Miami Real Estate - The L Steps: 6 Steps of Investing
Real estate investing in Miami real estate is now becoming popular again as there are many properties in foreclosure, short sale, bank reo’s, and government foreclosures. With such an overwhelming inventory of homes available for sale a real estate investor must be able to determine which one to purchase. Investors must follow six steps in order to learn, understand and achieve Miami real estate investment success. These are the six L steps to Miami real estate investing: 1. Location - Location, location, location is still the key of buying Miami real estate. Buying Miami real estate just because the price is low in a declining area is big mistake that should be avoided. Look for homes in an excellent location like, good schools, economic stable and growing neighborhoods, near shopping centers and malls, near bus stops and metro rails, near hospitals and restaurants. Sometimes it is better to pay a little more for a property in a good location than getting a bargain in a place where it is very hard to sell or rent the asset. Location is often overlooked in purchasing real estate as many investor think they can overcome a bad location if the price is low enough. Out of two homes that are exactly the same, the one in the best location will command a much higher sales price and rental income. Location is the number consideration when purchasing Miami South Florida real estate. 2. Long Term - Real estate investing is a long term proposition. Don’t think you are going to be a millionaire over night. It takes years of hard work and dedication in order to succeed. Hold any property at least one year before selling it. Capital gain taxes will be greatly reduced. Consider renting the property for at two or three years. The rental income generated will help you to properly repair and renovate the property. Many investors purchased properties in the middle of real estate boom with no money down and no equity. These investors were thinking of flipping the homes fast and make a killing in the process. Many homes now in foreclosure are due to investors that were caught in the middle and now realize that real estate investing is very hard to time. Long term Miami real estate investing is the secret to a successful real estate career. 3. Lease Option - Never rent a property with a lease option to buy. Either sell or rent it straight out. A lease option usually is a disaster for both buyers and sellers. The tenant will demand a large discount of the rent to go towards the down payment and closing costs. The problem is that tenant will not buy the property at the end of the lease and the landlord/seller will have wasted a lot of money in rebates given to the tenant/buyer. Demand a 20% or 30% deposit from the tenant/buyer and a clause in the contract that if they default on the purchase they will lose the deposit. This technique will force the tenant/buyer to purchase the property or lose the deposit. The risk of losing the deposit will eliminate the tenant from taking advantage of the landlord by walking out of the contract after receiving a monthly rental discount. 4. Local - Buy real estate close to where you live. Don’t buy real estate in another state or in another country. Keep real estate investing local. Buy in your own county and in your city. The more you know about the area where you are buying the better the decision will be. The investor should always be close to the investment property. The Miami real estate investor should inspect the property often to determine any repair, roof and other problems. The landlord must inspect the property every month when collecting the rent. Check for the number of tenants actually living in the property, check for damages and destruction of the property and overall condition of the place. The investor/landlord will not be able to inspect and determine the condition of the property if it is located far away. Keeping real estate local is an essential step in real estate investing. 5. Leverage - Most real estate books and seminars tell you to use other people’s money when purchasing real estate. This technique is not the best and buyers should try to buy the property in cash if at all possible. Buying a house in cash will help you get a better deal and allow you to negotiate from a position of strength. A cash buyer will always have the upper hand in negotiating with banks, property owners, and other sellers. Cash buyers will not suffer and go into foreclosure if the market turns and they are unable to sell or rent the house right away. Like Dave Ramsey always says “cash is king and debt is dumb”. Buying an investment property in cash is an excellent way to avoid Miami real estate investment mistakes. 6. Learn - Research the property and learn everything about it before you buy. A mistake in Miami real estate investing can be very costly. Usually you make your money when you buy not when you sell. Buying the property at the wrong price the wrong place and at the wrong time could be detrimental. One mistake could wipe you out and put you out of business before you start. Ask questions to the experts, real estate agents, appraisers, mortgage brokers, and other real estate investors. Learn, research, educate yourself in all aspects of real estate investing before you purchase the asset. It is definitely a buyers market in Miami-Dade County. Miami real estate investors have more choices than ever before when it comes to real estate investing. Investors must follow the L steps, the 6 steps real estate investor guide to successful real estate investing in order to achieve their investment goals in the Miami real estate market. Hector Lesende is owner/licensed real estate broker in Miami, Florida and creator of the (Lesende) L Steps. Please visit <a href="http://www.lesende.com/">Miami Real Estate </a> We will sell your home fast. We offer a Foreclosure List. Search <a href="http://www.lesende.com/blog">Miami Real Estate Blog</a> Search <a href="http://www.lesende.com/coral-gables-real-estate.php">Coral Gables Real Estate</a>
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Low Letting Fees - Too good to be true
With the huge slow down in house sales the property market is seeing an increase in demand for rental property. Some letting agents are starting to cut their commission charges hoping to increase their property stock of which they can immediately offer to registered tenants. A high turnover of properties will result in much needed revenue flowing into your agency. Such a de-crease in charges will suit some landlords or investors amidst the credit crunch but long term this could not only damage your reputation as an agent but could put considerable strain on your agency. Landlords are well aware that a letting agent offering low fees will be cutting operational cost else where which could result in their property not being advertised properly or tenancy agreement not being executed correctly due to a junior member of staff with little experience dealing with the set up. Most agents will agree that there is a lot more to letting property than simply advertising it in the local paper. A lot of time is spent preparing brochures, conducting viewings, vetting prospective tenants, setting up agreements, conducting inventories and checking in tenants. All this of course costs money to do properly and takes a considerable amount of time & resources. Landlords will naturally want to keep their costs down and you will always find customers wanting a competitive rate. However, agents offering landlords exceptionally low fees face the risk of lower profit margins, which will make it hard if not impossible to survive the credit crunch.Generally fee cutting tends to prove unprofitable, unsustainable and even costly, which could cause your agency to fold. When landlords choose an agent they do not base their decision on price alone, but also consider experience, reputation, professionalism, qualifications, marketing budget, to ensure your agency attracts a large number of tenants through its doors and overall service. If you feel your agency needs a competitive edge try to focus on other areas of service rather than simply price. For example you could consider a sliding fee for landlords that place more than one property with your agency, or you could add value to your charges by offering a service or product that costs your agency little or nothing to set up or provide. You could even consider offering a bundle of useful information to new landlords explaining everything a landlord should know before letting their property. In the current climate with a number of non experienced home owners renting out single rooms to full houses there is no better time to create a helpful first impression of your agency; in the long run the home owner should return to you to let their property. To sum up, there is nothing wrong with healthy competition and being competitively priced, if your agency is able to offer a service towards the cheaper end of the market then do so. Bear in mind there are many companies that target high end consumers and make substantial profits. If you’re going to cut your prices then do so in moderation and avoid cutting your throat.Benjamin Perry CEO of online-lettings.co.uk The Specialist lettings website where you can find a local <a href="http://www.online-lettings.co.uk" >letting agent</a> and view <a href="http://www.online-lettings.co.uk" >flats to rent.</a>
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Is buy-to-let still a sound investment?
With little movement of interest rates and continuing drops in house prices will buy-to-let now be an investment vehicle of the past? With buy-to-let lenders tightening up their lending criteria, house prices continuing to fall and the general lack of confidence caused by the Northern Rock crisis I believe that experienced investors will still continue to buy rental stock, banking on long term capital gains. However first time landlords or landlords with smaller portfolios are finding it harder to fund new rental stock. For the well placed landlord that has the correct gearing on their portfolio it is still a time to hunt for the next opportunity! There will always be risks involved in any business or investment. For example your investment can rise or fall in value and property is clearly no different. You therefore just need to ensure that you minimise potential risks. In the past I’ve used several methods to minimise risk to my own investment portfolio. These include: Ensure the mortgage is between 80% - 85% of the property’s value. Every time your mortgage is due for renewal try to release equity. This ensures that your rent covers your operating payments and expenses. Start building a fund by putting this money to one side. Therefore if you have sudden repair bills or a vacant property you have money to fall back on. Always keep your property well maintained. If the rental market in your area suddenly changes pace the up together properties will rent much quicker. Always ensure you have a tenancy agreement in place, as this will protect you any your property. Widen the range of tenants you agree to let your property to. You may find that council tenants are able to top up rent monies by their own means, giving you the rent you have always achieved. Areas which attracts students also attracts higher rents. Wear and tear may be slightly higher, but at least the monthly repayments are being met. When increasing your portfolio look for properties that can add to the overall yield of your whole portfolio, ensuring your investments stay balanced. For example try to buy property in disrepair. Once renovated your equity should have increased, which in turn would increase your property portfolio’s yield. More recently overseas property investment has become a trend with investors searching for the next property hotspot to invest in. Things to consider when looking for your next investment whether here or abroad include: How easy is it to get to the property? Can you keep an eye on the property if it remains empty for a period of time? Will the property be let for the whole year or is the property’s location Summer or Winter orientated? Can you easily maintain the property yourself saving you the cost of employing trades people or does the rental income provide enough cash to pay for unforeseen repairs? Will the property’s location ever fall out of fashion with your intended tenants? Remember holiday hotspots change very quickly! Always ensure your investment has a steady stream of visitors. Even if the U.K buy-to-let is not as buoyant as it has been over the past decade the vehicle for investment is still sound. Ensure you put time into researching your potential investment and prepare yourself for long term capital gains. The online-lettings portal will soon allow for holiday lettings to be uploaded ensuring where ever you or your property is located tenants can always be found.Benjamin Perry CEO of online-lettings.co.uk The Specialist lettings website where you can <a href="http://www.online-lettings.co.uk">rent flats</a> or buy a <a href="http://www.online-lettings.co.uk">Tenancy Agreement</a>
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