Tag: DIY Landlord

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Landlords

How and Why You Should Set Up Recurring Rent Payments for Your Tenants

A mobile phone with an online payment showing on the screen.
Source: Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash.

Collecting rent can be one of the biggest hassles of owning rental property. Not only do you have to keep track of when rent is due, but you also have to chase down tenants who are late on their payments.

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an easier way to collect rent? Well, there is.

You can set up recurring rent payments so that your tenants’ rent is automatically deducted from their bank account each month. Not only does this make things more convenient for both you and your tenant, but it can also help ensure that you always get paid on time.

In this blog post, we’ll explain how to set up recurring rent payments and the benefits of doing so. By the end, we hope you’ll see just how easy and helpful an automatic rent payment system can be.

Why Set Up Recurring Rent Payments

As a landlord, having a reliable, predictable source of income is essential. That’s why automating recurring rent payments can be so beneficial. Here are a couple of benefits:

  • On-time payments: Your tenants will have their rent deducted from their bank account automatically each month. This means that you won’t have to worry about chasing them down for late payments or collecting checks in person.
  • Electronic processing: All payments are made electronically and on the same day each month, saving you the hassle of manually entering tenant information into your accounting software. Most systems can handle automatic payments for you with just a few clicks.
  • Incentivize recurring payments to encourage sign-up: Some payment processing providers include a discount function so you can offer incentives to your tenants for signing up for recurring payments. This can be a great way to encourage more people to use the system, making rent collection easier for you.

Protect your cash flow, and you’ll protect your investments—isn’t that the only thing that matters?

How to Set Up Recurring Rent Payments

Setting up recurring rent payments is relatively easy, and it’s worth taking the time to do so. Here are the steps you’ll need to follow:

  1. Choose a payment processing provider: Decide which payment processor you’d like to use. Some popular options include PayPal, Stripe, Square, and Apple Pay. Each company has its own set of fees and features, so take some time to compare them before making your decision.
  2. Set up an account: Create an account and link it to your bank. This will allow payments to be transferred directly into your account on the rent due date.
  3. Collect tenant information: Collect some basic information from your tenants, such as their name, address, bank details, and rent payment amount. Ensure that all information is accurate and updated before proceeding with the setup process.
  4. Set up automatic payments: Set up automatic payments for each tenant in your system. This typically involves entering their bank details and setting the payment amount and frequency (e.g., monthly).

Once you’ve completed these four steps, you’re good to go. Sit back and wait for the payments to come flowing in. Your well-deserved cash flow is on its way.

Best Tools for Recurring Rent Payments

We recommend the following payment processing providers for their ease of use and excellent security:

  • Avail: This landlord software is owned by Realtor.com and helps you streamline rent collection (even if you don’t work with a property manager). Avail allows upcoming payment scheduling by automatically reminding tenants before the due date. Tenants who split the rent with their roommates can also divide the bill accordingly.
  • Apartments.com: Previously known as Cozy, this tool automates rent collection and monitors all rental payments from one dashboard. You’ll see everything in one glance. The platform also sends reminders to tenants, just like Avail.
  • Buildium: If you have 50 or more properties in your rental portfolio, Buildium is your best bet. The software can set up recurring and one-time payments for tenants to pay online or offline, where the funds are transferred in a few minutes instead of a few days.

There are others, too, like Zillow Rental Manager, Rentec Direct, TurboTenant, PayRent, and ClearNow. Whichever platform you choose, you can rest assured that rent collection will take care of itself.

Automatic Payments, Automatic Cash Flow

Setting up recurring rent payments is an easy way to make collecting rent more convenient for both the landlord and the tenant. Not only does it help ensure that your rental income is always on time, but it can also save you time and money in the long run.

We hope this blog gives you a better understanding of how to set up recurring rent payments and why it’s a good idea to do so.

If you have any questions or need help getting started, join us as a REIA member today  and attend our upcoming meeting ! We also have a newsletter, so you’re never out of the loop.

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Landlords

Marketing a Rental Property: Why & How Landlords Can Brand Their Rentals

: A young designer developing new branding styles
Source: Photo by Faizur Rehman on Unsplash

What do you think of when someone says “electric car”?

I bet you’re thinking of Tesla. And you’re not alone—most people will think the same.

Tesla has established itself as a high-performance energy automaker with a futuristic outlook. Tesla’s branding is so strong the company aptly grabs premium position in every market it’s entered—from solar panels to batteries, the big T is the front-row storyteller.

Wouldn’t it be fantastic if you could use the same strategy for your rental property business?

Good news: You can, and you should. Branding is a powerful marketing tool that enables you to put your business in any position you choose, regardless of whether you want to be known as the “best bang for your buck” apartment unit or the “most exclusive luxury” rental mansion.

Let’s discuss why and how you can brand your rentals to increase your property’s appeal.

Why You Should Brand Your Rental Property

Giving your rental units a brand helps them stand out from the competition, giving you an edge that gets the attention of potential tenants. Unique branding can especially improve your property’s recognition in areas with rentals similar to yours, like if you own one unit in a large apartment building, for example.

Here are three benefits you’ll get from branding your rentals:

  • You’ll attract more tenants. A recognizable brand boosts marketing efforts. Your reputation will spread, tenants will advertise word-of-mouth to their friends, and even when you’ve reached full occupancy, the fact that you’re “fully booked” increases the value of your rental and its demand. You’ll unlikely run out of prospective tenants to keep your vacancy rates low.
  • You’ll attract better tenants. Marketing to the needs of your target demographics proves successful when you attract the very tenants you want. Better tenants maintain the home well and are less likely to move out for trivial reasons, protecting your assets and returns in the process.
  • You’ll be able to charge higher rent and fill vacancies faster. You can potentially charge higher rent if you brand your rental as a premium place. There’s also the concept of perceived value, where tenants pay more for a distinctive experience—even if you didn’t necessarily spend more for the rental property. They’ll be hesitant to leave and likely to justify the higher rent.

The advantages of branding only becomes more apparent if you put yourself in your tenant’s shoes. If you’re choosing from various units to rent, and one of them provides an incomparable experience that’s just your style, wouldn’t you bet all your marbles there? Exactly.

How You Can Brand Your Rental Property

Branding goes beyond creating fancy logos and a unique color scheme for your walls. To brand is to create a compelling story that drives emotion and encourages prospective renters to join the experience.

The key to successful branding is authenticity and trust. Your goal should be to show your potential tenants that your business is valuable to them because they are valuable to you. Caring about your target demographic means showing up for them by offering properties that accommodate their styles.

Here are the best practices for a unique rental branding that’s one of a kind:

  • Communicate a clear message. What do you want your tenant pool to remember about your property? If Tesla is about high-powered and clean electric machines, what’s your rental’s selling point? Make your message memorable, impactful, and novel.
  • Connect with your tenant’s values. What does your tenant pool want out of a rental? What kind of lifestyle are they dreaming of? Prioritize what they prioritize by understanding their perspective. Tesla’s audience prefers luxurious comfort that’s fun. What does your audience care about?
  • Motivate potential renters to act. Branding is marketing, so be clear about what you want your tenant pool to do. Are you looking to fill units quickly? Do you want to make reservations for future openings? Or do you just care that the tenants you fill in are in-tune with your movement to, say, be sustainable or promote mental health, and 100% occupancy isn’t really the goal?
  • Create a sense of belonging. We all crave the feeling of being “home” with like-minded individuals. Create an atmosphere of support and transparency to gain the trust and loyalty of your tenant pool. They’ll see your rental as a safe haven—not just another roof over their heads.
  • Be consistent across all touchpoints. Ensure that your branding bleeds across everything you do and produce—from listing descriptions to how you talk with applicants and take care of your current tenants. Imagine if Tesla suddenly releases a budget-level electric motorcycle for delivery services. That’d be so jarring you’d doubt its entire branding altogether!
  • Stay updated with any changes in the tenant pool. Your target audience’s needs change. Keep a pulse on their demands and behaviors to ensure your branding stays relevant.

The goal is to set yourself apart from competitors to attract the best tenants into your rental business and keep occupancy high. Listening to one “secret sauce” to all successful brands, which you can apply to one or all of the homes in your portfolio.

Good Branding: The Not-So-Secret Ingredient to Business Success

Just because your rental business isn’t as big as the giant Tesla corporation doesn’t mean that good branding won’t work. In fact, branding is what makes a business grow to unprecedented heights.

So, craft a compelling message, connect with your target market’s needs and values, motivate them to do business with you, create a sense of familial belongingness, be consistent with your promise, and stay updated to remain relevant.

The more you understand the decision making process of your tenant pool, the more you’ll see the opportunities for using branding as a real estate marketing strategy.

Join our upcoming meeting for more investment tips! We are a growing community of like-minded individuals sharing our learnings in the real estate space. Subscribe to our newsletter as well and become a member to become the best property investor you can be.

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Landlords

What’s Happening with Rental Amounts in the City of Detroit?

Source: Photo by Andre Taissin on Unsplash

We’ve all seen the headlines—average rent prices are falling for the first time since the latter part of 2020 when COVID was the culprit. For those invested in Detroit rental properties though, the news isn’t as bad as in other parts of the country.

Let’s look at what happened in the Detroit market, for you to stay updated and vigilant in protecting your investments. (TL;DR? Don’t panic! It’s real estate market dynamics.)

Nationwide Rents Decline in Major US Cities

As the graph below shows, the August national average rent price, according to Redfin, was up 11% year-over-year from 2021. If you compare it to past trends, this figure is the smallest recent annual increase we’ve seen—down from a 19% gain in March 2022.

Even if we were to look at the month-on-month growth, the median rent only moved slightly by 0.4%, which is the slowest growth since late 2021 and a drop from the 1.6% increase last year.

Source: Redfin

“Rent growth will likely slow further as the Federal Reserve continues to raise interest rates. Higher interest rates impact the rental market because they put a damper on spending power in the economy as a whole, including renters’ budgets,” Taylor Marr, Redfin’s Deputy Chief Economist, said.

Rent Trends in the Detroit Housing Market

We can’t confirm if the data below only covers the City of Detroit or the entire Metro Detroit area, but we see that the market is included in the top rent price drops nationwide in August 2022:

Source: Apartments.com

Moreover, executive director of Detroit Future City, Anika Goss, shared, “During the pandemic… people living in the bottom quadrant of the income scale were not being supported. If rent softens and people are back to work in 2022, we might see an evening out… in a year or two years.”

Should Detroit investors lower their rent to attract and retain tenants? Fewer people are purchasing homes but they still need a roof over their heads, so they rent. But it seems like Detroiters in the lower demographics are struggling to pay rent, even with the supposed decline in rent average.

Then again, the data above might only reflect rent decline in the City of Detroit—excluding the rest of Metro Detroit which includes far more affluent areas like Oakland County. As we know, these areas aren’t as affected by economic downturns compared to lower income zones.

In fact, based on our observations as a property management company in Metro Detroit, rent averages have flatlined (not declined). The reason why reports show dropping rent averages in the City of Detroit is likely due to an increase in vacant properties instead.

Looking at recent statistics and trends, the city is actually doing pretty well:

  • The city still has exceptionally low home prices with a median sales price of $100,000—a growth of 38% from late 2021 to 2022. In terms of rent, it’s also the fastest-growing city in the metropolitan area, where rent averages are said to have increased by 32% from 2021 to 2022.
  • The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city is $1,000, which is a 4% decrease compared to a year before (February 2022). For a three-bedroom though—which is more popular in the housing market—the median rent is $1,200, which is a positive 9% year-over-year change.
  • Plus, looking at Zillow data, the City of Detroit saw an  increase in average rent, where investors are charging $20 higher rent than last year:
Source: Zillow

The data above is good news for Metro Detroit investors. And if you do have tenants struggling to keep up with rent payments, we suggest that you reevaluate by asking the following questions:

  • Are you charging above neighborhood rent averages?
  • Are your tenants struggling with rent payments?
  • Are they paying on time and in full?

If you screened your tenants well, they might not have financial problems. But if the economy’s downturn caused them to lose their jobs that affected their income, you might need to help them out.

“Gas prices are coming back down, but rents are going up 10, 12, 15%. And rent can end up taking 40% of these households’ income,” Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan said.

Ultimately, your cash flow depends largely on your tenant’s ability to pay rent. As much as you want to generate top dollar from your rental properties, you won’t get any returns if the renters themselves can’t afford your home in the first place.

Finding the Sweet Spot for Rent Prices in the City of Detroit

The City of Detroit (and certain areas of Metro Detroit) remains to be a landlord’s market, with rent prices increasing despite the economic downturn. It presents an opportunity for investors willing to lower their rents to attract more tenants than ever before, although doing so requires careful financial evaluation.

Screen your tenants carefully and keep an eye on the economy, and your rental properties will remain profitable even with all the market shifts happening. Your goal is to secure capable tenants while generating a healthy return on investment—find that sweet spot for a win-win solution.

Do you want more tips and guidance on navigating the Detroit market?

Sign up as a member, subscribe to our newsletter, and join us in our upcoming meetings. Let’s share information and expert tips to ensure that our investments adjust and adapt to the market.

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Landlords

Go Beyond Airbnb: Where Should You List Your Short-Term Rental?

A magnificent cabin nested in the forest
Source: Photo by Madhur Shrimal on Unsplash

Landlords of short-term rentals shouldn’t stop listing on Airbnb. While the platform is the most popular website for finding hotel alternatives, you should also consider other platforms that can increase exposure, generate more bookings, and gain consistent rent income.

So, here’s a list of Airbnb alternatives you should consider listing your short-term rental on.

1. VRBO: The Reach Multiplier

Listing your short-term rental on VRBO (Vacation Rentals by Owner) means that your property is listed on the platform’s affiliated sites: Expedia, Trivago, and KAYAK for increased reach.

Moreover, VRBO isn’t limited to one property type. Feel free to list your cottages, cabins, bungalows, townhouses, lodges, farmhouses, villas—even yachts, castles, and mills on VRBO. The exposure and possibilities you’ll get on VRBO are endless.

2. Booking.com: The One-Stop Shop

Booking.com is another platform that serves more than 1.5 million guests per day in over 43 languages. There are already millions of homes and apartments listed on this platform. Plus, landlords have complete control over their house rules, adding booking prerequisites, and reporting guest misconduct.

It says it’s “serious about your success” and has the safety features to prove its commitment. In addition, Booking.com is a one-stop shop where guests can also book flights and car rentals—so you wouldn’t want to miss the chance to leverage convenience.

3. Plum Guide: The Luxury Platform

Is your property a charming home for bougie guests? Then list it in Plum Guide, where only the most remarkable homes are shown. They are the benchmark for quality rental stays, focusing on providing guests with the finest luxury properties in the market.

Guests have even said that they prefer this platform over Airbnb because Plum Guide’s property photos match the actual accommodation, the reviews are accurate and not glorified, and there was excellent customer service and communication with the host.

However, note that Plum Guide vets and grades properties before allowing them to be listed. This is how it ensures quality over quantity and means that you’ll have less competition on the platform.

4. Agoda Homes: The Asian Market

List your property on Agoda Homes where you can earn extra income by having access to millions of quality travelers daily. There’s also zero commission and plenty of hosting tools to manage your property via desktop and mobile—so you can manage your homes on the road. Plus, Agoda Homes focuses on the Asian market, which means you can expand your reach to other countries.

Agoda Homes’ dashboard for short-term rental hosts is also uniquely designed for easy decision-making and task prioritization, so you’ll have everything you need to increase your bookings.

Expanded Reach + Increased Bookings = Multiplied Profits

Of course, there are other platforms, like Homestay, Sonder, and Blueground, that we didn’t mention in the list. But the point is to make you realize that you shouldn’t stop by only listening on Airbnb when there are many alternatives out there that can give you additional benefits.

Remember that the more you expand your reach, the more bookings you’ll generate—resulting in higher, more consistent profits from your real estate investments.

Do you need more help? Get in touch with me today. You can start by joining REIA as a member, so you can attend our upcoming meetings and receive helpful information via our newsletter.

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Landlords

How Should Landlords Handle the Recent Rent Price Decreases?

A woman opening her wallet and realizing there are no bills
Source: Emil Kalibradov on Unsplash

It might have come as a shock to a lot of landlords as market conditions have drastically reversed in the past year, bringing the 20-month streak of increasing rent amounts to a halt. Unfortunately, this drop in rent prices is seen across the nation, affecting many investors’ potential returns.

So, what can you do about it to stay profitable in your real estate investment?

Let’s discuss it below.

How did rent prices decrease significantly?

In recent months, the US real estate market slowed down, where rent decreased by 0.1% across 40 of the most extensive metropolitan areas in August 2022. Renters celebrate financial relief (excellent), but investors clutch desperately to their original investment returns (not ideal).

Here’s a snapshot of the rent price movements across 40 markets, where we see that our home area, the City of Detroit, has dropped 0.5% month-over-month:

Source: Apartments.com

Jay Lybik, CoStar Group’s national director of multifamily analytics, said, “We’re seeing a complete reversal of market conditions in just 12 months, going from demand significantly outstripping available units to new deliveries outpacing lackluster demand.”

Beyond that, places like the City of Detroit are experiencing a labor shortage in the construction and maintenance industry of the City of Detroit. While this news means that it’s harder to build homes (bad news for anybody developing a property), it means that the demand for housing stock is still increasing. And, more importantly, people are competing for a limited number of units (good news for landlords and rental property investors).

If you’re a rental property investor in the City of Detroit, ensure that you stay ahead of the curve and keep your properties in excellent shape to attract and keep tenants. And of course, always keep an eye on the market and prepare to adjust your rents accordingly.

What should landlords do when rent averages decline?

The most important rule in real estate investing is to stay updated with the market’s current status to change your strategy on the fly and avoid significant financial losses. For instance, if you know that there’s an oversupply of rental units in your area and not enough renters to fill those up, opt to lower your rent to attract quality tenants willing to pay for a comfortable space.

But if you think that the rent prices in your area will continue to decline, selling your property might be the best move to make. This tip is especially true if you’re carrying a lot of debt—the last thing you want is to end up upside down on your mortgage.

Of course, there are other strategies that you can do to stay profitable during a rent price decline. Here are 4 tips to maintain financial viability:

#1 – Review your financials and make necessary changes

Go over your finances and see where you can make adjustments. This might mean looking for ways to reduce expenses, like cutting down on maintenance and marketing costs. You should also consider ways to increase your income, such as by finding new tenants or increasing rent for existing ones. If you have vacant units, consider offering discounts or incentives to attract new renters.

#2 – Negotiate with your lenders

This could involve asking for a lower interest rate on your mortgage or a longer repayment period. You might also want to consider refinancing your loan so you can get more favorable terms. This could help you free up some extra cash each month that you can use to cover other expenses.

#3 – Raise rent for existing tenants

If you can, consider raising the current rent amount for your existing tenants. Doing so could help offset any decline in rent prices that you’re experiencing. Of course, you must be careful not to price your tenants out, so raise your rent slowly to keep occupancy up without dragging your returns down.

#4 – Diversify your portfolio

Diversifying your portfolio means investing in other types of property, like commercial or vacation rentals. Doing so could help you mitigate some of the risks that you’re facing with your rental properties and generate additional income to cover your expenses.

Rent Drops Doesn’t Always Mean Cash Flow Decrease

The biggest takeaway from all of these is that landlords should always be updated with the latest market trends so they can change their strategy accordingly. This way, they’ll be able to protect their investment and even grow their portfolio despite a rent drop.

No matter what strategy you use, stay proactive and adapt to the changing market conditions. By doing so, you can minimize the financial impact of a rent price decline and keep your business healthy.

One way to stay updated is by signing up as a REIA member. You can also subscribe to our newsletter and join our upcoming meetings, so you’ll be the first to know any tips or advice we have regarding the real estate market. The market is always changing, so you have to as well.

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Landlords

Pros and Cons: Should You Rent to Section 8 Tenants?

Source: Photo by Jem Sahagun on Unsplash

Section 8 tenants are individuals the government has approved for housing assistance. This program is for low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford safe and clean housing. To be eligible for Section 8 assistance, a family must meet specific guidelines that show they require financial help.

Now, of course, there are pros and cons to renting to Section 8 tenants.

Some landlords may hesitate to do so because of the extra work and paperwork or because they have heard stories about problematic tenants. However, there are still benefits to renting to Section 8 tenants, as you’ll realize below.

We’ve listed all the pros and cons to help you make a good decision.

Pros of Renting to Section 8 Tenants

While most information online (especially in forums) list difficult situations with renting out to Section 8 tenants, there are advantages to accepting them that may change your mind. Here are 4 of them to consider if you’re a landlord:

1. Generate Stable Cash Flow

When tenants have Section 8, the government agency pays their rent directly to the landlord or property owner. This means you’re more likely to get paid on time and in full. In addition, the government will still cover the cost if the tenant does not pay their portion of the rent (usually 30%).

2. Increased Tenant Options

When you open your units up to Section 8 tenants, you may have a larger pool of potential renters. This can be beneficial if you live in an area with a tight housing market or if you’re having trouble finding suitable tenants in the area.

3. Opportunity to Help the Needy

By renting to a Section 8 tenant, you’re getting a good deal and helping someone in need.

Families who receive assistance through this program often have low incomes and would otherwise struggle to find affordable and safe housing. As a landlord or property owner, you can make a difference in their lives by providing them with a place to call home.

Cons of Renting to Section 8 Tenants

Of course, there are also some disadvantages to renting to Section 8 tenants—as with any type of rental agreement. Still some concerns are unique to this type of tenant. Here are 3 of them that you’ll need to consider before taking the leap:

1. More Paperwork and Regulations

Renting to Section 8 tenants requires more paperwork and regulation compliance. For example, you’ll need to keep detailed records of your unit and ensure that it meets all the housing standards set by the government. In addition, you may have to deal with inspections regularly.

2. Limited Options for Termination

If you end up with a troublesome tenant, getting them out of your unit may be difficult. The government has strict rules that protect Section 8 tenants, so you’ll need to have a good reason for wanting to terminate their lease.

The increased complexity of contract termination can be time-consuming and frustrating, especially since it’ll be on top of your already-difficult situation.

3. Possible Lowering of Rent

Contrary to the point earlier, if you live in an area with a lot of Section 8 housing, you may be required to lower your rent to stay competitive. In addition, if the government changes its regulations or funding levels, your rent could decrease as well. This may lead to financial problems down the road.

Find Quality Tenants—Section 8 or Not

There are pros and cons to renting to Section 8 tenants. So weigh all your options carefully before deciding. If you decide to rent to them, be prepared for the extra paperwork and regulations involved. You’ll increase your tenant pool, but you’ll need to know the caveats that come with it.

Do you need help finding good tenants? Join as a REIA member today!

We have regular meetings and newsletter that you can greatly benefit from as a landlord. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to further your investment knowledge and reach your investment goals wisely.

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DIY Landlords

Investing in Real Estate from a Property Manager’s Perspective

Executive Summary

Many real estate investors self-manage their properties and I did too learning from my experience as I went. However, professional property managers have a lot of experience to help both new and seasoned real estate investors make the best investment and property management decisions. I asked my property manager, Jill Powell, of 1st Choice Real Estate, PLLC to share some of her insights into what investors should be considering.

Property Management Considerations Before Purchasing

Interestingly, all of the suggestions from my property manager come before purchasing the property. Thus, education and preparation are key to success in real estate investing. However, from my own experience, there are things that you just cannot anticipate and only experience teaches you.

15 Things to Consider Before Making that Next Purchase (in no particular order)

  1. New property investors should not buy older homes that have been turned into multi-units with all utilities included. These properties are often efficiencies or one bedroom units with transient tenants. You will have sky high turnover and sky high utility bills. Plus, you can’t hold anyone responsible for leaving the junk sofa on the curb that you now have to pay to have disposed.
  1. If you buy in a college town, have the parents co-sign.
  1. Always run prospective tenants’ credit and have a good way to score the rest of the application findings. Make sure the application is complete and all steps followed—no cutting corners or exceptions.
  1. If you don’t have a lot of spare time or don’t enjoy tenant calls at 3 a.m., when their heat goes out in Michigan in the winter, think about hiring a property manager. After self managing at first, I now buy my properties with the intent of having a professional property manager help me run my rental business.
  1. Use a cashflow or deal analysis spreadsheet prior to writing your offer. My property manager has seen many out of area investors pay for inspections only to walk on the deal once they find out what the local taxes will be after buying, local cost of the rental licensing and the true cost of rehabbing the property. It pays to have a professional on your side. I always have my property manager weigh in and be involved prior to making any offers. They are a valuable part of my team.
  1. Use a local Realtor who specializes in rental properties. They can tell you not only what is happening with property values and market rents in the area but also things like is there a moratorium prohibiting rentals in that subdivision, a limit on the number of unrelated persons in a property or a limit on the number of pets a tenant/owner can have in a property in that area. 
  1. Get the details from your lender before making the offer so you have the exact downpayment number as this will affect your rate of return.
  1. Start slow and learn from each property.
  1. Investing in real estate is not a way to earn “passive income.” It is a very time consuming business unless you use a property manager.
  1. Be cautious purchasing rental properties with tenants in place. Ask for a tenant ledger. Ask for current photos or, better yet, inspect all units personally. Look up rental/tenant violations for the property historically. Drive by the property at multiple times of the day to see how the tenants maintain the property.
  1. Research rental rates for the area. Just because the listing says they can get a certain rent doesn’t mean they actually are—verify it against market rents.
  1. Know the local laws regarding “discrimination based on income source” for things like section 8 vouchers.
  1. Decide if student housing is right for you. You will have high turnover, higher costs to get the property ready to re-rent and potential issues locally if the tenants like to party.
  1. Have a good CPA. They can help save you a lot of money and understand the tax implications of the investment.
  1.  Make sure you understand the local rental laws where you purchase property.

Conclusion

A professional property manager is a valuable part of any real estate investor’s team. Even if you self-manage your properties, you can learn from their experience to make the best investment and property management decisions before you buy your next property.

About the Author

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Landlords

Why Cheap Houses Aren’t Always Profitable and How to Buy Ones That Are

If you’ve been participating in real estate forums and websites for a while now, you’ve likely noticed that new investors are often interested in buying the cheapest house they can find. In addition to getting a better Rent-to-Price rate, they believe that buying cheap will save them money on closing costs and property taxes. But there’s much more to investing than the purchase price of a home.

Cheaper houses may seem appealing on paper (or laptop screens), but it’s important to consider all the implications that come with them. And if you still decide to buy one, you need to understand what you’re getting yourself into.

Otherwise, you risk buying an asset that actually loses you money instead of bringing in a profit. 

Why Cheap Houses Are Rarely the Best Idea

The term “cheap” is relative to your perspective and can vary from market to market. Even so, whether it’s buying a home for $40,000 that rents for $700 or anything similar, buying cheap homes goes against these four pillars of conservative investment.

The 4 Pillars of Real Estate Investing

These are the crucial pillars you need to be aware of when purchasing a property:

  1. Capital Preservation: As a conservative investor, you want to protect your money and avoid loss within your portfolio. In exchange for large returns, you prioritize investment security and stability.
  2. Stable Cash Flow: You want to have the assurance of positive cash coming into your investment business. This way, you’ll increase your assets and have the funds for daily operations.
  3. Appreciation or Equity Gains: Aside from cash flow, you also want to gain equity as your property increases in value over time. This allows you to make a profit once you decide to sell.
  4. Tax Benefits: The biggest tax benefit of purchasing real estate is in the form of deductions. These come from property tax, mortgage interest, repairs, operations, and depreciation.

Why are cheap properties against these pillars? Well, it’s because they tend to come with a host of problems, some that you might not have considered. Here are a few problems and limitations you’ll face when going with a cheap property:

  • They’re located in areas leaning towards economic decline.
  • They have poorer tenant payment performance, leading to higher eviction costs.
  • They have higher tenant turnovers and RentReady costs.
  • They often come with underlying deferred maintenance issues.
  • They are harder to insure, since the cost of replacing the property often exceeds its insurable value.
  • They are difficult to secure lending for.
  • They come with limited exit strategies.

These reasons show why buying cheap isn’t always the smartest strategy. Going for a slightly more expensive property (like a Class C instead of a Class D) might take a bigger chunk out of your savings upfront, but it’s often a smarter choice in the long run.

Of course, if you’re still planning on purchasing a cheaper property, here are some factors you need to prioritize.

How to Approach Buying Cheap Properties

Not all cheap homes are traps, but you’ll need to know how to spot the good ones. You don’t want to end up with a decrepit building that eats up your savings. So, when buying cheap properties, make sure to do the following:

  • Invest in Up-and-Coming Areas: Cheap properties are often on the outskirts of town, so ensure that it’s an up-and-coming neighborhood with a growing population and economy. This way, the property will retain its value and increase over time.
  • Anticipate Necessary Repairs: Since cheap homes often come with underlying problems, you should work with a professional inspector and licensed contractor. That way you can easily manage the complications and accurately estimate necessary repairs.
  • Check the Neighborhood and Tenant Pool Class: Ensure that the area attracts quality renters who will follow lease agreements and take care of your property. Cheap properties are often in lower-class neighborhoods, which means lower-class tenant pools, as well.
  • Run the Numbers: Conduct proper real estate analysis to ensure that the numbers make sense. Here are a few calculations to get started:
    • Net Operating Income (NOI): This number should show a favorable balance of income and expenses. Compare the NOI to similar properties in the area to see if you’ll also have high revenues and small expenses. 
    • Cash Flow: How much money will you pocket? The monthly rent you can charge should be 1% or higher than the purchase price to indicate strong cash flow generation. Buying a cheap property that can only demand so much rent defeats the purpose of investing in one, as you won’t have the rent-to-price ratio you expected to enjoy.
    • Cash-on-Cash (COC) Return: The higher the COC, the more the property can pay for itself. A good rule of thumb is to have a COC that’s higher than 10%.
  • Have a Great Management Strategy or PMC: It’s relatively easy to manage Class A & B properties because the tenant pool is higher demographic. Class C & D properties on the other hand, require a LOT more attention to be successful. You’ll need a solid plan to handle the inevitable tenant issues or hire a great (not just good) property management company. 

There are many other calculations to run, but these three should get you started on the right foot.

Conclusion

Cheap properties can create significant profits and become excellent investments when done properly. But if it only sinks you into debt, you might look back and wish that you spent your money on a safer investment opportunity instead.

As always, we suggest you do ample research and consult with other investors. When you do go with cheap property, make sure your purchase gives you results that are worth the risk.

What’s your experience with buying cheap properties? Share your tips below.

Categories
Landlords

Do You Have to Allow Emotional Support Animals in Your Rental?

Heres what to know if you have to allow emotional support animals into your rental property.
Source: Unsplash

Many landlords don’t allow any pets in their rentals.

Usually, it’s because the pets might destroy the home and jack up property maintenance costs with broken lamps, scratches on the wall, and leaving their smell in the carpets and furniture… These make renovations a hassle for landlords and also eat into the tenant’s security deposit—and nobody wants either of those.

But what about emotional support animals (ESAs) and service animals? Should you allow them in your rental properties? Conversely, is it legal to ban them from your rental properties, if you want to?

The answer is complicated because ESAs and service animals are technically not pets in the eyes of the law.

This doesn’t mean that you need to accept tenants with ESAs and service animals. However, it still prohibits you from denying applications due to animal assistance or implementing pet policies on the tenants.

With many regulations surrounding the topic, this article summarizes the important laws landlords need to know from the three following authorities:

We’ll show you the landlord obligations these governing authorities have and guide you on how to approach tenants with ESAs or service animals.

Laws Surrounding Emotional Support Animals & Service Animals

ESAs and service animals are legal assistants for individuals with disabilities and special conditions based on the FHA. Though they seem similar, there is a nuanced difference between the two animals. While ESAs are companion animals prescribed by a mental health professional, service dogs are assistance animals trained to do specific tasks that help a person with disabilities.

As a landlord, you don’t need to concern yourself over differentiating between the two. The bottom line is that both are considered medical devices instead of household pets, with similar laws that protect them.

Since they’re medical devices, these are some of the implications for landlords:

You can’t discriminate against them.

Rejecting an applicant just because they have an ESA is a type of discrimination. Even if the reason is that they did not disclose their ESAs before your approval (which they’re allowed to do), you’ll find yourself in a lawsuit if you try to rescind your approval.

The only time you can refuse is if the animal poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others. Even then, you’d need to show proof that they are indeed a threat, beyond their breed or size. 

You can’t implement pet policies.

When it comes to tenants with ESAs, you can’t implement pet policies against them, because they’re still medical devices, instead of household pets. So even if you are allowing pets in your rental, you can’t charge these medical devices with extra rent, a pet deposit, or fees to cover possible property damages.

Think of it this way: You can’t charge a wheelchair fee to a tenant just because it might scratch your hardwood floors. Likewise, you can’t charge an ESA or service animal fee, either.

You can’t decline reasonable accommodations.

Regardless of your pet policies, you may have to make “reasonable accommodations” for tenants who rely on their ESAs. The situation is similar to how the ADA requires rentals to accommodate wheelchairs. 

There are a lot of reasonable accommodation requests tenants with disabilities can ask for. Still, one of the most significant impacts to landlords is the obligation to waive any no-pets policies for tenants to live with their ESA or service animal.

The process typically goes like this:

  1. A tenant who is blind approaches a landlord with their seeing-eye dog.
  2. The tenant asks for reasonable accommodations on the rental property, such as lower doorknobs and light switches for their service dog to reach with its mouth.
  3. The tenant waits for the landlord’s response. Landlords must act promptly, as an unjustified delay is equal to failure to deliver reasonable accommodation.
  4. Landlords evaluate requests on a case-to-case basis, but always with the criteria that the accommodations should bring tenants closer to an equal opportunity to use and enjoy the rental.
  5. If the accommodations are reasonable, the landlord is then required by law to grant the tenant’s valid requests.

Another point to note is that tenants with disabilities are allowed to make property modifications for full enjoyment of the premises. For example, they can open the closed patio for their emotional support labrador to leave home and look for help in case of an emergency.

As the landlord, you won’t have much control over justified fixes that help a tenant function better with disabilities. While it might seem inconvenient, think about it this way instead—by making your unit more accessible, you’re actually expanding your potential tenant pool in the future. You’re also within your rights to make the tenant revert the unit back to its original condition upon MoveOut (at their own expense).

Conclusion

After scanning through laws and requirements, it seems that the simple answer is yes—you do have to allow emotional support animals into your rental property. And if you don’t, you could face some unpleasant repercussions. 

The main reasons are that:

  • The law prohibits you from discriminating against and denying tenants who have ESAs.
  • ESAs are medical devices that tenants with disabilities need and rely on every day.
  • ESAs are part of “reasonable accommodations” that landlords are mandated by law to grant.

Stay on the right side of the law and be more compassionate towards people with disabilities by welcoming ESAs and service animals as extensions of their owners—your potential renters.

Do you have any other reasons to allow ESAs and service animals in rentals? Drop your thoughts below!

Categories
Shortterm Rentals

Best Practices to Optimize Your Airbnb Listing

Wondering why your short-term rental on Airbnb isn’t performing as well as you hoped? 

You might think real estate knowledge is all you need to run a successful Airbnb, but there’s a lot more to it than that. The secret to having a highly-ranked listing and generating traffic on Airbnb is to use marketing skills, rather than real estate know-how.

But it’s not just about creating impressive listings with all the best features and amenities—you need to know how to rank well in search results. By doing so, more potential guests see your listing, and it’ll land you more bookings. And we all know more bookings mean higher profits.

So, to help you in this daunting task, we’ve listed the top ways to optimize your vacation rentals on Airbnb below. Use these ranking optimization techniques to get more people to choose your short-term rental units and see real results.

Tips for Higher Airbnb Ranking

In general, Airbnb recognizes good listings and rewards them with a higher search ranking. Airbnb does this because it wants the users (i.e. your guests) to have the best customer experience on their platform. After all, if they saw a dark basement suite with 2 stars review first, it wouldn’t reflect well on their own brand image.

As a host, your goal is to check off as much of these things as possible to have Airbnb rank your listing higher:

  • Ask for Positive Reviews: According to Airbnb host Nick Child’s data experiment, the average Guest Satisfaction score that shows up on the first page of search is a whopping 83.7%. This means that the more positive reviews you get, the more visible your rental will be.

So, provide your guests with the best experience and encourage them to leave a review after their stay. You want to have as many 5-star ratings as possible to appear on top.

  • Use Instant Book: Instant Book is a feature Airbnb has been pushing to make booking faster and easier for guests. More importantly, Airbnb confirmed that Instant Book is part of their search algorithm, and 50% of its bookings are via this channel.

Additionally, the Instant Book filter might be turned on by default for most guests. With the filter activated, guests will only see the listings that have Instant Book turned on. In other words, your rental might not show up if guests don’t turn off their Instant Book filter.

  • Respond Quickly: You’ll need to have a 90% or higher response rate to use Instant Book. This means that responding within 24 hours or less will boost your search ranking on the platform.
  • Hasten the Booking Process: Since Airbnb prioritizes ease and speed of booking, you should also gain their favor. The faster it is for a guest to finalize a booking with you, the more priority you’ll get on Airbnb’s search algorithm.

If you’re not sure how efficient your process is, evaluate how long it takes for you to finalize booking with a prospect. If they ask a lot of questions and can’t complete the booking within 24 hours, you need to improve your listing and hasten the process.

Improving your listing by adding all features and amenities offered (e.g., wifi, Netflix, cable, water heaters, etc.). That way you’ll reduce the time spent answering potential client clarifications.

  • Keep Booking Commitments: Because Airbnb prioritizes reliable hosts, you should only accept bookings you can commit to.b Every time you cancel or reject guests, Airbnb will see you as an unreliable host, decreasing your visibility on search pages.

One important thing is to ensure that your listing has all the details and considerations listed. That way, the only guests who’ll book with you are the one who agrees to your terms. It’ll be easier for you to accept them since expectations are all met.

  • Update Your Calendar Regularly: Airbnb checks if you’re updating your calendar regularly because they want guests to have an easy time booking a place. Don’t miss bookings when your unit is available, and remember to update it right away when a booking is confirmed.
  • Post Shareable Photos: We all know that good photos attract guests, but what you might not know is how important shareable images are—the types that guests can send to their friends before booking. The more they share your photos, the higher traffic you’ll get, which results in Airbnb prioritizing your listing on search.

Post photos that highlight the features of your listing, photos that aptly describe the place, and ultimately, have the highest chance of being added to the Wishlist feature or shared on social media.

Issues that Lower Your Airbnb Ranking

In contrast, Airbnb also sees “bad listings” and tries their best not to show these to their audience. Moreover, Airbnb also has some features that, when ignored, will lower your search visibility.

Make sure that you don’t do these things, or else you’re jeopardizing your ranking and preventing yourself from attracting guests:

  • Booking Cancellations & Rejections: As we said already, Airbnb wants to prioritize reliable hosts. This is the reason why they’re constantly pushing hosts to achieve the Superhost designation, and will deprioritize any hosts who have a high cancellation rate.

It’s difficult to stop guests from canceling. However, by updating your calendar and including all important details in your listing upfront, you can significantly reduce the chances of guests canceling a booking due to a myriad of reasons.

You also need to make sure you’re not rejecting guests because it will also make your rank go down. Every action you take on Airbnb factors is tracked and being factored into your performance.

  • Extra Charges: Extra service fees and additional security deposits will affect the amount of traffic your listing receives—especially if you’re charging more than other hosts. Once your booking rates drop, your search ranking will fall with it.
  • Too Strict: Flexibility is another factor to consider. While you might want to limit a guest’s stay to just a few days, like the weekend or weekdays, that excludes a lot of people. If you’re more flexible, you’ll appear in more searches. 

Summary

Use all our tips and tricks to optimize your short-term rental listing on Airbnb and help you generate more profits. When you’re a stellar host, your guests will thank you and appreciate it. While some see Airbnb as a means to make money, it’s also a way to provide others a lovely place to stay and create lasting memories when they visit.

Remember that it all boils down to providing a great experience for your guests. Impress them, and you’ll have plenty of people hoping to stay with you. 

Any other tips we’ve missed? Drop us a comment below on what’s worked for you with your Airbnb listing! 

Image courtesy of Andrea Davis

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