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Investing in Real Estate – What is a “Good Deal?”
Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of Zillow. Buying Investment Property – What is a “Good” deal?...
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Smart Investing – A Tale of Two Townhomes
At the height of the real estate boom, some people purchased rental homes without looking at whether the rental income was enough to cover all the expenses — including the mortgage — and provide...
View ArticleTips for Choosing Your Rental
The rental market has become more competitive than ever with former homeowners joining long-term renters in the search for a new rental home or apartment. But in the rush to find a place to call home,...
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Investing 101: Estimating Rental Property Expenses
If you are considering buying rental properties, you should already know how to analyze an investment by penciling out your real estate deal. Within that analysis, one of the critical tasks is...
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Should You Add Real Estate to Your Investment Portfolio?
As the national real estate market is in the news each week, and there is talk everywhere about cheap foreclosures, short sales and other incredible opportunities and deals, you might wonder whether...
View ArticleIs a Second Home a Good Investment?
You may believe that a second home can be a great place to vacation and retire, that you can earn some equity over time and that it’s a good deal because property is a physical asset that can’t go...
View ArticleInvesting? 6 Types of Properties to Pursue
If you’re interested in improving your lot in life — no pun intended — by becoming a property mogul and investing your hard-earned capital into income-producing properties, there are some general...
View ArticleFirst Steps for First-Time Landlords
So you’ve got a property under contract, and you’re excited that you are going to become a landlord. While it can be a financially and personally rewarding investment, there are lots of things to do in...
View ArticleWhy Prize Investment Properties Are No Prize
Here’s a little real estate investing secret that few rental property investors know: The fancier and more prize location of a property, the worse the cash flow. In fact, most “prize” properties are...
View ArticleIs Land a Good Investment?
If you bought land in California in the 1970s, you’d probably opine that land is a good investment. If you bought it in 2006, and now it’s worth a fraction of what you paid, your opinion would probably...
View ArticleIs a Personal Residence an Investment?
If you’re going to use your hard-earned money to buy a home, you might wonder if that home is an investment. And without doubt, for the vast majority of buyers, a home is an investment. However, just...
View Article5 Smart Moves a First-Time Buyer Should Consider
As a first-time real estate buyer, you probably have no idea how the overall purchasing process works or how to make sure you’re making a smart decision to purchase. And you’ll probably be very...
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Real Estate Investing: Single Family Home vs. Condo
If you’re considering getting into the landlord game, you might wonder whether it’s best to buy a single family home or a condominium. Many people say to stay away from condominiums because of all the...
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Can a Landlord Force Tenants to Have Renter’s Insurance?
More and more landlords these days are requiring renters to have a renter’s insurance policy in place during their tenancy. There are a lot of benefits to both the landlord and the renter as a result...
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Rental Property Investing 101
Want to be a rental property owner? Here’s some good and bad news for you. The bad news is that contrary to all the TV shows about flipping houses and people making money, or turn-key hassle-free...
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Tips for Avoiding Rental Property Disasters
If you plan to be a landlord, you should know that owning and managing property is hard work and can be very stressful. All kinds of issues can occur, taking up your time, energy and effort, and...
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Tax Savings: Rental Property Depreciation Explained
One reason you might be thinking about investing in rental properties is because you think you’ll save money on federal income taxes. While this may be true, you really need to fully understand how...
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What’s the Best Way to Earn Wealth in Real Estate?
The prospect of buying inexpensive properties, making cosmetic improvements and flipping those homes back onto the market for a hefty profit causes many people to ponder becoming real estate investors....
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Real Estate Q&A: Revocable Trusts and Wrap-Around Mortgages
Each month, San Diego State University lecturer and Zillow Blog contributor Leonard Baron answers two questions from readers regarding buying, selling and investing. Have a question? Send it to...
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Living With Your Tenants: Tips for Renting Out Extra Space in Your Home
In these tough financial times, many people are seeing an opportunity to help pay the mortgage by renting out an extra room in their homes. Generally there are no city rules stopping people from doing...
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Practical Renovations for Investment Properties
If you’re a new rental property owner, or even someone just considering becoming a landlord, you’re probably wondering which home improvements make the most sense when updating your investment...
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Real Estate Q&A: 1031 Tax-Deferred Exchanges and Renters Insurance Coverage
Each month, Zillow Blog contributor Leonard Baron answers two questions from readers regarding buying, selling and investing. Have a question? Send it to Leonard@ProfessorBaron.com Investment property...
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DIY Kitchen Remodels for Investment Properties
If you are… an investor who is buying rental properties are a do-it-yourself type want to renovate your kitchen… … there are many things you can do to reduce your costs on doing some updating. Note...
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3 Things That Make the Best Real Estate Investment
A couple of weeks ago I wrote The 6 Worst Types of Real Estate Investments that covered the types of properties an investor should avoid. Today I will cover what makes up a really good real estate...
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Using Your IRA to Buy Investment Properties
With taxes going up for most people, you might be paying more attention to your tax-deferred retirement investing options, such as your Individual Retirement Account (IRA). And with property prices...
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Real Estate Q&A: Hedge Funds Buying Homes and Inheriting Property
Each month, past San Diego State University lecturer and Zillow Blog contributor Leonard Baron answers two questions from readers regarding buying, selling and investing. Have a question? Send it to...
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Real Estate Investing: Why Cash Flow Is King
As real estate values rise nationwide and many properties listed for sale are being fought over by investors and home buyers, it seems that, once again, investment property buyers are paying outrageous...
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How to Make a Better Real Estate Investment
Investing in real estate has lots of risks that can derail even the best-looking deals, so you need to make sure you are addressing the known perils and doing the hard work to diminish the chances that...
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Buying Investment Properties? Why You Should Consider California
California can be a great state to park your long-term real estate investment dollars. Not only has the Golden State provided outsized wealth growth for real estate owners over the past 40 years, but...
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5 Real-Life HOA ‘Horror Stories’
When purchasing real estate, you might be one of the 25 percent of people who purchase a property in a common interest development, which is more commonly known as a homeowners association (HOA). And...
View ArticleCan You Afford to Buy a New Home and Rent Out Your Old One?
When it comes to buying a new home, most people decide to trade up to gain additional space, live in a better neighborhood, move to a home in better condition — or any combination of these. For many...
View ArticleFinding the Best Rental: Tips for Today's Market
If you’re a renter, you may be finding your budget strained as rental rates — now 15 percent higher than they were at the end of the recession in 2009 — continue to rise across the country. You may...
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