The U.S Department of Housing’s section 8 programs assists low-income families by paying their rent through vouchers that offset the price of residency.  Roughly 2 million American families are awarded section 8 vouchers each year. The funds are distributed by local Public Housing Agencies who determine how the program operates per area. While some landlords have concerns about accepting section 8 vouchers there are many advantages to having section 8 tenants. 

1. Consistent Rent Payment:  One of the most discouraging aspects of being a landlord is the fear of unpaid rent. Tenants with section 8 vouchers are allowed to select and reside in housing that falls within a certain price range, that the government housing authority guarantees to pay to the landlord each month. In some situations, the tenant is stil...
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Often times, the first question asked by anyone seeking a new residence is “ should I rent or buy?” For almost the last decade the trend has been to buy, according to Diana Olick at CNBC, an American business broadcast channel. However with rapidly rising home prices and increased mortgage rates recent trends have shown a shift from home ownership into home rentals. Here’s Why. 

1. Home Ownership Prices Are On The Rise:  During the market crash of 2008, the decline in home prices stacked on top of lower than average mortgage rates led to the increased appeal of buying and owning a home. However in the last 10 years, the costs of owning a home has risen significantly by up to 14% monthly. This increase is due to an overwhelming demand for houses with little supply. On average the cost of buying a home is cheaper than renting in only 35% of all U.S counties compared to 44% in...
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One trick successful investors use to purchase properties is being aware of the present stage of the 4 phases of the real estate cycle. These stages identify the current status of the broad real estate market. An understanding of the buying and selling patterns during each stage of the cycle can help investors determine the best time to acquire and release properties to accumulate the greatest return. Knowing the current stage of the real estate cycle also presents a great advantage to investors, as they are able to coordinate their investment strategy with the stage of the cycle.  

1. The Recovery Phase: During this phase the market is believed to be at its lowest point. The recovery phase is often associated with the highest number of vacancies and foreclosures according to Ketan Patel of BiggerPockets.com.  Many new construction projects begin in this phase and ...
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The highs and lows of the investment process can be overwhelming to the new or amateur investor. There are many classes and webinars that teach detailed strategies that can be extremely useful to guide you through the investment cycle, however they can be lengthy and expensive. The following are 5 practical habits used and developed by successful real estate investors that can help you be successful in all your business ventures to come. 

1. Have a plan: Knowing what you are willing to risk in order to obtain a return is an essential step in real estate investing. This allows you to have a solid bargaining point when speaking to relators regarding potential properties and neighborhoods you would like to invest in. This can also help you stick to any budgets you have made to account for investment expenses.  
2. Know the Market:  According to Invest...
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The price –to- rent ratio helps potential homebuyers, renters and investors locate ideal areas to move or invest into. This is determined by evaluating properties in a particular market and determining if houses there are fairly priced or more inflated than surrounding neighborhoods. Price – to -Rent ratios can help investors discover markets where homeownership is harder due to increased prices, where there will likely be tenants looking to rent. This formula can be beneficial to homebuyers as they determine properties in select markets that fit into their price range. If calculated correctly this formula can be used as a benchmark to determine whether properties in a select city are more financially beneficial to rent or to own. 

1. Find the median home value in areas of interest:  The median home value is the price at which exactly ...
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One of the first steps in real estate investing is determining a location. One factor worth noting are the housing laws that differ per state. Certain states have unique laws that either act in favor of the landlord or the tenant. These are referred to as landlord friendly or tenant friendly states. 

Landlord Friendly States

 These states have laws that are more lenient towards landlords in the instance of housing disputes. According to Nadia Blant of Rent Café, Southern states, which previously thrived primarily on agriculture, are commonly known for their laws that are aimed to protect land and landowners.  States like Arkansas, Virginia, Louisiana and Florida have laws that often side in favor of the landlord with issues such as eviction, rent control and tenant rights.

Eviction:  In landlord fr...

The popular indoor driving range, Top Golf, has its sights set on St. Petersburg.  The franchise has recently released plans to move to the area in either late 2019 or early 2020.  According to ABC Action News, the new location will be stationed in between Roosevelt Boulevard and Ulmerton road. The St. Pete location will join Brandon in being the only cities in the Tampa Bay area to feature the franchise. 

Top Golf differs from traditional driving ranges as they insert tiny microchips into their golf balls to allow players to track the distance of their swing. Players then accumulate points by hitting or being in close range of stationary targets. According to the franchise’s website, they soon plan to add technology that allows players to view a real- time trace of their ball’s path.

 The establishment features an “eater-tainment” style design as it incorporates the entertainment factor...

Investing in a real estate property can be a challenging and time consuming process. If your investment property is out of state or in a distant area the challenges can multiply. While there are many potential benefits to investing out of state such as cheaper property taxes and bigger returns, there are many factors to consider when investing in an area you are unfamiliar with. 

Choosing a market:  Identifying the risks you are willing to take in order to receive a return is a crucial step in selecting a location. Investing in areas you are unaccustomed with rids you of your familiarity with economic conditions and can leave you dependent on word of mouth reviews and information. Some companies prey on inexperienced out of state investors and show properties in neighborhoods they claim are A- or B+ neighborhoods but actually are C neighborhood at best. It i...

Deciding where to invest in a property can be a difficult decision. Identifying what risks your willing to take in order to receive a return is a crucial step in selecting a location. Understanding the four strategies of real estate investment allows you to build a diverse and safe portfolio, which provides you with a clear time span of when you can expect to receive your return. 

Core Assets: Core assets are regarded as traditionally low risk investments and consist of properties in major cities and metropolitan areas. Homes in these areas are usually high in demand due to their preferred location and ease of access to highways and local amenities. Investments of this type are regarded as the safest, according to Viewthespace.com, because they involve purchasing well built and high quality properties and leasing them to equally as quality and stable leases.  Although this is the safest strategy in t...

Selling your home can be a difficult process. Even after renovations and remodels, some houses remain on the market longer than desired. After many months of trying to sell your home and failing to see it make more than minimal progress, it may be time to step back and assess why your home isn’t selling. 

1. Price: Price is one of the most common reasons properties fail to sell. Some owners list their houses higher when the market is hot, believing buyers will pay any price. However, the lender as well as the buyer must approve this price. Most lending agencies conduct appraisals on listed properties before giving prospective buyers a mortgage loan. The amount offered in the loan will only reflect the amount that the lender deems the home is worth, leaving some buyers short of the listing price. Many agents will tell you they can get the price you want for your home. Always ask to see data and informa...
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