Category Archives: Real Estate

Abandonment

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I recently added an Escrow Glossary of Terms to my website. You might want to check it out. The first word is a rather sad one, “abandonment.” Of course, the list is alphabetic. “Abandonment” is an official term in real estate the means the voluntary relinquishment of rights of ownership or another interest (such as an easement) by failure to use the property, coupled with an intent to abandon (give up the interest). This subject is relevant  because in your search for a fix-n-flip project to invest in, you might run into a house that looks abandoned. It may be. It may not be.

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Intention to Abandon

According to the Letter of the Law, volume 13, number 4, 1999, by Judon Fambrough, “an essential element of abandonment is the intention to abandon and such intention must be shown by clear and satisfactory evidence.” Judon goes on to say that non-use and failure to maintain and repair property is not sufficient evidence on its own to prove abandonment.

While title to real property cannot be lost by abandonment, it can be lost in other ways. Land title can be lost by adverse possession when another person possesses and uses the property without permission for a specified time. Real property can also be lost by forced sale when a sheriff sells the property for delinquent taxes, a trustee sells the property for delinquent mortgage payments, or a homeowner’s association sells the property for unpaid assessments.

Adverse Possession

On the LoneStarlandLaw.com website, David J. Willis explains that adverse possession refers to circumstances under which one may lawfully lay claim to ownership of property not originally one’s own. Classic examples include the rancher who fences in an adjoining tract and pastures his cattle there for a decade and the family that gradually takes over the empty lot next door.

According to Willis, foreclosed houses are often perceived to be abandoned because they are sitting idle. These houses are not abandoned and the courts have tended, he says, to protect the interests of the absentee lenders who are now owners.

Facts and the Law

Everything about an adverse possession claim must be based on facts and the law. For one thing, to make a legal claim of adverse possession, you have to have a legal description of the boundaries. The boundaries cannot be uncertain. Paying taxes or back taxes on a property does not guarantee possession either if the original owner shows up, it does however prevent the eventual sale of the property in a tax sale. If a title search reveals an owner of record that can be located, it may be better to contact them and buy their interests.

Willis also says, the law is does not condone or contemplate the use of the adverse possession rules as a business plan for aggressive investors. This strategy is involves breaking the law, for example, breaking and entering, file false instruments, slander of the title, and fraud.

Knock

If you find a house you think is abandon, fall back on my strategies for finding motivated sellers. Knock.

When you find a home that looks abandoned, one that might be up for sale if you can find the owner, knock on the door. Knock on the neighbor’s door too. If no one answers, ask about what is going on with the property. Leave behind your business card. Write down the addresses and research the property from your computer. Write about the house in your journal of prospects and follow up every month. You can keep an online journal too, photographing the house and making notes to help you remember to follow up.

Remember the door hangar. It can be something simple that you make yourself with a hole punch and rubber band, or something you more polished that you order form an online printer. It should say something like, “We buy houses. Call 512-555-1212.” If no one answers when you knock, leave one of your door hangars.

When you have contacted the buyer and have done your research on the value of the property and know how much it will cost to remodel the property, I can help you with a loan program to purchase. Your fix and flip or rental property. I am happy to announce that a loan program is now available to purchase rental property for the purpose of building your short-term or vacation rental property business.

We have funds available for single-family residential property, condos (warrantable only), and ocean beach front property.

I would be pleased to have you call or e-mail too.

 

Pat St. Cin

Patrick@InvestorsLendingSource.com

512-213-2271

Austin, Texas

 

References

LoneStarlandLaw.com website, David J. Willis

Letter of the Law, volume 13, number 4, 1999, by Judon Fambrough

How to Close Your Visio Loan Fast

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Attention. Today, it is hard to focus the laser beam of our mind onto what is pivotal. Our mind certainly can be a laser beam, but too often it flickers, back and forth from one thing to another like a match in a wind storm. If time is money, attention is gold, and a sense of urgency can be your friend when you are interested in borrowing money to start your rental or vacation rental business.

My goal here is to help you sort out what Visio needs to know, what is pivotal in the process of financing an investment property, one that you want to buy and hold onto as an investment. By focusing on these critical areas, you can speed up and simplify the process of getting your loan Visio loan closed.

Pivot 1. Property Value beyond the Appraisal

Talk to your local realtor and do your own research to determine the comparable value of your property. Appraisals provide us with helpful indications of value, but we also rely heavily on our own research and analysis. Please let us know if you’ve made improvements to the home, detailing what has been done and the amounts invested.

Please let us know if you’ve made improvements to the home.

Pivot 2. Property Condition

Appraisers rate property condition using a scale of C1 (New) to C6 (Complete Redevelopment). We only lend on rent-ready properties (C1–C4). ALL repairs and rehab should be completed PRIOR to starting a loan with Visio. While we sometimes finance properties requiring some minor redevelopment, we make these decisions on a case-by-case basis. If you are concerned that your property may need too much work to qualify, send us some current pictures before ordering the appraisal.

We only lend on rent-ready properties (C1–C4).

 

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Pivot 3. Recent Transactions

If the home has changed hands in rapid succession with significant increases in value, we need to know ahead of time. We need to understand the reasons behind the increase in value before making the loan. Finding out late in the transaction almost always causes problems.

We need to understand the reasons behind the increase in value before making the loan.

Pivot 4. Non-Arm-Length Transactions

A non-arms-length transaction involves a buyer and seller that have a pre-existing business, personal, or familial relationship. We will make these loans, but we want to know up front. Visio is not a consumer mortgage lender, and therefore cannot allow family of the borrower to remain in the property.

Visio is not a consumer mortgage lender, and therefore cannot allow family of the borrower to remain in the property.

Pivot 5. Fees

Our Account Executives will provide you with a detailed fee worksheet showing all our fees well in advance of closing. Please read the fee worksheet. It is not in anyone’s interests to have a deal fall apart at the closing table over fees.

Please read the fee worksheet.

Pivot 6. Title

If you are refinancing with Visio please give careful thought to any liens, judgments, or delinquent property taxes on the property. These will come up during the title phase, and they not only take time to clean-up but could also result in disqualification. If you’re buying a property, we require a clean title to close. Items such as releases of old mortgages or the existence of ground rents/land leases, which are common in some areas (MD), can take substantial time and effort to address.

We require a clean title to close.

Pivot 7. Borrower Name(s)

If you are refinancing with Visio, please consider whether there is anyone else on the title with you. That person will need to be available to sign documents. In addition, we will title the property the way it comes to us. If you are attempting to remove anyone from or add anyone to title, please resolve this prior to starting a loan with Visio (see “Borrowing in an Entity” below for exceptions). For purchases, if you are buying from a government agency, such as HUD, execute the purchase contract in the exact name in which you intend to hold the title. They are not very flexible about changing names mid-transaction.

Execute the purchase contract in the exact name in which you intend to hold the title.

Pivot 8. Investor Insurance

Research and choose your insurance product EARLY. It likely will take longer than you think. Consider the cost as well. If your premium is proven to be more expensive than you are estimating, it could potentially change your loan parameters, up to, and including disqualification. Accurate escrow estimation is paramount to an accurate quote from Visio. Please note, we require hazard insurance to have 100% replacement cost. We do not allow actual cash value policies.

We require hazard insurance to have 100% replacement cost.

Pivot 9. Borrowing in an Entity

We lend to entities, such as corporations, LLCs, and partnerships. Please make sure your entity is fully established and is in good standing. We’ll need all the documents to complete your loan. If you are attempting to change the titled entity, we can accommodate if the ownership interest is identical between both entities. (See “Borrower Name” above.) We do NOT lend to trusts nor non-profit corporations.

We do NOT lend to trusts nor non-profit corporations.  

Pivot 10. Sense of Urgency

Time and attention is always of the essence. Thoroughly read emails and respond to communication from your account executive and processor. We are always available to help and provide clarification to ensure a smooth transaction.

Thoroughly read emails and respond.

Give me a call or send an e-mail and I will help you to move quickly, get the best deal, and start making money sooner.

Patrick@InvestorsLendingSource.com

512-213-2271

Austin, Texas

 

Photo reference: Lmatt123 [CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)%5D

 

The Media Room Must Have

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Even though you might not be building or remodeling a 9,000-square-foot mansion in your next fix-n-flip or vacation rental property update, you might want to consider installing a multi-functional media room in the main part of the house you are working on. The WSJ article, “The New Mansion Must: A Media Room,” by Cecilie Rohwedder, says this multimedia room is the latest trend in home design and might include any number of huge flat screen TVs occupying the same space as a fireplace, picture windows, games tables, couches, and computer work stations, all situated a short walk from the refrigerator in the kitchen. This multifunctional room is making itself at home in the “open-concept” floorplan and replacing the dark, sound-proof basement home theatre.

Recessed and No Glare

Making multi-tasking all the more real, in some homes, this multifunctional room might include a bank of multiple recessed flat-screen TVs with anti-glare screens and hidden audio systems so a movie, a social media feed, the news, and a PowerPoint slide you are working on for your job can all be showing at the same time. There might also be large picture windows with automated shades that can be lowered to block out light.

Electrical Outlet Planning

To make all this convenient and easy on the eye, this will take some electrical outlet planning with your electrician before you start the project, even right up front when you are putting together your budget and loan request. (As cheap as flat-screen TVs have become, you might want to consider throwing in a few flat-screen TVs to make the remodeled house more sellable. The RV industry has started to do that.)

The wall where the flat screen or flat screens will appear would need an outlet behind the flat-screen TV (or TVs) so the cords don’t show. For the automated shades, you might want to put outlets along beams in the ceiling or high up on the walls next to the windows. If there is a fireplace in the room, you could plan outlets for either side of the mantel.

Visualizing that work, study, and socializing might also be going on in this room, outlets in the floor where a desk or game table might go will prevent cords from being stretched everywhere, and outlets a little above desk height in the corners will be handy for charging devices or plugging in computers, and you won’t have to crawl around on the floor to reach the plug ins.

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Invisible

Now that you are on the road to becoming your own media installation contractor, you might be interested to know that according to Admit One CEO Lance Anderson (interviewed in the WSJ article) the job of the media installation contractor is to “not be an ‘eye sore’ blackening someone else’s design.” You need to make the electronics behind the entertainment invisible. Jason Barth of Premier Group in Carmel, Indiana says, the media system should be experienced, not seen.”

If I can help you with a loan, please call.  I have funding for fix-n-flip projects.

 

Pat St. Cin

Patrick@InvestorsLendingSource.com

512-213-2271

Austin, Texas

 

References: Rohwedder, C. “The New Mansion Must: A Media Room,” (2019) WSJ

Finding Houses to Buy and Owners to Sell — Strategy #3

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When you are looking for properties to buy and owners that are ready to sell, there is nothing like using all your contacts and making new contacts to help you find houses that are ready to buy and owners that are ready to sell. In this strategy you ask others to be a detective with you.

The Mail Carrier and the Dog Walker

Enlist the help of others who can refer you to people thinking about selling their place and moving on, including landscapers, general contractors, cleaning/maid services, dog walking services, pool cleaning guys, mail carriers, etc. There is a whole raft of professionals, like these, who regularly service homeowners. Get to know them, cultivate relationships, keep in touch with them; it can pay off big time for you and the seller.

 

dog_walker_in_parque_mexico_-_condesa_district_-_mexico_city_-_mexico_6480181701.jpgDistressed Sellers

You can also draft a letter on professional letterhead and it into the hands of a real estate office in your area. Explain you are a real estate investor looking for distressed properties and can close quickly if the price is right.

You might ask, “What is a distressed property.” Well it is a distressed owner that makes a distressed property. An owner who really needs to sell for whatever reason becomes distressed when they cannot get the deal completed. We’ve listed some of these distressed owners in our previous blogs. They include people who can’t afford to make their mortgage payments and are under threat of foreclosure, people with tax debts that have required them to sell the property, and estate executors and estate lawyers for deceased property owners. They are all people, some facing divorce, some facing the loss of their job, some being transferred. They need to sell and often need to sell quickly below market value. You are willing to buy and that is a help to them. You are getting a great deal and they are unloading a headache. It is a potential win-win situation.

The Real Estate Army

By contacting the real estate agency, you can have an entire army of real estate agents working for you, free of charge.  If one of them finds a property for you, the seller of the home will pay the agent’s commission. You owe them nothing; it comes off the seller’s side. Promise to use them as an agent when it comes time to sell the home you just fixed up.

Win-Win

Remember this business is a numbers game.  The more you detect, the more you find. The more you market the better your chances for success.  There are plenty of opportunities in your metro area to find sweet deals that will make the owner happy, you a bit wealthier and the neighborhood happier for renewing a distressed house.  It is a win, win, win business.

As soon as you find a deal, give me a call for a loan fix-n-flip rehabilitation loan. You can e-mail too.

Pat St. Cin

Patrick@InvestorsLendingSource.com

512-213-2271

Austin, Texas

Finding Houses to Buy and Owners to Sell — Strategy #2

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When you are looking for properties to buy and owners that are ready to sell, the internet is your number 1 detective tool even when you are looking for local properties. Your second most valuable tool in this search for houses to buy and owners ready to see, is your phone. I’m sure you use these everyday already, but just in case you have not considered all they can do for you, I’ll run through my list here.

For Sale By Owner

First search Craigslist ads (for example, houston.craigslist.org, austin.cragslist.org, sanmarcos.craigslist.org) local online newspapers, and even real estate sites like Zillow.com where you can find properties offered by owners. You can wing it too by typing into your browser window, every combination of key words with locations that you can think of related to houses that might need work and owners that might be ready to sell like with a location:

  • Fixer upper housing
  • houses for sale
  • must sell house
  • house for sale that needs work
  • vacant house for sale
  • real estate by owner
  • seller financing
  • FSBO (for sale by owner)
  • motivated seller

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Properties Being Sold for Taxes

You might also want to look at government and auction websites where you might find houses for sale and motivated sellers. Some of these include:

 Probate Properties

Probate properties for sale are another possible place to find a deal. Probate properties are owned by the estate of a deceased homeowner and are often sold below market value to property investors and potential homebuyers. The process of purchasing these properties can take anywhere from 6 month to several years.

You can find these properties from a real estate agent that might be hired by the estate executor to disperse the property of the deceased. You can also find them with probate lawyers. You can also contact the local court directly and ask for a list of all probate cases filed within the previous six months. There is probably an online docket you can check as well (for example, http://www.traviscountytx.gov). Contact the attorney for the estate or the executor. This information should be on the docket sheet maintained by the court.

Contact each representative directly and ask for information on the status of the property, how they are handling the sale, and whether an asking price has been established. If the executor is motivated to sell, they may negotiate with you directly if the court has already approved the asking price.

Some estate properties sell at public auctions which are advertised. These however often sell at or above the market value of the property.

If you make an offer, you will have to put 10% down and be aware the court will have to approve the selling price. For more information about buying probate properties see https://www.wikihow.com/Buy-Probate-Properties.

After you have accumulated a list of houses, you need to start calling and setting up appointments to visit the property and discuss the purchase. Don’t forget to request an inspection. When you have a price, give me a call for a loan. You can e-mail too.

Pat St. Cin

Patrick@InvestorsLendingSource.com

512-213-2271

Austin, Texas

References: https://www.wikihow.com/Buy-Probate-Properties.

Finding Houses to Buy and Owners to Sell — Strategy #1

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When you are looking for properties to buy and owners that are ready to sell, there is nothing like getting in the car and driving around your town to see what is really there. Even with all the real estate marketing sites on the internet, when it comes to finding homes you might want to fix up and resell for a profit, you need to be your own detective and look for deals that might not be on the websites. It could be the owners are not internet savvy or the properties themselves are too droopy to lend themselves to pictures and video marketing.—

Driving for Dollars

Start by driving through nearby neighborhoods and mobile home parks. Look for vacant, run-down housing or vacant apartment units. Look for un-mown lawns, mail and newspapers piling up, closed curtains, un-watered grass, siding and trim that needs paint, as well as roofs in bad repair. If you are interested in commercial real estate, you can also look for retail and business space that looks like it has not been used for a while. Maybe the blinds are cracked, there is a tarp over the front door, and the windows never have any light in them.

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FOR SALE—For LEASE

“For Sale By Owner” signs are also something to watch for. These are signs that the owner may not be taping into the web market. “For Rent” and “For Lease” signs may also be pointing to owners that really wanted to sell but couldn’t find a buyer. Look for estate sales signs and yard sale signs. Sometimes owners start clearing out their stuff because they are getting ready to sell. At the sale, ask the home owner if they will be selling soon.

Knock On the Door

When you find a home that looks promising, knock on the door. Knock on the neighbor’s door too. If no one answers, ask about what is going on with the property. Leave behind your business card. Write down the addresses and research the property from your computer. Keep a journal of prospects and follow up every month. You can keep an online journal too, photographing the house and making notes to help you remember to follow up.

In the case of commercial business space, the same strategy would apply. Try the door. Knock. Talk to the owners of nearby businesses and find out who owns the building and if they have shared their plans.

One tool that you can make for yourself is a door hangar. It can be something simple that you make yourself with a hole punch and rubber band, or something you more polished that you order form an online printer. It should say something like, “We buy houses. Call 512-555-1212.” If no one answers when you knock, leave one of your door hangars.

If you find a deal, give me a call for a fix-n-flip rehabilitation loan. You can e-mail too.

Pat St. Cin

Patrick@InvestorsLendingSource.com

512-213-2271

Austin, Texas

 

 

It’s Business: People Want Short-Term Rentals

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Great News For A Short-Term or Vacation Rental Property Business

No matter where you go, if you stay overnight, you need some place to sleep and shower. For dairy inspectors in 1915, the YMCA or the bus station might have been okay, but real hotels have been the mainstay choice for years now and the RV is good for the family that spends lots of time outdoors.

However, the online vacation marketplace has made it easy for travelers to search online for all sorts of alternative places to stay. You can look for condos, cabins, homes, and apartments in locations all over the world. This trend is good news for people who own vacation homes or second houses that they want to rent out. It is great news for people who want to build a short-term or vacation rental property business.

You might think that you have to live in Myrtle Beach or Hawaii to start a vacation rental property business. But this is not true. You can start a business right in your own town, right here in Texas.

Truly, these online vacation home marketplace sites have revolutionized the short-term rental business. They are a great tool for the rental property owner. Not only do they make it easy to advertise your property as far as the web can reach, but they also allow you to receive funds from buyers securely. A few of these vacation rental marketplace sites are listed here so you can check them out for ideas:

Air BnB: https://www.airbnb.com/

Homeaway: https://www.homeaway.com/

VRBO: https://www.vrbo.com/

There are many things to consider with any investment or any time you start a new business. Most of the time, you need a loan. To get a loan on a property, you need to know what property you want and how much you need to borrow. Here are a few tips to help you get started on your short-term rental property business plan.

The Property: “A superb location”

Be inspired and look for a property that you love and consider whether it is convenient to public transportation and/or has easy parking for private cars? Look for a single-family home or for a large house that has been converted into a triplex. One good way to start is to live on one floor, rent out one floor fulltime, and rent one as a short-term vacation rental. Remember that each floor or living space will need to have a separate means of access. You can consider doing the remodeling yourself to make a large home into a triplex. Construction funds should be included in the funds you need for your business loan.

Laws: “You can’t fight City Hall”

Check the zoning laws for the local government to make sure the community does not have rules against owners renting out homes or offering rooms or floors of their house for short-term rent. Do this before you buy. As they say in the neighborhood, “You can’t fight City Hall.” Well, you can, but it will be expensive, and you will probably lose. So, check the laws before you invest.

Furniture: “Very clean and inviting with a comfortable bed”

A long-term rental can be rented without furniture, but short-term rentals need to be furnished so you will get rave reviews on the online websites and earn repeat customers. Put these items into your plan and trim them from there depending on your funds.

You will need to have a washer and dryer available. If you are choosing the triplex, one in the basement might do, but stackable ones on each floor would be a real amenity and earn you the coveted, “They thought of everything to meet our needs.”

You will need a refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, oven, and the latest HVAC system.

For the bedroom you will need a bed or beds, bedroom furniture, sheets, blankets, pillows, comforter, end tables, lamps, dressers, flat screen TV, hangars.

For the living room you will need another flat screen TV, at least one couch, easy chairs, reading lamps, book cases, and maybe a rug.

For the kitchen, table, chairs, silverware and dinnerware, coffeemaker, and cookware.

You can great prices at antique shops and thrift stores for furniture and decorating items like mirrors, pictures, book shelves. Some of the items you need, you will probably need to buy new, like the linens and the HVAC systems.

The Welcome Package: “They were great hosts”

Put together a welcome package. This package will tell renters about what amenities are offered in the space and in the town. Include useful information about public transportation and sites of interest.

Advertise: “It was so easy to find them.”

Advertise on as many vacation home marketplace sites as possible to get your name out there, get the reservations flowing, and start receiving funds securely. It is also a good idea to build and maintain a website.

Be Available: “They were the friendliest people”

It is very important that you available for emergencies and questions and if possible to check guests in. Take calls from interested parties and be friendly.

Lowenstein_Apartment_Complex

Build from One to Many

Grow. If you love the business and are making some money, be obsessive about it. When you can afford it, buy another property and enlarge your business.

Now that you are ready with a property and a plan, I can help you with a loan program to purchase your rental property. I am happy to announce that a loan program is now available to purchase rental property for the purpose of building your short-term or vacation rental property business. We have funds available for single-family residential property, condos (warrantable only), and ocean beach front property.

I would be pleased to have you call or e-mail too.

 

Pat St. Cin

Patrick@InvestorsLendingSource.com

512-213-2271

Austin, Texas

 

Jobs = Confidence

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U.S. Stocks Rallied again yesterday as corporate earnings and a good jobs report strengthened our confidence in investing. According to Investopedia, “The Market Sum,” by Caleb Silver, “We are six weeks deep into a stock market rally, the likes of which we haven’t seen since 1987.”

U.S. employers added an average of 223,000 jobs per month in 2018, much higher than the 170,000 per month predicted. 248,000 of those jobs were in the manufacturing sector, putting a dent in the 1.2 million manufacturing jobs wiped out in the last recession (Investopedia.com).

U.S. Occupations

If you want to know what type of jobs are in the U.S. labor market, you need to look at both the occupation (worker) and the industry (employer). You can use occupational employment statistics (OES) (published by the US Department of Labor at https://www.bls.gov/oes/) to compare occupations. You can see employment levels and wages for occupations where you live or in the type of business where you work.

According to the OES for the nation, retail sales person is the largest occupation. Next is food preparation and serving persons; then cashiers, office clerks, registered nurses, customer service representatives, laborers and freight movers, waitresses and waiters, secretaries, and general operations managers. These are the top ten occupations in the country. Manufacturing is not there — yet.

Loan Officer in Texas

You can look up “Loan Officer” though, and there are 307,240 loan officers making a mean hourly wage of $37.00 an hour, and interestingly enough, Texas has the second highest number of working loan officers (20, 810), second to California (39,520), with a mean annual income of $86,460.

Strangely, the top paying metropolitan area in the country for this occupation is Laredo, Texas, with a mean annual salary of $131,200. They don’t say how many loan officers there are in Laredo making this salary though. Lubbock, Texas is in seventh place on the top ten, with 260 loan officers, making a mean annual salary of $117,500 each. Number eight is Victoria, Texas, with 70 loan officers making a mean annual salary of $114,230 each.

So What? I think this means that Texas has a lot of money to lend.

Real Estate Brokers

What do the statistics say about “Real Estate Brokers?” First, there are 36,410 real estate brokers working in real estate in the U.S., with others working in management, building construction, credit, and business and professional organizations. Texas is fifth, with 2,290 workers employed in this occupation, compared to California with 5,570. In Texas, Dallas-Plano-Irving is the Texas metropolitan area on the list of areas with the highest employment level in real estate brokering, 830 brokers with a mean annual salary of $80,410.

Cowboys

Sad as it may sound, the song is right. “Mothers, don’t let your sons grow up to be cowboys.” I could find hunters and trappers on the list of occupations, but no cowboys. That cannot be right. This is Texas!

An occupation gives us purpose and confidence. Work is good.

I am a real estate broker. I work with people, land, homes, and money. I, myself, only see the back end of a cow when I visit Kansas. What could get better than that.

cowboy_hats.jpg

If you or your partner have a real estate purchase you would like to make or money you would like to invest in a real estate project, don’t forget, I’m on the net, in the book, and this is what I love to do.

Pat St. Cin

Patrick@InvestorsLendingSource.com

512-213-2271

Austin, Texas

 

References:

The Market Sum, by Caleb Silver at Investopedia.com

US Department of Labor at https://www.bls.gov/oes/

Cowboy hats. Nika Vee, Austin [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

 

 

 

It’s Real: Multi-Family Property Investing

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As the stock market quivers and stock market investors peer into the fog of the future trying to see where stocks, the economy, and earnings are going, up, down, or sidewise, real estate stands firm, on a block, in a neighborhood, around the corner from this or that, providing shelter to human beings. It might be old or new, trendy or dilapidated, occupied or abandoned, but it is real and panics are not going to move it, even if fire, earthquake, wind, or water might. Housing is still a basic need and if an investment fills a basic need, it is a safer investment.

An investment is not safe though if you do not do your research and match the facts of the property and area situation with your needs, expectations, and goals. When considering investing in multi-family properties, be sure to pay close attention to the quality of property management and to the location. This might be a good time to refresh your memory on investor shorthand for communicating with each other on property types. It really kind of easy, like: A, B, C, and D.

The letter grades are assigned based on property characteristics like, age, tenant income level, growth areas, appreciation, amenities, and rental rates according to ApartmentVestors.com. The grade isn’t there to scare you away from a certain property because it receives a low grade. (Although D areas in dangerous neighborhoods are not investments to be taken lightly or by beginners.) The property grade is there to help you set realistic goals for your investment and to communicate within the industry about what you are looking for.

Multi – Family Property Class A. Class A properties are newer, built in the last 15 years and have the most amenities, lowest vacancies, demand highest rents, and have less maintenance costs. These properties are above average in terms of design, construction, and finish; the tenants make above-average incomes, they are in desirable locations and they are accessible. These apartments are professionally managed by national or large regional management companies.

Investment sense: These buildings have the most appreciation potential but less cash flow starting out. Professionally managed and in desirable areas.

Multi – Family Property Class B

Class B properties were built in the last 15 to 30 years and have some amenities. The rents are average, a bit lower than Class A buildings. Tenants are usually a mix of corporate workers and skilled trades people. These apartments are in desirable places but do not have the design and finish reflective of the latest standards and preferences. The construction is adequate, and the buildings are generally well maintained by national or regional management companies; unit sizes are usually larger than current standards. These buildings have some appreciation potential and decent cash flow rates.

Investment sense: These buildings have the good appreciation potential and more cash flow than Class A. Professionally managed and in desirable areas.

Multi – Family Property Class C

Class C properties are older, built more than 30 years ago. They have fewer amenities, if any. The tenants are mostly service employees and you might have some government-subsidized tenants. Rents are below average, lower than Class B rents, and the occupancy rate is lower. These apartments provide functional housing, exhibit some level of deferred maintenance, are usually located in less desirable areas, and are generally managed by smaller, local property management companies and private investment groups. Cash flow is high, but appreciation is much lower than Class A or B apartments.

Investment sense: These buildings have the little appreciation potential, but cash flow is high. Property management varies because it is local and performed by smaller companies. It might be great, quirky, or terrible. Be sure to check. The location is less desirable but still safe.

Multi – Family Property Class D

Class D apartments are in challenging neighborhoods and potentially dangerous areas. They are older buildings, with no amenities, and high deferred maintenance. The tenants can be challenging, and management is intensive. Cash flow is reduced by lack of payment by tenants and repairs.

Investment sense: These buildings have no appreciation potential and cash flow is reduced. Property management varies because it is local and performed by smaller companies or it might not be performed at all. Be sure to look around carefully. The location could be dangerous, and it might be hard to attract tenants to the area.

Property and Area

When you are looking at buildings and the areas they are built in, apartmentvestors.com recommends that you pick a property in an area that has a higher class rating than the property. The area classes, like the property classes are A, B, C, and D. With A being a growth area, B being an older stable area, C being an older declining area, and D being older and declining, potentially rapidly declining area.

Apartmentvestors.com offers a strategy that suggests it is better to pick a D house in an A area because the area will have more influence over the stability of your investment over time. I would call this the domain of the fix-n-flip investor. As the deep urban areas or warehouse districts become more appealing to working professionals, a building that was once a C property in a D area might become a D property in an A area and be well worth renovating. But you need to be sure the area classification is really changing.

If you are a hands-off straightforward investor, not a fix-n-flipper, you might want to look only at the A and B properties in the A and B areas if you are taking a long-term approach and interested in appreciation in value. However, you might be more interested in cash flow. Then you might want to look at B and C properties in B, or C areas.

Photo by Caroline Cagnin on Pexels.com

That is a lot of alphabet flying around.

If you have a multi-family property in mind and are ready to start negotiating or are ready to buy, send me an e-mail or give me a call and I can help the funding.

Pat St. Cin

Patrick@InvestorsLendingSource.com

512-213-2271

Austin, Texas

 

 

References: apartmentvestors.com

Decorating a Rental

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Clean & Presentable

Rob B. and Rob D., founders of the investor forum and advice website, The Property Hub, share decorating choices that every landlord needs to know on housebeautiful.com.

Although the larger housebeautiful.com website tells us that matte black is the latest color choice for home decorating, Rob B. and Rob D. recommend that decorating a rental property should not be about personal expression but about appealing to “everyone and anyone,” durability, and cost effectiveness.

No Dog Shower

A rental is not a flip. Keep it simple is the rule. There is no need to go overboard buying the latest luxury fixtures or fittings. You also don’t need to gut the kitchen if it is functional. That means the dog shower in the laundry room that they are talking about over on the sweetwaterliving.com blog is not on your shopping list for the rental property even if you want to put one in your own mudroom. In case you are wondering where that came from

, a dog shower is one of the other latest interior design trends we can expect to see in 2019. However, your goal for the rental is to make the property clean and presentable. You might not even allow dogs.

No White Carpet

Decorating a rental is very straight forward. For the floor, opt for laminate in the kitchens, bathrooms, and hallways because it is easy to clean and if you get decent quality laminate, it should not rip or tear. Laminate is easier to clean than carpet and it will not look dirty or worn as quickly as a light-colored carpet would. Rob and Rob advise that if you must put down carpet, put down dark colors with a good underlay.

For the walls, choose white and light grey throughout and opt for water resistant eggshell or acrylic paint in the kitchen and bathroom. If you own many rentals, use the same color in all of them so you have some around for touchups.

For the bathroom, install a shower over a bathtub rather than a shower over a shower tray and try to put in at least a second toilet, if not a second complete bathroom, so if something breaks it is not such an emergency.

For the kitchen (here is where it is most tempting to overdo it), try to update only the work surfaces and cupboard doors first. That might be enough.

green wooden chair on white surface

No Furniture

Furnishing is something Rob and Rob recommend we avoid. It costs a lot and renters who bring their own furniture are more likely to stay for the long term.

Simple, clean, & durable, that is what it takes. That is what is likely to please most everyone.

If you are thinking of investing in rental property and need funds for the purchase or the remodeling project, send me an e-mail.

Pat St. Cin

Patrick@InvestorsLendingSource.com

512-213-2271

Austin, Texas

 

 

References:

https://www.housebeautiful.com/uk/renovate/refurbish/a23424169/landlords-decorating-rental-property/

https://www.thepropertyhub.net/