We talked previously about whether or not owning home is "worth it". I gave you all the reasons why this stress inducing, debt increasing, hobby is worth it in words. Well let me give you the numbers. The proof! Here it goes!! I bare it ALL! Here is one of my houses' actual numbers (as close as possible, I am not a perfect, I am an 80%er) I am a transparent investor. You don't have to like me, or respect what I do. I do expect you to … [Read more...]
Is Investing in Real Estate Really Worth it?
Investing in real estate is a personal choice and it is one that is messy and stressful. You have tenants who want to negotiate, tenants that will try to break the lease, you will have tons of repairs which cost money, and lets not even get started on how much stress is involved! With all that being said, is investing in real estate really worth it? Would you voluntarily own many rentals on purpose? Real estate is a lot of work and is … [Read more...]
Homeowners: Should Your Exit Plan be Renting or Selling?
Buying is NOT for everyone! That being said, I personally think ALL homeowners should have an exit plan and the reason is simple... A house is forever and life is NOT! You can buy your dream home and then life happens. You have to move you for an amazing job opportunity, you have triplets, and it is a 2 bedroom place, etc., etc. The point is you should never go into something that is forever and NOT flexible. You do need to have an exit … [Read more...]
5 People Who are Eligible to Waive the VA Funding Fee
Do you have a disability rating with the VA? Did you know that with such a disability your VA funding fee can be waived? Check out my tips below, to find out more! Author's Note: These are all excerpts from the VA Lenders Hand book 26: Chapter 8 Section 17. The complete guidebook can be found here. As always its is important to discuss this with your broker as they will have all the details regarding your particular situation. If … [Read more...]
The Difference Between FHA and a VA Loan
I have been asked this question a lot, "Which would you use FHA or VA loan? Honestly, that is a loaded question as they are VERY different investment types. FHA or VA Loan? As described here each loan have a lot of different requirements. Personally I am not a fan of the FHA loan. It requires 3.5% down AND currently requires pmi for life. It also has other fees. I would rather just get a 5% down conventional loan. What is 1.5% more at that … [Read more...]
How Owning a Rental Affects Your Taxes
To start, ask yourself these two questions about owning a rental: Are you thinking about going from living in your own house as an owner to a landlord and a renter? Is your current house value above, at, or close to 280k? How Does Owning a Rental Affect Your Taxes? If you answered yes to these two questions and depending on your family status you could get a very interesting surprise on next year's taxes. Background: For home … [Read more...]
7 Ways to Limit SCRA Surprises
The SCRA can be used a lot more than just leaving because of a PCS. As an adamant military supporter, spouse, and also a small business owner limiting these SCRA surprises has been very important. How to Limit SCRA Surprises First - Require Written Orders Make sure you are checking orders to make sure that the length of time the tenant is signing matches there orders. Second - Think twice between offering longer than 1 year leases I … [Read more...]
6 Drawbacks of the VA Loan
Want to know the truth about the VA Loan? We all know that the VA loan is an amazing asset and there are many WONDERFUL attributes to this loan. Unfortunately like any asset there are always negatives and the VA Loan is no exception! There is a reason why the saying "too good to be true" exists! That being said, we still have used the VA loan TWICE! So obviously it can't be that bad, but here are the things I have learned over the years. I … [Read more...]
The Ultimate Real Estate Question: Rent or Sell?
This is the 21st century, and that means we move. We as a society move a lot whether you are military or civilian. So when it's time to move, what should you do with your house? That's one of the biggest real estate questions there is. Depending on when you bought your home, you may or may not have equity in your house. Figuring out the choice that works for you is stressful and hard. I have found that in recent months the question of what to … [Read more...]
What To Do When Your House is Underwater
Is your house underwater and you're ready to move on? You may be asking, "How do I assess what I should do?" You are in the unfortunate group of people who are still below the market. You still owe more money on your house than what you could make from the sale. Underwater House: What to Do 1. Get a Market Evaluation The first thing you need to do is get a true market appraisal. While I LOVE Zillow, it is NOT a resource in this case. … [Read more...]