Posted by Teresa on November 9, 2009 under Housing Trends | 
Coldwell Banker, the nationwide real estate firm, released a report on the most affordable college towns for investors. From Syracuse, NY, home of the University of Syracuse, to Athens, GA, where the UGA Bulldogs play, to the University of Notre Dame’s South Bend, IN, the comparison was limited to big football schools and homes of 2,200 square feet, four bedrooms, and two and a half baths. 120 markets were surveyed.
The results show that in 62% of the markets surveyed, real estate investors can pay less than $250,000 for homes of this size. Clearly, college towns offer great affordability for rental homes. Plus, the culture and ambiance of a college town makes these markets even more appealing to renters.
Some interesting facts that the study highlighted:
• The PAC-10 is the most expensive real estate conference, with an average of $747,180 for 4BR/2.5B/2200 SQ FT homes.
• Most affordable is the Mid America conference, where the average comparable home costs just $182,222.
• The ten most expensive college markets have average home prices ranging from $568,317 in Seattle, WA (University of Washington) to $1,489,726 in Palo Alto, CA (Stanford University).
• If those prices are too rich for your investing pocketbook, look to the middle portion of the US, where the ten least expensive college towns in this survey lie: Akron OH, Muncie, IN, Ann Arbor, MI, Ypsilanti, MI, Fort Worth, TX, Tulsa OK, Denton, TX, Houston, TX, Bloomington, IN, and Kent OH. Average prices for the four-bedroom comparison home in these markets are in the $122,000 — $166,000 range.
The president of Coldwell Banker called college markets a “best-kept secret” of the real estate industry. And, real estate pros have been investing in them for years. If you’re looking for your next investment opportunity, a rental home in a football-friendly college town just might be it!
Posted by Teresa on April 9, 2009 under Landlord Paperwork and Forms |
Keeping files in perfect shape is an elusive goal for most of us. But for landlords and property managers, a reliable record-keeping system is a must. If your strengths lie in areas other than document tracking, you may want to consider a property management company, rather than managing income property yourself.
Rental property owners who manage things themselves will benefit from strong record keeping skills. Start with a basic filing system, with separate sections for each rental property you own. Your local office supply store will be full of options, from simple accordion folders, boxes, and plastic tubs, to locking filing cabinets. When you outgrow your simple system, it’s a good idea to invest in fireproof, locking cabinets.
All property ownership documents, such as purchase offers and contracts, appraisals, loan documents, and insurance policies, should be accessible and protected. Store these items separately from the rental paperwork for the property. Keep accurate records of any incidents or claims against your insurance coverage.
Track income and expenses manually, or on spreadsheets. Or consider one of the many financial management or property management software packages available. Software varies in price range and features; check out a few to see which works best for you; or ask around to see what other landlords are using. Reports, correspondence templates, income and expense tracking, and other features may make a software package a good investment for you. But even if you track all your expenses electronically, paper receipts are still required for tax purposes. Keep them in expense folders for each property.
You’ll also want folders for all rental and tenant documentation. These include maintenance records, tenant applications, rental agreements, legal notices, and tenant correspondence. You never know when you’ll need proof of notices, complaints, or maintenance. If you are involved in a court dispute with a tenant, your good record keeping will definitely pay off. You don’t want to be in a situation where it’s your word against your tenant’s!
Rental property records should be maintained for three to five years, depending on the state where you live and/or own property. Property purchase and capital improvement records should be kept for as long as you own the property. Any records pertaining to injuries, evictions, or other legal matters should be maintained indefinitely.
Setting up and maintaining an efficient record-keeping system will pay off again and again. If you find yourself in court with a tenant or in an IRS audit, you’ll be grateful that your records are well organized!
For more landlord resources, including everything you need to know about
tenant screening, turn to
E-Renter.com. You’ll know that you have the best possible tenants when you
prescreen.
