How to Evaluate a Rental Property: 5 Key Rules to Follow

How to Evaluate a Rental Property: 5 Key Rules to Follow

Recently there has been major growth in the acquisition of rental property by private investors. There are nearly 20 million rental properties in the United States, many of which are not owned by larger conglomerate rental companies. 

Once you have decided to enter the realm of real estate investments, you need to master how to choose the right rental property to turn a profit. Keep reading to learn how to evaluate a rental property before adding it to your rental portfolio. 

1. Consider Your Profitability

Real estate investing can be a very financially rewarding for many. Prospective real estate owners often become infatuated by the idea of buying low and selling high. Although flipping or renovating a property is a great way to increase your profit, it is surely not the norm. 

When investors review different properties they need to conduct a rental property evaluation to determine if the investment will be profitable. When it comes to learning how to choose a rental property, profitability is key. Without a critical eye and analyzing your property valuation, you could end up losing money on a major investment

2. Determine Rental Income to Qualify

Real estate investing for beginners can be challenging. First-time investors will need to show an additional channel of income to qualify for a home loan.

Novice real-estate investors do not qualify to have the rent count as income. In order to have rent money count as income, you must have a two-year history of managing different properties. 

3. Cost to Rent Ratio 

Property managers and owners need to determine the monthly rent based on the net operating income (NOI). Once you calculate all one-time and recurring costs you can determine what the rent needs to be in order to cover your expenses and continually turn a profit.  

4. Use Capitalization Rate to Compare Properties 

The capitalization rate indicates the ate of return that a property is expected to generate. For an investor, the cap rate is a top priority when selecting an investment property. Rather than opting for the more inexpensive property, determining your investment by a properties' potential for profit. 

5. Necessary Down Payment for Positive Cash Flow

Real estate allows many people to put a small amount of money as a down payment and then pay sizable monthly payments to pay off a mortgage. For many investors, it is preferable to put down a sizable down payment to avoid being inundated with monthly expenses. 

As an investor, putting your investments into rental property is utilized as a tactic to generate a steady stream of income. Cash flow refers to the balance of money moving in and out a business. Prospective buyers need to consider what down payment they need to put down to maintain a positive cash flow. 

Master Learning How to Evaluate a Rental Property

If you crunch the numbers on a property you can make an informed decision before you buy a rental property. Owning rental properties can be an expert way to grow your wealth and expand your assets. By following these real estate investment tips you can develop multiple reliable streams of income.

Connect with us to learn how to evaluate a rental property and become a top real estate investor. 

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