Investing In A Rental Property

Copyright 2006 Donna Lewczuk

Over the last few years, relatively weak stock markets (compared to the late 90's) along with continued global economic uncertainty have changed the way many Canadians are investing their hard earned dollars. More and more Canadians are venturing into the rental property market, some swayed by the real estate appreciation that we've seen over the last few years. Others want to add real estate to their investment mix to better diversify their investment portfolios.

Condos and Multi-Units

Approximately 25 per cent of the condominium units built in Canada will be used as rental apartments. Additional investment is occurring in multi-unit residential properties such as duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes, as well as single-family detached housing. Canadians are looking to have the rent from these investments at least cover their costs and, over the long term, gain a reasonable return on their investment.

Consider Your Mortgage and Financing Needs Carefully

Investors who consider adding real estate assets are often confused about their mortgage financing options. Since the Bank Act allows only up to 75 per cent of the value of a property to be in uninsured financing, many investors who put 15 per cent down use an insured mortgage for the difference. The cost of the insurance premium can be as high as 2.75 per cent, which can translate into a $6200 cost on a $225,000 mortgage. Even so, not all investors can meet the strict requirements that go along with an insured mortgage on rental property.

These requirements include having a relatively high net worth and demonstrating that you can carry the mortgage payments in addition to your other debts without factoring in all of the rental income you will receive. This certainly doesn?t leave room for many Canadians who want an investment property.

Another option if you have a good amount of equity in your principal residence is to take some of that equity out, typically through a line of credit, to get a big enough down payment that then may qualify you for a regular first mortgage.

Financing Made Easy
To simplify the process, you can also now consider those lenders who have mortgage products specifically designed for small investors who own or are purchasing a residential investment property. Canadian investors can now access up to $500,000 without costly mortgage insurance premiums, or leveraging the equity in their principal home. Up to 85 per cent financing inclusive of applicable fees is available for single family units or up to a fourplex located in major urban centres. Properties on well and septic systems located in a town or subdivision can also qualify. Typically, 75 per cent financing is available for condominium units and all properties must generate a positive cash flow.

Perhaps now more Canadians can heed the wisdom offered by many financial professionals and diversify, diversify, diversify by including real estate in their investment portfolios.

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Rental Income Investment Property

Many people dream of owning a vacation home. But often concerns about maintaining it, renting it out in the off-season, or even justifying the expense when it's only to be used for a couple weeks of the year keep them from making the dream a reality. Now condo hotels, an innovative type of vacation home ownership, provide a welcome solution to all these problems.

Also known as condotels or aparthotels, condo hotels have been growing in popularity as an approach to owning a luxurious second home.

Condo hotel buyers purchase an actual condominium unit in an upscale hotel or resort. The property functions as a full-service hotel, and owners have access to all facilities, amenities and services just like hotel guests.

They receive a deed to their unit and can use their vacation home when they want. When not in residence, they can place their unit into the hotel's rental program and share in the revenue it generates. Like most real estate investments, the owner can also sell his condo hotel unit at any time and may make a profit on its appreciated value.

Young professionals, baby boomers and seniors alike are just beginning to discover the benefits of owning a condo hotel unit. They appreciate the hassle-free nature of condo hotels as a second home in which a professional management company handles everything from property maintenance to finding hotel guests to rent the units. They also consider condo hotels a means to diversify their investments.

Condo Hotels Are Not Your Parents? Timeshare

As hybrid properties, condo hotels differ from timeshares in a number of ways. With timeshares, buyers pay only for the right to use the property for a set amount of time each year, usually a single week. They don?t own the title to the property, and they do not receive any rent revenue for the weeks they're not in residence.

Condo hotel owners can use their condos when they want throughout the year, within the guidelines of the individual development. They receive a percentage of any revenue their unit generates when they're not there and the unit is rented out to hotel guests.

Timeshares traditionally diminish in value over time, rather than appreciate. While the history of condo hotel resales is rather limited, they are seen as an appreciating asset.

Condo Hotels Offer Facilities

How do condo hotels differ from owning a traditional single family house or condominium? Consumers who purchase a traditional condominium pay property taxes, insurance and maintenance fees, but typically don?t have access to hotel-type amenities.

Condo hotels, on the other hand, are not your standard second home. They are suites in a hotel designed condominium.

The properties often feature four- or five-star amenities, ranging from full-service spas and fitness centers to fully-equipped business centers and fine-dining restaurants. They also come with exceptional hotel services like concierge, valet and room service.

With condo hotels, owners reap the rewards of condo ownership while enjoying the privileges of a full-service hotel.

Condo hotel units range from studios and full-size apartments to luxurious penthouses and villas. Prices for these homes range from $250,000 to over one million for top properties.

Condo Hotels Generate Revenue to Cover Their Costs

What makes the condo hotel concept so appealing? When owners are not using their condo hotel unit, they have the option of placing it into the hotel's rental program. They receive 60% of the revenue their unit generates with the balance going to the hotel operator. The revenue generated helps offset the costs of owning a holiday home.

While many hotel operators don?t guarantee the rental of the condo, by capitalizing on the hotel's brand name, strong sales and marketing capabilities, centralized reservation system and management expertise, owners typically receive a higher level of rental income than they would from a traditional vacation home.

More importantly, ownership is 100 percent hassle-free, as the hotel operator takes care of finding hotel guests and maintaining the unit as well as managing the property's many facilities.

Condo Hotel Expenses Are Shared

How are the ownership expenses split? As part of the rental agreement, the hotel pays for most operating expenses such as housekeeping, administration, sales and marketing. The condo hotel owner typically pays for real estate taxes, insurance and capital improvements. The rental revenue that owners receive helps defray these expenses and, in some cases, provides additional income.

Condo Hotels as investment Tools

While developers primarily sell their condo hotel units as a lifestyle and vacation home alternative, many buyers see merit in the condo hotel concept as an investment tool. They say it gives them the best of both worlds. They can enjoy all of the benefits of vacationing in a first-class hotel while they own a property that has potential to appreciate.

For further information about Philippine condo hotels please do not hesitate to contact us:

Beth Collingz
PLC International Marketing Networks

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How To Know The Right Real Estate Club For You

You may have discovered that you need a real estate club in order to make it big in the real estate business. You may have already done your research on the benefits that you gain from your membership in a real estate club. You also may have been doing your assignment in identifying your specific needs to be considered as one of the ?big boys? of this business.

Practical Tips in Choosing the Right Real Estate Club

All these activities lead to one important aspect of decision making; identifying the right real estate club. There are a lot of real estate clubs to choose from. You can start your search for the right real estate club by clicking on the many sites on the Web that have a comprehensive directory of real estate clubs. You may even opt to join a specific online real estate club.

When scouting for the right real estate club, it is essential you consider those clubs that are appropriate with your present circumstances and needs. However, these are not the only considerations when making your final choice.

Research on the real purpose of these listed clubs you are seriously considering. You can do this by joining in a few meetings and activities being handled by these clubs. Make sure to profile the principal personalities behind these clubs and look through their motives in organizing the real estate club. Was the club organized to synergize? Was it started by the founders mainly to sell their products? Learn more about the members of the club and their reasons for joining. Determine if these motivations jive with your own goals in joining a real estate club.

There are other questions that need accurate and frank answers. You have to validate if the real estate club exists mainly for networking or education. Confirm whether the club is organized as a non-profit or profit organization. Both may be legitimate, but it is essential that you know what you may run into when you join a club. Determine if the club requires members to buy books and force you to pay for seminars which you are not interested in.
It is also important to validate the specific type of real estate sector the group is interested in. It might not be the same sector that you are making your investment. Study the roster of members of the real estate club. Validate how many are legitimate and actual real estate investors. This is essential if you want to get some important tips from seasoned real estate investors.
It is also wise to know the track records of the members of the real estate club. Differentiate the successful real estate investors and weigh your decision carefully. It would be nice to be in the league of successful real estate investors. Hopefully, their winning ways might rub-off to you.

Finally, determine the cost involved in joining the club. This should include the membership fee and other dues that are paid by regular members of a real estate club. Real estate investment is a very tricky business. It is essential that you learn the ropes of the trade as fast as possible and with fewer mistakes. Joining real estate clubs is one of the more effective ways to go in this kind of business venture.

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Predatory Lending Through Loan Steering

With the real estate industry still in high gear from the last five years of skyrocketing prices and low interest rates, predatory lending is at an all time high. The term has no hard definition, but it generally refers to those lenders who go out of their way to offer loans to buyers at substantially higher prices than those buyers would be able to find elsewhere. Predatory lending is a profitable business, and it is often disguised as legitimate lending by unscrupulous lenders or their agents.

It often works like this: An agent working for a lender, perhaps on their own, tells a prospective loan applicant that he or she doesn't qualify for the mortgage for which they applied. The agent adds that not only will this lender not approve them for a mortgage, but in all likelihood, neither will any other major lender. The agent then assures the borrower that everything will be all right, because he knows of a lender that can get the customer a loan.

At that point, he refers the customer to this other lender, with whom he is working. This lender will make a loan available to the buyer, but the loan has a high interest rate, exceedingly high closing costs, and a prepayment penalty that will make it quite difficult for the buyer to refinance later. The buyer, not knowing any better and feeling as though he or she cannot do any better elsewhere, signs the contract and accepts the high-priced loan.

The shady dealings don't end there. Often, such predatory lenders are interested in not only the loan proceeds, but the property itself. By offering high priced loans to people who may have credit and/or income problems, the lenders may be banking on the buyer being unable to meet their monthly mortgage payment. Once the buyer defaults, the lender can take the property through foreclosure and sell it at a profit. The lender gets property that they can easily sell, and the agent gets a commission from the loan and another kickback once the house is sold. The buyer, unfortunately, is left with damaged credit and no place to live.

Loan steering, as this practice is called, is most common in areas where buyers are poor or have credit histories that may make them less likely to qualify for a loan with a major lender. The people who practice this form of predatory lending are easily able to take advantage of customers who either don't know any better or those who think they cannot find a better deal with another lender.

If a lender denies your loan application and assures you that no one else will lend to you and then offers to send you to someone who will, be suspicious. It's much easier to simply check with other lenders yourself than to fall into a predatory lending trap.

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