One of the best ways to build long-term, sustainable wealth is property. Investing in property has its risks, but the rewards far exceed the downside. Building a rental property portfolio provides a form of passive income.
Well, not too passive. Owning rental property takes commitment and loads of capital for maintenance and repairs. If you don’t look after your properties, your trusted assets may turn into liabilities. Moreover, dealing with unreliable tenants can cause unwanted stress and frustration.
Managing your rental properties should be your top priority. We’ll look at five steps you can take to manage your properties and get the most out of your investment.
Before we begin, it’s crucial to calculate and understand your ROI (return on investment). ROI is the amount of profit possible compared to the cost of the investment. This allows investors to gauge whether an investment is good or bad. The resources you spend on a rental property will affect its ROI. Thus, it’s wise to take ROI into account when building and managing your property portfolio.
Step 1: Research Potential Property
Research is paramount in the beginning phase. Make sure you conduct thorough research of the area you plan to buy. Look for things like schools, hospitals, location to trendy nightspots, Proximity to transport hubs, and so forth. Safety is another concern as this can affect the sales price and what rents you can offer.
Next, consider various laws such as zoning and housing. Make sure to understand both your rights and tenant rights. This might be a good time to have a lawyer on standby to help draft lease agreements and include any clauses specific to your property.
Step 2: Time to Buy
Once you have researched everything you possibly could know about the property, it’s time to make a move. You either buy cash or take out a mortgage. Following the mortgage route will require credit checks, calculating your DTI ratio, and servicing the down payment.
Once the title deed is in your hands, you can put the property on the market for rent. To set the ideal rental rate, look at similar properties in your area to determine the best rate.
Step 3: Find an Experienced Agent
When looking for a property or If you have more than one property ,or are not keen on dealing with tenants, a property agent is the way to go. Agents understand the business and can take the stress out of dealing with tenants. When looking for a property anywhere in states like California , Texas or Colorado agents will assist in maintaining your property and handle the paperwork. Location-based property management companies are much more efficient due to their extensive knowledge of the area. For instance, if your property is situated in Denver you will only leverage from Denver rental agency as it will handle your rental property with professionalism and will most probably have much information on possible tenants. These agents can help with everything to do with managing your property, from finding tenants, drawing up lease agreements, collecting rents, and sorting out repairs.
Step 4: Start Advertising and Find Suitable Tenants
Once your property is ready for listing, place adverts on different online platforms and print media to attract potential tenants. It can be tricky to find the right tenant. However, it pays to be patient and to assess each potential tenant carefully.
Think of the ideal tenant you want for your property. If your property is near a college, students will be high on the list. If your property sits by the beach in a resort town, holiday goers are your target.
When advertising makes a list of the requirement you expect from tenants, for instance:
- Income bracket
- Single, couple, or family
- Pets
- Minimum credit score
- Rental history
Once you find a tenant, check through their documentation. Call up a former landlord to see if the tenant paid regularly and looked after the property. Also, make contact with the tenant to check if you can build a rapport with them. Doing this will ensure you find the perfect tenant for your property.
Step 5: Sign the Agreement and Start Earning Rent
By now, you have done your research, bought the property, completed maintenance, found a tenement, and now, earning money. From here, you should be able to enjoy a steady passive income with minimal effort.
However, consider the following points to stay on top of your property portfolio:
- Quickly take care of all maintenance and living problems
- Be accommodating towards your tenants
- Keep track of lease renewals
- Keep strict account records or tax purposes
- Work with a lawyer or agent for any serious issues such as eviction notices
- Regularly inspect your property to catch a problem before it gets worse
Following these points will help you stay in control and increase the property resale value. Property is one of the best investment assets you can hold. With good management, you can count on sustained income and wealth creation.
