INVESTMENT PROPERTY HISTORY OF

IAS Plus International Accounting Standards IAS 40, Investment Property Home Site Map Standards Interpretations Agenda Structure Newsletter Resources Countries/Regions Links Search STANDARDS: IAS 40 INVESTMENT PROPERTY HISTORY OF IAS 40 October 1984 Exposure Draft E26 Accounting for Investments March 1986 IAS 25 Accounting for Investments 1 January 1987 Effective Date of IAS 25 December 1999 Exposure Draft E64 Investment Property April 2000 IAS 40 Investment Property superseded those portions of IAS 25 that addressed investment property and withdrew IAS 25 1 January 2001 Effective Date of IAS 40 (2000) 18 December 2003 Revised version of IAS 40 issued by the IASB The summary below reflects the revisions. 1 January 2005 Effective date of IAS 40 (Revised 2003) RELATED INTERPRETATIONS Issues Relating to This Standard that IFRIC Did Not Add to Its Agenda SUMMARY OF IAS 40 Definition of Investment Property Investment property is property (land or a building or part of a building or both) held (by the owner or by the lessee under a finance lease) to earn rentals or for capital appreciation or both. [IAS 40.5] Examples of investment property: [IAS 40.8] Land held for long-term capital appreciation Land held for undecided future use Building leased out under an operating lease Vacant building held to be leased out under an operating lease The following are not investment property and, therefore, are outside the scope of IAS 40: [IAS 40.5 and 40.9] property held for use in the production or supply of goods or services or for administrative purposes; property held for sale in the ordinary course of business or in the process of construction of development for such sale (IAS 2 Inventories); property being constructed or developed on behalf of third parties (IAS 11 Construction Contracts); owner-occupied property (IAS 16 Property, Plant and Equipment), including property held for future use as owner-occupied property, property held for future development and subsequent use as owner-occupied property, property occupied by employees and owner-occupied property awaiting disposal; property that is being constructed of developed for use as an investment property (IAS 16 applies to such property until construction or development is complete). However, IAS 40 does apply to existing investment property that is being redeveloped for continuing use as investment property; and property leased to another entity under an finance lease. Other Classification Issues Property held under an operating lease. A property interest that is held by a lessee under an operating lease may be classified and accounted for as investment property provided that: [IAS 40.6] the rest of the definition of investment property is met; the operating lease is accounted for as if it were a finance lease in accordance with IAS 17 Leases; and the lessee uses the fair value model set out in this Standard for the asset recognised. An entity may make the foregoing classification on a property-by-property basis. Partial own use. If the owner uses part of the property for its own use, and part to earn rentals or for capital appreciation, and the portions can be sold or leased out separately, they are accounted for separately. Therefore the part that is rented out is investment property. If the portions cannot be sold or leased out separately, the property is investment property only if the owner-occupied portion is insignificant. [IAS 40.10] Ancillary services. If the enterprise provides ancillary services to the occupants of a property held by the enterprise, the appropriateness of classification as investment property is determined by the significance of the services provided. If those services are a relatively insignificant component of the arrangement as a whole (for instance, the building owner supplies security and maintenance services to the lessees), then the enterprise may treat the property as investment property. Where the services provided are more significant (such as in the case of an owner-managed hotel), the property should be classified as owner-occupied. [IAS 40.11] Intracompany rentals. Property rented to a parent, subsidiary, or fellow subsidiary is not investment property in consolidated financial statements that include both the lessor and the lessee, because the property is owner-occupied from the perspective of the group. However, such property could qualify as investment property in the separate financial statements of the lessor, if the definition of investment property is otherwise met. [IAS 40.15] Recognition Investment property should be recognised as an asset when it is probable that the future economic benefits that are associated with the property will flow to the enterprise, and the cost of the property can be reliably measured. [IAS 40.16] Initial measurement Investment property is initially measured at cost, including transaction costs. Such cost should not include start-up costs, abnormal waste, or initial operating losses incurred before the investment property achieves the planned level of occupancy. [IAS 40.20 and 40.23] Measurement subsequent to initial recognition IAS 40 permits enterprises to choose between: [IAS 40.30] a fair value model; and a cost model. One method must be adopted for all of an entity's investment property. Change is permitted only if this results in a more appropriate presentation. IAS 40 notes that this is highly unlikely for a change from a fair value model to a cost model. Fair value model Investment property is remeasured at fair value, which is the amount for which the property could be exchanged between knowledgeable, willing parties in an arm's length transaction. Gains or losses arising from changes in the fair value of investment property must be included in net profit or loss for the period in which it arises. [IAS 40.35] Fair value should reflect the actual market state and circumstances as of the balance sheet date. [IAS 40.38] The best evidence of fair value is normally given by current prices on an active market for similar property in the same location and condition and subject to similar lease and other contracts. [IAS 40.45] In the absence of such information, the entitymay consider current prices for properties of a different nature or subject to different conditions, recent prices on less active markets with adjustments to reflect changes in economic conditions, and discounted cash flow projections based on reliable estimates of future cash flows. [IAS 40.46] There is a rebuttable presumption that the enterprise will be able to determine the fair value of an investment property reliably on a continuing basis. However, if, in exceptional circumstances, an entity follows the fair value model but at acquisition concludes that a property's fair value is not expected to be reliably measurable on a continuing basis, the property is accounted for in accordance with the benchmark treatment under IAS 16 , Property, Plant and Equipment (cost less accumulated depreciation less accumulated impairment losses). [IAS 40.53] Where a property has previously been measured at fair value, it should continue to be measured at fair value until disposal, even if comparable market transactions become less frequent or market prices become less readily available. [IAS 40.55] Cost Model After initial recognition, investment property is accounted for in accordance with the cost model as set out in IAS 16 , Property, Plant and Equipment – cost less accumulated depreciation and less accumulated impairment losses. [IAS 40.56] Transfers to or from Investment Property Classification Transfers to, or from, investment property should only be made when there is a change in use, evidenced by: [IAS 40.57] commencement of owner-occupation (transfer from investment property to owner-occupied property); commencement of development with a view to sale (transfer from investment property to inventories); end of owner-occupation (transfer from owner-occupied property to investment property); commencement of an operating lease to another party (transfer from inventories to investment property); or end of construction or development (transfer from property in the course of construction/development to investment property. When an enterprise decides to sell an investment property without development, the property is not reclassified as investment property but is dealt with as investment property until it is disposed of. The following rules apply for accounting for transfers between categories: for a transfer from investment property carried at fair value to owner-occupied property or inventories, the fair value at the change of use is the 'cost' of the property under its new classification; [IAS 40.60] for a transfer from owner-occupied property to investment property carried at fair value, IAS 16 should be applied up to the date of reclassification. Any difference arising between the carrying amount under IAS 16 at that date and the fair value is dealt with as a revaluation under IAS 16; [IAS 40.61] for a transfer from inventories to investment property at fair value, any difference between the fair value at the date of transfer and it previous carrying amount should be recognised in net profit or loss for the period; [IAS 40.63] and when an entity completes construction/development of an investment property that will be carried at fair value, any difference between the fair value at the date of transfer and the previous carrying amount should be recognised in net profit or loss for the period. [IAS 40.65] When an entity uses the cost model for investment property, transfers between categories do not change the carrying amount of the property transferred, and they do not change the cost of the property for measurement or disclosure purposes. Disposal An investment property should be derecognised on disposal or when the investment property is permanently withdrawn from use and no future economic benefits are expected from its disposal. The gain or loss on disposal should be calculated as the difference between the net disposal proceeds and the carrying amount of the asset and should be recognised as income or expense in the income statement. [IAS 40.66 and 40.69] Compensation from third parties is recognised when it becomes receivable. [IAS 40.72] Disclosure Both Fair Value Model and Cost Model [IAS 40.75] whether the fair value or the cost model is used; if the fair value model is used, whether property interests held under operating leases are classified and accounted for as investment property; if classification is difficult, the criteria to distinguish investment property from owner-occupied property and from property held for sale. the methods and significant assumptions applied in determining the fair value of investment property. the extent to which the fair value of investment property is based on a valuation by a qualified independent valuer; if there has been no such valuation, that fact must be disclosed. the amounts recognised in profit or loss for: rental income from investment property; direct operating expenses (including repairs and maintenance) arising from investment property that generated rental income during the period; and direct operating expenses (including repairs and maintenance) arising from investment property that did not generate rental income during the period. restrictions on the realisability of investment property or the remittance of income and proceeds of disposal. contractual obligations to purchase, construct, or develop investment property or for repairs, maintenance or enhancements. Additional Disclosures for the Fair Value Model [IAS 40.76] a reconciliation between the carrying amounts of investment property at the beginning and end of the period, showing additions, disposals, fair value adjustments, net foreign exchange differences, transfers to and from inventories and owner-occupied property, and other changes. significant adjustments to an outside valuation (if any) if an entity that otherwise uses the fair value model measures an item of investment property using the cost model, certain additional disclosures are required. Additional Disclosures for the Cost Model [IAS 40.79] the depreciation methods used; the useful lives or the depreciation rates used; the gross carrying amount and the accumulated depreciation (aggregated with accumulated impairment losses) at the beginning and end of the period; a reconciliation of the carrying amount of investment property at the beginning and end of the period, showing additions, disposals, depreciation, impairment recognised or reversed, foreign exchange differences, transfers to and from inventories and owner-occupied property, and other changes; the fair value of investment property. If the fair value of an item of investment property cannot be measured reliably, additional disclosures are required, including, if possible, the range of estimates within which fair value is highly likely to lie.

Foreclosure Property

Homepage of the California Department of Real Estate (DRE) California Home DRE Home Contact Us What's new About DRE Careers at DRE DRE Records Consumers Escrow Violations eLicensing Examinees Licensees Subdivisions Real Estate Law Regulations Publications Forms FAQs Links Index Department of Real Estate START Examinees and Licensees: Use eLicensing for expedited processing of: Examination services Mailing address changes License renewals Salesperson additions/changes of employing broker Broker certification of salesperson employment Broker discontinuation of salesperson employment Duplicate license requests Additional services Learn to use eLicensing It's easy, paperless and interactive! Resources Key Announcements Brokers Must Report Commission Payments on 1099s Real estate brokers are required to report commission payments of $600 or more to brokers and salespersons on Form 1099-MISC, Box 7 - Nonemployee Compensation. For more information, see 1099 Reporting for Real Estate Brokers published by the Franchise Tax Board. Combination examination and license applications are now available: Broker Examination/License Sales Examination/License Expanded Services: Use eLicensing to apply for the salesperson exam Important Information About: Application Processing Timeframes Satellite Exam Sites for Salespersons and Brokers Can't find what you're looking for? Try the Index Featured Items Topics of Interest: Gulf Coast Hurricanes CalHFA First Time Homeownership Program Instructions to License Applicants Help Avoid DENIAL of Your License Application Guides for First Time Home Buyers and Renters Information for Homebuyers Apply Online for a CalVet Home Loan Predatory Lending Prevention Investigate Before You Invest Small Business and DVBE Opportunities Workers' Compensation Coverage Flex Your Power - Be Energy Efficient! Find out how you can save money, save energy, and save natural resources.   more My CA Customer Survey Course & Instructor Evaluation Back to Top of Page Conditions of Use | Privacy Policy | Tech Problems 2003 State of California This page last modified on Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Home Mortgage Insurance U.S.

FCIC: The Guide to Single Family Home Mortgage Insurance Return to Federal Citizen Information Center Home Page Printer-friendly page -- Guide To Single Family Home Mortgage Insurance U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Housing Office of Single Family Housing www.hud.gov espanol.hud.gov Revised February 2005 Becoming a Homeowner Many people in the United States dream of owning their own homes,but few are able to pay cash for them. Many individuals and families whocould not otherwise afford to own a home become homeowners with thehelp of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance programs. FHA is a part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) . One of the chief purposes of FHA is to help people obtain financing to buy their homes. This booklet can help homebuyers understand how they can make use of FHA mortgage insurance programs. It explains: How FHA mortgage insurance works Who can get FHA mortgage insurance How to shop for a HUD-approved lender How to apply for an FHA-insured mortgage loan What restrictions apply to FHA-insured mortgage loans Buying a home is the biggest single purchase that most people will make in their lifetimes. Most people borrow money through a mortgage loan to buy a home. Some people reduce the amount of money they borrow by making a large downpayment on the loan to buy a home. Persons who do not have money for a large downpayment may need the help of an FHA-insured mortgage to get a loan. MortgageA legal document that promises a property to the lender as security for payment of a debt. Here is more information about mortgage loans. DownpaymentThe part of the purchase price that a buyer pays in cash and is not included in the mortgage. How FHA Mortgage Insurance Works FHAs mortgage insurance programs help low- and moderate-incomeindividuals and families obtain financing to buy homes or refinance theircurrent mortgages. FHA mortgage insuranceallows a homebuyer to make a low downpaymentand get a mortgage loan for the balance ofthe purchase price. The mortgage loan is made by a HUDapproved lender, such as a bank, mortgage company, or credit union. FHA insures the mortgage and pays the lender if the homebuyer defaults on the loan, or fails to repay the loan. FHA/HUD does not make direct loans to people who want to buy, build, or refinance homes. Who Can Get FHA Mortgage Insurance If you are buying a home, refinancing a mortgage for a home youalready own, or making home improvements, you may qualify for anFHA-insured mortgage. In fact, almost anyone who has a satisfactory credit record, enough cash to close the loan, and sufficient steady income to make monthly mortgage payments can be approved for an FHA-insured mortgage. There is no upper age limit and no certain income level required, although individual mortgage amounts are limited by law. Generally, homebuyers must live in the home in order to get an FHA-insured mortgage loan. The program is not open to investors. To find a HUD-approved housing counseling agency near you, call the HUD housing counseling and referral line toll-free at 1-800-569-4287 or visit the HUD website at www.hud.gov . To find a HUD-approved lender , search online at www.hud.gov . You can also find lending institutions in the yellow pages of the telephone directory under the heading Mortgages. To find out if you qualify for an FHA-insured mortgage loan, youshould visit a HUD-approved housing counseling agency or a HUD-approved lender , such as a bank, credit union, or mortgage company. The housing counselor or lender will look at certain information about your income and spending to determine if you qualify. Federal law prohibits housing discrimination based on your race, color, national origin, religion, sex, family status, or disability. How FHA Mortgage Insurance Can Help You Whether you are buying a home, making home improvements, or refinancingyour current mortgage, you should work with a HUD-approvedlendersuch as a bank, a mortgage company, or a credit unionto applyfor a mortgage loan.Once your loan isapproved, FHA willinsure the loan and paythe lender if you defaulton the mortgage.Because the lender isprotected by this insurance,the lender cangive you better termson your loan. A lower downpayment Some lenders require borrowers to pay 10 percent or more of the price of a home in cash as a downpayment. With FHA-insured mortgages, your downpayment can be as low as 3 percent. The lender will likely require you to prove that you have enough money for the loan downpayment. Use of cash gifts toward downpayment With an FHA-insured mortgage, under certain circumstances you can use a gift from a relative, a local nonprofit organization, or a government agency for all or part of the downpayment and closing costs. The Kinds of Homes Covered by FHA Mortgage Insurance FHA-insured mortgages are available in urban and rural areas for: Single family houses Houses with two, three, or four units Condominium units Houses needing rehabilitation In addition, FHA-insured mortgages are available for reverse mortgages for seniors, called a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage . To make sure that its programs serve low- and moderate-income people, FHA sets upper limits on the dollar value of the mortgage loan. These limits change every year and vary by city and state. Check with a local lender or look online on HUDs website, www.hud.gov . Shopping for an FHA-Insured Loan Since buying a home is one of the most important purchases you willmake in your lifetime, HUD recommends you visit a HUD-approved housing counseling agency where a counselor can help you compare loansand give you homebuying tips. You can find counseling agencies by callingthe HUD housing counseling and referral line toll-free at 1-800-569-4287 or visiting the HUD website at www.hud.gov . You can also findHUD-approved lenders on the HUD website. Your house hunting and homebuying experience can be easier when you become pre-qualified for a loan. To become pre-qualified, you will complete a pre-qualification loan application. When a lender pre-qualifies you, the lender tells you the maximum amount of money you can borrow to buy a home. With that information, you can spend your time looking at homes that you can afford rather than ones that are too expensive. Some lenders may charge a fee for pre-qualification, so you should ask about fees and compare two or more lenders. You should shop for an FHA-insured mortgage loan the same way you shop for any high-cost itemcompare prices and features. The cost of getting a mortgage can vary from one lender to another, so compare these features when you are comparing lenders: Interest rate Discount points Closing costs and other fees Annual percentage rate FHA/HUD does not set the amounts for the above factors. You can negotiate with the lender and come to agreement on the interest rate, points, and most processing fees. Interest Rate You can negotiate with your lender on the interest rate that you will pay for your mortgage. Interest rates fluctuate daily, depending on conditions in the mortgage market. FHA recommends that you check with several mortgage lenders to make sure you get the best interest rate available. Discount Points Lenders can charge you discount points when the interest rate is lower than the yield required by investors who buy mortgage securities. A discount point is $1 for every $100 of the mortgage loan amount. The number of points charged varies in different places at different times and among different lenders. Discount points for an FHA-insured mortgage may be paid by you as the homebuyer, by the homebuilder, or by the person selling the house. Closing Costs and Prepaid Items When your loan is finalized, you will have to pay closing costs. Closing costs are costs in addition to the price of the property that are paid when you close your loan to cover the transfer of ownership. A mortgage loan is made up of two parts: principal and inter- est. Principal is the amount of money borrowed to buy your home. Interest is the amount paid for the privilege of borrowing the money and paying it back later, usually over 30 years. When the borrower pays the mortgage each month, some of the amount goes toward paying the principal and some toward interest. Equity is an owner's financial interest in a property. It is the difference between the amount still owed on the mortgage loan and the fair market value of the property. Closing costs are generally made up of thefollowing: Closing agents or attorney fees Interest paid from date of closing through the end of the month of closing Loan origination fee to cover lender administrative costs Credit report fees Appraisal fees Recording fees Survey fee First mortgage insurance premium Title insurance (yours and your lenders) Certain of these closing costs, as well as certain of the prepaid items listed below, may be paid by the seller, or shared between the borrower and the seller, depending on the terms of the sales contract. Prepaids are advance payments (property taxes, first annual premium for homeowners insurance, etc.) made at closing by the borrower that may be placed in an escrow account and used by the lender to pay these bills as they become due. The property tax you will pay is the amount that the state or locality, or both, assesses as a tax on your piece of property based on the value. While the property taxes due at closing are usually covered in your prepaids, your mortgage payment will also include an amount to pay future taxes as assessed by your state or locality. These tax rates vary by area and typically increase over time. Homeowners insurance combines hazard insurance and lia- bility insurance. Hazard insurance covers property damage caused by fire, wind, storms, and other similar events. Coverage for earthquakes and floods may or may not be included with hazard insurance, and you should check with your insurance carrier to determine if this is included in your policy. Liability insurance coverage protects you against claims alleging negligence or inappropriate action resulting in bodily injury or property damage. Annual Percentage Rate The Truth in Lending Act requires the lender to tell you the annualpercentage rate (APR) charged on your home mortgage. The annual percentagerate is calculated by adding the interest rate, the discount points,the initial service charge, the premium paid to insure the mortgage, andcertain other charges collected by the lender. The APR is not the sameas the mortgage loan interest rate. The Cost of FHA Mortgage Insurance When you get a mortgage loan insured by FHA, you have to pay an up-front insurance premium, which can be included in the loan you get through a lender. You will also have to pay a monthly insurance premium that is added to the regular mortgage payment. FHA uses the premiums to pay the lender if you default on your mortgage. The Importance of Getting a Home Inspection Buying a home is one of the most important purchases you will make in your lifetime, so you should be sure that the home you want to buy is in good condition. A home inspection is an evaluation of a homes condition by a trained expert. During a home inspection, a qualified inspector takes an in-depth and impartial look at the property you plan to buy. The inspector will: Evaluate the physical condition: the structure, construction, and mechanical systems. Identify items that should be repaired or replaced. Estimate the remaining useful life of the major systems (such as electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning), equipment, structure, and finishes. After the inspection is complete, you will receive a written report of the findings from the home inspector, usually within five to seven days. FHA does not guarantee the value or condition of your future home, and FHA does not perform home inspections. If you find problems with your new home after closing, FHA cannot give or lend you money for repairs, nor can it buy the home back from you. Thats why it is so important for you, the buyer, to get an independenthome inspection. You should remember that an inspection is differentfrom an appraisal, which also will be performed as part of the mortgageprocess. Ask a qualified home inspector to thoroughly examine the physicalcondition of your future home and give you the information you needto make a wise decision. Information Resources You may want more information for yourself, your family, or others.The following services are available to help you. Internet www.hud.gov or espanol.hud.gov HUDs website contains comprehensive information about homebuying, homeownership, selling a home, making home improvements, and other housing-related topicsin English and Spanish. HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Agency Locator HUD supports a network of approved housing counseling agencies that provide counseling services across the nation. For a complete list of HUDapproved agencies in your area, call the HUD housing counseling referral line toll-free at 1-800-569-4287 or visit the HUD website at www.hud.gov. HUD-Approved Lenders A searchable database of HUD-approved lenders, including banks, mortgage companies, and credit unions, is available on the HUD website at www.hud.gov. HUD Customer Service Center 1-800-767-7468 (TTY: 1-800-877-8339) https://webapps1.hud.gov/dds/ Most of the information products developed by HUD are available from HUDs Customer Service Center by calling toll-free 1-800-767-7468 (TTY: 1-800-877-8339) weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. EST. Written requests should be addressed to: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Customer Service Center Room B-100 451 Seventh Street, SW Washington, DC 20410 You may fax requests to (202) 708-2313. Return to Federal Citizen Information Center Home Page Printer-friendly page --

Real Estate Prices

Real Estate | Homes for Sale | Houses for Sale | RealEstate | REALTORs ® | Real Estate Agent BUY A HOME SELL A HOME HOME LOANS NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION ABOUT US MY ACCOUNT FREE HOME PRICE CHECK ® Learn the Market Value of Your Home! NEW CONSTRUCTION Search for a New Home and get 1% Cash Back EXISTING HOMES Receive a Gift Card Worth up to $1,000 or more.** HOUSEWATCH SM Get notified by email as new home listings come on the market. PRE-QUALIFICATION Get up to 4 Mortgage Offers in Minutes HOME IMPROVEMENT CENTER Find Pre-Screened Home Contractors in Your Area. REALESTATE.COM IN THE NEWS SEARCH OVER 1 MILLION HOMES GET YOUR CREDIT SCORE REAL ESTATE AGENTS View and Save homes easily. Please Choose Alberta, AB Alaska, AK Alabama, AL Arkansas, AR Arizona, AZ British Columbia, BC California, CA Colorado, CO Connecticut, CT District of Columbia, DC Delaware, DE Florida, FL Georgia, GA Hawaii, HI Iowa, IA Idaho, ID Illinois, IL Indiana, IN Kansas, KS Kentucky, KY Louisiana, LA Massachusetts, MA Manitoba, MB Maryland, MD Maine, ME Michigan, MI Minnesota, MN Missouri, MO Mississippi, MS Montana, MT New Brunswick, NB North Carolina, NC North Dakota, ND Nebraska, NE New Hampshire, NH New Jersey, NJ New Mexico, NM Nova Scotia, NS Nevada, NV New York, NY Ohio, OH Oklahoma, OK Ontario, ON Oregon, OR Pennsylvania, PA Rhode Island, RI South Carolina, SC South Dakota, SD Tennessee, TN Texas, TX Utah, UT Virginia, VA Vermont, VT Washington, WA Wisconsin, WI West Virginia, WV Wyoming, WY Lenders will look at your credit score. And so should you. Partner with a fast-growing online network today. CLICK HERE Buying a Home | Selling a Home | Homes for Sale | Credit Report & Score | House Prices at Domania New Home Construction | Find a Mover | Find a REALTOR ® | Home Financing | Real Estate Learning Center Customer Service | Publications | For the Media | News Releases | Join Our Real Estate Network | Post Home Listings Privacy | Security | Terms of Use | Jobs | Disclosures and Licenses | Sitemap | Loans | Commercial Real Estate Houses for Sale in: Atlanta | Austin | Boston | Charlotte | Chicago | Dallas | Denver | Houston | Las Vegas | Los Angeles Miami | Minneapolis | New York | Philadelphia | Phoenix | San Antonio | San Diego | San Francisco | Seattle Washington, DC | Real Estate in More Cities LendingTree technology and processes are patented under US Patent Nos. 6,385,594 and 6,611,816. © 1998 - Real Estate.com, a service of LendingTree, LLC. All Rights Reserved.This site is directed at, and made available to, persons in the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii only. Conversion to LendingTree, LLC We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. REALTOR ® -- A registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS ® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. Not all of the real estate professionals participating in the "Agent's Competing" program are REALTORS ® , which are members of the National Association of REALTORS ® . The Home Depot ® is not affiliated with LendingTree, LLC. The Home Depot ® is a registered trademark of Homer TLC, Inc. RealEstate.com is not sponsored by or affiliated with the parent franchisor companies of any of the participating members of its network. * Represents amount of consumer incentives and rebates (in the form of gift cards or other incentives) paid to consumers since August, 2000. ** Full Terms and Conditions Partner Sites: Citysearch | Expedia | Hotels.com | Ticketmaster.com | Hotwire.com | Entertainment.com | Match.com Home Shopping Network | ReserveAmerica | LendingTree.com | iNest | ServiceMagic | Ask Jeeves | Gift Ideas Mortgage Calculator | Refinance at GetSmart | LendingTree Mortgage | Free Online Credit Report | Home Equity Loans

real estate investing isnt

MSN Money - The real risks of investing in real estate MSN Home Hotmail My MSN Sign In Money S earch MSN Money: Help Home News Banking Investing Planning Taxes My Money Portfolio Loans Insurance Investing Home Portfolio Markets Stocks Funds ETFs Commentary Brokers CNBC TV MSN Money Insight Jubak's Journal SuperModels Start Investing Strategy Lab Company Focus Mutual Funds Street Patrol Other Views Contrarian Chronicles TheStreet.com Resources Commentary Index Decision Centers Start Investing Mutual Funds Find Hot Stocks Simple Strategies Power Tools Investing For Income Real Estate Related Links Expert Picks Market Dispatches CNBC Stock Picks Message Boards Print-friendly version Send this to a friend Research any REIT Find top-performing mutual funds Sortable database of SEC filings Find stock winners with our screener Personal finance bookshelf Find It! Article Index Finance Q&A Tools Index Site Map The Basics The real risks of investing in real estate advertisement With prices soaring, real estate looks tantalizing -- but the margin of error is shrinking. Forget the get-rich-quick plans. Pay attention to the numbers. By Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine For Derrik Dyka, the biggest obstacle to successful real estate investing isnt a meltdown in property values or tenants who wreck an apartment or dont pay their rent. "Its overconfidence," says Dyka, a 34-year-old Minneapolis investor who turns old apartments into new condominiums. If youre expecting to cash in on the 21st centurys first gold rush without breaking a sweat, it would be wise to take Dykas words to heart. The margin of error for making money in real estate is closing fast. Its not surprising that real estate tempts so many Americans today. Over the past five years, home prices have soared and rags-to-riches tales abound. But so much real estate has become so expensive that Real Estate Research Corp. in Chicago reports that many real estate pros say now is a better time to sell than buy. As San Diego real estate investor Chuck Wise observes about the area where he operates, todays buyers are like "lambs being shorn." Start investing with $100. Explore our new ETF center. Of course, that doesnt mean that all deals are doomed to fail. But it does mean that its time for would-be investors to pay more attention to the perils of owning property, not just the potential profits. Watch your cash flow The most common entree into real estate investing is the single-family house. Investors bought almost one-fourth of all homes sold in 2004, according to the National Association of Realtors. If youre one of those buyers and your income from that property (after taxes) exceeds your expenses by $100 or $200 a month, youre in good shape. But because prices and property taxes are so high in many areas, and theres so much competition for attractive rental properties, its increasingly difficult to find deals that generate enough income to more than cover your expenses -- whats called positive cash flow. In areas such as the leafy suburbs of New York City and Boston, where a modest three-bedroom house can easily cost $600,000, theres no way you can collect enough rent to cover the steep property taxes and payments on a $500,000 mortgage. Figure monthly out-of-pocket expenses of more than $3,000, if not $4,000. The pool of renters who will pay that much is small. Related news and commentary on MSN Money • Nothing quick about getting rich with real estate • Do you have what it takes to be a landlord? • Don't bite off too much house • How to find a good investment property • 7 creative ways to buy your first house • Decision Center: Home financing So be ready to set your sights lower and get your hands dirty. Instead of a well-located home in pristine condition, look for a fixer-upper off the beaten track for maybe $150,000 that you can rent for $1,000 a month. The numbers work if youre willing to spend weekends, say, painting the walls and, if youre capable, making repairs that would otherwise require professional help. The hidden profit from home improvements is why "ugly real estate often makes more money than the nice stuff," says Kelley Pace, head of Louisiana State Universitys real-estate research institute. Mind the cap You can quickly figure out whether a house or condo is likely to generate positive cash flow. For more complex properties, such as a small office building or retail space, check the cap rate, a single number that can tell you if youre overpaying. The cap rate -- cap is short for capitalization -- is a propertys net operating income as a percentage of its price. The figure is real estates version of a bond yield. If a property sells for $500,000 and generates net income of $50,000 (rents minus expenses), the cap rate is 50,000 divided by 500,000, or 10%. The lower the cap rate, the more you pay for each dollar of annual income. In 2000, the average cap rate on commercial property in the U.S. was 10%. Since then, because of relentless price appreciation, the average cap rate has sunk to 8%. That alone suggests that wringing further gains out of commercial property is unlikely. If you want to invest in a commercial property, aim for a purchase price that results in a 10% cap rate. But remember that the cap rate also depends on how much you collect in rent. Ask the broker for details about the tenants leases, including how rents compare with those of other nearby properties and when the leases are up for renewal. The property should come with an information packet that is more like a stock prospectus than a real estate agents fact sheet on a single-family house. If necessary, hire a property inspector. Then take all the information to a lawyer who specializes in real estate. If you have any doubts about the property, walk away. Page 1 of 2 Story continues on next page Fund data provided by Morningstar, Inc. © 2005. All rights reserved. Quotes supplied by ComStock , an Interactive Data company. MSN Money's editorial goal is to provide a forum for personal finance and investment ideas. Our articles, columns, message board posts and other features should not be construed as investment advice, nor does their appearance imply an endorsement by Microsoft of any specific security or trading strategy. An investor's best course of action must be based on individual circumstances. © 2005 Microsoft MSN Privacy Legal Advertise Feedback Help