Why You Should Be Investing Your Money In Real Estate

Why You Should Be Investing Your Money In Real Estate

Found this great article on Entrepreneur.com by Mark Kohler. Here is the link.

As entrepreneurs find success with their primary business ventures, many search for the proper investments for their profits.

Of course, we can and should all start traditional tax preferred vehicles like an IRA and 401k. These are the bedrock of good 'benefit' planning for ourselves and our employees. I'm also convinced more entrepreneurs should consider rental real estate as an important part of their portfolio.

I realize many business owners shrug off this concept after the recent downturn in real estate values, but let me list a few reasons that may change your mind:

1. Gain more leverage. Real estate is one of the few investment vehicles where using the bank's money couldn't be easier. The ability to make a down payment, leverage your capital, and thus increase your overall return on investment is incredible.

2. Grow, tax-free. Buying rental property based on speculation of its value is a dangerous tactic since cash flow is the key. However, appreciation over the long-run is certainly realistic and at the least you should be considering a tax-deferred strategy. In the future, you may even consider a 1031 exchange, charitable trust, or an installment sale to lesson your tax liability further.

3. Tax free cash flow. It's no secret that because of depreciation and mortgage interest deductions (if you leverage your capital), your cash flow should be tax-free. That's right! The far majority of the time an investor will never pay taxes on their cash flow and can wait for capital gains on the sale of the property in the future.

4. The tax write-offs against your other income. Depending on your classification as an Active Investor or Real Estate Professional and your income level, there is a good chance your rental property will not only give you tax-free cash flow, but an overage of tax deductions you can use against your other income. With that said, this is something you want to discuss with your tax professional before investing so your expectations are realistic.

5. Increased tax deduction strategies. Rental property affords investors with another incredible opportunity to convert personal expenses to potentially valid business deductions. Don't forget that rental real estate is a business. This means that travel expenses to check on your properties and payments to family members who manage your properties (such as students away at college) can be deductible and increase the tax benefits when it comes to cash flow and the future sale of the property.

6. Rental real estate is a forced retirement plan. Americans are terrible savers. We lack the self-discipline to put a monthly deposit into our IRA, SEP or 401k as small-business owners. However, buying a rental property is a significant commitment that you are required to commit to and maintain. You will always be grateful in the long-run when you don't give up on it and build future cash flow and wealth.

I meet with a lot of successful entrepreneurs, and almost every one of them has taken profits from their businesses over the years to invest in rental property. Based on this fact and the list above, I have consistently urged my clients to buy one rental property a year and already have clients with rental properties earning them money they never imagined they'd have.

The far majority of us will never get rich overnight. It takes long-term investing and a diverse portfolio to build true wealth. Don't forget real estate as an important part of the equation.

The Iron Eagle Realty Team's mission is to assist you, our client, in the sale and acquisition of real estate properties in the state of Idaho, specifically the Boise Idaho Real Estate Market. Whether you are buying or selling a home, whether it is a foreclosure, short sale or equity property, we handle our customers and clients with empathy and honest truths so they can make informed decisions as they advance in the process of buying and selling real estate that meet specific needs.

PS: We've Helped More Buyers and Sellers than 99.8% of any Local Realtor
Click Here to Search 24/7 for The Best Real Estate Deals in Boise!Click Here to Download Our Free "Selling Your Home" Pre-Listing Plan! Click Here to Pre-Qualify for a Loan Online!

Regards, Michael Hon, REALTOR®CEO, The Iron Eagle Realty Team
Associate Broker, Silvercreek Realty Group
Certified Short Sale Specialist®
Investment Property Consultant
Direct: 208.919.0458 Office: 208.939.9033 Fax: 208.514.1422
www.IronEagleRE.com Michael.Hon@IronEagleRE.com

Boise Idaho Fourplex Market Update - Prices, Interest Rates, Cap Rates, Etc.

Boise Idaho Fourplex Market Update

Since Jan. of 2013, interest rates for buying fourplexes have increased about 1% from the low 4's to the low 5's. So the spread between interest and cap rate are now becoming too narrow for an acceptable cash flow. So, either rates need to come down (don't know if that will happen) or cap rates need to go up, which means prices need to come down. However, to maintain current pricing, rents to need to go up as well which is happening but not fast enough to compensate for interest rate increase.

The Iron Eagle Realty Team's mission is to assist you, our client, in the sale and acquisition of real estate properties in the state of Idaho, specifically the Boise Idaho Real Estate Market. Whether you are buying or selling a home, whether it is a foreclosure, short sale or equity property, we handle our customers and clients with empathy and honest truths so they can make informed decisions as they advance in the process of buying and selling real estate that meet specific needs.

PS: We've Helped More Buyers and Sellers than 99.8% of any Local Realtor
Click Here to Search 24/7 for The Best Real Estate Deals in Boise!Click Here to Download Our Free "Selling Your Home" Pre-Listing Plan! Click Here to Pre-Qualify for a Loan Online!

Regards, Michael Hon, REALTOR®CEO, The Iron Eagle Realty Team
Associate Broker, Silvercreek Realty Group
Certified Short Sale Specialist®
Investment Property Consultant
Direct: 208.919.0458 Office: 208.939.9033 Fax: 208.514.1422
www.IronEagleRE.com Michael.Hon@IronEagleRE.com

5 Red-Hot Housing Markets That May Surprise You | InvestingAnswers

Here's a great article that I found about the best markets for real estate investments. 

5 Red-Hot Housing Markets That May Surprise You | InvestingAnswers

By Miranda Marquit
September 03, 2013

When my husband and I bought our home, prices were near their peak in our area. 

At the time, we had no idea that home prices in our market were near the peak. We thought we were buying in an area that had potential. We bought in a new subdivision. The town was expanding. Things were starting to blow up.

Unfortunately, at the time, we didn’t exactly have our fingers on the pulse of what was happening. We didn’t realize that housing permits were dropping in number, or even that employment was stagnating in our area. 

A year later, the financial crisis changed everything for everyone, and now, several years later, our home’s market value is $13,000 less than we paid.

We learned a valuable investing lesson from this experience. We learned that it’s important to pay attention to more than just (possibly) bubble-inflated prices -- and to carefully consider where we are buying to ensure that the housing market in the area really is on the way up.

Perhaps most important, we learned that it’s often best to buy closer to the bottom of a market. That's when you can find the best deals. In fact, my colleague Nathan Slaughter -- editor of Street Authority's High-Yield Investing newsletter, says if there was ever a time to invest in real estate, it is now. To put it bluntly, if you wait too long, you could miss out on a ton of potential profits from an opportunity that only comes along once every couple of decades. (Click here to learn more about his exclusive report.)

With that in mind, here's a list of markets that are booming right now. Next time we decide to buy -- or rather, if we decide to buy again -- we will research the situation more, and we will look for markets that recently saw bottoms but are truly heading higher. 

Places like…

Phoenix, Arizona

According to the NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI) issued on August 6, 2013, Phoenix is one of the 247 metro areas in the United States showing improvement in housing. Prices have improved 34.8% from their trough in 2011. This improvement is solid, but it also means that there are plenty of undervalued homes available in Phoenix.

On top of that, the IMI notes that permits have increased 3.4% and employment has improved 6.6% from their troughs of recent years. 

There is solid, but undramatic improvement, and it’s possible to get some good deals in this popular area.

Odessa, Texas

Texas has been on a lot of lists lately, with its cities showing signs of solid economic growth and housing market recovery. One of these towns is Odessa. 

According to the IMI, Odessa has seen a 27% improvement in prices since its trough in late 2010. Permits are also on the rise, gaining 29.9% since 2009. This means that you might have a choice of newer homes to choose from, as opposed to Phoenix, where there is still something of a glut of existing home inventory. 

Employment is growing as well. Odessa has experienced 29.1% employment growth since its 2009 bottom.

Bismarck, North Dakota

This town might be considered by some to be located in the middle of nowhere, but it has made its mark in the aftermath of the financial crisis.

North Dakota is one of the states that didn’t see a huge drop in employment, and that was sheltered, to some degree, from the worst of the recession. But the housing market is still blowing up in Bismarck. Indeed, home prices are up 29.4% from their trough in early 2010, and permits are up 41.8%. The IMI also says that employment is also still improving -- up 13.9% from its trough in 2007. 

Boise, Idaho

I’m from Idaho (but not Boise), so I found it interesting that Boise was represented on the IMI’s list of improving markets. When I considered the hit my uncle took when he sold his house during the recession, though, my surprise evaporated. After all, a market that ended up being smashed can make a great opportunity later, when you catch it on the upswing.

Boise has seen a 26.4% improvement in prices since the trough it reached in 2011. Permits are up 3.8%, and employment has improved 8% since their 2009 troughs. As with Phoenix, one way to look at these stats is to realize that there are plenty of good deals to be had on existing homes.

Detroit, Michigan

Yes. Detroit. Really. 

In spite of concerns over the city declaring bankruptcy, the housing market in Detroit is starting to heat up, probably due to the fact that there are people like Donald Trump who think that Detroit is worth investing in right now. It might not be a poor choice.

Home prices have rebounded 24.5% from their 2011 trough, and permits are up 10%. Even employment is improving, gaining 6.6%, according to the IMI, from the 2009 trough. If Detroit really is on the verge of a renaissance, now might be the time to get in on it.

The Investing Answer: Now is the time to start thinking about investing in real estate -- or even buying a primary residence. Prices, although up from their troughs in many markets, are still far from their pre-crash peaks. That means that, with the right research, you could get in now, while the markets are starting to blow up. You can get a good deal and even possibly see decent appreciation in the future.

P.S. -- As I mentioned earlier, don't miss Nathan Slaughter's exclusive report on what we call "Renter Nation." And remember: If you wait too long, you could miss out on big potential profits from an opportunity that only comes along once every couple of decades. Click here for all the details.

The Iron Eagle Realty Team's mission is to assist you, our client, in the sale and acquisition of real estate properties in the state of Idaho, specifically the Boise Idaho Real Estate Market. Whether you are buying or selling a home, whether it is a foreclosure, short sale or equity property, we handle our customers and clients with empathy and honest truths so they can make informed decisions as they advance in the process of buying and selling real estate that meet specific needs.

PS: We've Helped More Buyers and Sellers than 99.8% of any Local Realtor
Click Here to Search 24/7 for The Best Real Estate Deals in Boise!Click Here to Download Our Free "Selling Your Home" Pre-Listing Plan! Click Here to Pre-Qualify for a Loan Online!

Regards, Michael Hon, REALTOR®CEO, The Iron Eagle Realty Team
Associate Broker, Silvercreek Realty Group
Certified Short Sale Specialist®
Investment Property Consultant
Direct: 208.919.0458 Office: 208.939.9033 Fax: 208.514.1422
www.IronEagleRE.com Michael.Hon@IronEagleRE.com

5 Red-Hot Housing Markets That May Surprise You | InvestingAnswers

Here's a great article that I found about the best markets for real estate investments. 

5 Red-Hot Housing Markets That May Surprise You | InvestingAnswers

By Miranda Marquit
September 03, 2013

When my husband and I bought our home, prices were near their peak in our area. 

At the time, we had no idea that home prices in our market were near the peak. We thought we were buying in an area that had potential. We bought in a new subdivision. The town was expanding. Things were starting to blow up.

Unfortunately, at the time, we didn’t exactly have our fingers on the pulse of what was happening. We didn’t realize that housing permits were dropping in number, or even that employment was stagnating in our area. 

A year later, the financial crisis changed everything for everyone, and now, several years later, our home’s market value is $13,000 less than we paid.

We learned a valuable investing lesson from this experience. We learned that it’s important to pay attention to more than just (possibly) bubble-inflated prices -- and to carefully consider where we are buying to ensure that the housing market in the area really is on the way up.

Perhaps most important, we learned that it’s often best to buy closer to the bottom of a market. That's when you can find the best deals. In fact, my colleague Nathan Slaughter -- editor of Street Authority's High-Yield Investing newsletter, says if there was ever a time to invest in real estate, it is now. To put it bluntly, if you wait too long, you could miss out on a ton of potential profits from an opportunity that only comes along once every couple of decades. (Click here to learn more about his exclusive report.)

With that in mind, here's a list of markets that are booming right now. Next time we decide to buy -- or rather, if we decide to buy again -- we will research the situation more, and we will look for markets that recently saw bottoms but are truly heading higher. 

Places like…

Phoenix, Arizona

According to the NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI) issued on August 6, 2013, Phoenix is one of the 247 metro areas in the United States showing improvement in housing. Prices have improved 34.8% from their trough in 2011. This improvement is solid, but it also means that there are plenty of undervalued homes available in Phoenix.

On top of that, the IMI notes that permits have increased 3.4% and employment has improved 6.6% from their troughs of recent years. 

There is solid, but undramatic improvement, and it’s possible to get some good deals in this popular area.

Odessa, Texas

Texas has been on a lot of lists lately, with its cities showing signs of solid economic growth and housing market recovery. One of these towns is Odessa. 

According to the IMI, Odessa has seen a 27% improvement in prices since its trough in late 2010. Permits are also on the rise, gaining 29.9% since 2009. This means that you might have a choice of newer homes to choose from, as opposed to Phoenix, where there is still something of a glut of existing home inventory. 

Employment is growing as well. Odessa has experienced 29.1% employment growth since its 2009 bottom.

Bismarck, North Dakota

This town might be considered by some to be located in the middle of nowhere, but it has made its mark in the aftermath of the financial crisis.

North Dakota is one of the states that didn’t see a huge drop in employment, and that was sheltered, to some degree, from the worst of the recession. But the housing market is still blowing up in Bismarck. Indeed, home prices are up 29.4% from their trough in early 2010, and permits are up 41.8%. The IMI also says that employment is also still improving -- up 13.9% from its trough in 2007. 

Boise, Idaho

I’m from Idaho (but not Boise), so I found it interesting that Boise was represented on the IMI’s list of improving markets. When I considered the hit my uncle took when he sold his house during the recession, though, my surprise evaporated. After all, a market that ended up being smashed can make a great opportunity later, when you catch it on the upswing.

Boise has seen a 26.4% improvement in prices since the trough it reached in 2011. Permits are up 3.8%, and employment has improved 8% since their 2009 troughs. As with Phoenix, one way to look at these stats is to realize that there are plenty of good deals to be had on existing homes.

Detroit, Michigan

Yes. Detroit. Really. 

In spite of concerns over the city declaring bankruptcy, the housing market in Detroit is starting to heat up, probably due to the fact that there are people like Donald Trump who think that Detroit is worth investing in right now. It might not be a poor choice.

Home prices have rebounded 24.5% from their 2011 trough, and permits are up 10%. Even employment is improving, gaining 6.6%, according to the IMI, from the 2009 trough. If Detroit really is on the verge of a renaissance, now might be the time to get in on it.

The Investing Answer: Now is the time to start thinking about investing in real estate -- or even buying a primary residence. Prices, although up from their troughs in many markets, are still far from their pre-crash peaks. That means that, with the right research, you could get in now, while the markets are starting to blow up. You can get a good deal and even possibly see decent appreciation in the future.

P.S. -- As I mentioned earlier, don't miss Nathan Slaughter's exclusive report on what we call "Renter Nation." And remember: If you wait too long, you could miss out on big potential profits from an opportunity that only comes along once every couple of decades. Click here for all the details.

The Iron Eagle Realty Team's mission is to assist you, our client, in the sale and acquisition of real estate properties in the state of Idaho, specifically the Boise Idaho Real Estate Market. Whether you are buying or selling a home, whether it is a foreclosure, short sale or equity property, we handle our customers and clients with empathy and honest truths so they can make informed decisions as they advance in the process of buying and selling real estate that meet specific needs.

PS: We've Helped More Buyers and Sellers than 99.8% of any Local Realtor

Click Here to Search 24/7 for The Best Real Estate Deals in Boise!
Click Here to Download Our Free "Selling Your Home" Pre-Listing Plan!
Click Here to Pre-Qualify for a Loan Online!

Regards, Michael Hon, REALTOR®
CEO, The Iron Eagle Realty Team
Associate Broker, Silvercreek Realty Group
Certified Short Sale Specialist®
Investment Property Consultant
Direct: 208.919.0458 Office: 208.939.9033 Fax: 208.514.1422
www.IronEagleRE.com Michael.Hon@IronEagleRE.com