price index of 20 major cities fell by 12.7% in February versus last year, the largest decline since its inception in 2001. Seventeen of the 20 metro areas reported record annual declines.

Many builders and developers around the country have gone bankrupt, even the large ones that recently appeared financially solid. There are hundreds of developments scattered around the United States that have been left unfinished. And there are thousands of new construction homes that are either in the process of construction or have never been occupied.  Continue reading »

Here are some quick foreclosure stats I came across recently:

• Every three months, 250,000 new families go into foreclosure.
• Foreclosure filings were reported on 234,685 properties nationwide during March, a 57% increase from March 2007.
• One in every 538 U.S. households received a foreclosure filing during March.
• One out of every 200 homes will be foreclosed upon. For a city like Washington, that translates to 3,000 Washingtonians losing their homes to foreclosure each year.
• One child in every classroom in America is at risk of losing his/her home because their parents are unable to pay their mortgage.
• More than 6 in 10 homeowners delinquent in their mortgage payments are not aware of services that mortgage lenders can offer to individuals having trouble with their mortgage.
• Foreclosure filings were reported on 64,711 California properties in March, the most of any state for the 15th consecutive month.
• California foreclosure activity increased nearly 21 percent from the previous month and almost 106 percent from March 2007.
• One in every 204 California households received a foreclosure filing in March - 2.6 times the national average.
• According to Realtytrac.com, a source for foreclosure listings:
  • There are currently 2,934,626 US foreclosure listings.
  • The top 5 foreclosure States are:
    • California leading with 303,777 listings.
    • Florida - 191,706 foreclosure listings.
    • Ohio - 105,880 foreclosure listings.
    • Texas - 79,683 foreclosure listings.
    • Georgia - 52,210 foreclosure listings.

It can be scary to invest in anything during a recession. We all carry visions of the great depression and bread lines and people selling apples. The idea of putting your money into anything other than your mattress can be frightening for some. However, real estate should never be looked upon as an ordinary investment.

Real estate is one of the few investments that we actually use and need. Everyone needs a place to live and call home. And real estate has systematically and quantifiably proven to have risen in value over the decades.  Continue reading »

With falling prices and rising inventories, investors are finding themselves in the best buying position in almost a decade.

A recent polls by Reuters/Zogby tells us that it’s a good time to buy. And another poll by Associated Press and AOL also reveals that it’s a good time to buy but 60% of those polled won’t buy any real estate within the next two years.

The disparity is probably due to economic fears which are causing consumers to tighten their purse strings. The Reuters/Zogby poll said that nearly 75% of American’s believe the economy is in a recession right now, and almost 50% rated their personal financial situation as negative.

The AP/AOL poll said that nearly 14% of mortgage holders fear they will miss a mortgage payment soon. And 30% said they are concerned their home’s value will decrease within the next two years.

The important thing to remember is that you should stay focused on your local neighborhood and those of your real estate investments. Remember that real estate is primarily driven by local economic factors such as jobs, housing inventory, and supply and demand.

Real estate investment isn’t like any other kind of investment. Yes, at the core of all investments there’s money and risk involved. But the major difference is that in real estate investing, you are responsible for the work required to make a return on your investment.

If you want to be successful in real estate investing, there are some key pieces of information you need to know. This information holds true no matter what area of investing you get involved with.  Continue reading »