While searching for investment rental property, there are some essentials you should keep in mind. From the very start, you need to know exactly what you have in store for the future success of your investment.
Understanding the potential rental income is the first requirement. For example, has the property in question been used as a rental property before? If this is the case, you’ll have to discover how much the property was previously rented for, along with finding out whether that amount is appropriate for its location. Consider that some properties might have been rented for higher or lower than their locations might warrant, so check around to see if your property is on target with comparable properties to determine whether or not the amount you’re looking for is realistic.
Another thing you need to consider with care is the mortgage interest. Because the mortgage interest is the biggest cost you’ll probably encounter when buying an investment property, it’s important that you understand the details of your specific loan along with the interest rates. Most homes and duplexes have mortgage loan structures that are very alike. Triplex and bigger properties are generally somewhat higher, while rates and terms are completely different when a commercial property with more units is being considered. Generally speaking, the bigger your down payment on the property, the less interest you have to pay.
You will also need to consider the taxes. Many individuals may consider the previous year’s property taxes when the property was first purchases and then presume these figures will be the same to estimate their expenses. Since taxes generally change from year to year, this is not always the case. Taxes generally increase after a purchase, especially if the property was previously owner occupied. It is in your best interest to assume the property taxes will rise after your purchase.
Although, you may hope that your property is rented all the time, this is not reality; you need to consider the costs of vacant property as well. There are times when your property will be vacant by nearly a ten percent vacancy rate.
Tenant turnover is something else to keep in consideration, since as much as you’ll want to assume that tenants are staying in the property for awhile, you can’t take it for granted. And when tenants leave, a bunch of costs suddenly appear, as you’ll need to prepare for renting the property again. These expenses can include things like repainting, cleaning, and advertising for new tenants. And it’s usually wise to expect that the security deposit won’t cover any damages left behind by the tenants.
Yet another thing to consider is how much insurance might cost, while remembering that insurance for an investment property is usually more than a property occupied by an owner. Also, you’ll have to think about liability insurance in addition to property insurance. Look around for a solid quote, don’t just estimate the expense based on your insurance costs.
Many rental property owners will under estimate the cost of utilities. If you purchase previously rented property, you need to know exactly what you pay for and what your tenants pay for, to find out what you and they are responsible for while renting to a tenant. For instance, is waste disposal your responsibility and so on?
And, as a final consideration, you’ll have to calculate the expenses of managing the property. This, too, is an overlooked cost, but an essential one to remember if you don’t intend to manage the investment property yourself.
Joaquin Schneggle has worked closely with investment property owners for more than twenty years as lawyer, counselor, and landlord. He provides practical free rental forms for every state on his Landlord Law website.