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Real Estate Investing: Finding The Right Property & Neighborhood

August 19, 2010 By FPT Guy Leave a Comment

What do you do if you wish to get incredible returns from your investment? Should you invest in savings bonds, CDs or go for buying a house? From all angles, property investment should be the obvious choice as the returns would be far higher than the other two forms of investment. Buying a single house would ensure you bring home profit on an average of forty percent. No other instrument of investment can match this figure. However, higher returns come with some element of risk associated with property investment. You can minimize the risks and make a favorable investment that will assure you high returns by proactive planning and thinking before taking the plunge.

Go for a house that should command a good price in future. Conduct a scrutiny of the interiors as well as the outside. The outside setting is as important as the interiors. The neighborhood and the general surroundings are vital determinants to whether the house will get you the high returns that you have dreamt of or not. Closely observe the homes nearby. Do they have proper, well-maintained appearances or are they clumsy and appalling? The homes in the immediate area speak volumes about the people residing in them. Remember, plush surroundings and decent neighbors will be pluses when you plan to sell off your property in some years. In addition to the overall look of the place, check out the level of security the locality offers. You do not want to reside in an infamous neighborhood and part with your mental peace. Moreover, if an area has a not so good reputation, chances are bleak that you will at all be able to sell your property in the future.

A perfect surrounding would be the one where the houses around typically have an external appeal which is slightly higher than yours. An appealing neighborhood is as important as having a beautiful house or something like a piece of attractive Phoenix real estate. If you consider this factor, definitely you will reap benefits. Since you will be fixing up your own house, prior to moving in, the neighbors would also be delighted as that would mean enhancing the overall look of the place, which in turn would be profitable for them too when they sell their houses.

From this discussion, it is clear that simply buying a great house for yourself does not amount to a profitable investment. Prior to making the purchase, consider the other factors – the look and feel of the place, general facilities available, neighbors and the security around. If you take care of these factors, certainly you can look forward to a huge return to your Phoenix property investment or wherever you choose to place your money.

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Property Investment For The Next Decade

August 17, 2010 By FPT Guy Leave a Comment

Property investment in this next phase of the housing market will require a little thinking out of the box.  The typical investor thinks of nothing more than simply buying whatever properties they can afford and holding on to them for as long as possible.  There are so many other strategies to be taken advantage of that investing requires a little more savvy these days due to the volatility of the past housing implosion.

So if you are willing to open up to other strategies, then it is time to cover my favorite property investment strategy, the lease option.  The reason I love this strategy so much is its versatility.  The truth of the matter is that lease options are not really a strategy in and of themselves as much as they are the foundation to getting through many financial constraints and that still allow versatility and healthy profits.

The most basic form of the lease option simply states that you are leasing a property to a renter and giving them the option to purchase the property at a future date.  Beyond that, there aren’t any true hard and fast rules but here are some suggestions.

One:  Always get an option fee.  The option fee is a non-refundable fee usually in the range of 500 to two thousand dollars although this varies a great deal.  This is really in place of the deposit in a rental property except you get to keep this fee.

Two: Keep the range of the lease option around two years.  This gives plenty of time for the people to decide if they want to buy the house through the option.  To be honest, it actually benefits you if they don’t buy the property so you can just keep lease optioning the property over and over allowing you to get an option fee each time.  If they do decide to buy, you still win.

Three:  Make sure the selling price you agree to is a price reflective of the housing market in the future.  The house will be going up in value and so should the purchase price since they won’t actually purchase the home until the option has expired.

Four:  Stay flexible.  The great thing about lease options is that it gives you the room to structure the deals however you see fit.

Additional tip: as an investor, know the IRS 1031 exchange rules to avoid capital gains penalties when selling one property and buying another.

There are many ways to incorporate lease options into other investment strategies.  You could sell your interest in the property to another investor; you could buy a fixer-upper and fix it up, then lease option it and so many other techniques.  The fact of the matter is that the more exotic wisdom you have about property investment, the more lucrative it can become.

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The Easy Way To Qualify For A First Home Mortgage

July 20, 2010 By FPT Guy Leave a Comment

If you’re thinking of applying for your first home mortgage, there are some things you can do to help improve your chances of being approved. Buying your first home can be an exciting time, but the thrill will soon fade if your bank doesn’t let you borrow the money you need to close on your purchase.

Before you apply for your first home mortgage, prepare your finances so you have the best possible chance to impress your bank. Here are some quick tips to help you qualify for a home loan more easily.

Gross Monthly Income

Your lender will look carefully at the gross monthly income for all borrowers. This is the amount paid to you before taxes are deducted. If you’re applying on your own, provide pay stubs to verify your income amount. If you’re applying jointly with a partner or spouse, make sure you provide evidence of all income you each receive.

The bank will calculate your affordability based on the net income amount you receive, less any existing repayment obligations you have, less an amount allocated for living expenses.

The maximum amount you can borrow will reduce if you have credit card payments, personal loan commitments or other loans to repay. Conversely, the amount you can borrow can increase on your existing income by reducing your debts.

Credit Score

Your bank’s lending assessor will look at your credit score closely to determine what kind of customer you’ve been with your previous creditors. If you have a history of paying your bills on time and managing your debts well, you’ll have no problem.

However, if you have some blemishes on your credit report, spend some time catching up any past due bills. Reduce the balances on your credit cards and get your finances in order.

Employment History

Your lender will want to know the details of your employment. This will include how long you’ve been employed in the same industry or line of work. You can still apply for a first home mortgage if you’re fresh out of college or trade school, as long as your new job relates to the line of study from which you graduated.

Keep in mind that banks often view regular job changes to various different industries badly, as it could be a sign that you’re not able to hold down a long term job. While they’re negative towards frequent job changes, this doesn’t apply if you’ve been made redundant or if you’re changing positions within the same industry.

Down Payment

While it used to be possible to apply for a first home mortgage with no money down, these types of loans are becoming scarcer. If you know you’re going to buy your first home soon, work through your budget and begin putting money aside into a savings account.

The more money you can put towards your down payment, the more lenient your bank will be on your application. Your savings history can show your bank that you’re disciplined enough with your income to handle the responsibility of a mortgage.

Get the Best Deal

Before you apply for your first home mortgage, spend some time getting your finances and documentation in order. Then shop around to find the best deal to suit your needs. A mortgage broker can help you sort through the home loan options available.

You might find you qualify for one of the flexible credit solutions offered by many lenders, such as a FHA Loan or a VA Loan, or another such program that could help reduce the fees associated with buying a home and setting up your first home mortgage.

Watch out for loans like 125% home equity loans and 40 year mortgages – these can seem like a good idea, but generally aren’t due to many factors.

Filed Under: Best Of FPT, Home, Loans and Mortgages, Real Estate Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Creative Real Estate Financing: Lease Purchase, Lease Option, Subject To, Wrap-Around Mortgage

July 3, 2010 By FPT Guy Leave a Comment

Lease Purchase

Since the real estate market in the United States has collapsed, many people have looked to alternative means in order to sell properties and potentially avoid foreclosure.  This has lead to many people using contract structures like a lease purchase or lease option.

Subject-To

Other structures to sell properties in non-conventional manners have also become popular.  Two examples are assumptions and ‘subject to” deals.  The problem is that most conventional mortgages contain acceleration clauses that allow the original lender to call in the entire amount due early if the property is transferred to a third party without its consent. In reality, as long as the regular mortgage payments are made on time and in full and sent in the name of the original buyer, “Subject To” agreements are never discovered by the original lender so there is no problem; nevertheless, the threat of the debt being called in overhangs most “Subject To” contracts.

Wrap-Around Mortgage

The Wrap-Around Mortgage is a compromise between these two methods of passing on an outstanding mortgage to a new buyer. In such an arrangement, the seller (the person that owns the property and is liable for the outstanding mortgage on it) accepts a secured promissory note from the new buyer for the balance due on the property’s original mortgage plus whatever profit the seller is receiving and in exchange extends a secondary mortgage to the new buyer. Since the entire arrangement is formalized, it amounts to a method of seller-financing that allows the seller full landlord rights over the property, including the right of foreclosure should the new buyer default on the secondary mortgage. The new buyer sends his monthly payments to the seller, who in turn sends the appropriate amount to the original lender that holds the primary mortgage on the property.

Wrap-Around mortgage agreements can allow the seller to find a buyer that might not qualify for original financing from the original lender, thereby expanding the pool of potential buyers. Further, if a Wrap-Around Mortgage is used in conjunction with a lease purchase agreement or an option, it can circumvent the threat of the original lender exercising the primary mortgage’s acceleration clause to call in the debt early. For the buyer, the primary advantage is that they get a much stronger right of residency and possession of the property than they have with a “Subject To” contract, while at the same time avoiding the qualification requirements of the original lender (the financial institution holding the primary mortgage).

The only real risk to such agreements is to the new buyer as there have been cases of the seller not sending in payments to the original lender. The result of such a situation is that the original lender forecloses, resulting in the new buyer being evicted while the seller disappears. Therefore new buyers should be prudent when exploring the possibility of entering into a Wrap-Around Mortgage Agreement with a seller and should check into the seller’s background and financial position. Any legitimate seller should be forthcoming about their financial position, so if the seller is reluctant to provide background information, the buyer should consider this a strong warning of potential problems.

Also if you’re not already familiar, it’s always good to keep your knowledge fresh about 1031 exchange rules and the 40 year mortgage.

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Investing In Central American Real Estate

June 20, 2010 By FPT Guy Leave a Comment

As growing numbers of property investors seek out real estate in Central America, we thought it would be a good idea to gather together guidance on investing safely.  The past decade has seen most interest in property in Costa Rica, but Nicaragua, Panama and Belize are following close behind.

1. Buy only what you can see and touch

Don’t purchase property in Central America based on what might exist in the future.  It’s risky to base your capital appreciation goals on “ifs” such as if a bridge is widened, a new road built or if a big hotel were to come to the area.  Although this form of investing in the “path of progress” is tempting, make sure you know what you are getting into and the risks involved – especially in this post-crisis era.  The smart money is now trending towards completed property with ready infrastructure and away from pre-construction and speculative plays.

2. Don’t buy sight unseen

You never want to buy real estate sight unseen.  It’s vital that you personally check the property options that interest you. It’s a good idea to visit during the off season, which in Central America means the rainy season running from June through November. That way you’ll be able to determine if the location still appeals to you in all seasons and if needed services are available throughout the year.  If you want to be extra safe, check again during the peak tourist season which is December to February for tourists from North Americans.

3. Research the market using different viewpoint and sources

Your property research needs to go well beyond what is available through a sales pitch, a real estate brochure or a hot tip from a friend who just got back from a visit.  You need perspective and information on many levels, from different sources.  Some of the research can be done on the Internet by seeking out independent news sites, online property listing websites and specialist overseas property sites for Central America such as Reveal Real Estate.

4. Begin with your investment goals in mind

There is plenty of real estate on the market in Central America. It makes sense to clarify your investment goals upfront and concentrate on the type of investing that meet these criteria.  Are you interested in investment, speculation or a lifestyle buy?  Do you have the patience and nerve to wait for future development? Or do you need current access to utilities, services and want to be part of a community.

5. Take out title insurance

Title insurance is particularly important when you are buying property in Central America.  Title insurance reassures you that your title has been researched and there are no ownership problems that could hinder your ability to develop or resell the property. Your legal counsel will be required to thoroughly investigate the ownership history of the potential purchase in order to comply with the insurance company’s criteria for issuing their insurance policies.

Above all, take your time.  Don’t rush into a purchasing decision.  The lure of affordable property in beautiful locations can carry people away on an emotional rollercoaster.  Stop. Take a breath.  And make sure you are using your head as well as your heart.

Filed Under: Financial Planning, Real Estate Tagged With: , ,

Best Choices Amongst High Return Investments

May 24, 2010 By FPT Guy Leave a Comment

Investing your money to earn extra income is serious business. Everything must be considered before a single cent is spent. If a single mistake is made, you can lose a lot of money in the process.

There are numerous options you can venture in and a lot of companies that can provide help with the process. A few ventures however are considered high return investments by many experts. These can get you money faster and in regular intervals.

Real estate has been a monitored by many people even before the recession started. It is a very lucrative industry and with careful planning, can lead to high gains. With the decrease in mortgage rate in many countries, this is certainly a secure place to invest assets.

People have basic needs, and this must be met before higher level on need is considered. Shelter is one of them, and that is why there will always be a need for families to find a place they can call their own.

Investing on commercial and residential properties can give you security amidst the economic crisis. Land is a constant, stable commodity. It is now considered by experts to be more stable than buying stocks and bonds.

Property investments are easy to maintain, can be rented or leased in a hurry, and monthly payment can be assured. Unlike movable commodities, houses and other properties cannot be robbed or taken away from you in a blink of an eye. With proper insurance, you can make sure that everything will be secure and safe.

Real estate is indeed one of the high return investments in the market. If you invest on a property with a good location, surroundings, and by getting a great rate on your investment mortgage, it will surely serve as a wedge to stop the decline of your assets and provide you with a stable and substantial income.

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Why Pay Property Management Fees?

May 24, 2010 By FPT Guy Leave a Comment

Property management is similar to management in any other business. Property managers provides management for real estate properties. Real estate involves the land and building which could include tenant’s, maintenance, and evictions.  Once you start managing many properties, or if you invest in a property that is far from where you live, property managers become as essential as rental property insurance.

If you have a property, someone else is using it, paying rent for it and you do not live close to it, then you might want to hire a property management company. It serves as a bridge between yourself and renter/rent payer. The services, property management company, provide include; whether the renters are put through proper application process, are they paying their rent etc.

You have to pay the property manager fees for the services this company would provide you. The property management fees vary from company to company but there are some of the fees that you can expect while dealing with any company. Percentage based fees are most common. Percentage fee means the project management company asks for percentage of the rent that you charge the renters, standard is 10% but some will charge higher than 10% and some will charge lower than this.

Many companies ask for leasing commission. Leasing commission is charged just once and is equal to the half of the first month’s rent. This is not standard and it varies from company to company. Advertisement fee is the actual fee because it is charged when companies really spends money for the advertisement of your rental property. Some companies try to make their own profit on this charge, these companies are not trustworthy.

Material fee is charged only in case if there is something that needs to be fixed on your property. The property management company will ask you whether to fix it or not. If you permit the company then you will have to pay for it. Again make sure that company is not intending to make their own profit.

Few companies charge vacancy rent which is not required by the company. Companies expect their regular fees even if there is no renter and no rent is being received. Make sure that in the contract it is stated that management payment will be paid out of “collected rent” or “rent collected”.

Before signing the contract read it again and again, ask as many questions as you can before you are going to sign. You can take help from any legal advisor for discussing the terms and conditions stated in the contract that suit both the parties.  Getting a property management company might be one of the best investments you’ll ever make, but always be wary until you have worked with them for a while, and know you can trust them.

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Cheapest Homeowners Insurance For Your Home

May 15, 2010 By FPT Guy Leave a Comment

When you are trying to find the cheapest homeowners insurance to protect your home there are a few things that you will want to consider. There are a lot of different options that you can choose from, and coverage is different in every area that you are in. The reason that coverage varies is because of the different climates and hazards in every area. There are some things that you may read that do not apply to your area and will not help you to save the money that you thought they would. If you are a smart family you will want to make sure that you are able to get the cheapest rate on your homeowners insurance so that you will be able to use your money to do other things.

One thing that you may consider doing in order to be able to get the best rate when it comes to paying your monthly premium is raise the deductible that you have to pay to file a claim. By raising the deductible you will be able to lower your payment which will make your insurance cheap and affordable. The only downside to doing this is if you have to file a claim you will have to pay more than you would if you did not raise the deductible and paid a higher premium. If you do not file any claims then you will not have to worry about the extra cost.

There are a lot of ways that you will be able to get the cheapest homeowners insurance to for your home. A really great way is to use a home insurance broker – as it’s in their interest to find you a great deal, because they won’t get paid if you walk away and don’t use them.  They also will know you are shopping with other brokers, and if they don’t, all you have to do is “mention” it casually.  That will wake them up to helping you get the best plan and rate for your needs.  You will want to make sure that you get some tips that will help you to get the lowest rate for the area that you are in. If you want to be able to have money left over to do other things with each month then finding the best rate on home insurance will help you tremendously.

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Helpful Tips To Employ When Negotiating For Real Estate

May 14, 2010 By FPT Guy Leave a Comment

Buying investment property is something that takes time and practice to acquire. So are negotiating skills, but if you practice these along the way you’ll be one step closer to financial independence.

Be prepared to look elsewhere: There are a lot of people who make the mistake of setting their heart on a property. This makes them rather beholden to the property which in turns translates into them having to shell out more prices for the property. In some cases (take into consideration how popular Houston investment property has become), the seller may also ask for a price that is rather unreasonable if he senses the buyer’s eagerness to buy. It is always better to look at various options. If the seller sets unreasonable and ridiculous conditions and a high price, you can thank the agent and look at other options. This can work as a ploy, because if the seller changes his mind, he can use the same agent to call you back and give you a better or more reasonable offer.

Ask for more than what you actually need: This is an unwritten law and unspoken aspect about negotiations. Those who start at their desired position often end up with less than what they want. Some of the items you can bargain for when buying a property are to ask for payments for inspections, things like title insurance and also features that you do not really want. If you ask for this extended list, you would find that you can trade these non essential items for some important features. On the other hand it is possible that you could get some extra features thrown in for good measure. This depends on how well your agent negotiates and how keen or desperate the seller is to sell the property.

Meeting in the middle is not mandatory: There are some folks who want to expedite negotiations, which is why they cut negotiations midway and settle for something in the middle. This is okay for those whose budget expectations are met as it helps them get to the deal with extra haste. But for others, there is no point to fall into the bait set by the agent as it may mean conceding ground on negotiations and getting less than an optimal deal. Do take time to consider all aspects of the deal, during which the seller can re-think his position during which time you can also consider if you want to settle for a deal mid-way. If the seller is desperate, this time could hang heavy and the seller would be more flexible in terms of agreeing to conditions that suit the buyer’s needs better.

Always get something in return: There are some seemingly inconsequential concessions the seller may request. This may be in the form of a few extra days that the seller wants to use to pack up and vacate the house. This may be okay with you, but you need to ensure that you get something in return. The fact of the matter is that you are investing in Houston TX and if you give things away for free, you may appear as a person easily manipulated by the seller. This could open up a situation where the seller loses respect for your interests and tries to take undue advantage of your consideration.

Some extra points: Even if the deal appears okay, never accept it at the word go, because it is human psychology to disbelieve the price being quoted by the seller. This is not only in the case of realty but also in other cases and instances involving buying and selling. It does not make sense to fall for the first offer. If you have not given your best to the deal, you would not expect that the other party would also give the best offer at the first instance. In some cases you may like to get the opinion of a third or an impartial party. Good agents try to meet all the concerned parties at the deal. But if you want some time, you should say that the matter needs to be discussed with your wife or perhaps you need to get the view of your business partners on the deal before signing on the dotted line.

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No Doc Mortgage Loans Help Maintain Privacy

April 27, 2010 By FPT Guy Leave a Comment

Being financially successful certainly has its perks. On the one hand, there is the comfort of always having what is necessary (and what may not technically be necessary), and on the other hand, there is the option of being able to afford ultimate discretion. Purchasing a home becomes much easier because, if the borrower is willing to pay, the paperwork is reduced immensely.

No doc mortgage loans allow customers to withhold information regarding earnings and profits in order to either preserve privacy or to avoid mountains of paperwork. People with various sources of income find out that this is the way to go for a hassle-free experience.

There are three different categories within no doc loans. Stated-income loans are designed for those that work in the restaurant business, or who draw commission at work as the main flow of income. It’s difficult to prove these things on paper, so the no doc mortgage loan can be a lifesaver for these people.

The next type is no-ratio mortgages. Basically, there is no way to determine rates by way of a ratio of debt-to-income, because the borrower does not report income at all. This could be because the borrower is actually going through a fluctuation of income due to a life change, or those that live off investments. Also, this applies to business owners that have money spread so far out that the task of gathering it all together would cost more than the difference. In the case where no income or assets are verified, the loan is called NINA. Minimal information is provided by the borrower to apply for this one. Identification and property value is basically all that is requested, along with a large lump sum for the down payment, of course.

All of these options are available to those that can prove they are good with money. This is done by providing a substantial amount of money for a deposit and showing that there is still enough to pay for a few months of payments. The credit score and report are examined by the lender before agreeing to a no doc mortgage.

There must be strong evidence that funds are handled properly in order for them to take the risk of a no doc mortgage loan on a person that isn’t offering up very much information. It is possible to hold onto privacy and still buy a house, but the price tag is hefty.

While these loans will get you a fast loan, other loans like the 125 home equity are on the opposite end of the spectrum, requiring moutains paperwork and are far more risky than a no doc loan.

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Are 125 Home Equity Loans Right For You?

April 24, 2010 By FPT Guy 1 Comment

When it comes to borrowing money against your house, it can be a stressful consideration to make. Since you are borrowing against the equity of your home a default on that loan could mean losing your home. For this reason, you need to make sure you borrow wisely and do not borrow so much that you cannot afford to make the monthly payments on the loan. Which is true of many types of loans, such as mortgage bridge loans.  Home equity loans come in varying percentages extending from less than to 100 percent. There are also 125 home equity loans, in which 125 indicates the percentage you are borrowing against the equity of your home.

In such loans that are over 100 percent, the borrower can borrow up to 25% more than the home’s current market value. Some people do this to pay down high interest credit card debt, make improvements and repairs to the home, or to purchase large appliances.

Getting a 125 home equity loan comes with higher risks (like 40 year mortgages which are a different type of instrument, but have their risks too) than lower percentage home equity loans. As the percentage you are borrowing against increases, the interest rates increases on the loan. As a result, after borrowing against 125% of your home, your monthly payment could become quite large. Plus, you cannot deduct more than 100% of your home’s value from your taxes. So that extra 25% on your home equity loan is not a deduction you can take on your yearly taxes.

Perhaps the riskiest part of getting a home equity loan that is a greater value than your home’s worth is if you plan to sell the home. Because you have borrowed more than what your home is worth, you need to sell your home at 25% more than its market value.

Because you risk the chance of losing your home if you default on a 125 home equity loan, you should only take out one of these loans if you know for sure that you can afford the monthly payment or it is an absolute necessity. A necessity would be a dire financial situation that demanded large amounts of money for an emergency.

Another great reason to take out one of these loans is to improve the value of the house. If the house is in need of repairs, make sure each repair you do increases the value of the house by at least a little bit. Doing so makes the risk of borrowing more than the home’s value more worthwhile to the borrower.

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The Similarity Between The 1031 And 1035 Exchange

November 13, 2009 By FPT Guy Leave a Comment

The 1035 exchange is one of those rare times in which officials with the Internal Revenue Service actually put in place a plan to help individual investors.  The 1035 comes from the 1030 group of exchanges because it belongs to a section of the tax code on tax-free situations.

Investors who often deal in real estate may be familiar with the 1031 and the 1031 exchange rules.   The IRS naturally wants a cut of any proceeds an investor makes when they buy a property and sell it at a profit.  However, investors can sometimes avoid taxation through a 1031 exchange.  Under this scenario, the investor would simply rollover the profit from the sold property into a new property of equal or greater value, thereby avoiding taxation on gains from the old property.

In a similar way the 1035 also follows an exchange rolled over rule.  But instead of pieces of property, the investors hold assets such as annuities, life insurance, or endowments, which are then rolled over into new plans with different holding companies, without facing taxes on any gains.

The reasons the holders of such policies might want to switch and take advantage of the 1035 exchange, will vary from person to person.  In general assets such as life insurance policies start small and grow over the years.  This build up of assets is often called the reserve.  The provider of the policy keeps the reserve in stocks, bonds and other areas where the funds can build up and earn a profit.  When the policies are left intact, these earnings are not taxable.  But the moment a holder tries to touch them, i.e. taking them out of the policy, such as a loan or withdrawal, the IRS will tax it.  Of course not all the money withdrawn is taxable, just the profit faces these regulations.  This is calculated by subtracting the base investment from the gross.

However, if an investor’s policy is not performing as well as they would like, perhaps it was purchased years ago and is no longer competitive with newer policies, they can have the option to rollover their plan to a new company without facing any taxation.  In other words, the IRS will treat the funds as if they haven’t been withdrawn, when they are transferred to the new policy, thereby avoiding unwanted taxes for the investor. However, the investor should understand that a few other taxes could apply with a 1035 exchange, so it’s important to check with the IRS before committing to any exchange.  By the way, you can check out a great type of insurance policy known as return of premium term life insurance to give yourself more life insurance options to choose from.

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Understanding Remortgage Loans

November 5, 2009 By FPT Guy Leave a Comment

When people buy a home, they take out what is called a home loan.  When people take out a loan on the value of what they have already paid on their home, this is called a mortgage.  Once you have a mortgage in place, you may want to change it over time.  It is normal to want to remortgage loans.  A remortgage loan is a way for you to change your interest rates to lower remortgage rates.

Typically, people will do this in order to lower their monthly rate.  However, you may want to pay it off quicker.  Both are remortgaging options.  Newer mortgage instruments like the self employed remortgage and buy to let remortgage also exist, for those who work for themselves.  There are many options available for almost any loan or mortgage situation.

Having a lower monthly payment can be extremely helpful if you are in a financial crisis.  As a matter of fact, it can be your only option.  However, once you do this, you need to pay it off.  If you do not, you can have the problem of bank of foreclosure.  So while it is tempting to go with a cheap remortgaging option you may find on an online remortgage quote, you need to pay attention to your ability to pay it back.

Many people feel that it is not an option to get a cheaper loan.  This is partially due to their bad credit.  Most people are unaware that there is such a thing as a bad credit remortgage loan.  However, they may not understand the idea of a mortgage in the first place.  After all, a mortgage can only be done if you have paid part of your original loan.  The lender is interested in the value of your home minus what you have paid.  This is how the mortgage functions in the first place.  So if you have bad credit, it doesn’t matter.  After all, you have your home as collateral – something which may not be an issue if you’re doing everything to stop foreclosure now – if you are about to lose your home.  A remortgage might be one of the last options you have.

Homeowners are also often confused by the definition of a home loan remortgage.  This is not the same thing as a mortgage.  This means that you take your original loan and change it.  For example, if you have a 10 year loan, you can change it to a 30 year loan, or you might consider a 40 year mortgage.  Many people will do this if they do not have very much equity in their home.  Equity means that you have already paid a significant amount of money into your home.  If you have equity in your home, then you can get a line of credit or even more than the value of your home.  Such as with a 125 home equity – though this type of loan is not recommended for most people.  If you have a mortgage, they give you money based on the equity you have already paid.  If you have a home loan and a mortgage, that means that you will be paying 2 payments per month unless you borrow from the same lender.

Filed Under: Financial Planning, Loans and Mortgages, Real Estate Tagged With: , , , ,

The 1031 Exchange Rules

November 3, 2009 By FPT Guy Leave a Comment

There is a very easy way to sell property under the 1031 exchange rules. Simply put, this involves selling property with a strategy.  You must have two qualified pieces of property in order for the 1031 exchange rule to work.  This is also known as a tax deferred exchange.  Many people get this rule confused with 1035 exchange rules.  The 1035 is concerning annuities.  The 1031 is concerning property.  Both involve exchanging one for another.  Both allow you to defer taxes.  Both need to be handled within a designated period of time.

The IRS 1031 exchange rules, if followed carefully, will mean that you do not pay the 20 – 30% for a capital gain.  In other words, if you sell your property, the IRS will expect you to give them a percentage of your profits.  However, if you sell the property and turnaround to buy another, you will not need to pay the IRS.  As long as you follow the rules for the time period involved, you will technically the following 1031 tax exchange rules.

Some property owners lose their property due to it being condemned, a fire, or other damage.  If this is the case, there is a tax code called the 1033 exchange rules.  This rule helps you to avoid paying the IRS a large sum of money on a property that you are no longer making a profit from.  This is extremely helpful if you were expecting to follow rules for 1031 exchange.  This is also helpful if a government entity seizes a property.  For example, they seize property in exchange for money in order to build a public road.  This way, you may not follow your plan for the 1031 property exchange rules and save a significant amount of money, but you can’t still follow through with your plan to defer 20% – 30% of your property tax.

The rules of 1031 exchange must be followed very carefully in order to protect your tax status.  The sale of the property must be handled through an agent that is determined to be a qualified intermediary.  All of the money you make from the first sale must be applied toward the second sale.  If any cash is left over, it will be taxed.  In other words, the second property must be more expensive than the first property.  So you may want to take a look at the different types of mortgages available if you need some extra money for a more expensive property.  The main points that you must know in order to follow the 1031 exchanges rules is to understand the identification period and the exchange period.  As long as you follow the rules, you are on your way to saving a significant amount of money with the IRS.

Filed Under: Real Estate Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Why Rental Property Insurance Is A Smart Thing

September 23, 2009 By FPT Guy Leave a Comment

Unfortunately your landlord, being in the business of buying investment properties and renting them, is going to do everything he can to cut costs.  Real estate is a tough business, and they can’t ever afford to get every kind of insurance to cover the house or apartment for property investment or otherwise.  The landlord only has to get what’s required.  That’s why you really should consider getting rental property insurance.  When the owner of the place you are renting gets insurance, it is usually only to cover the actual house and structure, not anything inside that house.  That means if something happens and you don’t have rental properties insurance, then none of your stuff inside the house will be covered.

Usually a landlord requires insurance for rental properties that they rent to other people as a condition of the lease.  This gives double coverage for the house, and also protects any of your belongings inside of the house.  Another thing that rental insurance can do is to provide coverage for any injuries of your guests, since the landlord’s insurance won’t cover that either.

There are many different types and kinds and coverage that you can get.  Read below to learn more about these so that you can make the best decision for you and your family.  Also, it’s always best to pay a little more each month, then to lose out because you wanted to save a few bucks, if anything happens.  You also may want to consider setting up an LLC, to further protect your finances from any risk that can happen being an investment property owner.

There are a few different types of coverage that you can get on your rental property insurance policy:

  • Loss of Use – If something happens to your house that is covered under the insurance policy, and you can’t live in your house during the time it is getting fixed, loss of use coverage will pay for your living and food expenses for the time it takes for your house to get repaired.  That way, if you have to pay for a hotel and eat out for a few days while your house is recovering from a flood or something, those expenses will be reimbursed.
  • Personal liability – If someone gets injured on the property, this will help to pay for your legal obligations for that injury or for any damage in the house.
  • Personal Property – This is the most important, and it covers stuff such as belongings, clothes and furniture.   This also helps to protect your stuff if you are on a trip and something happens in your home or any of your stuff in stolen.

I hope that knowing the importance of rental property insurance as well as knowing the different things that should be covered, that you can make the best decision on the type of rental property insurance coverage that you need for your specific situation.  Refer to our guide on setting up an LLC if you want to further protect your real estate investment assets.

Filed Under: Insurance, Real Estate Tagged With: , , , , ,
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