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It’s only a hassle if you’re not in control. There are a lot of ways to do investment property wrong, but here are the ways to do it right so that it’s an asset, not a nuisance.
- Be picky about the property. While you don’t need to purchase anything high-end, always choose something you could live in with no problem. The neighborhood is decent. The roof doesn’t leak. There are no mold or pest issues.
- If you’re not handy, find someone that is to help you out. Houses need maintenance. Taking care of your property is part of the business of ownership.
- Buy extended warranties on the appliances. If something goes wrong, you can get them repaired or replaced instead of having to buy new ones.
- Take charge of the pool care, landscaping, pest control and other services. Your tenants will be happier, and your property will be better for it.
- Have a strong rental contract or lease agreement. Get expert advice so that you’re in compliance with all tenant laws, but don’t leave yourself open to fishy situations.
- Hire a management service if you aren’t able to handle the day-to-day personally. Remember, rental property isn’t mobile, so if your career moves you across the state or across the country, you don’t want to have to sell the rental before you can move.
Owning a rental property is a long term investment. You won’t make your money back in the first year, or even the first several. It’s a long term investment. Don’t plan to live solely on the money unless you can invest in several rental units. But if you do it right, you’ll have a reliable source of passive income that will see you through your retirement years. Eventually, you’ll be able to exit your day job and live on the overage.
Spend time with a real estate professional experienced in buying investment properties. Let them know your long term goals and how you envision your rental property business. They can help you find properties, management services, contractors for repairs and even recommend a pool guy.
About the Author
Carolyn Andrews
Carolyn Andrews has over 30 years licensed Brokerage experience in both California and Colorado. Born in England, Carolyn moved to California in 1980, then relocated to Denver, Colorado in 1991. Carolyn has also received recognition for Top Sales at RE/MAX Alliance Aurora in 2007-2008 and is a member of the RE/MAX Hall of Fame & Chairman’s Club, as well as a recipient of the ReMax Lifetime Achievement Award. Carolyn has sold over 2000 homes personally in her career. Carolyn has been actively involved in many aspects of the Real Estate business including investment property, luxury homes, mountain resort property, skiin/ski out, REO/default management, loss mitigation, valuations, and disposition. She has been a speaker and panelist at several conferences and has been consulted on many occasions by various organizations in the REO/financial industries for her expertise and served on many boards. She has attended numerous ongoing classes to stay abreast of changes in the ever-evolving Real Estate industry. She is the prior State Director for Colorado for VAREP(Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals). She is a member of 3 boards of Realtors including Metro Denver, Colorado Springs and Summit County mountain areas. She heads up The Andrews Group and is or has been an active member of NAR, CAR,REOMAC, CIPS, CRS, AREAA, NAPW, NAHREP, and is an original member of the ELITEReal Estate network. She was ranked #1 for most homes sold in Denver 2007 by Denver Board of Realtors, #2 for 2008, and #2 for 2009, #5 in 2010 and #4 in 2011 and has been consistently in the top 10 ever since. Carolyn Andrews has been a top rated Endorsed Local Provider for the Dave Ramsey Organization and also a Top Producing agent for 2018 for the Homelight Company.
