Five Ways Investing in Real Estate Can Save You Money

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ilana-greene/5-ways-investing-in-real-_b_2972040.html

According to Brad Hettich, President and CEO of Commercial Lending X, there are several ways to save money fast, but chief among them is investing in real estate. “You should dip into your savings or take out a loan that you can repay, and always invest long-term,” explains Hettich. “Real estate is a great example of that.” Brad’s logic is that with so many available properties that accommodate any budget, real estate is among the most effective ways to save money.

However, it is vital that if you cannot purchase property in cash, that you find a lender that specializes in your financial needs and price range. “With a stable income and a set amount of income put aside every month, you have the advantage of not only determining your own budget, but in deciding how much you want to pay for property,” explained Hettich. Companies like Commercial Lending X work directly with local banks that were burned in the mortgage crisis, making it easier for them to provide both commercial and residential loans to consumers.

Because we work with both consumers and banks, we stress five reasons why real estate investment will save you money in the long run,” Hettich explained. “Lower taxes, positive cash flow, use leverage, equity growth, and the benefits of inflation.”

1. Lower Taxes

There are several tax incentives for real estate investors, with deductions for property that can often be used to offset wage income. These tax breaks for real estate investment often allow property owners to turn a loss into a profit from all the money they save from deductions. These deductions can include any actual costs involved in financing, managing and operating the property, to include maintenance, repairs, property management fees, travel, advertising, and utilities. However, other great ways to save money on tax rates include government-instrumented deductions:

Depreciation: Property depreciates in value over time, enabling you to deduct some of the home’s costs.

Interest: All mortgage payment interest is deductible.

Insurance: Premiums for any type of insurance are deductible.

2. Positive Cash Flow

When it comes to real estate investment, there are two ways to save money: pre-tax and after-tax positive cash flow. A pre-tax positive cash flow is when income received is greater than expenses, and an after-tax positive cash flow is when your expenses are more than your collected income, but the tax breaks bring you back in the black. Either way, real estate investment, if budgeted properly, can save you money and earn a nice profit along the way.

3. Use Leverage

According to Hettich, “Never spend a dime on your real estate investment unless you have to, because the only way to make money is to have money.” Leverage is an important aspect of saving money through real estate investment because a real estate investor uses leverage to increase their assets without spending their own money. “Using your leverage to gain a large amount of equity is the difference between the actual worth of the property and the balanced owed on the mortgage.”

Companies like Brad’s help real estate investors secure loans where they can use the bank’s money to purchase property and increase its equity without spending a dime of their own money. “Our goal is the same as any real estate investor: create value with as little expense as possible.”

4. Equity Growth

The best way to save money, and earn money, is to build up equity for real estate investments. That way, with high equity you are able to save on your mortgage while earning a nice chunk of profit. As Hettich puts it, “Don’t be afraid to sell and invest in something new once you’ve reached your equity goal. Just as long as you have the financial leeway to do it.”

5. The Benefits of Inflation

When investing in real estate, a great way to identify potential savings is by researching the inflation rates for the area. “As commodities increase in value, so does the price of your home,” Hettich explained, “which means that over time you reduce the amount you have to spend to maintain the property.”

Generally speaking, inflation can help you save money on your real estate investment because as rent increases, your mortgage costs will remain static, which means you will save money on maintenance costs with the increased cash flow from the rent.

Ultimately though, despite the fact that these are five great ways to save money through real estate investment, they do come with their risks as well. According to Hettich, “Any time you convert cash into an asset, it becomes more difficult to get your money back. But that’s the risk you take in investing because not only can you save for retirement with a regular cash flow, the reduced taxes will ensure its long-term viability to save you money.”