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Key Insights for First-Time Rental Property Buyers

A young couple searching for their first property with a real estate agent. Acquiring your first Scherz single-family rental property can be a memorable experience. However, same with all investments, there are certain risks associated. To ensure that your first investment property purchase in Scherz becomes as profitable as you hope, you must know several factors before purchasing. For illustration, you’ll need to address queries such as determining your preferred tenants and the type of rental property you will focus on. How will you finance your purchase? This article will examine these and other factors that should be taken into account before investing in first rental property.

Define Your End Goal

When buying your first single-family rental home, one of the most important things to do is establish clearly defined end goals. You should have an idea of what you’re looking for in an investment property before beginning your property search. For instance, you might search for properties in a particular location with a specific number of bedrooms or a certain amount of square footage. You can also target a specific renter demographic, like college students or seniors. With clear data about what you’re looking for, you can refine your search criteria and locate potential properties faster.

Prepare Your Finances

Besides recognizing what qualities you are searching for in a property, it is best to prepare financially before you purchase an investment property. Before beginning your property search, industry professionals recommend paying for any outstanding debts and saving for a down payment. Reducing personal debt can help you to qualify for better financial terms, whereas nearly all mortgage loans for an investment property will demand a 20% down payment. Preparing a financial strategy is also essential, but be wary of high-interest loans or mortgage packages that seem too good to be true. You can be prepared to seize investment opportunities when they emerge by becoming prequalified with a reputable mortgage provider. Prioritizing your financial planning will provide you the peace of mind to acquire that rental property.

Crunch the Numbers

After these vital first steps have been taken, the search for the right property starts. One important thing to do during your search is you should run a series of numbers on each potential property, such as your margins, operating expenses, and expected return. This is where several new investors make costly errors.

New investors should pay more attention to the entire cost of purchasing and preparing the rental property for lease, as well as ongoing property management, upkeep, and vacancy expenses. Professionals in the field agree that a margin goal of 10% and a 6% return in your first year indicates you have a profitable investment.

Stay Objective

It is critical to keep in mind that an investment property is just that, an investment. Developing sentimental ties to a particular property or letting your emotions control your decisions is never a good idea. Furthermore, you may not even wish to live in the home you end up buying. For your first investment, industry experts recommend purchasing low-cost properties in high-demand areas. However, avoid fixer-uppers unless you have a background in renovating homes or are connected to a reliable contractor willing to do the job for below-market rates. Your first single-family rental property should be seen as the beginning of a long and profitable investment career rather than the final goal. In this fashion, you can stay on schedule and your investment properties profitable.

Design a Management Strategy

Ultimately, remember that buying a rental property is just the beginning of the process. To ensure that your investment flourishes, you must have a proactive management plan. This is where hiring a great property management company comes in handy. As local market experts, property managers can assist you in tracing off-market investment properties, assessing market circumstances, determining rental rates, and much more. In fact, seasoned investors will inform you that working with a reliable property management company is essential in profitable rental property investing.

Find the best Scherz property management team once you’ve identified the best investment property. Contact RPM Lonestar at 210-314-1039 right away!

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