Investment property guide
Buying an investment property is different
A beautiful kitchen or great backyard may make you love a home. An investment property has to do more.
It should make sense financially, attract the type of tenant you want, hold up well over time and fit into your larger financial plan.
Whether you are buying your first investment property, adding another to your portfolio, purchasing a second home or buying something your family may use in the future, the process starts with understanding the numbers before falling in love with the property.
Mike & RitaOnyx Homes | First Team Real Estate
One central idea
A good investment property is not simply a home you like
It is a property that works for your goals, your finances and your future.
Start Here
Define your goal, understand your capital and financing, and follow the 16-step roadmap.
The Numbers
True monthly cost, cash flow, cash-on-cash return and cap rate, plus a calculator and stress test.
Finding the Property
Location, schools, HOAs, rent research, a scorecard, a comparison tool and the red flags we watch for.
Buying
Offer strategy, the escrow timeline and inspections that forecast your future expenses.
Owning
Preparing the rental, pricing it, screening tenants, California landlord law, insurance and taxes.
Resources
Checklist, glossary, your investment team and every tool in one place.
The process
The investment property roadmap
Sixteen steps, from defining the goal to reviewing performance years later. Click any step to expand it.
The bottom line
The goal is to own the right property
Buying an investment property should not feel like throwing a dart at a map and hoping real estate goes up. We want to understand:
- What are we buying?
- Why are we buying it?
- What will it cost?
- What can it reasonably earn?
- What could go wrong?
- What makes someone else want to rent it?
- What makes someone else want to buy it someday?
Once we understand those things, the decision becomes much clearer. The goal isn't simply to own another property. It is to own the right property.
Thinking about an investment property?
You don't need to have everything figured out before talking with us. We can start with the big picture, look at the numbers and help you determine what type of property makes sense before you begin touring.
Mike & RitaOnyx Homes | First Team Real Estate