Purchasing a new home is a very big responsibility that is not to be taken lightly. There are many things to consider when purchasing a new home. If you career or your lifestyle require that you buy and sell your home more often than normal, you might want to consider attending a few real estate courses. The knowledge you obtain can help you to make wiser and more sound decision when having to purchase a home. One thing to keep in mind is the house itself. Is it in good condition or does it require repairs? Do appliances come with it and if so, are they in good working condition? Is the house the propers size for your family? Is the water heater, furnace and air conditioning system in good condition as well as the plumbing system?

You need to know if the home is close to a landfill, industrial area or even if there are lots that might have been abandoned and have become overgrown. You might want to give your prospective home a good inspection before you make your final decision. You want to be assured that the home meets up to your standards and expectations. 

Investigate the neighborhood. Check to see if the streets are in good condition, you want to insure that the streets are well lit. Well lit streets are safer and more secure. See what the traffic flow is like. Are there cars and trucks going past the home all hours of the day and night? How far will your commute be if you purchase this home? You want to insure that there is a mode of transportation fairly close and what the schedule is.

If you drive your own vehicle to want to insure that your drive in convenient and cost effective. No one wants to have an hour commute to work. Is is a quiet area? Check to see if there are railroad tracks near that may have trains running all night or an airport where you would have to endure planes taking of every 15 minutes . Does the neighborhood offer good drainage and good sidewalks? You want to insure that your home is not prone to flooding. Alot of these things can effect the cost on your homeowners insurance. Real estate training can help you to know what to look for when calculating the pros and cons of a home that is on the market. 

Talk to the people who live in the neighborhood. No one will have more knowledge of the neighborhood than the people who live there. They will be able to fill you in on the conditions of the neighborhood after a heavy rain or after a heavy snow. They can provide you with information on any crime sprees or criminal issues that may infect the neighborhood. They can inform you on the conditions of the school district for that neighborhood. A neighbor can answer any of the physical questions that you may have regarding the day in and day out activities that occur in the neighborhood.

The landlord tenancy act or more correctly the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA) is a document that defines the many rights and obligations of tenants and private landlords. The landlord tenancy act only applies to residential properties it does not govern the letting of commercial properties.

In article Two of the landlord tenancy act, there are several things that private landlords must comply with other than dealing with tenants. While this is by no means all of what is put forth by the URLTA, here are three things that private landlords must comply with.

One of the stipulations regarding the landlord tenancy act has to do with security deposits. A landlord cannot charge a security deposit that is more than one month’s rent. This means that if the rent is $550 a month, all security deposits, including any pet deposits cannot be more than $550.

Section B states that when tenancy is terminated, any security deposit can be applied to accrued rent or any damages, but any damages have to be itemized, with a written receipt. This written notice and any remainder of the security deposit must be returned within 14 days of the termination of tenancy.

Although the URLTA is the base for all state laws that apply to private landlords, each state has it’s own laws and requirements, so you need to check the relevant law for the state in which your property is located.

Part of the landlord tenancy act has to do with the landlord’s responsibilities for maintaining the rental property itself. The first thing is that the private landlord has to make sure that the property being let complies with all the housing and building codes that are applicable for their area that affect the safety and health of the tenant.

Private landlords are required to make any and all necessary repairs to keep the residence in a habitable and fit condition. Where there are multiple apartments in one building and the building is owned by the private landlord then the private landlord must make sure that any common areas, hallways, lobby, elevator or stairwell are maintained in a safe and clean condition.

The landlord is responsible for maintaining in good order, plumbing, electrical, heating and air conditioning, and anything else supplied by them. This also includes providing water supplies, and maintaining hot water, and any other things not supplied by the tenants.

The exception to this part of the landlord tenancy act is that the tenant may take on part of the private landlord’s responsibilities if it is in writing in the rental agreement, entered into in good faith and where the heating and or hot water supply is fully controlled by the tenant. The tenant would have their own agreement with the utility company.

In the landlord tenancy act it says that the private landlord, upon receipt of payment from the tenant, has to deliver the unit to the tenant in compliance with whatever is written in the rental agreement.

This means that when the rent is paid and the rental agreement signed a landlord cannot deny the tenant from occupying the residence. Failure to do so may result in the landlord having to forfeit the rent, any security deposits, as well as any other expenses incurred by the tenant while waiting for the unit to become available.

While this may seem to be a strict set of rules and regulations, the URLTA is set up to protect not just tenants but landlords too. Each state has its own detailed information and special rules and regulations for these acts.

While it seems very complicated, the reason it is so detailed is to make sure that all the different aspects of the landlord tenancy act is covered. A committee holds meetings on a regular basis to change and update the URLTA as needed.

A good private landlord complies with all of these rules and regulations anyway, but tenants need the protection of the landlord tenancy act in the cases where private landlords may not be doing what they’re supposed to.

The end result is that private landlords need to know which laws they should be in compliance with and what that compliance involves.

Being a landlord can be fun and rewarding, both personally rewarding and financially rewarding.

The key is to know what you are doing and take your job seriously.

Here are 5 tips that I have picked up through the years dealing with my portfolio of rental properties.

1 – HAVE A WRITTEN LEASE

A written lease is CRITICAL; I can not stress this enough. A written lease protects you and your tenants and prevents potential mis-understandings from become nightmares. There are tons of places online where you can get sample leases for your state. Do not skimp or take a shortcut on this. It will only take one time for your lease to save you and it will have more than made the time you spent putting it together worthwhile.

2 – KNOW THE LAW

While it is always good to have a competent attorney available to you, it still does not eliminate the need for you to know the laws in your state regarding residential tenancies. For example, in Florida, Chapter 83 of the Florida State Statutes covers landlord/tenant law. Take the time and read and understand the laws as they pertain to you. Just as with the lease, all it takes is one time where your knowledge of the law kept you out of trouble, and your investment of time and research will pay off handsomely.
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3 – BE FRIENDLY, FAIR & FIRM

One of the things that I have learned is a key part of my success is how I treat my customers (tenants). I have tenants from all walks of life, all economic situations, all races, colors, religious, you name it. One thing that they all will say is regardless of what may make them different, I treat everyone the same. This is not only because there are laws against certain types of discrimination, but because it builds a stronger relationship with my customer. Along those same lines though, I am also firm. I am clear from the beginning about how I handle late fees, and other expectations. I do not waiver from this.

4 – BE VISIBLE

This one can be hard if you are a part time landlord, or have properties spread out over a large area. I find it useful to be visible to my tenants and the neighbors of my properties. I make it a point whenever I am in a part of town where I have properties, I drive by them. If I see someone outside I stop and say hi, if I see a neighbor that I have spoken to before, I say hi to them. This helps in a number of ways; first, it lets your tenants know you care about the property. Being visible also helps to build relationships with neighbors, which can be a great set of eyes and ears to tip you off about any problems before they get out of control.

5 – NEVER FORGET YOU AND YOUR FAMILY COME FIRST

This is probably one of the hardest lessons a landlord must learn. First, ask yourself why did you or are you getting into the rental business? The answer is obvious, you want to make money. Money either for current use or to build a nest egg for later. As a landlord you will be presented with a variety of stories and excuses. Some of these will be true and others may not be. I have found it is easier to deal with the people telling you a story that is just an out and out lie. I have no trouble not showing any compassion and simply boiling it all down for them to a simple truth, “You do not pay, you do not stay”. The stories that are true are actually the difficult ones. I can not tell you how to handle every situation, and each of us is different in our thoughts and beliefs. I can tell you this, as you evaluate how to handle the situation, never loose sight of the fact that the needs of you and your family HAVE TO COME FIRST.

Property investing has proved itself is a wealth creation vehicle for many generations now. Many families have built their wealth on property acquisitions over a long period of time which now places them in an enviable financial position.

As it becomes clear that current superannuation plans may leave many retirees in a less than comfortable position, the property market provides an alluring alternative. But it is not just a simple matter of buying a property and rubbing your hands with glee at the inevitable positive returns. Careful professional advice is required and tailoring an investment strategy to suit your individual circumstances is vital.

Many first-time investors make glib references to the tax advantages that attached to property investment but a few simple points still need to be clarified. In this article will examine the important taxation considerations of property investment including negative gearing, depreciation, capital gains tax, and how tax benefits can make your investment pay.

• Negative gearing. This term simply describes the fact that you are borrowing money to make an investment. When the costs of the investment are higher than the return you achieve, you are said to be negatively geared. For example when an investment property has an annual net rental return which is less than the interest charged on the investment loan, the property is said to be negatively geared. This loss of income from the property is eventually made up over time as the property value increases. In the meantime however a high income earner can benefit from this as the losses can be offset against their taxable income. Although you should never specifically aim for a negative gearing position, you can take advantage of it if it suits your personal circumstances, and if the properties capital growth potential is going to be positive and greater than the cost of funds, otherwise it is a futile endeavor.
• Depreciation. One of the tax advantages in owning an investment property is that you can claim for depreciation of certain items and reduce your taxable income in the process. Things like refrigerators, furniture and cook tops can be written off over the effect of life of the asset. Naturally, you need specialist advice here and an accountant is the obvious choice. The Australian taxation office determines the schedules and allowances but you still need the services of an accountant and a quantity surveyor to make sure you get the greatest depreciation deduction. New properties have greater depreciation. You can claim two components, the building as well as the fixtures & fittings.
• Capital gains tax. This is charged on the capital gains that your investment property enjoys over the period you own it only if you sell it You become liable to pay the capital gains tax where your gains exceed your capital losses in any income year. This is where specialist advice really comes into its own as you can take advantage of capital losses if you sell the property at the right time. This is a very complex area that your specialist property adviser or accountant can assist you with. Otherwise if you are building wealth, you can get your property revalued and lend against its increased value to purchase another property without triggering capital gains tax.
• Making your investment payoff. After you have owned an investment property for a number of years, you are likely to enjoy substantial capital gains. Additionally, your rental income over the same time can greatly assist loan repayments to a point where it there is very little effect on your cash flow, or to the point of being positively geared. Reviewing your position at that time, you may be ready to add another property to your portfolio.

Take advantage of these tips and plan your property investment strategy only after consultation with experts.