Real Estate Blog

Go from paying rent to collecting rent!

Consider house hacking to start your investment journey.

 

You may have heard the term “house hacking” thrown around a lot lately. It sounds like a trendy new real estate hack, but it’s actually a tried-and-true way to buy a home, generate income, and build wealth in real estate 

So, what exactly is house hacking? It’s a real estate investing strategy that involves buying a multi-unit property, living in one of the units as your primary residence, then renting the rest out. The occupants of the other unit(s) contribute to your mortgage and living expenses through the rent they pay you. You can even house hack a single-family home by renting out a bedroom, basement or outbuilding.

We all know that…

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Why Women Should Invest in Real Estate

Investing in real estate is an ideal way to generate passive income streams, build wealth, and secure a healthy financial future. So, why are only about 30% of real estate investors women?

It may be the insecurity that women often feel in a male-dominated field. It may be that women are wary about getting involved in a type of investment they know little about. It may be that many women believe that only the wealthy invest in real estate. Or it may be that women who are ready to add real estate investments to their portfolios just haven’t found the right guide to help them navigate through all the details.

It's so important for women of all ages to be financially independent and secure their long-term…

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2023 Nationwide Forward Mortgage Limits Increased

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) published Mortgagee Letter 2022-20, 2023 Nationwide Forward Mortgage Limits, which provides the maximum mortgage limits for FHA-insured Title II forward mortgages. These new loan limits are effective for case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023.

FHA's "floor" and "ceiling" loan limits will increase from $420,680 and $970,800 in Calendar Year (CY) 2022 to $472,030 and $1,089,300 [1] in CY 2023, respectively, for a one-unit property.

The following table lists the CY 2023 FHA loan limit thresholds for low-cost and high-cost areas:

Property Size    Low-Cost Area "Floor"   High-Cost Area "Ceiling"

One-Unit          …

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The Top Three Reasons to Hire a Property Manager

You’re an investment property owner, congratulations! Owning property is a great way to generate passive income streams, build wealth, and secure a healthy financial future. But what about the day-to-day business of rental management? Is that something you should tackle yourself or does it make more sense to hire a management company? Self-managing a property can come with challenges, so here are the top three reasons it’s a great decision to hire a professional property manager to manage your investment.

Self-Managing Takes Time

In addition to basic upkeep, preventative maintenance and emergency repairs, managing a rental property involves screening and selecting tenants, handling security and…

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What IDEAL Means to Us

Our definition of IDEAL is perfection in everything we do including quality of service, being responsive, and making customer care our top priority.


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4 Reasons Women are Under-Represented as Real Estate Investors

1. Confidence

Women tend to be less confident in their investing knowledge and skills. This doesn’t mean women actually are less knowledgeable or less skilled. However, I can confidently say after coaching many women and co-founding a local women’s real estate investing meetup, the perceived lack of confidence is a very common theme. 


The quandary is that information (perhaps too much information) is everywhere. And women can freeze up when it’s time to take action. They doubt themselves and question what steps to take next.  It can be scary to go out on that skinny branch alone without the reassurance that you are making the right decisions.  


2. Time

Women tend to…

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Top Features to Look For in an Investment Property


 Buying an investment home is the best way to jump in on a business and have it grow without having to wait on construction or creating everything from scratch. With an investment home, it's often already been used as the type of facility you want, so the base is already there for you to create something incredible.

 

These are the top features to seek out in any investment home and why they matter.

1. Durable and Updated Roofing

Your roof, in any investment home, is vital because it protects whatever you keep inside and can cost tens to hundreds of thousands to replace if something catastrophic happens, or you happen to buy a home with an older roof. Look for good slate roofing,…

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4 Simple Steps for Less Money Stress in Real Estate Investing

 Source: Rachel Wong at biggerpockets.com

There is a rosy glow about real estate investing—a land of opportunity, eye-popping numbers, and the lure of a tangible asset that can be painted a calming shade of blue. And a lot of these upsides are brilliantly true! But there is one soft underbelly that gets lost in the optimism—and that’s the added stress of being a landlord.

Leaky pipes that need fixing, the mortgage that needs to be paid between renters. It’s a lot of numbers and cash flow logistics to be jumbling around in your head—and it can be stressful!

Well, that’s kind of our thing: keeping finances neatly organized. Stay for the geekery. We know a thing or two about how to…

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It's Tax Time!

2020 - It's Here!  New Year - New Decade...

Unfortunately, it brings along an old tradition - TAXES - don't puke, it's OK - we've got you...

Let this serve as your reminder that there are tax advantages for both Real Estate Investors & Renters; read-on...

Representing buyers, sellers, as well as managing residential rental properties comes with it's fair share of experience; therefore, we're accredited in "experience" and speak from "experience"; both, personally and professionally, without carrying the "CPA" behind our name...yet? - perhaps; but, not now...Regardless, we wish to share what we know; SOOOOO - Did you know that being a landlord has tax benefits? Here are just a few of the many tax deductions allowed:

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