We compared property management software rivals AppFolio vs Yardi on price, features, and customer reviews. AppFolio is ideal for investors of small to mid-sized portfolios who want a simple, easy-to-use platform. Yardi is best for larger portfolios that need a web-based platform for operations management, executing leases, running analytics, and accounting. When to Use AppFolio…
Real Estate Investing
Commercial Real Estate Loans: The Ultimate Guide
A commercial real estate loan is most commonly used to purchase and/or renovate an owner-occupied commercial property. Commercial real estate loans typically cost 1% to 5% upfront and 5% to 12% per year in interest. Commercial mortgages are used to finance commercial real estate for mixed-use buildings, retail centers, and office buildings. For commercial real…
Best Turnkey Real Estate Companies
Turnkey real estate companies sell new or fully renovated properties that are seasoned with tenants and managed by a property management company. Investors purchase these properties for passive real estate income. We researched the most popular turnkey real estate companies and chose the 13 that best service real estate investors in different regions. If you…
How to Find Houses to Flip in 5 Steps
To know how to find houses to flip, an investor will need to follow five crucial steps. These steps include choosing the right neighborhood, checking housing market statistics, verifying the condition of the fix-and-flip properties, forecasting the overall budget, and calculating the potential profit. Here is an overview of each of the five steps needed…
How to Buy an Apartment Complex in 7 Steps
Buying an apartment complex is more involved than investing in single-family properties and requires a deeper understanding of managing property finances. Typically, you can learn how to buy an apartment building in seven steps, including deciding if apartment complexes are right for you and what type of apartment to purchase. If you need financing when…
How to Make Money Flipping Houses in 7 Steps
Understanding how to make money flipping houses isn’t as easy as it seems. You need to know how much the renovated property is worth and what it will cost to flip it. Profitable house flipping is possible if you do your research and understand the numbers. You also need to consider the cost of financing….
Top 20 Signs You Hired a Bad Contractor
Working with the right contractor is crucial to every real estate investor’s profitability and success. You risk wasting your time and money if you work with the wrong contractor. We spoke with industry pros to determine the top warning signs of a bad contractor to be aware of when hiring. Here are the 20 signs…
Free House Flipping Calculator: Cost, Profit & ROI
How to Read Your House Flipping Calculator Results Closing Costs: If you’re not sure about how much your closing costs are, the average ranges from 2 percent to 5 percent of the purchase price. Average ROI on Flipping a House: Fifteen percent is the average and anything above that is typically considered good. Next…
Top 12 Rental Property Tax Deductions & Benefits [+ Free Worksheet]
The IRS allows you to take tax deductions for any legitimate expense related to running a rental property. If you own rentals, you can claim expenses in 12 categories spanning everything from interest, to insurance, repairs, and depreciation. However, you must record them, according to IRS guidelines. To fulfill your tax and bookkeeping needs, it’s…
Rental Application Form [+Free Templates]
A rental application form is completed by a prospective tenant who wants to lease a property. It’s used by property owners to screen tenants and decide if they qualify to rent the property. We’ve developed several free rental application templates that you can use for single-family homes, vacation rentals, or apartments. Free Rental Application Template…
Top 19 Tenant Appreciation Gift Ideas from the Pros
Landlords know that quality tenants are hard to find. To keep your occupancy rate high and avoid untimely vacancies, you should show appreciation and gratitude to good tenants and keep them happy. To help, these experts shared their best tenant appreciation gift ideas to help you find the most appropriate and cost-effective present for your…
33 Pro Tips on How to Flip a House for Maximum Profit
Fix-and-flip real estate investing can be both risky and rewarding. It’s not as simple as buying a cheap home, renovating it, then selling it within 90 days. There’re many things to learn for you to make a successful flip. To help, we asked the experts to share their tips on how to flip a house…