Buying investment real estate in Houston is a great way to build long-term wealth for your family.
Although you might be excited and ready to jump into real estate investing, you should take your time to learn a few things before going headfirst.
Not understanding what your are doing in any investment can cost you time and money.
Read on to learn more about how to get started when buying investment real estate in Houston.
Credit Score
Lenders will review your score and if they aren’t pleased with what they see, you could either be denied or be approved for a loan with exorbitant interest as a penalty for your low credit score.
Improving your credit score can take time, so get started now, when investing in Houston real estate.
You’ll want to ensure your payments are timely because this has the most impact on your score, to correct this, the more time that passes without a late payment, the better.
Pay off your debt as quickly as possible, you’ll want to ensure a good debt to income ratio.
To find out what your credit score is, there are free websites like Credit Karma. You also have access to a free credit report provided to you yearly by the government.
Savings
It’s imperative to begin taking steps to build savings towards the downpayment on your investment, this will save you a great deal of money over the long term.
Putting a higher amount down towards the purchase will save you interest and provide lower payments, it is a great way to get started when investing in Houston.
While owner-occupied property can require as little as three percent down, investment property doesn’t offer mortgage insurance, so you must have at least 20 percent.
Budget
Setting a budget for the investment, taking all contingencies into consideration is another way to get started when investing in Houston real estate.
In order to be certain you aren’t buying more property than you can afford, it’s important that you have realistic data for your monthly costs and income, and the profit you will realize on your investment dollar.
Factor in taxes, routine maintenance, repairs, and management services, if you aren’t going to be a full-time landlord and caretaker of the property yourself.
You should set aside 20 to 30 percent of your rental income for emergency repairs and the like.
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Pre-approval
Want to avoid the letdown of finding out the property you’ve fallen in love with is more than you can actually afford? Once you’ve worked out your budget, have your savings in hand, and are ready to buy, the next step is to arrange financing, before ever searching for your investment property.
Being pre-approved can also give you the upper hand when you make an offer when buying investment real estate in Houston.
Sellers will know you’re serious and may select your offer over another without pre-approval.
Planning
Understanding the possible types of investment real estate and the role you want to play in your investment business is helpful in getting started when investing in Houston.
Included in your plan along with your entry into the property, should be your exit strategy as well, or selling when it is to your advantage to do so.
Because changes can occur in the economy, it’s important to maintain the plan based on the best move for you at the time.
Want even more tips to prepare for buying investment real estate in Houston? At Sell Your Homes Houston , we are here to listen and help you set realistic goals to reach your dreams.
Why not let the professionals at Sell Your Homes Houston guide you through every step of the process, including finding the best deals to suit your needs, when you are finally ready to get started! Call 832-535-2034 or send us a message to learn more about building your real estate investment portfolio.