With so many advantages to owning rental property, as well as property management, more and more people are taking advantage of this investment. One of the major advantages to owning rental property is that when you make this type of investment purchase, you have a tangible asset, as compared with other types of investments such as stocks and bonds. It is easier to understand the true value and worth of your asset when you can actually see it. Additionally, the regular rental income that you receive is easily measurable, and you can usually expect it to continue for a long time.

Some people are concerned about investing their hard earned money into financial systems; however, in order to grow your wealth and asset base, you generally need to spend money. Real estate investing is a great solution. The stock market is known to be quite fickle, with frequent fluctuations. On the contrary, real estate tends to stay fairly strong, even when the investment market weakens somewhat. One of the reasons that real estate continues to be a good investment even in a weaker economy is that the weaker economy often prevents many people from being able to obtain a mortgage-creating a larger group of renters to choose from, since they still need a safe and comfortable place to live.

Rental property can produce a regular income, which is a huge advantage for many people. Although you do need to deduct the mortgage payment from your total income (if you have a mortgage financed) as well as maintenance and repair expenses, the property can often produce a steady stream of income for you.

Real estate can appreciate in value, depending on the market. Over time, many properties will become worth more, though this is not necessarily a guarantee but is dependent on many factors, including location, type of property, age of property, upkeep and other factors. Choosing to invest in a stable area will increase the odds that your property will appreciate in value.

Leverage refers to the ability to purchase rental property using money that is borrowed. When you can borrow the money, you can afford to invest more because you only have to put down a percentage of the total cost. Because the property itself will secure the debt, and the rental income will cover the mortgage and tax costs, you stand to make larger profits.

Another advantage to rental property is that you can take many tax deductions related to it. You can deduct the cost of maintenance and repairs, improvements, taxes, insurance, mortgage interest, and more.

When you own rental property, it is a business where you can definitely be your own boss. This is an advantage that many find very attractive. Whether you are intending to be a part time landlord or develop a career in property management, you will benefit from the ability to make the big decisions and experience the independence of owning your own business.

I’ve Heard It Before, But What Is a Short Sale?

Finding oneself in the situation of being unable to keep mortgage payments current can be immensely stressful and embarrassing. However, anyone not privy to the real estate vernacular may not realize that there is an alternative to foreclosure proceedings or bankruptcy: short sales. A short sale occurs when real estate sells for an amount less than the current owner owes on the mortgage loan. When a property sells for less than its current value, the seller’s lender is accepting a discounted payoff to release the existing home mortgage.

This is very different from a foreclosure, in which a lender obtains a termination of the borrower’s equitable right of redemption by court order, or from a REO property, which is a bank owned property that has failed to sell at a foreclosure auction. Although a short sale is typically rather stressful in its own way, it is often a much more agreeable situation than bankruptcy or foreclosure. Nevertheless, as short sales result in losses for the lender, the process of selling a home short is not the easiest process in the world.

How to Go About Selling a Home Short

It is reasonable to expect a certain degree of difficulty in selling a home short, since the process will result in the lender or mortgage investor potentially losing tens of thousands of dollars; many times, it will make more sense from the lender’s viewpoint to foreclose. Also, not all sellers or all properties even qualify for short sales. Consequently, in order to get the lender to approve one on a property, the borrower must prove to the lender that he or she is no longer able to afford the mortgage. How is this done? The borrower must submit financial statements to the lender demonstrating his or her inability to keep up with the mortgage payments. This way, there is physical proof of financial hardship causing the borrower to resort to breaking free of his or her mortgage.

Unfortunately, aside from providing the lender with financial information, there really is no standardized short sale approval process. Approval criteria vary from lender to lender and, sometimes, within one institution. In any case, it is a good idea for any mortgager looking to sell his or her home short to consult a real estate agent with short sale experience, an accountant or other tax professional, and perhaps an attorney.