REASON #1 - Cash Flow
Cash flow is a vital element of the power of real estate investments.  If you don't have a property management company on your investment team - get one now.  Properties that are managed well are properties that realize net operating income growth every year.  This takes expertise and a lot of time.  Unless you are an expert in property management, there is no way you can get a property to perform unless you have had the education and training to do this.  This starts by having a sound management plan, as to how you are going to increase your net operating income.  The basic principle behind every sound property manager, should be the reduction of expenses and the increase to income.  Sounds simple, but it takes real expertise to do this.

Like a lot of real estate investments, cash flow provides you with passive income that can be tax-free after depreciation.  The distinct advantage that multi-family real estate has over other types of real estate, for example commercial is that cash flow, can be manipulated quickly.

In commercial real estate leases can be for many years.  If I'm the landlord, that is a scary proposition.  While the security of a long-term lease is nice, it doesn't allow you to take advantage of fluctuations in the market.  Meaning, as rent levels go up you can adjust your rents accordingly.  Thus minimizing any loss you may receive to being locked into long-term leases.  Let me explain:  Suppose you own a piece of commercial office space and sign a lease with a resident at the going rate of $4,000. per month for three years.  One year later, demand increases and the going rate is now $4,500. per month.  Because you have signed a long-term lease, you cannot take advantage of this upswing.  Essentially you would be leaving at a minimum $500. per month on the table every year.  That works out to $12,000. in lost income from just one commercial space.

In multifamily investments leases tend to last normally six to twelve months.  This allows for constant adjustment of rents - up or down, if necessary - to maximize market values.  Additionally, multi-family apartment buildings tend to have more density than commercial buildings.  Density basically means more individual residents on shorter term leases.  This provides you with more flexibility to adjust to ever changing markets.  On the flip side, you can require longer term leases - in a market that is having a downturn, as this can help to minimize your loses.

There is an easy way to calculate the value of your investment.  Take the net operating income from your investment property and subtract your operating expenses.  This will give you what is called the Net Operating Income.    From Net Operating Income, you subtract our mortgage payment, and this brings you to cash flow. 

Divided your net operating income (NOI) by the going capitalization rate.  If you don't know what the going cap rate is, contact a real estate professional (broker - such as myself) to assist you with this.  Capitalization rates are determined by evaluating recent sales statistics of similar properties in a given market area.  Your broker will be a valuable tool in determining your market's capitalization rate.

If you have a property with an annual $100,000.00 NOI in a market where the capitalization rate is 6 percent, then the value of the property would be $1.66 million.  Your equation would look like this:

NOI ($100,000.00 (divided by) Capitalization Rate (6%) = Asset Value ($1.66 million)

If you want to dramatically increase the value of your investment, then you do this by increasing the Net Operating Income.    If you increase value, then this means, you can quickly then realize these benefits by refinancing your property and reinvesting the equity into other multifamily investments. 


 

    John D. Turley

    Phone: 011.501.226.4400
    Mobile: 011.501.623.8023
    Fax: 011.501.226.4401
    Homepage: http://www.owninbelize.com
    EMAIL:  john.turley@gmail.com

    More Information::
    RE/MAX ISLAND REAL ESTATE
    Broker Owner
    In 2005, my wife Lucinda and I, along with our three children - Trent (14), Christina (10), and Lauren (6), started our great Caribbean adventure by moving from the mountains of Colorado to the beaches of San Pedro Belize.

    We told ourselves we would give our Caribbean adventure a year or two to play itself out but within 6 months we all decided that this is "home" and there was nothing temporary about that feeling. I can think of no better place for a family to raise children and enjoy a wonderful quality of life. We love to visit our 2nd home in Colorado, but Ambergris Caye is "Home, Sweet, Home".

    My real estate career spans 19 years of experience in residential and commercial real estate, both domestic and international as well as professional property management. In addition I have a broad range of experience in restaurant management, hotel management, and luxury resort management in Colorado, Maine, and Belize.

    I have owned and operated both franchise, and independent, real estate companies in the US and Belize, prior to founding RE/MAX Island Rea Estate in San Pedro, Belize.

    I am an active real estate investor and real estate developer in Ambergris Caye, and would be happy to provide my consulting services for your real estate investment and development needs.

    My specialty is in working with HNWI's (High Net Worth Individuals) interested in the three-fold objectives of asset protection/relocation, wealth preservation, and tax optimization.

    My 6 years of experience have given me on-the-ground knowledge of Belizean culture, people, politics, ethics, laws, banking taxes, networking, and all aspects of property investment, financing, development, management and sales/marketing.

    Let me put my experience and expertise to work for you.

    #1 RE/MAX Realtor in the country of Belize (2010)

    #7 RE/MAX Realtor in all of the Caribbean & Central America Region (2010)

    RE/MAX Platinum Club (2010)

    Member National Assoc. of Realtors (AREBB)
    Association of Real Estate Brokers of Belize

    CIPS Designation
    Certified International Property Specialist

    CCS Designation
    Certified Commercial Specialist

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