BiggerPockets Daily

Closing costs are a crucial aspect of any real estate transaction, but they can vary widely, build up quickly, and be confusing to understand. Buyers tend to focus on the upfront expenses like the purchase price and down payment. Sellers often consider the repairs and renovations needed to make the home presentable for showing. But before the real estate deal’s done, buyers and sellers must pay closing costs. You can avoid unwanted surprises during the home buying or selling process by understanding the common closing costs and what you can expect to pay as a buyer and seller.Educating yourself about who pays closing costs can pave the way for a smoother buying experience or property sale. This will help you confidently navigate the process and make informed decisions that work best for your financial situation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2023 has presented tremendous challenges for investors looking to get started. Financing is expensive compared to the historically low interest rates during the COVID boom. And, although they’re stabilizing, home prices have seen massive appreciation. Throw low inventory into the mix, and you’ve got an investor’s worst nightmare.In short, it’s tough to cash flow right now, but luckily, it’s still possible. Take, for example, Jessica Later, a real estate broker and investor who’s crushing it in one of the most expensive markets in the country: Boston. In many ways, her story is contrarian. The lessons she shares in this article show you how to think outside the box to win big in any market condition.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

State income taxes are often a complex topic with major implications for real estate investors. Placing your money in states without income tax may be a smart idea and allow you to keep more money in your pocket each year. Which states with no income tax does it make sense to invest in? How should you consider structuring your home rental business to optimize results? Understanding your potential tax liability in the nine states without an income tax allows you to make the best decision for your next purchase.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A fourplex may be a good place to start if you’re considering testing the waters as a residential real estate investor. It’s also a sound investment for the first-time homebuyer, as you can live in one of the fourplex units and rent the others—your tenants pay the mortgage. If you want it strictly as an investment property, that’s not a problem, although it may limit some attractive financing options.What Is a Fourplex?A fourplex is a multifamily home with four separate units under one roof. You may also hear it referred to as a quadplex. Each unit has its own entrance. Some fourplexes include a common building entrance with separate interior entrances for each unit. The units are either side-by-side or stacked on top of each other.From the street, a common entrance quadplex may resemble a large, single-family home.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Medium-term rentals are more profitable than long-term rentals and less stressful than their short-term counterparts. While they used to be mainly for traveling nurses and business professionals, they’ve become more popular than ever due to the rise in digital nomadism and the stricter regulations enforced on short-term rentals. In this post, we’ll explore how to invest in medium-term rentals so you can decide if they’re right for you.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Remote work, rapidly rising rents in some cities, and a desire for more amenities are all factors driving Americans to relocate—but the areas drawing the most new renters are shifting, according to the new Rent.com migration report for the first quarter of 2023. Back in January, we reported that renters were showing interest in the South and Midwest regions due to relatively affordable housing available in many cities in these regions when compared to the West and Northeast. But as more people flocked to these regions to escape higher-priced areas, rents went up. For example, while Miami is still cheaper than New York, rising housing costs in Florida from an influx of new residents are causing the Sunshine State to experience the highest inflation rate in the nation. As a result, some residents may be pushed out of the state, even as more people from New York and California move in.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re planning on buying or selling an investment property, having a handle on market conditions is critical. Can you expect a bidding war? Do you need to pay in all cash to win? What concessions might you need to make for buyers?There’s no way to answer all these questions with certainty, but a new survey from Opendoor does offer some insights.Here’s what to keep in mind as you prepare for buying or selling a property in the current market. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Home prices across the U.S. had the highest quarter-to-quarter gain since 2015, as potential homebuyers are getting pushed out of an increasingly expensive market. The median single-family home value rose 10.2% from the first to the second quarter of 2023 to $350,000, a report from real estate data firm ATTOM found. It’s the biggest quarterly increase in almost the past decade.Median home prices in 565 of the 574 counties analyzed in the report (98%) were less affordable than in prior quarters, more than double the number of counties that were unaffordable two years ago before mortgage rates went up. This means only 2% of counties examined were more affordable than their historic averages.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s no doubt that occupancy rates are declining for Airbnb properties amid a supply increase, but whether we’re entering an Airbnb apocalypse or just seeing a heated market moderate depends on who you ask. Nick Gerli, CEO of Reventure Consulting, began a viral debate over the future of Airbnb revenue when he tweeted a chart based on data from short-term rental analytics firm Alltherooms, which depicted average revenue per listing falling up to 47.6% in some cities. Gerli suggested the trend would impact the housing market, inducing a “wave of forced selling from Airbnb owners” in the affected cities. But data from AirDNA, a competing short-term rental analytics firm, tells a different story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hearing pundits talk about real estate over the last year, you’d think the sky had fallen several times over. Don’t get me wrong. The real estate sector has seen its share of challenges over the last year. Home prices in some markets have fallen after years of skyrocketing at unsustainable rates. Rapid interest rate increases left many would-be sellers feeling “stuck” in their homes, pinching supply, and left some investors with variable rate loans with thin or even negative cash flow. But I still invest in real estate, month in and month out. Just as I still invest in stocks month in and month out, regardless of the market’s latest gyration. Here’s why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices