Category: buying real estate

How My House Project Helped Me to Escape the COVID Insanity

While social distancing is strongly encouraged—and you should stay home if you can—you have the time of your life. Or haven’t you?

Articles about how wonderful this time at home is, are popping up like mushrooms in autumn. You hear how you can find new passions and hobbies like painting, reading, baking, cooking etc. It all sounds really lovely, just like great holidays at home. How cool is that!

Expectation vs Reality

Reality sometimes paints a very different picture. While others become master chefs, you might not even have any appetite. Or while others are proud how they have parties in zoom with family and friends you may just wish to be left alone finding this peace you so desperately long for. Seeing all this happy people at home made me wonder, why is it so damn hard for me?

Although I would generally consider myself mentally healthy with a stable family life, I found the new situation very challenging. This was for many different reasons. And that’s it really. Everybody of us is different and copes with this new situation during COVID in a different way.

Keep Yourself Busy with the Right Thing for YOU

One factor for me was that I had not much to do at home where I could really find my inner peace. Being at home with all the family all the time can get on your nerves a little, especially if you weren’t used to it. This is even worst if you have no space to escape to. For example, if you have just one bedroom—of course shared with your spouse—that functions also as office for both of you.

What saved me was something I noticed even before the COVID. It has to do with retired men in my region who worked in construction. Strangely enough, after they retired, they keep seeking work for themselves. They even offer their services at a very low price. I could never understand why—after a life of hard labour—you still want to work more. But now I do.

I have a thing in common with those retired men. I love to work and I always enjoyed working with my hands. Working in construction gives me the feeling that I create something lasting. Also, physical activity is proven to be very beneficial for your mental health.

Physical Activity Is Good for Your Mental Health

When you hear “Physical Activity” the first thing that comes to mind is doing some sport—working out in a gym. But working in construction gives a fair amount of exercise too. Fact is, working hard makes me happy. This gave me an idea. 

My House Project

Fortunately, I live in an area with a number of uninhabited run-down houses in the neighbourhood. Therefore, it was easy to find a cheap house for sale. I was able to buy one for me that I can renovate now in my own time, all by myself. Not only is this incredible rewarding but I can also go there whenever I need some alone time. It has given me a completely new feeling of freedom—something I lost during the COVID.

My house project also helped me to learn lots of new things. Before doing something fresh in the house I always watch some “How to” movies on YouTube. It’s incredible how creative people are. This is definitely contagious.

Not Only a Personal Achievement

My House Project hasn’t gone unnoticed in the neighbourhood. I got a lot of positive feedback from the neighbours. As much as my house project has benefited me personally in this critical time, I’m still looking forward to profit from it financially. Once finished I’m sure I can sell it for a good price.

Looking for your own House Project? Find it on www.all-real-estate.com

Images: (1) Image by Alexas_Fotos from Pixabay (2) Image by 272447 from Pixabay

More Sales – Real Estate Turkey COVID-19

Turkey seems like a good investment for real estate as it is a country where the property and construction sector is very dynamic. Despite the COVID-19 situation we have seen an increase in people looking for houses and apartments for sale in Turkey. This is a good sign.

Seeing that, we made some further investigation on this topic.

Advantages for Foreigners to buying Real Estate in Turkey

Not only is Turkey famous for its breathtaking beaches, outstanding hospitality, yummy foods, and fantastic weather but it comes with a whole bunch of other advantages. If you buy a house in Turkey for at least 250 thousand dollars as a foreigner you and your family will have the right to Turkish citizenship within six months This means, you can do both: make a lucrative investment and become Turkish citizen by purchasing real estate in Turkey. But what really hit many by surprise was the excellent response to the pandemic. For sure this had a huge impact on the positive development regarding the property market.

Real Estate Turkey COVID-19

I read a few articles about how well Turkey handled the COVID-19 crisis. Some measures have proven especially successful with foreign investors who could still enter the country. Starting with a full health insurance for travellers to cover medical costs in case of COVID-19 infection for as little as 25$ up to a web application where you easily can apply for all papers needed when making a property purchase. This makes it easier than ever to travel and shop around for some good real estate in the sun.

Web Tapu

First of all, TAPU is a document confirming the right of ownership to the attained real estate in Turkey. It confirms the transaction and only after it is received you are recognized as the full owner of the Turkish property.

Web Tapu basically means land registry on the web. Here you can apply online for many procedures needed to buy a real estate. This is the best answer to any possible Real Estate Turkey COVID-19 problem.

In the Web Tapu Guide it reads:

“It is now implemented as an electronic system allowing the foreigners, who have a foreigner ID no, to manage their real estate in electronic environment without having to physically visit the directorate of land registry and to apply online for 46 different land registry procedures, such as sale, mortgage and transfer, to send information and documentation necessary for the procedures in safe online environment, to verify their documentation and to authorize third persons or real estate agents for these purposes. Web tapu System will very soon be available in 6 different languages (English, German, Russian, Arabic, French and Spanish). “

Thinking to buy property in Turkey?

Are you looking for your perfect home in the sun, or just a good investment?

You can find real estate for sale in Turkey on: https://www.all-real-estate.com/properties-by-country/turkey

How Homes will change after COVID-19

Homes will change due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We can say this because every pandemic in the past had an impact on our way of living and resulting in a change of the traditional layout of homes.

In this pandemic therefore it is worth to consider how home layouts might change in the future – especially if you are planning to build, renovate or buy a house.

How pandemics have changed house layouts in the past? How pandemics lead to improved living conditions? Let’s look at a few examples.

How homes changed after pandemics

Cholera

Did you know that the Planning for Central Park began in the immediate aftermath of New York’s second cholera outbreak? Frederick Law Olmsted whose first child had died of cholera, was one of its landscape architects. In his writings he often highlights the importance of large open places to allow individuals to breath fresh air, enjoy the sunlight, and in his writings we can read how the air could be ‘disinfected’ by the sun and foliage of the trees. He went on to design more than 100 public parks and recreation grounds all across the US.

The cholera outbreak had an impact in many cities all around the world, especially in the area of developing better sewage systems. By doing so, having an indoor toilet became possible for many households. Yes, you read correctly, the bathroom as we know it today is a fairly recent addition to the traditional home layout.

Tuberculosis

Although Tuberculosis has existed since ancient times it caused widespread public fear in the 19th and early 20th centuries as the illness became common among the city’s poor populations. Many sick people were sent to sanatoriums where – beside a lot of rest, high altitude, and good nutrition – the biggest emphasis was put on a lot of fresh air. Some believe that even modern architecture was inspired by the 20th century obsession with Tuberculosis as the spaces of the sanatorium gave rise to the clean, sleek shapes of modern buildings with big windows for fresh air and sunlight.

Spanish Flu

In the 1918 influenza pandemic the great importance of sunlight and fresh air was also identified. That was the reason why radiator heating became popular in cities after the 1918 pandemic. Especially those that overheat! A lot of emphasis was put on sufficient ventilation to battle disease and this pushed engineers to design steam heating systems – some of them still overheat apartments today – so anybody would still open their windows even on a freezing cold winter day. 

Covid-19

The conclusions we can take from all of the above is that we need to live in a space that is not too big – so we are able to clean it quickly, easy and regularly – at the same time we need sunlight and as much fresh air as possible.

At the same time, we need more space to be able to have a bigger distance between people and to allow enough private space for each individual. Especially if you have children, they need space to play and jump around in case they are not able to go out anymore. A big backyard scores big these days.

How homes will change – What we have seen so far

So far, we can see that buyers look for bigger as well as smaller houses – depending on if they are single people or families. Also, we can see a jump in self-sufficient living – at least partially. People lean more and more in the direction to became a bit less dependent by growing some food in their balconies and backyards, installing solar panels or digging their own well if they can.

Unfortunately, the covid-19 pandemic has complicated our life’s and even traumatised some of us. But it is also a lesson for us to learn how we can improve our way of living. It is thrilling to watch new ways and inventions people come up with to tackle this challenge.

If you are looking for a new home have a look at www.all-real-estate.com. Let us know in the comments below what do you believe would be a great home improvement these days?

Image: Image by Peter H from Pixabay

Essential tips on how to purchase a home

Looking for a new home is exciting, but sometimes, when you go out in the hope of finding your next big home, you are shown nothing but pigeonholes with zero to no amenities. You might think that the patch leading to your perfect home is full of rocks and holes. But in reality, its far from true. Finding your perfect home is easy if you keep the following points in mind.

In this article, we have made a list of points that will help you find your perfect home so that you can avoid making expensive mistakes:

Know your budget

You should start the process of looking for a new home by evaluating your bank accounts, cash flow, assets and liabilities. The most common mistake made by people is that they set their eyes of a house that is beyond their budget. Yes, you can apply for home loan to cover the difference, but you also have to pay the high EMIs that come with the loan. This will throw your budget out of the window.

Know your loan amount eligibility

You can check how much loan amount you are eligible for in few simple steps using home loan calculator. Though the amount presented is only the estimate and not the final word from a financial institution. To get the proper estimate, you need to contact your bank before making any final deal.

There is a possibility that the difference between the estimate and what you get is quite significant. Even a slight difference can affect your budget. So, make sure you know the amount of loan approved by your bank before you make your final budget.

What about the other costs?

People think that, once they purchased the property, they are done with all the expenses. But that is not true, as soon you make the final payment, you have to take care of EMI, spend money on personalization and maintenance, pay utilities bills and more. Plus, you might need to buy new furniture and appliances as well.

Be open to change

Finding a home exactly like you dreamt of is next to impossible. For example, you want a big garden and big parking space. but when you visit the property, you find that the house only has parking space but no garden. The house has all other things that is perfect for your family. So, it is best to keep an open mind, otherwise you will miss out the deal if you are too picky.

Don’t get carried away

People often overspend when they move in to a new home just to personalize it. You don’t have to spend extra money if you look for a house that is already furnished. This way you will be able to save a lot of money that will help you in paying off the loan.

See-through the drama

Builders offer cosmetic changes to changes the look of the house, obviously, for extra money. These changes do make your house look more attractive, but the main question is, do all these changes are worth it?

If you survey the market, you will be able to find much cheaper stuff. So, why pay the premium cost when you can find the same thing at half the price.

Pick and choose

Keeping an open mind doesn’t mean you have to make bad decisions. If you have a big family, you need a house that has 3-4 bedrooms. You don’t want to feel cramped in your own house just because you wanted to save few dollars.

Make the list of things that you can and cannot sacrifice while looking at home.

Keep an eye out

Builders usually promises to finish work early, but that is far from truth. They take ages to complete a project. If you have made the payment for the house, make sure you contact the builder regularly and visit the property to see the progress of the project. If you sense something is not right, contact the local authorities immediately to ensure your money is safe.

If you want to buy a constructed property, make sure you conduct a proper survey. For example, if you are looking for homes for sale in centennial hills Los vegas, make sure you check single aspect before you make any payment.

Find your own agent

It is important that you hire an agent that knows all the secrets of the property you are interested in. You will have to pay a fee to the agent, but in return you will get guidance that will be true.

Author: Eernesto T Felder

Opportunity Costs (rent vs. buy)

Everything regarding the Industry of real estate is rising, especially home prices and interest rates. But the real question that you must ask yourself is that which would be better for you, to rent or buy your next property? There are different aspects that you need to put into consideration if it is better to rent or buy. One of the most important factors would be how long are you planning to stay in that specific property, how high is your credit score and income now? How about we take a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages to this very common question.

BUYING

Regardless of what you might hear, there are many benefits to home ownership. Always put into consideration that the value of your home can increase through time which makes it a proper investment regardless if you are planning to keep the property or not in the long run. To most people, having a home to yourself and not having to deal with a landlord is a blessing of its own. You can choose to renovate and change up your own house in your own way without having to think about when the contract might finish or not. The disadvantages of buying your own property is knowing enough that you are responsible for all that needs to be repaired and that is not an easy thing to keep in mind so you will be watching out for everything and being alert knowing your next fall can be costly to the property. When purchasing a house you might require a chunk for the down payment to be paid which would make it harder for you to qualify for any kind of insurance for the mortgage or even property taxes.

RENTING

Renting makes life easier and much more sense for many people. For example, you can be living alone in a nice area where the home prices are too high for your budget so it would be better off renting a one-bedroom location that is the logical choice for that person obviously not including his/her occupation and preferences.

The best advantages of renting is knowing that the repairs are not on you but rather part of the deal and knowing that it would be easy to relocate if there are any problems to arise. But the disadvantages of renting are actually more annoying than you think because it’s like you are living in someone else’s home knowing that you can’t make any long-term adjustments and at the same time you earn no return on your payments as monthly rates are rapidly increasing. Most people don’t have this knowledge but renting doesn’t help with your credit score either and knowing that the homeowner is just renting the place to others, they aren’t so motivated to make changes to the house unless it’s necessary.

To most people who have the money to afford buying a house, they know in the long run that buying their home will become an investment and that it would be cheaper to purchase the home now rather than renting and sending away rent money that you can be using elsewhere productively. But to others who cannot afford buying a house at the moment, renting to them would obviously be cheaper than purchasing anything at the moment. Just put into consideration which one might fit your lifestyle the best such as:

RENTING WOULD BE BEST IF:

  • Planning to live in the same area for less than two years
  • Planning to maintain flexibility and mobility
  • Working on repairing past credit history
  • Planning to save money for a proper down payment

BUYING WOULD BE BEST IF:

  • Planning to live in the same area for more than two years
  • Wanting to build investment equity through time
  • Looking for better ways for tax deduction
  • Having the feeling of stability

The real answer to this question of having to buy or rent is actually quite easier than you can imagine. It comes down to five questions that you need to ask yourself for making such a difficult decision which are:

  • The time that you plan to stay in the future home?
  • Do you want something to be stable or something to remain flexible?
  • What can you afford and what does your budget help with?
  • Can you currently afford to be responsible for home repairs if you plan to purchase the house?
  • What is your career path and what are your family goals?

But when it comes to rental properties you need to remember that it requires a security deposit just in case of damages and ability to assure the person renting won’t bail under any circumstances without having to pay upfront as well. Just put into consideration about the location of property as well as the location of your workspace or schools if children are involved.

Conclusion

In conclusion, try to consider all the places that you have chosen to rent in the past, For each place that you have lived, try to make a list of the things that you didn’t really enjoy about the place or the service of the landlord so that you won’t have to put up with the same issues again. Although there are some renters who actually don’t have to ask and do what they need to regardless if they are renting long-term or short-term because some people just can’t handle staying in a place and having to wait for someone else to change it for them. But when you have your own place and you are not renting, then obviously you can do what you want when you want without having to put up with anyone or dealing with anyone about your own personal matters in the household.

Author Bio

Mohamed El Zaafarany is a digital marketing consultant with interests in the travel and real estate industries who loves to connect businesses with their target audiences.

zaafarany.com

Image: Image by Nick115 from Pixabay

Property for sale and rent in egypt

Property in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic

In line with our recent blog post series about Real Estate Agents during the COVID-19 pandemic, we like to share this email we received from Turkey.

Hello respected everyone 

Hope you are doing well 

To everybody who is interested in buying property in turkey on investment and stay purpose, you are most welcome.

I’m personally being at this Real Estate business from my father since decades.

After the earthquake at Istanbul, the ruling government is helping the Real Estate with new projects and renewing old properties, this helps a lot.

Property in Turkey

As of the last decade it has risen really high and the law amendment from the government of spending 250000$ for becoming a Turkish really helped becoming very profitable for Real Estate Agents and the investors who wished to invest at turkey. Apart from İstanbul being very rich in culture and history, other cities also had the same situation.

Real Estate in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic

The recent covid19 upraising had an effect on the Real Estate a little. It affected Turkish nationals as well as foreigners who wished to invest but as we all know that was for a couple of months as of now it’s going the way it has: it is increasing day by day. Hopefully this will be good for both, Real Estate companies as well as investors.

Apart from all that, I personally thank so much the “FREEPROPERTY FAMİLY” for getting us connected through all around the world with different people and also helping us in growing our business, it helped us a lot. 

This really helped us get connected with different people too.

Really much appreciated, keep up the good work hopefully will reach many people and let us stay connected.

See all Real Estate Listings from Mohammad Saritac

Are you a Real Estate Agent too who likes to share your experience? We dedicated a space on our website for Real Estate Agents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Image on top: Image by sulox32 from Pixabay

Working from home? No, working from Paradise!

Working from home has become the new reality for many of us in the past year. Many found themselves in this very new and – no doubt – challenging situation. Depending on the circumstances of each individual it could mean to either be alone at home or to find a quiet corner in your busy family home. Both situations come with their very own set of problems as well as advantages.

I found myself in the second scenario. The bedroom became my office as well as my husbands’. In each video conference we hoped none of our children would storm in to scream out the latest mischief one of her siblings did… To tell a long story short: I believe many of us homeworkers wished for better working conditions.

Buy a covid friendly home

Buying a new home that better suits our needs in this time definitely crossed our mind. Looking at all the complications though, made us soon realize that it does not seem to be a good time for that, not just yet.

I saw many articles popping up about covid friendly homes – meaning it is NOT friendly to the actual covid virus but rather helps people to live with the new situation. There is a lot of speculation going on how such a home would look like.

Others might also suggest that soon there will be a vaccine and everything will be back to normal again – just like the time before the outbreak of the coronavirus.

Another thing to consider is that your house might not be worth what it used to be due to the financial impact the pandemic had on the real estate market.

Therefore, it might be a hasty move to sell your home and get another right now.

What you can do

Many people did not go on their annual holidays abroad this year out of fear or due to complications, such as needing to be quarantined when they return to their home country. But what if you would get the chance to combine your holidays with your new working from home situation?

Speaking with many who worked from home even before the spread of the covid, you can be free to choose where you like to live. This is fantastic. I know some who choose really nice places where real estate is very cheap. They were able to keep their costs of living down and at the same time live in a great location.

If you like to get an idea where it would be very cheap to buy a house have a look at this map:

https://www.propertyunder50k.com/map_view.php?

Paradise Guaranteed

I recently came across the Barbados Welcome Stamp – basically it is a special visa for remote workers who want to work and live in Barbados for 12 months. So, if you are looking for a change and you like to try another country for a year why not have a look?

Looking to buy, sell rent real estate? Visit www.all-real-estate.com

5 Ways to Begin Investing In Real Estate with Little or No Money

Lots of folks believe this to enter the world of property; you require plenty of money. But it doesn’t imply that a person with less or no cash can’t begin a real estate company. In This article we have covered the full topic of – how to do real estate business with no money?

The first thing required to initiate a real estate company (or any business, really) is the ideal mindset. You will need to work out creative and innovative ways of getting financing for your real estate deal, especially when you’ve got no funds to spend.

A business is successful once you earn profit by selling your goods or services. This is true for the real estate business, also. The best thing about the property sector is that everyone can start this business with the wish to sell the property and earn high returns.

So, how can you begin a real estate company with zero capital? How can you organize financing to back up your real-estate deal?

If these questions are running through your head, then we have got helpful answers for you.

How to Make Money in Real Estate Without a License

Real estate is an exciting business. I have met a few of the most driven and enthusiastic individuals, lots of whom are currently lifelong buddies. It keeps you on your feet! When most folks consider transitioning to a career in real estate, but the first thing that comes to mind is becoming a certified realtor. With all the licensing and education requirements, however, that may seem quite daunting. Many don’t understand that you may work in real estate without a license in most countries. In actuality, a quick scan of the internet job boards shows the assortment of opportunities.

How to Start a Real Estate Business with No Money

Here Are Five Powerful ways to start a property dealing Company (How to do real estate business with no money) with zero Cash in your pocket, Plans you can learn from and apply in other businesses as well:

1. Buy a House as a Main Home

You can buy a house to live in with a zero money down VA or USDA loan, remain there for at least one year, then move out and turn the house into a rental home. Do not forget that equity building through property investing also contains the houses where you live. Additionally, the down payment and credit rating requirements for a primary residence are always less strict compared to investment property. Living on your insignificant farms first is an excellent way to avoid the more rigorous lender rules for property investment properties.

2. Purchase a Duplex, and Reside in 1 Unit while You Rent Out another One

Did you know that you could fund a two-unit duplex using an FHA loan? You reside in one unit and rent out the other property for additional cash. Along with the reduced down payment requirement, the best thing about this property investing strategy is the lease you derive from the opposite side of this duplex will most likely play a significant part of your mortgage!

3. Create a HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit) on Your Primary Residence or another Investment Property. 

For those who have a large quantity of equity on your primary residence or another property rental property. Many banks will provide you with a HELOC, which you can then use for property investing. A normal HELOC will make a line of money in hand for around 70-80% of the instant equity in your currently owned land.

However, the HELOC can also be utilized as a zero-down mortgage to fund a rental property.

The HELOC interest rate is generally the prime rate and 1 or 2%, which now puts them around 5 percent. But the principal benefit of the HELOC is that it usually does not have any closing costs, and you’ll be able to close quickly with only a Drive-By evaluation on your premises. Some banks won’t charge you for this particular examination.

By way of instance, if the interest is $300, you can simply pay that minimum amount, or pay extra money each month to repay the principal. This permits you to make your mortgage under your terms.

Assuming the prime rate stays stable, the total amount of interest will fall as you pay down the principal monthly.

4. Ask the Seller to Pay your Closing Costs.

On many property transactions, the property seller is willing to cover buyer closing costs to incentivize a sale. However, the trade-off will most likely have to supply the full asking price or close to it. This is reasonable, so long as your lease is enough to cover all your expenses and give you little monthly cash flow. However, at full asking price in the event, the lender quotes you an entire mortgage payment (including insurance and taxes ). Which is equal to or higher than the lease you can reasonably cost, search for another deal.

5. Utilize a Bank that Pays Closing Costs or Supplies a Rebate on your Down Payment.

In combination with Freddie Mac’s Home Possible Advantage program, Quicken Loans has just promoted a 1% down payment option on single-family houses for owner-occupied properties. The buyer puts up 1 percent, and Quicken Loans provides a grant for another 2% needed. A 680 credit rating and a debt-to-income ratio of 45 percent or less will be required.

Sometimes the interest rate is slightly higher to get this deal, but some lenders are currently advertising. They’ll pay closing costs without increasing interest rates. Check with a site such as bankrate.com or do a Google search for a listing of those companies.

Whichever of these methods you opt to use, the most crucial point to bear in mind is that investing in real estate with very little money is a superb way to build wealth. It is among the very few investment approaches where you can begin without large quantities of cash. One never knows when particular property programs will come and go. So make sure to benefit from these ideas while they’re still around.

Is real estate an excellent way to earn money in 2020?

Real estate is best regarded as a long-term investment – it pays off best when held through the years. You can purchase property in 2020, but you would want to hold onto it for 20–30 years for the best results. Suppose you can find sellers that will sell their property for you at a substantial discount below market value. In that case, you can create a whole lot of cash in a couple of weeks through wholesaling or flipping. But finding people who will sell the property to you for 10–20 percent or more below market value is a whole lot tougher than finding quality properties that will appreciate and supply decent cash flow over the longer term.

How to Start Investing in Real Estate with Little Money

For many people, the term “investing” conjures up images of men in suits, tracking the exchange of tens of thousands of dollars on a stock ticker.

I am here to tell you: You do not have to be the Wolf of Wall Street to begin investing. It’s okay if you are more of a mouse of Main Street. Even if you just have a few bucks to spare, your money will grow with compound interest.

The key to building wealth is developing good habits–such as regularly putting money away each month. Replace the barista-made cappuccinos for coffee in your home, and you may already be saving more than $50 per month.

As soon as you have a little cash to play, you may begin to invest.

It’s just as straightforward. Having a robo-advisor or savings account, you can make your money work as you play. With a stock trading program, you can play a little money and learn valuable investing lessons simultaneously. Exactly like Halloween costumes, investing comes in several diverse forms. It should not be a scary word.

With so many diverse choices, investing for novices is more straightforward and more uncomplicated than ever before.

Conclusion

Property coping is a very profitable business. Use the ways mentioned above to enter this line of business even when you don’t have cash. But, do not forget that entry is simply the first step on the ladder of success. How your company grows and succeeds is mainly based on your hard work and your ability to recognize opportunities and take action accordingly.

Ready to begin taking advantage of the current opportunities in the housing market?

Whether you are new to investing or have closed a few bargains. Our new online property course will cover everything you will need to know to help you start real estate investing. Professional investor than Merrill explains the very best property plans to help get you on the path towards a better financial future.

About the author: My name is King kentus i blog at komback.com and i am the CEO of the said website.

Renting vs Buying: What to Consider

Buying a house is the pinnacle of success—or, at least it used to be. It seems as though more and more people are abandoning the popular dream of homeownership and setting their sights on financial accomplishments that are more realistically attainable, like luxury vehicles, designer watches, and worldly travels.

That’s not to say purchasing a property is entirely off the table, though. There are plenty of affordable properties under 20k that you could buy without sending yourself into debt for several decades. There are two sides to every coin, but ultimately, there’s no single “correct” answer—it all comes down to your personal priorities. If you’re debating renting vs buying, consider these points to help you decide which option suits you best.

What’s on your time horizon?

If you’re thinking about buying a house, make sure to consider your timeline in two to 10 years from now. Will you be in the same city? Have the same job? Are you ready to settle down?

The people who like to rent are usually those that value flexibility and mobility; they don’t want to be tied down to a 15- or 30-year mortgage that locks them into one location. Of course, life happens and plans can always change, but if you have to sell your home shortly after buying it in order to move to a new city or place your child in a better school district, for example, you could lose money on your initial investment.

Bottom line: Purchasing a home is an investment in your future, but it’s a long play that will require you to live in the same place for at least two years. Just like any investment, there’s risk involved should the real estate market crash and you owe more on the property than what it’s worth.

How is your credit looking?

You’ll need a positive credit history whether you’re applying to rent or buy a house, but it’s much more important in the case of the latter. Most of the time, homeowners rely on financing to purchase a property; it’s pretty rare for someone to have a few hundred thousand sitting around in cash that they can use to complete the sale in one fell swoop.

Lenders will look at several things when reviewing your mortgage loan application, including your age and income, but credit history is one of the most important qualifiers. Not only do you need a strong credit score to finance a house, but it’s in your best interest to take the time to increase your score as high as possible in order to receive low rates.

A good number demonstrates less perceived risk, so the lender will be likelier to charge less interest on top of the principal balance—saving you a significant amount of money in total borrowing costs in the long run.

Bottom line: If you’ve missed a few bill payments in the past and are sitting on mismanaged debt, you should clean up your credit history before trying to buy a home.

Do you have money saved up?

One of the biggest differentiators between renters and buyers is the money they have saved up in the bank. Even with approved financing, you’ll need to place a sizable down payment—or, the portion of the purchase price that you pay upfront in cash—to show the lender you’re invested in the property and likely to repay the loan.

Many people think they need a down payment of at least 20% of the total price in order to buy a home, but that conventional wisdom doesn’t apply much today. While it’s true that a 20% down payment can help you avoid private mortgage insurance and save you tens of thousands of dollars in the long run, this barrier to entry is pretty steep for first-time buyers.

You can buy a home with anywhere between 5-15% down upfront, and there are also down payment assistance programs that can help you come up with the cash. Renting will also require a down payment, security deposit, and money on-hand for application fees, but these costs are usually cheaper than a mortgage and its affiliated costs.

What many people fail to realize, though, is that every rent payment they make likely goes toward paying off the landlord’s mortgage, and the price comparison isn’t that far apart. For example, if rent costs a thousand per month, a mortgage payment might be only 15% more. Rather than throwing that money down the drain on rent, those funds could be better applied to building your own wealth in home equity and increasing your net worth. You could also look into rent-to-buy homes in your area that can help you achieve the best of both worlds.

Bottom line: You’ll need to budget and save up for a home, which often leads people to stick with rent that’s easier to afford while keeping up with the cost of living—but putting in the work can pay off tenfold if you apply the cost of rent toward a tangible asset that you eventually own over time.

Are you financially responsible?

When you buy a home, the hard work doesn’t end once you get the keys in your hand. There are a lot of ongoing costs that you’ll need to keep up with, such as property taxes and maintenance repairs. And, whereas a renter could simply call up the property manager to fix a leaking sink, that responsibility will fall on you to repair yourself—unless you prefer to pay someone to do it for you.

Bottom line: If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of property maintenance and the ongoing costs of homeownership, it might be better to rent so you know exactly how much money to budget every month.

Do you have competing goals?

Finally, check in with your financial goals to see if there are competing priorities. Let’s say you just graduated from college; would you rather pay off your student loans or invest in the real estate market? Do you need a down payment to purchase a new vehicle?

Bottom line: It can be challenging to pay off debt or save money when owning a home, so consider your financial goals and decide what to accomplish first.

By keeping these thoughts in mind as you compare renting vs buying, you’ll be more likely to make the right decision for your financial future.

Samantha Rupp

Samantha Rupp holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and is the managing editor for 365businesstips.com. She lives in San Diego, California and enjoys spending time on the beach, reading up on current industry trends, and traveling.

How and Where to Invest in Real Estate: The 4 Best Ways to Profit

It’s not a secret that real estate can yield bigger profits than most businesses, but did you know that you can earn in this market even if you don’t sell a house?

If you have ever experienced having a landlord, there’s a good chance that you have observed how challenging it is for them to field calls from tenants all day about overflowing toilets or giant bugs. But while it may not seem like the most glamorous job, being a real estate investor can be quite lucrative.

Aside from renting out a place, there are plenty of ways that you can get a significant return on investment in real estate. The only problem is that not all investors understand how they can do so, or even know which investments can get them a significant ROI.

If you’re new to the trade, this article is for you. Read on to learn the four best ways to profit by investing in real estate.

1.   Buy a rental property

This is probably the most straightforward method of becoming a real estate investor. ‘Investment property’ refers to any commercial or residential property to be rented out to tenants without any additional fixing or flipping.

When you own a rental property, you don’t just get what you paid for, but you also build wealth-generating income. Add to that equity appreciation and the leverage you have with real estate, and you have yourself a solid investment.

Still, it is worth noting that owning a piece of rental property may not be for everyone. When looking for houses or apartments for sale, you have to make sure that you consider your interests, lifestyle, and the potential drawbacks, including:

●      Time commitment

Owning a property and renting it out to tenants requires time, even with the help of a property management agency. Make sure that you can accommodate this in your schedule. Otherwise, it would be best to try something else.

●      Cost barriers

Another major concern most investors have about a rental property is the cost of buying one. If you’re taking out a loan for it, many lenders require a minimum of 25 percent down payment for an investment property loan. Thus, it would be better to consider undertaking this type of real estate venture if you have reserves worth several months’ expenses.

●      Uncertainty of yield

Although many rental properties provide a continuous source of income for many (especially if you pick an apartment in a highly desirable location, like a Business Bay property in Dubai, for example), it isn’t a 100% done deal. Vacancies can happen, and things may break. Although there is great potential in this sort of investment overall, there are considerable short-term risks.

2.   Invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs)

Real estate investment trusts or REITs allow investors to put in their money and let it grow without actual, physical real estate.

Although usually compared to mutual funds, REITs are actual commercial real estate properties like retail spaces, office buildings, apartments, and hotels that yield income through leasing. The revenue gathered through these properties is divided amongst the REIT holders – also called ‘trustees’ – in the form of a dividend, which they can automatically reinvest to allow it to grow further.

But while REITs are an excellent way to invest in real estate for people without the time to handle rental properties, they can also be complex and varied. Some of these are traded on an exchange the same way stocks are, but others aren’t publicly traded. This means that the kind of REIT you invest in is a huge factor in how big a risk you’re taking when engaging in this form of real estate investment.

3.   Purchase a vacation rental

Vacation rentals are quite different from the rental property mentioned previously. While the latter involves having long-term tenants, vacation rentals are only occupied by tenants on occasion.

One of the perks of having this type of investment property is that you can use it as your second home when it is vacant. It would also be easier to finance vacation rentals compared to long-term rental properties, particularly if your lender considers it your second home as it means you don’t need to use the rental income to qualify for the loan.

Moreover, these properties usually bring in higher rental income per day compared to long-term rentals.

But, like other investment options, vacation rentals also have some disadvantages.

For one, marketing and managing this type of rental property requires more involvement on your part compared to those leased out long term. Because of this, the cost of property management is a bit higher, with many property managers expecting to get paid 25% of the total rent. This is more than twice the 10% standard for long-term rentals.

4.   Fix and flip real estate

If you’re a fan of real estate TV shows, then you’re probably familiar with the term ‘fix and flip’ or the act of ‘flipping houses’. Fixing and flipping a property means that you buy a home for the sole purpose of refurbishing it and selling it quickly for a profit.

This particular investment option can be quite a lucrative option in real estate, especially if everything proceeds as planned. After all, what better way to earn some cash than by buying an underpriced home, showing it little love through inexpensive renovation, and reselling it for a higher price?

However, this strategy is a little bit harder to accomplish in reality compared to how they present it on TV. First, it comes with a higher risk as the maths behind flipping properties means you have to be very accurate in your estimated cost of repairs. That alone is a challenge in itself.

Plus, flipping homes is a job that requires not only your attention but a lot of time as well. This means that if you’re a passive investor, you should consider another investment option.

Remember that fix-and-flip investments can be quite daunting, even for the most experienced professionals. In fact, even the people you see doing this on TV require a team of four people or more, with varying expertise in real estate marketing, civil engineering, interior design, and others.

There are also some rules you must know about before deciding to jump into the fix-and-flip bandwagon:

  • You make money when you buy, not when you sell. Stick to the 70 percent rule; the acquisition, repair, and holding costs shouldn’t exceed 70 percent of the amount you expect to sell it for.
  • Time is equivalent to money in this trade. Dragging your feet during repairs and selling can destroy your profit margins.

Invest wisely in property

Property investment has a high potential of helping you build your wealth. When done right, you can even make it your main source of income.

Still, it would be best not to put all your eggs in one basket. Invest wisely by choosing the right kind of real estate investment among those listed in this article.

Author: Damac Properties