7 Tips on Buying A House To Rent

Real estate property can be a solid investment, however you should consider several guidelines that can make buying a house worth it. Major tips on buying a house to rent out include:

Evaluate the risks

Buying a house to rent can be quite risky, so the first thing you should do is to consider whether it is worth it. Objectively evaluate your current savings and the money you still need to loan from a bank to buy new property. Will the rent be enough to cover your expenses in the nearest future and what return of investment ratio can you count on? These are the primary things that help you determine if the idea of buying a house to rent is worth it. Also, do not count on the increase in average rent rates. Even though they tend to grow, you should stick to raw calculations rather than gamble with your future.

Consider your target tenant

If you will be paying off the mortgage, you should look for tenants that will not be behind on their monthly check. On the whole, an average working family of two is considered to be the most reliable of all possible tenants.

Find suitable area and property type

Judging from your target tenant, you should find a perfect location of the house to invest in. Also, you should consider what kind of rented property would be the most suitable one for your target audience. As a rule, small two-bedroom houses are perfect for single people and small families, so you should consider purchasing this property type. Regarding the area, most experts believe that regions with at least 20,000 working population are the best for buying a house to rent.

Pay out most of the loan from rental income

It is crucial to deduct your monthly loan pay offs from the rental income. Otherwise, the whole undertaking loses its point. Ideally, you should pay off your loan from the rent check exclusively.

Search for ways to increase property value

There are hundreds of ways to buy an affordable house, invest into it, and thus increase the property value – and, consequently, your monthly rent checks. Careful redecoration and elegant furniture  are just one of them. Apart from equipping your house with brand new bedroom furniture , you should also take care of engineering communications, search for ways to make monthly utilities bills lower, etc. All of those things make the house more appealing  – so, they can increase your monthly rent income.

Insure the property

Accidents happen, and if you want to avoid unexpected expenses, you should take care of your property insurance before you let the tenants in. Also, you should make a careful inventory of the objects in your house, their condition, etc.

Keep records

Keeping records will come in handy for your yearly tax bill. Of course, you can do it the old-fashioned way – but an easier option would be to search for record keeping software, designed specifically for the landlords – there are plenty and some of these tools are free.