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The Pros and Cons of Investing in Single-Family Homes

The Pros and Cons of Investing in Single-Family Homes

There is no doubt that investing in real estate is a smart move for anyone looking to secure their financial future. But when it comes to building a lucrative real estate portfolio, there are a few different options to choose from.

One of the most popular choices is investing in single-family homes. In this article, we will take a look at the pros and cons of investing in single-family homes to help you decide if this is the right type of investment for you.

First, let’s define the main types of residential investments:

Single-family: A property that has one available dwelling to rent.

Duplex: A property that has two available dwellings to rent.

Multi-family: A property that has three or more available dwellings to rent.

Let’s start by looking at all the pros of investing in single-family homes.

 

High Returns

 

Single-family homes are a great choice if you’re looking for steady appreciation with a good return on investment.

In most cases, you can expect to make around 12% on your investment each year. Don’t forget, you’ll have maintenance and operating expenses and potentially regular mortgage payments as well, which we’ll discuss in a moment.

That’s a pretty good chunk of change. And remember, investing in real estate isn’t just about getting rich quick — it’s about investing for the future.

If you plan on holding on to these properties indefinitely, then single-family homes are a great choice because they tend to appreciate quickly over time.

For instance, if you buy a property today for $100,000 and sell it 20 years from now for $200,000 then that’s an average of 12% appreciation per year.

If you held on to your investment property indefinitely, the value would continue to increase at this rate while other investment options (like stocks) might plateau.

Easier to Get Started

 

Another pro of investing in single-family homes is that it is a very easy way to get started. Unlike multi-family homes that may require hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy, single family homes are less expensive and therefore easier to acquire.

You don’t need a lot of money to start building your real estate portfolio and you can begin to see returns pretty quickly.

But perhaps you don’t have enough for the mortgage down payment. If that’s the case, then you could consider the opportunity to invest in a fractional share of a property. At BuyProperly, they help investors like you get started in real estate investing for as little as $2,500. Learn more here.

Stable and Secure

 

The market for single-family homes is always growing. Even if the economy takes a turn for the worse, you can still expect to make money off of your investment. Unlike investing in stocks or other forms of investments, real estate is something that normally retains its value no matter what the market is doing.

Maintenance and Repair Costs

 

A big benefit of single-family investing is that repair and maintenance costs are often lower than what you would pay with larger buildings.

Instead of having multiple units to look after, investing in single-family homes means you only have one unit  to worry about. Plus, you can often do the repairs yourself to save even more money.

More Control

 

Investing in single-family homes gives you more control over your investments.

For example, if you buy a single-family home and then decide that investing isn’t right for you anymore, you can sell it at any time. You have more control over the investment and how long to continue investing. Plus, since they appreciate quickly over time with little upkeep required from an investor point of view, this means less stress when investing.

Less Risk

 

Single-family homes are a great way to get started in real estate investing without taking on too much risk.

The market for single-family homes is always growing, so if your investment doesn’t go as planned, you can still sell it down the road and make most of your money back.

Easier to Manage

 

Another pro of investing in a single-family home is that it is much easier to manage than a larger property. It’s often easier to find a property management company and the fees are substantially less than you would pay with a larger building. You also don’t have to worry about hiring and managing staff, which can be a big hassle.

Less turnover

 

Single-family rentals tend to have long-term tenants with less turnover than lower-priced units in a multi-family building.  Long-term tenants are more stable and will pay their rent on time, which means less stress for you.

Multiple vacancies can become an issue with larger properties and can really eat into your profits.

Diversification

 

Because single-family homes are less expensive than large buildings, it’s easier to continue to invest and add more homes to your real estate portfolio. That means you can diversify and reduce the risk of sudden vacancies and non-paying tenants.

As you can see, there are several pros to investing in single-family real estate. But, like any investment, it doesn’t come without some risk.

Cons of Investing in Single-Family Homes

Now that you have a good idea of the many benefits of investing in single-family homes, let’s take a look at some of the cons of this type of real estate investment.

Sourcing Deals

 

The main con of investing in single-family homes is that it can be difficult to find good deals. Because this is such a popular choice, the competition is fierce. So you need to be prepared to do some digging and put in some work if you want to make a profit.

Takes time to generate a return

 

With single family homes, it can take a while to see a return on your investment. It’s not uncommon for it to take at least five years before you start seeing any real profits.

Remember that although you’re always able to collect rental income on your investment, much of the benefit in single-family home investing comes through the capital appreciation over time.

Flip & Sell Risks

 

“Flipping” houses (buying and selling them quickly for a profit) can be risky.  If you’re not careful, you could end up losing money on a flip.

Another con to flipping is that it’s often difficult to find good deals – the same issue we mentioned before. Plus, if the market takes a downturn, you could end up losing money on the sale.

Vacancy rates

 

Unlike multi-family home investing with several units to generate income, single-family home investing means you’re buying only one unit to rent. If a tenant doesn’t pay the rent or leaves the property, you could suddenly find yourself with a 100% vacancy rate, which can significantly eat into your return on investment.

Management

 

Another downside is that it can take a lot of time and effort to manage all of the different aspects of owning and managing multiple single-family homes. Two or three properties can be extremely easy, whereas 10, 15, or even 20 single-family homes can mean a lot of traveling for your management company!

If you are planning on managing the property yourself, you’ll also need to be within a reasonable commuting time to this property to deal with any issues.

Less Leverage

 

Lastly, investing in a single-family home usually doesn’t provide as much leverage as investing in a larger property.

In the real estate investing world, leverage means using other people’s money to fund your investment.

For example, with single-family investing, you may only be able to get a loan for 50% or 60% of the purchase price. Whereas with investing in a larger property, you may be able to get a loan for up to 80% or even 90%.

This is because investing in larger buildings means investing more money, and investing more money means investing more risk.

The bank doesn’t want to be stuck with all the risk if something goes wrong. So they’re more likely to loan you money when you’re investing in a larger property.

This means you can’t make as much money on your investment if it goes up in value.

Are single-family homes the right investment for you?

 

It all depends on your goals and what you’re looking for in an investment. If you’re prepared to do some work sourcing good deals, investing in a single-family home can be a great way to get started in real estate investing. They are stable and secure, have lower maintenance costs, and are easier to manage than larger properties.

However, keep in mind that it can take a while to see a return on your investment. So if you’re looking for something that will generate income quickly, single-family homes may not be the best option for you.

Conclusion

 

Overall, investing in single-family homes is a great way to secure your financial future. It is a stable investment that has the potential to make you a lot of money over time. However, it is important to remember that there are some risks involved, and it does take some effort to manage everything.

If you are willing to take on these challenges, then investing in single-family homes is definitely something you should consider.

Looking for your first (or next) real estate investment? At BuyProperly, they use advanced AI technology to help match investors with lucrative investment opportunities. They use a fractional ownership model so you can get started for as little as $2,500 (and see projected annual returns of 10-40%).  With this approach, BuyProperly makes it easy to invest in multiple properties and locations to diversify your investment portfolio and build your wealth! Want to learn more? Visit BuyProperly.

in Editorial Posted by Jessica Wright

How to Calculate ROI in Real Estate to Maximize Your Profit

How to Calculate ROI in Real Estate to Maximize Your Profit

If you’ve dabbled in real estate investing (or even if you’re brand new) you’ve undoubtedly heard of “Return On Investment” (ROI) and how important it is to consider when making your investment decisions.

But what exactly is it, and how do you calculate ROI in real estate? Is it crucial for investment success?

We’re going to break down the basics of ROI, how to calculate it, and how to use it to make smart investment decisions so you can grow your real estate portfolio with confidence.

Ready? Let’s dive in!

What is ROI?

Because ROI stands for “return on investment,” it’s a very important concept to understand when it comes to real estate investing.

It is a standard metric used to calculate the profitability of an investment on a case-by-case basis. It measures the financial return of a particular investment relative to its cost. The higher the ROI, the more profitable the investment and (presumably) the better it is.

Why is ROI so popular for measuring profitability?

Two reasons: first, it’s incredibly simple to understand and easy to calculate the ROI on almost any investment.

Second, it provides a simple way to get a financial snapshot of an investment, relative to other investments, so you know when to buy, sell, or simply measure whether or not your portfolio is on the right track.

Although it’s incredibly important to know the ROI of any investment, it often doesn’t take into account the complexities, nuances, and “life factors” involved in growing a successful real estate portfolio. For this reason, it should be used as a tool to give broad feedback on the quality of your investments.

Why is ROI in real estate so important?

Although many ROI formulas paint a simplistic picture of investing, they can also give a very quick and solid overview of a property’s profitability.

In a pinch, you can figure out the “health score” of any potential investment you’re interested in and ditch some of the lemons along the way. Properties with an obvious cash flow issue or negative ROI can be identified quickly.

When taken into account along with your overall investment goals, using ROI calculations will help you make smart financial decisions and build a solid real estate portfolio.

At BuyProperly, an online marketplace for fractional real estate investments, they calculate ROI for investors and use it as a benchmark to measure the profitability of their properties. Most of their investors can expect to see projected annual returns of 10-40% Take a look at their properties.

The formula for calculating ROI

There are a few different ways to calculate ROI depending on the type of real estate investment you have. Let’s look at how to calculate ROI for real estate investments that are resales or rental investments.

Here are some examples:

Resales

When calculating the profitability of resale real estate investments, use this simple formula:

Your equity in the property (total gains minus your total costs) divided by total costs

There are two methods real estate investors can use to calculate their gains and costs:

  1. the Cost Method
  2. the Out-of-Pock Method

Let’s look at them both in detail.

1. The Cost Method

This method for calculating ROI uses the total equity in a property divided by that property’s costs (renovations, repairs, and sale price). The Cost Method works for properties purchased with cash and/or financing.

For example, say you purchase a home for $250,000. After putting in an additional $100,000 for repairs, you sell the property for $500,000.

First, you need to calculate your equity in the property. If it sold for $500,000 after your total costs were $350,000 for the purchase and repairs, you had $150,000 left of equity.

Next, calculate the total costs. As mentioned above, the total costs for the property were $350,000 ($250,000 purchase price plus $100,000 in repairs).

After you divide your equity ($150,000) by the total costs ($350,000), you get 0.43, which is a 43% ROI.

2. The Out of Pocket Method

The second popular method for calculating ROI looks at only what you’ve spent out-of-pocket for property costs and expenses and doesn’t take into account the property financing.

When would investors use this method? The Out of Pocket Method can be used to calculate ROI only when investors purchase a property with a mortgage. Both the down payment and financing on the property are calculated as equity, making the overall ROI higher.

Let’s use the same example as above.

You purchased the property for $250,000 and put in $100,000 of repairs, only this time, let’s say you put a 20% down payment on the house and used a traditional mortgage to finance the rest.

This means your out-of-pocket expenses are only $50,000 (your down payment) plus $100,000 (repair costs).

If the property is worth $500,000 after repairs, this means you have $350,000 of equity (including your bank financing as leverage). After you divide $350,000 by the total sale price ($500,000), you’re left with an ROI of 70%.

Rental properties

Calculating ROI on rental properties is slightly more complex since we need to factor in year-over-year profitability.

For this ROI, we use the following formula:

Net operating income (annual rental income – operating expenses) divided by the total out-of-pocket expenses.

Using the example from above, if you purchased your property for $250,000 with a 20% down payment, that means your out-of-pocket expenses would be $50,000. Add in closing costs ($5,000) and some money you spent on repairs ($20,000) your total expenses are $75,000.

Now, let’s say your monthly rent is $1,200. Multiply this by 12 to get the average yearly rent. Subtract operating expenses (let’s assume these are $500 a month). This leaves you with a yearly net operating income of $8,400.

Divide $8,400 by your out-of-pocket expenses ($75,000) and you’re left with an ROI of 11%.

Other important factors when considering ROI

When you’re trying to paint a more detailed picture of your ROI on a property, there are two other important factors to consider:

  1. home equity
  2. year-over-year appreciation

Using the above example, if you buy a $250,000 property with a $50,000 down payment and a $200,000 mortgage, your equity grows over time as you pay down the principal balance on your loan.

Let’s say that, according to your mortgage amortization schedule, you paid $2,300 on the principal balance of your loan in the first year. This $2,300 now becomes equity and can be used in your ROI calculation.

Furthermore, it’s important to consider year-over-year appreciation. If we assume your $250,000 property appreciates at 6% each year, then next year, your property will be worth $265,000, adding an additional $15,000 to your equity.

At BuyProperly, they calculate ROI using net cash flow, mortgage repayments, and capital appreciation to paint a more accurate picture of the returns investors will make over time.

What is a good ROI for real estate?

Determining your acceptable ROI for real estate investments depends on your personal goals and your ability to tolerate risk, which means there’s no right or wrong answer.

Investors looking to rent will normally be content with lower yearly ROI numbers knowing they plan on holding the property as a long-term investment. For rental properties, it’s common to expect a 5-10% ROI.

Property flippers, on the other hand, are more interested in the immediate ROI and are looking for a property with the potential to generate higher returns. In this case, an ROI of 20% or above is ideal.

At BuyProperly, they help real estate investors get started for as little as $2,500 and see projected annual returns of 10-40%. Want to know how? Learn more >>

Conclusion

ROI is an important consideration when investing in a property. Whether you’re looking for a quick return or long-term cash flow and appreciation, calculating ROI can help make your next investment decision easier.

Remember, since ROI is a simplistic method of sizing up your next real estate investment, it’s important to analyze it alongside your risk tolerance profile, as well as your long-term and short-term goals ,before making any investment decisions.

Looking to get started in real estate investing without feeling overwhelmed? Check out BuyProperly’s properties and see how they use a fractional ownership model to help investors build their real estate portfolios.

in Editorial Posted by Jessica Wright

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