You might have been hearing about how the current economy is making real estate a buyer's market, but do you know how to use this to your advantage? Professional property managers and rental property companies do specialise in assisting investors and home owners rent out their property. Before you can start finding your tenant you need to know how to buy a rental property in the right place and space. This article has advice on how to approach buying real estate in a logical manner that will make sure you get what you want at a price you can afford.

Tips On Making Money With Rental Properties

Buying Rental Properties

1. Find a location of rental properties you want to invest in that are surrounded by local amenities such as parks and malls. In a large city, a property near public transportation is especially profitable. The more things to do that are close to the rental property will draw in more potential tenants and allow you to turn a profit quicker than a rental property that is in the middle of nowhere.


2. Understand the setup of the utilities in rental properties. If you are considering a multiple unit rental property, it is important to pay attention to the way that the utilities and heating system have been set-up. Take note of the number of gas, water and electric meters either inside or outside of the home to determine how many services are connected to the property. If there is only one connection, be aware that you will most likely need to include utility costs in the rent payments. You might also want to make a call to the local zoning commission, so that you know if there would need to be any major changes to the utility services. There could be significant costs involved in splitting or combining services and you will want to know this in advance.


3. Learn how to attract good tenants. If you are going to purchase rental properties it is absolutely imperative that you carefully market your units in such a way that attracts the best tenants possible. Marketing is important and you should pay careful attention to how other owners are marketing their properties, particularly those with low vacancy rates.


4. When purchasing real estate to use for rental properties be sure to do a careful assessment of the neighborhood. Look at the cars parked in the street. Old cars can tell you a lot about the neighborhood in which the property is located. Trash on the sidewalk or worn down houses can tell you that the neighborhood is less than great and at what level you can expect to rent the property.


5. Look for rental properties in student areas. A college or university neighborhood is a great place to look for a rental property to purchase. In most cases, the vacancy rate will be minimal, and most of the time students pre-pay their rent for the semester or even the entire year. The one drawback is that some students only want 3 month leases; however, if you form a relationship with the school's housing office, you will most likely have no problem at all finding tenants.

Research potential properties before purchasing them. If you are considering a rental property, evaluate the following features before signing the closing documents.

One of these is sustainability. How is the condition of the property and how much upkeep will it require in the future?

The second thing to consider is the location. Especially with property that you plan to rent, location can make all the difference. You need to ensure that your tenants can get to where they need to go and that the property is near commonly used retailers and service providers.

The third thing to consider is the median income of the property's area. This will not be the same as the physical location. You want to remember that any low rent area will be worse than any high rent area. You should also keep in mind that concerns about location are not as high a priority for high rent areas. Locational issues do become more of a factor in areas with a lower rent.

This article will help you take advantage of the current buyer's market in real estate. Make sure you follow the tips to get the best out of your real estate buying experience. You can get what you want, at the price you want, with the benefits that buyers can get with the state of the economy.

For more tips on making money with rental properties, please click this link

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sam_E_Watson
Blog Posted by Chris Snell, Property Manager Australia, Rental Success Blog