As you survey the rooms in your house, with the immaculate space sparkling with real estate possibilities, you contemplate the probable paths for the future of your current home. One decision many homeowners have to make is whether it is in their best interest to rent or to sell their home. Whether you are relocating, wanting to keep it as an investment property, or needing funds for a down payment on your next home, this dilemma can involve many financial decisions, stress, and unexpected expenses. These pros and cons of renting and selling both weigh in on the financial gains and convenience.
Renting Your Home
Pros of Renting your Home
Home Value Appreciation
You may want to refrain from selling your house right away if there is a possibility of your property value increasing throughout time. Waiting for your property value to appreciate and selling it then could bring you a profit. In the interim, renting out the place could be a good way to earn additional income. There are several ways to determine your home value.
Cash Flow
Renting out your property can bring in a steady flow of cash. Being a landlord can serve as a job while offering more flexibility in your schedule and still providing passive income. This is useful if you are in need of monetary funds for future investments or to pay off expenses in other areas of your life. You can determine what rental rate is best for your property in the area.
Tax Deductions
Similar to earnings from any other job, you’re subjected to income taxes for the income you collect from your rental. Fortunately, you may be exempted from the costs that are associated with renting out the property. Read more on tax benefits.
Property Renovation
The additional income from your rental could also be used to meet some of your other goals such as home improvements. For rental property owners, these repairs are typically tax-deductible as well.
Maintain Home Ownership
Renting your property can offer you more flexibility. If you are changing locations or travelling and still have a plan to return to your property this option allows you the freedom of moving back anytime you decide.
Cons of Renting your Home
Time and Stress
Being a landlord brings a lot of responsibilities to the table. This includes maintenance of the house, repairing appliances, managing rent payments, and handling difficult tenants. All of these responsibilities could eat up a lot of your time and could carry weight as a second job. In addition, if you don’t live near your rented out property managing problems could be more challenging. To deal with issues on the property promptly, you might have to hire a property management company or pay travel costs.
Unexpected expenses and maintenance
Sometimes you don’t know what kind of tenant you will have until a few weeks or months into the lease. Issues are bound to occur, perhaps a tenant breaks a stove or toilet, now it can cost hundreds of dollars out of your pocket to repair. In some cases, the tenant could bring financial losses on your behalf if they don’t pay rent. It can be difficult to forecast these unanticipated damages and costs that might throw you off your financial budget.
Other potential expenses
Since you still hold ownership of the property, there are still expenses associated with it. This can include mortgage payment, property taxes, landlord insurance, and accounting and property management fees.
Possibility of damaged property and losses
When you’re renting out your property for others to live in, you risk it being damaged. As a landlord, you never know what to expect when it comes to putting your property under the care of someone else. If faced with a difficult tenant, they may even damage and destroy the property, incurring even more costs. Repairing and renovating the property takes up a lot of time and could affect your timeline of wishing to rent out to future tenants or selling to future buyers.
Tiffany C. Wright, the owner of a real estate investment firm and The Resourceful CEO, shares her advice on preventing a bad tenant experience,
[blockquote]“My philosophy is to screen well. Furthermore, I document everything and request the tenant’s signature whenever possible. I use applications, security deposit receipts, move-in condition forms with photos or a video, a 6-8 page lease agreement, rent reminder phone calls, thank you calls or cards, rapid follow-up to repair requests, occasional drive-bys and immediate and full enforcement of infractions. This enabled me to find tenants that lasted and to quickly get rid of tenants that did not.” [/blockquote]
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