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Rentals, flips, REITS and more tips
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On this Labor Day weekend, we celebrate the rich history and accomplishments of workers across America, and we honor the effort and dedication of working Americans past, present, and future. And what better time than Labor Day to discuss the next chapter after a long and fulfilling work life? Retirement is a chapter many look ahead to with excitement and anticipation about what the future holds and with good reason. It’s a time to relax, indulge in hobbies and discover new interests, and spend time making memories with those you love.
As many people plan ahead for retirement, they also think about how they will plan to finance that retirement and set aside the funds they need to ensure they can live the retirement life that they envision. Fortunately, real estate is a great way to invest for retirement ahead of time, and there are several options to consider, including:
• Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS): A Real Estate Investment Trust is essentially a collection of properties or other real estate assets that function in many ways like a mutual fund. REITs have a special tax status under which 90% of income must be paid out as dividends. For investors looking to invest in multiple properties at the same time without being tied to ownership of a particular one, this may be a good option.
• Find, Fix, and Flip: There’s no shortage of popular television shows about finding homes that need a little love, making some much-needed improvements, and then selling the home for a profit. If you have access to the funds necessary to purchase the home, and the knowledge and financing necessary to make the improvements, you may have success with flipping properties. It’s certainly an idea worth considering.
Invest in a Long-Term Rental: Buying a property and renting it out for the long term can definitely be a profitable investment strategy. Certainly, it requires having the necessary capital to purchase the property and being willing to deal with the issues that come with having tenants and maintaining a property that you don’t live in. However, if you’re willing and able to handle those stressors, this can ultimately be a very profitable long-term real estate investment strategy as you recoup your initial investment and build equity over time.
Purchase a Vacation Home and Rent Part-Time: For those who have the necessary funds to put a down payment on a vacation home, this is a particularly popular option. Owning a vacation property as an investment means that you can rent it out to tenants for shorter periods, while also enjoying some vacation time for yourself, and building up equity as you go.
These are only a few tips of many. There are many ways to invest in real estate, and it’s always wise to thoroughly consider what might truly work best for your situation. Ideally by thinking ahead and investing in real estate with long-term goals in mind, many can make significant progress toward funding the retirement they’ve always envisioned.
Having done so, and upon reaching retirement age, you’ll likely be looking to make a real estate change yourself. For many individuals, it’s time to make a move – whether that means downsizing and remaining in the same city, moving closer to family, or simply moving to a new place you’ve always wanted to live. Regardless of your goals, finding the right agent can make all the difference in reaching them.
At GayRealEstate.com – We’re Here for You
Regardless of whether you’re buying your very first home or looking to downsize and find the perfect place to retire – at GayRealEstate.com, we’re here for you. We’re always ready to help, and it’s our mission and our passion to connect LGBTQ homebuyers and sellers across the country with excellent and experienced LGBTQ-friendly realtors who can help you achieve your real estate goals. We know that having the right agent can make all the difference during a real estate experience, and we believe you deserve the best experience possible. If we can help you, visit us at GayRealEstate.com today to get connected and get started.
Jeff Hammerberg is founding CEO of Hammerberg & Associates, Inc. Reach him at
303-378-5526 or [email protected].
Tips for preparing your home for fall
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Check windows, A/C units, and more as cool weather arrives
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It looks like fall season is upon us, judging by all the pumpkin spice everywhere. I was just walking through HomeGoods and went down the ‘fall aisles,’ which made me think, similar to how we ready our homes for the spring/summer season, we must prepare our homes for the fall/winter months as well. Here are a few tips to prepare your home for the fall season and into winter.
Inspect your exterior windows and doors to ensure that there are no holes or spaces where warm air can escape when you have the heat on. We should all be a bit more environmentally friendly and just as you are saving the turtles by now using straws, you should also try to use less electricity and fossil fuels – as such helping to ensure your home is air tight will not only aid the environment but it will also cut down on your energy bills, which will afford you a clearer conscience and more drinks at Trade.
It is always a good rule of thumb to have your HVAC system serviced around the change of weather/seasons. Call your local service provider to ensure you are on their books before it’s snowing. If you have window A/C units make sure that you either cover them up or remove them from the windows. This is a great time to have the window A/C units serviced, clean out the filters, wipe them down, and ensure they are prepped and ready for next year before you put them away. If you have radiators, it’s always recommended that you clear some space around them to reduce anything from getting too spicy and causing issues. One last item of note – you should change your air filter more than once a season, so let’s just make sure it’s a new filter. Work smarter not harder — you can easily set a reminder for every month to change out your filter or use an auto replenishment service (will not mention any names) to send you new filters as a reminder to change them.
It’s always a good idea to ensure that your batteries are set and that your smoke detectors are operational. I would also recommend ensuring that any CO2 detectors are also in tip top shape.
We are fortunate here in the D.C. metro area to have a reasonably mild fall season, so in many cases there’s no need to cover your patio furniture until it gets a little closer to December, but I always recommend locating any covers and ensuring they are still in good shape, no rips etc. to allow time for procuring any replacements if needed.
As we welcome in the cooler temps, we want to make sure we don’t welcome in any unwanted pests that find our warmer homes so comfy. It’s always a good idea to perform a deep clean, or hire someone, in order to mitigate the likelihood pests will be incited to come into your home and make themselves comfortable.
This last tip isn’t exactly a seasonal tip – but rather a post-summer tip. Prepare yourself for the busy holiday seasons ahead that fall and winter bring. Be mindful that while you may have a family there are some people in this world that are not as fortunate as you. Lead with kindness and remember to treat others with the kindness you’d like to receive.
Justin Noble is a Realtor with Sotheby’s international Realty licensed in D.C., Maryland, and Delaware for your DMV and Delaware Beach needs. Specializing in first-time homebuyers, development and new construction as well as estate sales, Justin is a well-versed agent, highly regarded, and provides white glove service at every price point. Reach him at 202-503-4243, [email protected] or BurnsandNoble.com.
D.C. is committed to helping residents into homeownership
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A little-known fact about purchasing homes in the District of Columbia is that there actually are helpful programs for “average” buyers who make a healthy income but might not have tons of cash stashed away for the down payment and closing costs.
There are several programs such as DC Opens Doors and the Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP) as well as EAHP (the DC Employer Assisted Housing Program) that can help buyers with cash to close or down payment assistance. The DC Opens Doors program helps buyers with a 3.5% down payment, that does get paid back when the house is sold later. Many lenders are familiar with this program, and it gets used frequently.
Also, the HPAP and EAHP programs are used frequently, with the assistance of the DC Housing Finance Authority and the Greater Washington Urban League assisting to administer the funds. The amount of assistance given to the buyers is dependent on household size and income. For DC Opens Doors there are also income limits, and credit score requirements.
I find that many buyers don’t know that these programs are available to them. I did just find out the amount of assistance for the HPAP program was just raised and will be effective in October of this year. These programs may or may not be the best option for each buyer. The best thing to do is to speak with a lender who is familiar with these programs, and to run the numbers using the program or not using the program. Sometimes the interest rate is higher when using one of these down payment assistance programs, but if that is what is needed to make the purchase happen, then so be it.
The good thing is the District of Columbia is committed to helping people find their way into homeownership, and with the recent raising of the assistance levels, they are showing that they understand the cost of homeownership in the District is higher than the average. If you would like more information about these programs do not hesitate to contact me or to attend one of my homebuyer seminars, which will occur this fall. One will be in September, and one will be in October.
Joseph Hudson is a Realtor with The Rutstein Group of Compass. Reach him at [email protected] or 703-587-0597.
Act quickly before winter arrives when selling
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Though it may not feel quite like fall weather quite yet in some parts of the country, as students return to school, we know that it means fall is right around the corner. Without question, fall is usually a wonderful season – it is the perfect time to enjoy beautiful weather, and plenty of festivals and fun. The return to school also means, for many, a return to routine – to getting organized and beginning again to check things off the to-do list after the lazy days of summer are over.
You may have heard that housing inventory and activity is often lower in the fall than in the popular spring and summer seasons – and this is true. On the other side of the coin, however, fall buyers are often more serious about buying. They may be eager to buy quickly to get children enrolled in school, because of a job relocation, or due to a change in their family situation. Often, fall buyers are eager to find a home they love quickly, and to take action once they find it.
The good news is that if you plan to list your home for sale in the fall, there are a few tips and things you can add to your to-do list that will help you market your home in the best way possible and maximize your chances of a quick and successful sale. These include:
Act quickly: Depending upon the area of the country that you live in, beautiful, crisp, colorful fall weather might quickly give way to less desirable winter weather. It’s often far easier to sell a home in the fall than it is to sell in December, January, or February when bad weather might make traveling difficult, and potential buyers less likely to want to leave their homes. Once you’ve decided you’re ready to sell, it’s best to make every effort to list your home quickly to take advantage of good weather and buyers on the market.
Photograph the property as soon as possible: In many parts of the country, fall is a truly beautiful season of the year. Fall typically also offers plenty of beautiful, natural light. Take advantage of those ideal conditions by taking pictures of your property early. Don’t wait until the leaves begin to fall and the skies turn gray. Get your pictures early and use them to attract potential buyers to the unique beauty, both indoors and out, that can be enjoyed in your home.
Feature some fall curb appeal: You may not have spring flowers in the fall, but there’s abundant natural beauty to enjoy nevertheless. If you have falling leaves, make sure to regularly rake and bag them. Mow the lawn, perhaps add some new mulch, or consider adding some fall flowers. These steps don’t take long or cost much money, but they can go a long way toward catching the eye of potential buyers.
Leave the lights on: In fall, the sun begins to set early. As a result, it’s important to keep your home as bright and inviting as possible. Clean your windows, open the curtains or blinds, and encourage as much natural light to come in as possible. If you have very dark paint colors, consider having a few rooms repainted to lighter shades. This will maximize light, and make your home appear more open and airy. Finally, if the showing is later in the day, be sure to leave plenty of lights on within the home. This will not only increase your curb appeal as potential buyers approach the home by making it look warm and inviting – it will also help buyers feel more comfortable inside your home as they envision themselves in that space.
While these tips are intended to be helpful, it’s important to remember that one of the best steps you can take to truly increase your chances of a successful home sale is to hire a real estate agent who knows and loves the community and can help you truly tailor the marketing and pricing of your home to potential buyers in your area. Finding and connecting with an agent that can help you do exactly that is essential. At GayRealEstate.com, we’re here to help.
At GayRealEstate.com, we aren’t just passionate about real estate. We’re passionate about real estate with a purpose. Our mission is to connect LGBTQ home buyers and sellers all over the country with knowledgeable, talented, and experienced LGBTQ-friendly realtors who know their communities well and are dedicated to helping clients every step of the way. Wherever you are in the real estate process, and whatever your goals, we’re here for you, and we’re ready to help. If you’re ready to get started, connect with us today.
Jeff Hammerberg is founding CEO of Hammerberg & Associates, Inc. Reach him at 303-378-5526 or [email protected].
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