Wednesday, August 27, 2014

How to Find the Right Tenant for Your Property


It’s not easy finding a good tenant who will pay their rent and take care of the property. In order to protect the home you are renting out, it’s important to take your time when finding a tenant. This way, your property will be well-maintained, reducing a lot of costs involved in repairs. There’s nothing worse than putting your trust in a tenant who winds up ripping you off and damaging your home.

So what can you do to find a good tenant for your property? We’ve got some tips:

Get a credit check

It is important check the financial status of the prospective tenants in order to make sure that they are financially responsible. Such a tenant will be able to pay the rent and security deposit because they have income coming in. You can verify this by requesting a look at their pay stubs, or you can call their employers to confirm their employment status. It is also good to look at the amount of debt they have by running a credit check. You can alter the amount of the security deposit based on their credit.

Carry out a criminal background check

You don’t want a tenant who is involved in criminal activities. By performing a criminal check, you will be able to find out if the tenant is involved in minor or major crimes. All you need is the name of the tenant and date of birth to get this information. Note that those with criminal records may not give you the right information, so ensure they provide you with valid ID for verification purposes. 

Have a look at their rental history 

To verify that you do not get a problematic tenant, talk to their former landlords. This will help you understand how they pay their rents, how they handle themselves in the property, their cleanliness level and whether they follow the rules set in the property. Also, if the prospective tenant is a first time renter, make sure you have a cosigner for the lease. 

Consider their lifestyle 

On the tenant application form, you should check the tenant addresses and employment history. Check to see whether they have a tendency to move from one job to the other or move from one property to the other. This can help you to know whether they are likely to be long term tenants. 

Bottom line

By considering the above factors, you will get good tenants who will rent your property for a long time and ensure that your property is maintained properly. You will also end up saving money and time involved in evictions, nonpayment of rent, and damages to your property. 

Monday, August 4, 2014

Buying a Foreclosed Home

Purchasing property can be costly, yet it can prove to be worth the expense in the long run. Many people have turned to renting their home, and the current economic situation isn’t likely to make matters easier. It’s probably for this reason that foreclosures are gaining such popularity.

Foreclosures are those properties whose owners couldn’t afford to make mortgage payments and which they were forced to surrender to meet their debt obligations. Foreclosures are popular because they are usually a cheaper investment.

Here are some tips to help you find a foreclosed home and begin the buying process:

Locate some foreclosed property scheduled for sale. You can find properties by scanning the classified section of a newspaper or utilizing the internet.

Utilize the services of an attorney or real estate agent. Their expertise will help you to gain an understanding of the foreclosure proceedings in the area before taking any action.

Research the property. It will prove necessary to investigate the property at hand to determine its condition and market value, taking the time to research previous ownership and any potential problems such as existing liens.

Figure out the financing. You will need to communicate with the trustee of the foreclosure sale to determine the minimum bid before figuring out how you intend to finance the property. You might consider assuming the current loan.

Attend the foreclosure auction and make an offer. It is possible to submit a sealed bid after the sale.

Purchasing foreclosures can prove to be quite complicated, especially if you are unaware of the regulations governing the area on the matter. The following are some tips to help you in the foreclosure buying process:

It is important to scrutinize your budget carefully. Too many people make rash decisions about foreclosures because of the small price tags. It is necessary to take into account various factors that might encroach on your finances, such as any repairs that might prove necessary.

Don’t make any decisions before inspecting the property yourself. It is never advisable to buy a property you haven’t seen, this allowing you to determine if the condition of the house is worth the value being presented.

Consider the neighborhood. A home is more than the house in question and the right home should exist within the right neighborhood, one expected to take factors like crime into account before making this crucial investment.

Take into account how long the house was empty. This will determine the amount of damage it has incurred and the repairs that will prove necessary.

Remember that acquiring a profit out of such an investment will take time. It is common for buyers to purchase foreclosures with the aim of selling them off quickly for a profit. However this is unlikely to happen, especially taking into account the various states quick to penalize individuals that neglect their property. If you want to buy foreclosures for purposes of selling, you’ll need to take into account the considerable time required for repairs and maintenance.