| |
| |
|
Real Estate Information |
|
|
|
Is Second Home Ownership In Your Future?
According to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), a record 2.82 million second homes were sold in 2004. Given attractive interest rates, a strong housing market, and the increasingly mobile lifestyle of North Americans, it comes as no surprise that the resort and second home market is enjoying steady growth. For some, purchasing a second home is a financial strategy to help them grow and protect their wealth -- and certainly vacation getaways may provide rental income opportunities to help savvy boomers offset the expenses of second home ownership. Others may be motivated to buy a second home because it can be used as a "family retreat," to be later transformed into a residence after retirement, and then handed down as a family legacy. Here are some interesting statistics from the NAR 2005 Profile of Second-Home Buyers: The typical vacation-home buyer is 55 years old with a total household income of $71,000. Investment-property homebuyers have a median age of 47 years with a typical household income of $85,700. 33 percent of vacation homebuyers wanted a second home close to their job or school; while 24 percent wanted the home close to their primary residence. Nearly one out of five second homes will become primary residences after retirement. Because technology affords the freedom of telecommuting and "working where you play," the decision to own a second home or resort property has been made easier than ever before. If purchasing a second-home is in your future, whether as an investment or for personal use, now is the time to get the information you need to make an informed decision. A qualified real estate professional can help guide you through financial considerations, assist you in finding the right community and even refer you to a resort property specialist for the destination of your dreams. Your real estate professional may even be able to get you the information and advice you need to use the equity in your current home to finance the down payment on a second home. If you are planning to use your second-home as a vacation retreat, make sure you consider your needs. Are you looking for a secluded location in the woods or somewhere with an active community? Natural beauty is great, but don't forget about cultural and social resources, as well as first-rate golf, tennis and other popular sports facilities when scouting locations. And what about location? For example, buyers from the Northeast are the biggest feeder market for second homes in the South. Many San Franciscans retreat to Lake Tahoe, while Bostonians gravitate to Cape Cod. However, there may be many great locations not more than two to three hours away from your home. You will likely get more enjoyment out of a property you can get to quickly and frequently. Since you know the area, chances are you'll make a better real estate investment closer to home. If your second home is mostly for investment purposes, ask your real estate professional about property management options, which can be a crucial financial factor, as well as important to peace-of-mind. Location is also a factor for those buying a second home as investment property, especially if appreciation or rental value is your goal. According to the NAR survey, the median distance between the primary residence and the investment property is 18 miles; and 44 percent are in the suburbs. There are also tax implications to consider with your investment. If you rent your home for 15 days or more in a year, you may have to declare the rental income. However, your expenses may be deductible. You'll want to confer with your tax advisor to learn how your purchase will affect you financially. How you use a second home is up to you, but make sure you look at each property with an eye toward tomorrow, because the vacation homes likely to appreciate the most are the ones that Baby Boomers can play in today and retire in tomorrow. Neda Dabestani-Ryba is a licensed Realtor in Maryland. She is a member of the President's Circle of Top Real Estate Professionals. She can be reached at (800) 536-3806 or visit her website for more information: http://neda.dabestani.pcragent.com/ Prudential Carruthers REALTORS is an independently owned and operated member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., a Prudential Financial company. Equal Housing Opportunity.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Product Review of Carelton Sheets No Money Down Course Real estate continues to be a very important part of any financial wealth building strategy. Most wealthy individuals have real estate investments as a portion of their overall net worth. Closing Costs When Buying A Home Closing costs are often the last thing a person thinks of when buying a home. While closing is the joyous moment the home becomes yours, the costs can be surprisingly aggravating. For Sale By Owner - Use This Tip To Sell Your Home Quicker and At a Better Price Your house is for sale by owner (fsbo), Along with columns of countless other FSBO's in the Sunday paper. This one little trick will enable you to have your Ad Noticed by more potential buyers. 18 Easy Steps to Buy a Bargain House What is a "distressed" property? What is "bargain" real estate?A distressed property is one with a distressed seller. Job loss or transfer, divorce, death, pending foreclosure, and lack of money cause sellers to sell fast for less. Buy or Sell First? When it comes to home buying, the ideal situation would be to find a new home, just as you receive an offer on your existing home. You would then be able to close concurrently and move into your new home a few days prior to closing on your previous home. No More Estate Agent Fees Follow a few simple guidelines, and marketing your own home can be easy. And it will save you thousands. For Sale By Owner: The Inside Scoop On Selling Your Own Home If you're thinking about selling your home perhaps the 'for sale by owner' signs posted on neighborhood lawns have intrigued you. When you browse the newspaper listings you see ad after ad boasting 'for sale by owner' as an added incentive for buyers and you envy the owners that are confident enough to try it. How to Decrease the Value of Your Own House Owning a house is part of the American Dream. Depending on where you live in the US - home ownership can be around 70%. Where is the Sophisticated Property Investor Putting his Money? The Traditional FavouritesOver the last five to ten years, UK investors buying property abroad have generally stuck to the traditional favourites Spain, France and Italy. With prices a fraction of those in the UK and a guarantee of more sunshine, these markets offered plenty of scope for capital appreciation, rental return and holiday home use. Why Mobile Homes? There are mobile homes for sale, for much less than stick-built houses, in most areas of the country. Despite persistent predjudice against them, and sometimes the people living in them, mobile homes are the cheap housing choice of millions. Real Estate Investing: Infomercial and Mentoring Scams Flipping through late-night infomercials recently, I saw two real estate get-rich quick schemes, and I couldn't help but wonder why people still fall for those old scams? Has anyone really talked a seller out of his home for no money down with owner financing lately?Real estate infomercials do great harm to beginning investors, who waste hundreds of dollars on old information. Worse yet, those beginners soon get discouraged and miss out on the true (and profitable) adventure of real estate investing. Boston Real Estate - Choosing the Right Boston Real Estate Agent As a successful Boston real estate agent, it always puzzled me how and why some people choose particular Boston real estate agents to sell their homes. For most of us, a real estate purchase is the single largest investment we will ever make in our lives. Real Estate Appraisal - Do It Yourself For single family homes, there are two basic methods used in real estate appraisal. They are replacement cost analysis, and using comparable sales. The Benefits of A Real Estate Agent 101 Buying and selling property is not as easy as you may think. There are many things that you have to consider when purchasing a home, or when putting a home up for sale. California Home Seller Disclosure Duties Property Condition - Seller's What to Expect During the Inspection Process The Transfer Disclosure Statement (T.D. How Do You Profit From O.P.P.? In a previous article we introduced you to the concept of O.P. How Can I Stop Foreclosure on My House? We understand the being in foreclosure is a scary thing. You are probably wondering how can I stop foreclosure on my house. Buying Foreclosures - Knowing Why Helps You Buy One big potential deal-killer in buying foreclosures is the homeowner. If the homeowner does not trust you, buying their home (even at a foreclosure auction) can become a greater challenge. Real Estate Investors - Red Alert How's the real estate marketing doing? Is the huge jump in home prices that is evident in some areas symptoms of a value bubble? Good questions, yes?Two things to keep in mind when surveying the market:1. All real estate is local, 2. The Many Benefits Of Lease Purchasing Lease Purchasing affords wonderful benefits and opportunities to sellers, buyers, investors and those who would like to operate a home-based business. Lease Purchasing allows you to control property without ownership which has benefits for all.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
