Structuring & Offering Lease-To-Own Deals Future homeowners searching for their next residence will often purchase it with the traditional financing plan of a mortgage and a down payment. But what if you have a prospective buyer who can’t get a mortgage due to their income or credit score? Or what if you are the buyer, and you just don’t want to shell out tens of thousands of dollars in interest payments to the bank? As it turns out, there is still a way to purchase or sell a home without getting the bank involved. How to Structure and Offer Rent-to-Own Home Deals Draft a Purchase Price ..read more

Legal Requirements of Real Estate Investing Rental rates are high right now, and investing in real property to rent may be tempting. Here are the legal considerations of owning and maintaining a rental property, from the office of a top Philadelphia bankruptcy attorney. The Lease  A lease is a contract between you and your tenant that sets forth the terms of renting the property. It may be a one-year lease or longer and can establish the terms of automatic renewal if you wish.   Every state differs as to required provisions and lease terms, however, a typical lease will include ..read more

Using a VA Loan After a Short Sale Having to execute a short sale on a VA-backed property can be extremely disappointing and heartbreaking. It may have you wondering if you’ve ruined your chances of purchases another home with a VA loan. That is not the case—there is hope! So, let’s break it down and talk about how and if you can use your VA loan after a short sale. Short sales, Foreclosures, and deed-in-lieu of foreclosures are not the same thing. The difference in these terms could help determine your eligibility to reuse your VA loan later. For now, let’s highlight the difference in these ..read more

5 Interesting Trends Shaping Today's Apartment Rentals Being a landlord or a real estate investor means entering a highly lucrative market where the growing population opts for rentals more than ever before. With increased demand comes more competition--and your apartment needs to match the needs of your target audience. As with every generation, your potential tenants in 2021 will look for very specific kinds of rentals with the latest features available. After all, renting an apartment is often a long-term investment, and it requires thorough research before you can find that perf ..read more

How to Fund Your Child's College With Real Estate If you’re like me, your house is a cluttered jungle of toy-parts sprinkled haphazardly throughout. Bikes to the left, toy cars to the right, and of course the pointed block right in the walking path! I call this the Good Morning, Dad block. If you think coffee is a stimulant, try a Melissa and Doug block to the arch-of-the-foot at 6AM. That, my friends, will get your blood pumping.  While parenting has its share of trials, I feel most of us would agree that it’s worth every minute. We all want the best things for our children. These days ..read more

5 Investment Opportunities for Veterans Returning to civilian life after active duty can be confusing and somewhat daunting. Whether you have been in the military for many years or if you have returned home after a grueling tour, adjusting to your previous life is definitely not an easy task. While there is a myriad of questions you need to answer and many issues you need to tackle during this adjustment period, one of the most pressing questions is how to achieve financial freedom for your family. Achieving financial stability can seem like a huge task for a veteran, but you can achieve ..read more

Understanding Your VA Non-Allowable Fees Using your VA Loan benefit may seem daunting at first, but it’s important to understand as many aspects of this benefit as possible. One of the great things about the VA Loan is that it minimizes closing costs for the veteran. Non-allowable fees are one of the ways that this is done. What are the VA Non-Allowable Fees? The VA Loan Non-Allowable Fees are fees that veteran borrowers cannot pay during the VA loan process. These fees can also be difficult to calculate due to the fluidity of the situation. Items that impact the fees are: * What state the l ..read more

Buying Real Estate With an LLC Real estate investors know they should acquire property in an LLC. But why buy in your own name if you’re going to turn around and deed it into an LLC? This raises the question of how to actually buy property in the name of an LLC. LLCs and Financing Ultimately, a big component of whether you’ll be able to close directly within an LLC is the financing involved, if any. If you’re buying with cash, then closing in your LLC will present no issues. If you’re using traditional financing (Freddie/Fannie loan), and if the property itself is residential, then you’ll be ..read more

Buying a Home Warranty One of the things a real estate agent should discuss with you during your home purchase is the home warranty. A home warranty can potentially alleviate financial strain during homeownership, but is it worth it? What is a Home Warranty? Although sometimes mistaken for an insurance policy--a home warranty provides a service contract through selected vendors for replacement or repair of things such as: major appliances, HVAC systems, plumbing, etc. Unlike insurance, home warranties do not cover structural features or damage from a flood, fire, theft, or other natural disast ..read more

Asset Management Roles in Multifamily Investing What is an Asset Manager? In short, the Asset Manager (AM) is the manager of the Property Manager (PM). From the time the listing is received--to the time the property is sold--, the AM is your boots-on-the-ground for understanding the investment property performance. The AM should live within driving distance of the property. While every deal is different, the AM will most likely be a General Partner in the deal. Including the AM as an equity partner gives them skin-in-the-game and naturally incentivizes them to execute the business plan as eff ..read more