Is Landlording Your Property Right for You?
May. 20, 2022 | Written by: Teresa GreenhillPhoto via Pexels
Is Landlording Your Property
Right for You?
So, you've finally finished up your
remodel and you're ready to sell. Or maybe you bought the house as a
fixer-upper with plans to rent it out? Well, in this guide, Charlotte
County Realty will help you decide which is best for you. We'll
discuss how to decide which is right for you, the responsibilities involved
(and what can be outsourced), costs and revenue opportunities, and more.
Considerations—Renting
vs. Selling
You're probably
wondering if being a landlord is the right choice for you. And it might be! But
there are many things to take into consideration, such as time and money.
Landlords will always need to make repairs—regularly or suddenly—and this could
put your budget in jeopardy if these costs come up
unexpectedly. Luckily, property management companies exist that offer
their services at fair rates, so landlords are responsible for little upkeep,
while still making sure tenants get what they deserve.
Each option has its own pros and cons.
Read on to learn more about each method:
Pros
and Cons—Selling Your Property
Pros:
●
You can charge a premium because
the house has already been completely transformed
● Fully rehabbed properties tend to sell fast
● You'll receive a large lump sum upfront
● Avoid the hassles of being a landlord
Cons:
●
You might not find a buyer right
away, and you could end up with the house on your hands if it doesn't sell
● You must plan around showings
Pros
and Cons—Becoming a Landlord
Pros:
●
You can enjoy recurring rent
income
● You can enjoy more tax deductions
● It may be easier to find a tenant with a ready-to-go space
Cons:
●
You'll need to be more involved
long term
● Repairs could throw your budget out of whack
● You may not get as much money in the long run if things don't work out
Things
to Consider as a Landlord
There are some
obvious pros and cons to consider when deciding whether it’s best to rent out
or sell your property. Either way, you’re likely to make use of social media
like Instagram to promote your efforts. However, when you do so, you want to be
sure you’re posting images correctly. This means that you can make use of a
tool that can resize images online. By doing this, you can
alter the size of your image to meet the social media site’s upload
requirements. With just a couple of steps with the tool to resize images, you
can successfully upload your images on your preferred social media platforms,
including your website. This will make your marketing efforts much more
streamlined and efficient.
In addition,
being a landlord comes with additional responsibilities that you should
think about before jumping into either decision. Here are some important tasks
you'll need to keep up on as a landlord:
●
Deal with tenant issues
● Hire outside contractors
● Set up legal agreements with your tenants
● Be available 24/7 for emergencies to make sure nothing goes wrong with
the house. You can outsource this at additional costs.
● Make amends for any tenant damages and bill
How
to Make Your Home More Appealing to Renters
There are some
immediate tasks a seller needs to address before putting their property on the
market. For instance, you'll want to make sure your home is clean and free from
clutter. Plan to spend a few hours preparing so you can move forward with
showing off your beautiful space.
Overall, keep in mind that potential
renters will be more interested in a clean, newly finished, and safe space. If
you have time, consider doing some additional decorating or even building a few
custom pieces to make the home stand out from others on the market. If you plan
on selling your home, you may prioritize different preparations or repairs,
especially if the home is historic.
Here are some other important things
renters may look for:
●
Clean inside and out
● All safety features up to code (smoke detectors, carbon monoxide
detectors, etc)
● Attentive landlord (whether that's you or property management)
Both
are Great Options!
The decision between renting out and selling
your newly remodeled home can seem like an overwhelming one. Once you’ve spent
all that money on new paint or flooring—or both—you might be inclined to sell
it for a profit.
But if there are other things wrong with your
house that need fixing up before it will be in tip-top shape, then renting may
be worth considering instead of flipping. The choice has some advantages and
disadvantages but ultimately only you know what will work best for your
situation!
Charlotte County Realty is dedicated to making your
real estate decisions the greatest experience of your life by giving
personalized service with integrity, diligence, and expertise. Let’s team up
today! Call Charlotte
County Realty at
941-883-4181 or contact Kathy Weithman, Broker/Owner, at 810-444-3044.
Written
By: Teresa Greenhill teresa@mentalhealthforseniors.com