Tax Deeds & Tax Lien Sales Investing – Part 2

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By Tamera Aragon

So here is a quick recap of Part 1 – Tax Deeds & Tax Lien Sales Investing: When homeowners fail to pay real estate (property) taxes, the government has the right to sell their property in a state “tax sale”. In a Tax Lien state, homeowners have an opportunity to pay back the amount owed within a specific time frame even after their property has been “sold” with interest to a real estate investor. Should homeowners miss the payment deadline, the investor becomes owner of the property at a great discount. In a Tax Deed state, investors bid for immediate ownership of a property or are eligible for the deed and ownership of the property after a redemption period passes. In Part 1 – Tax Deeds & Tax Lien Sales Investing I covered the descriptions of the different investing strategies as well as the rewards and the risks investing in tax liens vs. tax deeds.

Tax Deed Investing Process For Real Estate Investors

Now I am going to cover some of the steps you will need to go through as you go through the entire tax deed process and come out a winner with your real estate investment.

Obtain and Review a List

Obtaining a list of the properties that a county is going to auction at the next tax deed sale is the first thing you need to do. You should first of all find a website for the county and see if they have or will publish a list of their tax deed sales on their website.

Sometimes the county will send you a list two weeks prior to the auction for a minimal fee. You will also want to know how often they update the list prior to the auction. If it is possible to obtain this information in person and meet the people at the county office, it is better than by phone. The more people you personally know and the more questions you ask the better off you will be when you really may need help.

Once you obtain a list, they are usually fairly limited on the information they give about the property. Usually it lists Parcel number, name of owner, address of owner or property sometime both, amount of taxes owing.

You will also want to find out:

  • Date of next auction?
  • When and how do they publish the list and how you may obtain a copy? (Often they are required by state law to publish the list in a local newspaper by a certain date. Usually newspaper will have a copy or it is available online.)
  • What is the actual auction and bidding format?
  • Do they require bidders to register before the auction?
  • What is the registration process for bidders?
  • How your tax deed will be paid for at the end of the auction?
  • How the auction is conducted and rules about bidding?

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Initial List Screening

Most lists will have more properties than you can possibly research. You need to screen the list for the types of properties that you are interested in. Usually there is a code number, the county staff can explain to you, that indicates if a property is a single family home, a developed lot, commercial, residential, duplex, apartment, etc. This is the first step in screening the kind of properties that you have decided you are interested in.

Second is to find the properties that are in the part of the town you may have determined you are interested in.

Third you can screen by the value of the property and the amount you are willing to bid.

Most of this initial screening can be done from a basic list.

Additional information that you want to obtain about the property include what type of improvements are on the property i.e. building, utilities, landscaping, curb and gutters, etc. or is it just land. Also find out the assessor value for both the land and improvements. Take note of the taxes due and when they were last paid. If there is a house or any type of building on the property find out the size, year built, number and type or rooms and if possible find about any other special features the structure may have. Learn additional information about the neighborhood by looking at the houses next door or across the street and maybe even talking to neighbors.

With all of the above information you can narrow your list down to the few properties that you need to drive buy and check out.

Visit the Property

If at all possible, a personal visit to the property is essential. If you can’t do that, a visit via the internet, through different search sites is the next best thing. However nothing tells the whole truth better than visiting the property. What seems like a very nice house could turn out to be next to a crack house or a busy grocery store or on a very busy street. What sounds like a normal building lot may have a beautiful view. You need to screen your list down to a number of properties that you can take the time to go see, especially with tax deed sales.

To save time and money you need to organize on a map your drive-bys so that you can find and record information about the properties in a timely manner. There are many mapping programs available on the internet that you can put the address in, and they will automatically give you a route. When you drive by, the number one thing is to take a picture of the property for your files. You want to write down identifying features found in the picture in case you get them mixed up. You want to rate the house, note any problems and repairs that are needed and rate the neighborhood. Usually unless the property is vacant you should not approach the house or talk to anyone about it.

Some quick things to take note of are as follows:

  • Paint and roof condition
  • Broken windows, doors, cement
  • Underground or overhead utilities
  • Trees, shrubs, general landscaping
  • Condition of adjacent properties
  • Property accessibility
  • Discolored soil or dead vegetation
  • Traffic on the street
  • House vacant, lived in, for sale sign

Make sure to drive around the area looking for any industry or business that would distract from the desirability of the property. Also look for similar properties in the neighborhood that may be for sale and call the owner or real estate agent to find out the price and condition as a comparison for properties value. You can print out this checklist on a spreadsheet that you can fill out while you are in the neighborhood and attach the picture of the property too.

Once you have accomplished all of this research, you are now ready to narrow your list, to the final properties that you will bid for at the tax deed auction.

Check for Recorded Problems

Now is the time to return to the county offices. Go to the county clerk’s office to check if there are any liens on the few properties you now have on your list. Some counties make this process very easy by having the information available online once you have the parcel numbers and address of the property. If there are liens on the property make sure you get the name and contact information on the business of person placing the liens. You need to also check for mandatory deed restrictions on the property. In other words, find out what you can or can’t do or build on the property. You should also check for any government assessment that may be filed against the property.

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The last thing you need to check, as close to the actual auction as possible, is to see if there were any last-minute redemptions by homeowners that would have removed the property from the auction table. One of the most frustrating things about tax deed auctions is the fact that many people don’t want to lose their property and will somehow pay their taxes at the very last moment.

It is not uncommon for a tax deed sale to have 40 to 50 percent of the properties redeem at the last minute. We therefore recommend that you research twice as many properties as you think you can afford to buy because half of them may be redeemed the last day or hour before the auction takes place.

Attend the Auction

The basic work is now over the fun and hopefully reward begins. Go to the auction with a very specific plan and stick to your plan.

Usually, you should arrive about 30 minutes before the auction begins, so that you can register, check the final list that will be there for any last-minute redemptions of your properties, find a good seat where you can see what is happening and review the written or oral instructions that will be given. You may be surprised that there will probably be many people at the auction. Only half of them will actually bid while the rest of the people just come to watch.

There are many types of people at the auction who you will be able to quickly identify. The professional investors who have deep pockets and usually win whatever bid they participate in. The local investors who know the area and the properties around their home or offices and understand value, they are important to watch. The beginners who have no idea what is going on and of course YOU. At this point just smile, stick to your plan and bid amounts. Do not get emotionally involved with the bidding.

Purchasing and Maintaining Your Deed

If you are a successful bidder on a deed, you will need to be prepared to pay the full bid amount plus any fees and outstanding taxes. In some state or counties, you will only be required to pay a deposit of perhaps 10% with the balance due in 30 days. You need to make sure that you have talked with the county official before the sale and know what the payment policy and procedures are if you are successful in obtaining a deed.

In some counties, the owner can still redeem the property within a year after the deed sale. Most states and counties, of course, recommend that no major expenditure and improvement be done during this waiting period in case the sale is over turned. However, this does not prevent you from using the property, renting the property, leasing the property with an option to buy, or using the property for financing purposes.

It is always best to consult with a local real estate attorney about any legal strategies you may have prior to final settlement. Whatever you do make sure that you place liability and fire insurance on the property as soon as the auction is complete. If something happens you will be liable and no one will overturn the sale at that time.

Selling the Property

Now it is up to you, your family, and your real estate agent as to how you profit from this real estate investment adventure once you have the finalized deed. The bottom line is profits no matter what strategy you follow. This concludes my article on Investing in Tax Deeds and Tax Lien Sales from a real estate investor’s prospective.

Tamera Aragon

Tamera Aragon is a professional online entrepreneur and has bought and sold over 300 properties, establishing her as an expert in the real estate investing field. Since 2003, she has purchased over 10 million dollars in real estate and currently holds properties all over the world. Tamera’s focus is on the booming Foreclosure market, buying Pre-foreclosures, REOs and Short Sales. Tamera who is a noted Author, Success Trainer, Speaker & Coach, shows her passion for helping others with the 17 websites she has created and several specialized products to support fellow investors throughout the world. When Tamara is not busy running her website, she is very involved with her Fiji joint ventures and investments. Tamera Aragon is one of the few trainers and coaches who is really “doing it” successfully in today’s market. Tamera’s experience has earned her a solid reputation in the industry as well as the respect and friendship of many of the top national real estate investment and internet marketing experts. Tamera Aragon believes her success has garnered her the financial freedom to fully enjoy her marriage and spend quality time with her children.

Learn live and in real-time with Realty411. Be sure to register for our next virtual and in-person events. For all the details, please visit Realty411Expo.com or our Eventbrite landing page, CLICK HERE.

Tax Deeds & Tax Lien Sales Investing – Part 1

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By Tamera Aragon

When homeowners fail to pay real estate (property) taxes, the government has the right to sell their property in a state “tax sale”. In a Tax Lien state, homeowners have an opportunity to pay back the amount owed within a specific time frame even after their property has been “sold” to an investor. The investor may be paid back with interest. Should homeowners miss the pay deadline, the investor becomes owner of the property at great savings. In a Tax Deed state, investors bid for immediate ownership of a property or are eligible for the deed and ownership of the property after a redemption period passes.

By law, Tax Deed sales must be announced to the public, and are usually sold to the highest bidder. The winning bidder purchases the deed to a piece of property, becoming the new owner and obtaining all rights to the property – clear of any mortgages, liens, deeds of trust, etc.

One interesting thing to note is very few people know much about Tax Deed sales. So, competition may not be as fierce in this niche as it is in others.

Why Is Tax Lien & Deeds a Good Investing Niche to Consider?

  1. Tax Deeds are sold in almost every state throughout the United States. 50 states are governed by state-mandated laws to protect & reward investors.
  2. You can pick Your Price. Research the list and pick ones out that are in your price range.
  3. You can obtain properties which allow for all types of exit strategies (flip, rent, or live).
  4. Investors & Banks have been using this strategy for over 150 years.
  5. The rules vary from state to state. In certain circumstances you can obtain an entire property for only the taxes and penalties owed. Generally, you will pay between 50 to 90 percent below market price.

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General Downsides of Investing in Tax Lien & Deeds Niche?

  1. Lacking Liquidity of Funds: In a Tax Deed transaction, you can have your money tied up for several years before you can sell the property, because title companies may not issue title insurance on the property until all liens are cleared, and it is obvious that clear title can be granted. This process will sometimes take more than a year. Fixing up and or remodeling properties to maximize your eventually sale can also take considerable time.
  2. Time and Complexity: Tax Deed laws vary from state to state and sometimes from county to county within a state. This requires a time commitment to learn the rules of a state and its counties, research properties and attend auctions. In addition title companies sometimes will not issue title insurance for at least the first year on any property bought at a Tax Deed sale. This means it could be hard to get a loan until it is clear.

Investing Risk: Purchasing property at a Tax Deed sale definitely has risks if you have not done extensive due diligence. You must do your homework, title searches, drive buy inspections, history reports etc. Once you buy a Tax Deed, you will own the property including all of it potential problems. The major thing to keep in mind is that at a Tax Deed sale, unlike a Tax Lien sale, you are buying the real estate and we believe that the required level of due diligence becomes extremely high. The other thing you want to know at a Tax Deed sale is if the property is being purchased free of all other liens and encumbrances. There are a number of states where this is true and a few where it is not true. You need to make sure that you get what you paid for. This requires knowledge of what the values are and what the potential hazard could be.

In summary, Real Estate tax sale laws vary from state to state, as do the redemption periods, and there are risks investors should be aware of in addition to the potential rewards of buying tax sale properties.

Pros and Cons of Tax Lien & Tax Deed Sales

TAX LIENS: A lien is a financial claim made against a property. A Tax Lien is a claim for unpaid property taxes issued by the local taxing authority. Failure to pay real estate taxes is one of the leading causes of distressed properties leading to home loss. Investors typically buy Tax Lien properties through an auction after a homeowner fails to heed warnings by the tax authority to pay property taxes. Most states allow homeowners to reclaim their property by paying off the debt in full by a certain date. This is called the “Redemption Period”. The redemption period offered varies from state to state. However, in some locations, investors may have to wait two full years before being paid back or gaining the deed for the property.

Tax Lien Pros

  • Possibility of good returns in interest (up to 24 percent in some states) paid by homeowners.
  • Possibility of owning property at a fraction of its true value.
  • Option to sell, rent or hold the property for additional profit once title is held.
  • Lower Investment Risk: If the homeowner doesn’t pay up, the tax purchaser is first in line to own the property. No tenants, banks or brokers to deal with.

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Tax Lien Cons

  • May Not Make Any Money: There is no guarantee the homeowner will pay off taxes and interest on the lien. The process of getting the deed at the end of the redemption period isn’t simple and may require a lawyer.
  • Required Capital: You must pay what is typically a large amount of cash for your bid at the tax sale. You definitely will need more capital to buy properties at Tax Deed sales. Although it varies from property to property, from county to county, and even from state to state, you will likely need a minimum of $5,000 to $10,000 to get started in Tax Deed investing. A good credit rating may also be necessary to sign finance contracts. Check local rules and regulation as well as the history of Tax Deed auctions in an area to get a feel for the capital you may need.
  • Uncertainty of property condition: With no prior home inspection, there is no guarantee of the property’s condition or value.
  • Property Owner may Be Foreclosed on: If you foreclose, you are stuck with the hassle of selling the property from which you may profit but on the other hand you may not recoup your initial investment.

TAX DEEDS: A Tax Deed is a legal document indicating ownership of property, also referred to as “title.”When the government intervenes to put properties delinquent in real estate tax payments up for auction, investors can pay the back taxes and own the property for well below market value. To locate and invest in Tax Deed sales, check local newspapers, local tax collectors or the Internet, where many websites post relevant information.

Tax Deed Pros

  • Quick and easier way to become a property owner.
  • Opportunity to acquire existing equity.
  • Opportunity to purchase property directly from the property owner at bargain-basement prices prior to a Tax Deed sale.

Fortunately, investors who sow the seeds of diligent research can reap the rich rewards of tax property sales. DUE DILIGENCE is required for Tax Lien and Tax Deed investing deals. This concludes my article on Investing in Tax Deeds and Tax Lien Sales – PART 1.

Please watch for my next investing article that will wrap up all you need to know to start investing in Tax Deeds and Tax Lien Sales – PART 2. I’ll be going over the steps real estate investors should take for Tax Lien and Tax Deed Investing deals.

Tamera Aragon

Tamera Aragon is a professional online entrepreneur and has bought and sold over 300 properties, establishing her as an expert in the real estate investing field. Since 2003, she has purchased over 10 million dollars in real estate and currently holds properties all over the world. Tamera’s focus is on the booming Foreclosure market, buying Pre-foreclosures, REOs and Short Sales. Tamera who is a noted Author, Success Trainer, Speaker & Coach, shows her passion for helping others with the 17 websites she has created and several specialized products to support fellow investors throughout the world. When Tamara is not busy running her website, she is very involved with her Fiji joint ventures and investments. Tamera Aragon is one of the few trainers and coaches who is really “doing it” successfully in today’s market. Tamera’s experience has earned her a solid reputation in the industry as well as the respect and friendship of many of the top national real estate investment and internet marketing experts. Tamera Aragon believes her success has garnered her the financial freedom to fully enjoy her marriage and spend quality time with her children.

Learn live and in real-time with Realty411. Be sure to register for our next virtual and in-person events. For all the details, please visit Realty411Expo.com or our Eventbrite landing page, CLICK HERE.

Realty411’s Investor Summit in Philadelphia – Join Us to Network and Learn

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Join us to Meet with Fantastic Company Leaders, Network with Investors and Liked-Minded Wealth Builders from around the Nation!

Date and time
Saturday, April 13 · 8:30am – 6pm EDT

Location
Mummers Museum
1100 S 2nd St. Philadelphia, PA 19147 United States

About this event
9 hours 30 minutes
Mobile eTicket

Grow Your Wealth with Real Estate Investing – Join Us for an In-Person Realty411 Investor Summit in Philadelphia, PA.

We have exciting news regarding our In-Person Event in Philadelphia, PA. Our special one-day conference in “The City of Brother Love” will host incredible educators from around the country, who are ready to share their valuable insight.

Be sure to join us in PERSON in Philadelphia.

We will have wonderful resources and guests will have direct access to private capital, plus business and commercial funding as well. Now is the time to grow your real estate business to new levels.

Now is the moment to grasp this opportunity — the chance to network with sophisticated investors from Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Florida, Denver, Maryland, California, and many other states!

Be sure to pencil this date now and join us in-person to gain specialized insight and knowledge. The information shared on this day could catapult your portfolio to new levels.

This one-day conference also is combined with a special pre-event Clubhouse Party on Friday evening, PLUS a property bus tour on Sunday. This THREE-DAY investor intensive will unite active real estate and landlords and has something for everyone regardless of their experience level in real estate.

Join this memorable day and receive knowledge for a lifetime.

Learn the Latest Niches in Real Estate + Connect with Influential Investors from across the nation right here in The City of Brotherly Love.

Are you ready to Grow Your Real Estate Business, Portfolio and Network? JOIN US!

This is Your Chance to meet TOP Leaders in REI, Local & National Experts

  • Learn from Leaders & Industry Pros
  • Meet Local PLUS Out-of-Area Investors
  • NON-Stop Tips for Real Estate Success
  • Bring Lots of Business Cards

Join us at the famous and festive Mummers Museum for a unique and exciting real estate event! This event is produced and hosted by Realty411.com. Since 2007, we have dedicated our time and resources to help expand real estate investing knowledge and education by producing magazines, virtual conferences, webinars, podcasts, and live events.

Be sure to visit our website at: https://Realty411.com

We also produce REI Wealth magazine, which is our digital publication. REI Wealth has been existence since 2012 and was designed for online learning.

Learn more about our digital publication at: http://REIwealthmag.com

INVEST YOUR TIME HERE FOR ONE SPECIAL DAY OF NETWORKING & MOTIVATION – TAKE YOUR REAL ESTATE KNOWLEDGE TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL.

Don’t miss our complimentary real estate investor summit. What can you expect?

Learn with PROVEN Leaders in the Industry:

  • Receive the latest REI knowledge from active investors
  • We feature the latest technology to expand your income
  • Meet other investors with common goals and mindsets
  • Develop relationships with leaders in the industry
  • Share your opportunities with potential clients
  • Realty411’s publisher has owned national rentals for decades
  • We will share life-changing information with as many as possible
  • We host national and local events to meet our readers and spread knowledge

To learn more, read and download our event flyer, CLICK HERE.

Our mission is simple: To provide realty knowledge and resources so that everyone can learn about the benefits of real estate investing.

OTHER SPECIAL BONUS PERKS INCLUDE:

  • All Guests Will Receive Our Investment Magazine
  • Meet Local Leaders & Industry Giants – From Coast to Coast
  • Influential Real Estate People & Business Owners Are Attending
  • Learn How to Leverage and Meet Private Capital Lenders
  • Find Potential Partners, New Friends, Build Your Circle of Influence
  • Your Net Worth = Your Network — Don’t miss this event
  • Mingle with Top REI Leaders & Industry Professionals Here

Realty411.com’s founder is an accredited investor and REALTOR® in the state of California and has been a licensed real estate agent for over17 years.

Stop Overpaying on Your Taxes and Get Absolute Asset Protection

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Were you aware that Real Estate Investors can save 78% – 90% or more on their annual taxes? And, now you can too! RSVP to our webinar today.

Date and time
Saturday, January 20 · 5 – 6pm PST

Location
Online

About this event
1 hour
Mobile eTicket

Were you aware that Real Estate Investors save 78% – 90% or more on their annual taxes? And, now you can too! Did I get your attention yet?

We have a solution that completely solves that giant tax problem for ALL Real Estate Investors.

In today’s real estate market, the only constant is volatile change…Your business is in a constant state of flux. Yet, there is one thing that’s not changing…

Uncle Sam is still demanding his tax payments on your rental income and capital gains from your REI business, including Flippers who get classified as Real Estate Dealers. Using our Trust, you cannot be classified as a Real Estate Dealer.

Real Estate Dealers are taxed at ordinary income rates, plus self-employment @ 15.3%, Medicare Surtax & AMT. That could easily be over 50% of your profits. OUCH!!

There is a new explosion of lawsuits because of the economy and people are getting desperate!

LLCs don’t protect you (in fact over 46% of the time when litigated, the corporate veil is pierced). My special guest and nationally known speaker, author and real estate investor, Bruce Mack, is going to show you a superior solution to keep your lien, levy and judgment proof.

On this upcoming, MUST attend, LIVE webinar for your REI BUSINESS SURVIVAL, you’re going to get the solutions to both problems. You will be amazed at how simple the solution is!

Join us and our friend, Licensed Financial Advisor, Bruce Mack, for this LIVE Webinar.

Reserve Your Seat here now!

January 20, 2024

5pm PST / 6pm MST / 7pm CST / 8pm EST

Reserve your space today and the event Zoom link will be sent to guests for this amazing webinar that could potentially save you money.

Make sure you stay until the end of the webinar! Bruce will tell you how you can get a complimentary one-on-one consultation ($250 value) just for attending the webinar.

See you on the upcoming MUST attend LIVE webinar!

PS: Join us for this LIVE webinar and learn if you qualify to defer 78% to 90% or more of your tax burden in perpetuity … LEGALLY, and without having to move to another country to do so.

Webinar: Important Tax Strategies Discussed

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Dear Reader,

The other day, you received an invitation to join me and my associate, Bruce Mack, for a LIVE webinar where you’ll learn how to solve that giant tax and asset protection problem facing ALL Real Estate Investors. Bruce is the perfect person to share this insight as he is a Licensed Financial Advisor, national speaker, author, and real estate investor.

Today, I want to give you one more nugget about this strategy.

They say that “the only guarantees in life are death and taxes.” Well medical advances have been able to postpone death for a while.

But what about overpaying taxes? Can you postpone them too?

Actually, Bruce says you can. (In fact, Bruce adds that you can defer most of your tax liability in perpetuity.) They have a solution that completely solves that giant tax problem for ALL Real Estate Investors.

Using their Trust, you cannot be classified as a Real Estate Dealer. Real Estate Dealers are taxed at ordinary income rates, plus self-employment @ 15.3%, Medicare Surtax & AMT. That could easily be over 50% of your profits. OUCH!!

This strategy uses the tax code to legally keep most of the money you were going to send to Uncle Sam this year in your bank account and is 100% IRS compliant.

On this critical must-attend webinar, Bruce will also reveal how you can protect yourself financially — right now — in today’s troubled and litigious times with bulletproof asset protection.

Reserve Your Seat here now!
November 14, 2023
5pm PST / 6pm MST / 7pm CST/ 8pm EST

Confirm Your Spot

To Your Success!

Linda Pliagas
Publisher/Editor/Investor

Realty411.com and REIWealthmag.com

P.S.: Make sure you stay until the end of the webinar! Bruce will tell you how you can get a complimentary 1 on 1 consultation ($250 value).

P.P.S.: With this proprietary Trust Brice states you will also receive absolute asset protection for yourself and your business. LLCs can easily be pierced.

Join us for this LIVE webinar and learn if you qualify to defer a good portion of your tax burden … LEGALLY, without having to move to another country to do so. Don’t miss this informative webinar.

DOWNLOAD AND LEARN TODAY

READ IT NOW!
NEW FEATURE!

Financial Freedom: Embracing Passive Income Investing

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Image from Pixabay

By Dr. Chandra Mishra

Financial freedom is crucial at any age. The genre of intelligent millenniums knows how to create variable income sources to gain financial freedom as soon as possible.

Passive income is the top contender for financial freedom which means no more worries about your ongoing bill payments or making rent. Once your basic needs are met you are left with enough to fulfill your desires; paying off debts, going on a long vacation, or indulging in luxurious recreation facilities.

Today we are clearing the dubious air about financial freedom as people have a misconception about investment fundamentals.

If you think working tirelessly and continuously is making you rich and financially free, you are mistaken. As being rich need not necessarily mean your financial freedom. Also you are losing time which you can’t buy.

Financial freedom comes when you build yourself multiple sources or streams of passive income that can pay for your expenses and leave you to live your life on your terms with minimal need to indulge in strenuous work.

Ways of Creating Passive Income

You are generating passive income when money keeps flowing in irrespective of your active working status.

Image from Pixabay

It may sound strange, but it does make a lot of sense as passive income can be made in two primary manners:-

1) Your Investment Works On Your Behalf

You invest strategically in projects that create monthly income with a fixed or standard rate of return.

The option here could be investing in instruments like bank and government bonds, corporate bonds, rental property income, multifamily/apartment investing that can quickly help you get out of the rat race.

2) Your Business Working On Your Behalf

Under this method of generating passive income, you indulge in a passive business income-making strategy. As a smart business person, you create a business that has the potential to run without your active participation. You hire and create processes to run the business. Following this strategy will offer continuous cash flow, whether you are parting hardship to your business venture or not.

Both investment and business work in synchronization for passive income generation for an entrepreneur.

Multifamily investing for busy professionals is one noticeable option that can create a consistent income without too many risk factors involved.

For busy professionals who cannot spare time consistently to keep track of their diversified investment portfolio, their entire investment portfolio can be constituted around multifamily real estate investments. It is a great foundation with very low volatility and opportunity to capitalize on passive income.

Why Multifamily Real Estate Investment Is A Sound Decision For Passive Income?

Image from Pixabay

Multifamily real estate can act as a catalyst for your investment career. And, this is not without the reasons:-

1) Easier Availability of Finance

If you think the enormous size of multifamily properties will call for difficulty in arranging finances, don’t let their size befool you. Multifamily properties are more accessible to finance than single-family homes. The price of multifamily properties is not the deterrent in fetching easy financing options. These properties are more likely to be approved by financial institutions like banks for a loan because these are more likely to generate cash flow month after month. This guarantees timely loan repayment.

2) A More Fabulous Kick Start

Acquisition of multifamily real estate is a better investment with low volatility which could be your fantastic end-games strategy too. You will retire with multiple streams of income. If you want to start small, A small multifamily property acquired, you can live in one of the units and pay down the mortgage you receive from the tenants residing in other units. Besides rent, you will earn appreciation on your investment capital.

3) Light Years Ahead Of Stock Market Return

Multifamily syndication returns have significantly gone down in the last two years. Yet you can lay hands on a 12-13% average annual return which is significantly higher than stock market returns.

Additionally, you are not even paying taxes (decreased taxes are the most extraordinary relief anytime) which means you are light years ahead of stock market returns.

4) Enjoy Cost Segregation Benefits

Image from Pixabay

Under the cost segregation, multifamily real estate investors enjoy reduced current tax liabilities which imply upfront cash flow. Without cost segregation, multifamily rentals are depreciated straight line for 27.5 years.

However, with cost segregation, the depreciation on specific real estate rentals’ components is faster (like in five, seven, or 15 years). The faster depreciation means you can save/make more money with depreciation and cost segregation applicable in multifamily investment projects.

Additionally, the government taxes income from multifamily investment properties at a passive income rate. This means no employment taxes.

Conclusion

Hope our little effort will help you embrace passive income investing for attaining financial freedom the soonest. Time is to start today, you can easily partner with someone or invest passively completely. What steps will you take in the coming weeks to create passive income?

For more information, contact your financial/legal advisor or financial counseling firm before investing.

Tax Tips for 2021 – Learn the Latest Strategies to Save Money

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By Stephanie Mojica

With the New Year, the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, and now political changes in Washington, it’s more important than ever that real estate investors be aware of how all these changes will impact their taxes.

Realty411 interviewed two tax experts to get the scoop on the best ways for investors to prepare for tax time.

Tony Watson
Enrolled Agent, Senior Tax Consultant, and Public Speaker
Robert Hall & Associates, Los Angeles
https://www.roberthalltaxes.com/
Phone: 818-293-2139

SM: Are there any new tax laws that investors need to be aware of?

TW: Lots of new things! Number one would have to be accelerated depreciation. Under the CARES Act, you can drop QIP (qualified improvement property) depreciation improvements from 39 years to 15 years, which essentially gives you double the write off.

SM: What is the best thing investors can do to plan for tax payments, so they’re not caught by surprise?

TW: Meet with their tax preparers in the fourth quarter with year-to-date figures. This way, we can calculate the year’s liability well before the year is even over.

SM: What are some of the common mistakes you see investors make when it comes to tax planning and preparation?

TW: Not knowing what is deductible or where to maximize the tax benefits.

SM: What documentation is essential for investors to have at tax time?

TW: Gross rents received, mortgage interest forms, property tax paid amounts, and a breakdown of all improvements made to properties throughout the year.

SM: Do you have any additional comments or thoughts to share with Realty411 readers?

It is the right of EVERY taxpayer to plan ahead to pay less tax. If a taxpayer fails to plan, they are ultimately planning to fail.

John F. Duston IV, CPA
Tax Accountant
Los Angeles
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnfduston/
Phone: 310-683-8769

SM: Are there any new tax laws that investors need to be aware of?

Proposition 19 is the big one this year. It is a property tax increase that greatly limits the scope of the parent-child exclusion for increases in property taxes.

SM: What is the best thing investors can do to plan for tax payments, so they’re not caught by surprise?

JD: I set my clients up with quarterly estimates, so they are already paid in. Additionally, if they have a sale, we can figure out what the resulting tax increase would be.

SM: What are some of the common mistakes you see investors make when it comes to tax planning and preparation?

One of the most common mistakes I see is that investors will use their purchase price as their depreciation on their taxes. What they should be doing is using the escrow statement to determine their basis in the property and then allocating this basis between building — which is depreciable for taxes — and land, which is not. While doing this correctly decreases depreciation deductions, claiming the purchase price as 100% deductible is very easy to identify.

SM: What documentation is essential for investors to have at tax time?

JD: The biggest ones are mileage logs, meals log, and a separate bank account to track rent and expenses.

SM: Do you have any additional comments or thoughts to share with Realty411 readers?

JD: When you’re routinely incurring expenses for the management of a few properties, a Supplemental Business Expense Form can be useful to split said expenses between the properties.

Got Taxes?

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Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

By Bruce Kellogg

Dealing With Taxes

Most people, including investors, need to deal with income taxes. Many prepare their own returns manually or using purchased software programs. Others trundle down to franchise tax preparation offices with their brown bags of pay stubs and receipts. (Hah!) Some have their own CPA or EA (Enrolled Agent) prepare their return for them. Everyone here tries to be frugal, to minimize their tax preparation expense.

What often is missing is “Tax Strategy”, which can vastly overshadow the supposed benefits of filing parsimony. For example, Tony Watson (EA), of Robert Hall & Associates, spoke at a recent investor meeting of 323 attendees regarding the features of the just-enacted CARES Act. One feature will allow certain taxpayers to go back and amend prior returns to receive a tax refund. Will the tax software company, or the franchise tax preparer, or your CPA or EA, contact you to alert you to this taxation tactic that could produce thousand$? Right. Not hardly.

Tony Watson, EA

Tony Watson is an Enrolled Agent who focuses on providing personalized financial guidance and tax preparation services to individuals and businesses. As a federally-licensed tax practitioner, Tony helps his clients make sound financial decisions, and works to ensure all eligible deductions are received when preparing taxes. Should a client need assistance with audits, collections, or appeals, Tony is empowered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to represent taxpayers before all administrative levels of the Internal Revenue Service. In addition to his one-on-one client work, Tony Watson is the keynote speaker for Robert Hall & Associates. He speaks on various tax-related topics at over 200 engagements throughout California each year. His dedication to his clients and expertise in the field of taxation led him to win the Glendale Readers’ Choice Award for Best Tax Preparer in 2016, and 2019. Tony loves tax work!

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Photo by olia danilevich from Pexels

Hiring a Tax Professional

Investors who view their property ownership as a business often create entities like Limited Liability Corporations (LLC’s), or partnerships or corporations of various kinds. Even with individual ownership there are good reasons to hire a tax professional. Here are several.

  1. Small errors that you make can result in large penalties.
  2. You could miss paying quarterly estimated tax payments, or underpay them, and owe additional tax. If you expect to owe $1,000 or more when you file your return, you should file for your estimated taxes, according to Tony Watson.
  3. If you have employees and practice withholding of employment taxes for federal, state, and local, including Social Security and Medicare, you need to timely file and pay both the employees’ and the business’ payments.
  4. Filing late has penalties.

A personal illustration is the author’s son. Age 36, he owns a consulting business that grosses $210,000. He pays his accountant $3,500, and says he saves four times that compared to filing his own tax return. The savings comes from the tax strategy that the accountant provides. That’s where the high dollar benefits come from, strategy. That’s the big benefit from hiring a tax professional.

Following up

Interested readers can follow up by going to https://www.roberthalltaxes.com/contact/ and setting up a complimentary initial consultation.

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Bruce Kellogg

Bruce Kellogg has been a Realtor® and investor for 38 years. He has transacted about 800 properties in 12 California counties. These include 1-4 units, 5+ apartments, offices, mixed-use buildings, land, lots, mobile homes, cabins, and churches.

Mr. Kellogg is a contributor and copy editor for two national real estate wealth-building magazines: Realty411, and REI Wealth Monthly. He is a recipient of an Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award, listed in Who’s Who in America – 2019.

He is available for consulting with syndication, turnkey, joint-venture, and other property purchasers and note investors nationally, and other consulting assignments. Reach him at [email protected], or (408) 489-0131.

THE IMPORTANCE OF A TITLE SEARCH IN BUYING INVESTMENT PROPERTIES

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By Glenn Mananeng

It’s important that when buying a potential investment property, there are no legal issues that may arise after it is purchased. With that in mind, properties with a clear title is very important. Unique Wealth Education is here to let you know the ins and outs of a title search.

Who does a title search?

Title company – they conduct extensive research on the property using public records and legal documents to identify the owner, liens, and if there are any loans and property taxes due.

Lender – they conduct a title search to verify ownership of the property and any other judgements for or against it before approving a loan that uses the property as collateral.

A buyer can also do a title search on their own, although it’s not usually recommended. Not only is the process time-consuming, you’ll be prone to making some kind of mistake along the way if you don’t have the knowledge needed when it comes to legal matters. However, this should not hinder you from wanting to know the basics of a title search. After all, you want your purchase to have no strings attached as much as possible.

Understanding the basics of a title search

This will minimize the chance of you regretting the property after acquiring it. The process won’t be as complex and tedious as it usually is if you do it the right way.

STEP 1: Chain of Title

The “chain” refers to a sequence of transfers pertaining to the historical ownership of the property. This will show the list of owners from the current one back to the original owner when the property was first built. This can be obtained from your County Clerk’s public records.

Back then, this step took too much time cause you had to check records dating back to almost 100 years in order to complete the search.

The importance of this step will determine the credibility of the property title. If you happen to pass by a “cloud” or any missing part of the chain, this might indicate that an incorrect deed was done during somewhere along the way. This could also mean that the owner changed their name to reacquire the title. In this case, a quiet title suit is done as a security measure.

Quiet title suit – this is done in order to settle any dispute over the ownership of the property. Think of it as reinforcing the weakest part of the chain so it won’t break. The owner goes to court and describes all of the title defects with an attorney. The judge will “fix” these defects with a court order declaring that the claimant (in this case, the current owner) is now the true owner of the property.

STEP 2: Tax Search

The second step of the title search determines whether the property is up to date with its taxes. Any overdue or unpaid taxes can create a lien against the property. Let’s say that you finally purchased the property and you skipped this step, this can lead to the government placing it up for sale again just to cover the unpaid taxes.

Title insurance – this is done to prevent any overlooked late or unpaid taxes on the property and make it as clean as possible. Without this, the financial burden will be transferred to you as the buyer.

STEP 3: Site Inspection

Inspecting involves a lot more than just dropping by and checking if the property is ok. This should be done to make sure everything matches the records of the property such as the lot size or any signs of an easement. When you are granted an easement, this means you have the legal right to use or enter the property of the owner without possessing it. These are typically granted for utility companies and are usually not removable.

STEP 4: Name and Judgement Search

Any judgement or state and federal tax liens against the current or previous owners must be looked up. It’s up to the current owner to settle any of these judgements or state and federal tax liens found while owning the property. Judgement decrees, unpaid taxes, and liens can have claims over the property. In other words, these defects can complicate your ownership even after purchasing it. A title insurance policy is a good preventive measure against these judgements and insures these items are removed at the time the policy is issued typically at the closing of the sale.

STEP 5: Closing the Deal

The final step is the green light for the buyer to begin the process of purchasing the property with a clear conscience knowing that all legal hurdles have been cleared. Once the deal has been closed, the title company issues a title policy.

Title policy – is the title company’s guarantee that protects you as the new owner in the event that any unknown issue affecting the property comes up after it’s purchased.

Following all of these steps will ensure a smooth transaction between you and the seller. Although we mentioned that a third-party entity usually does this on your behalf, it doesn’t hurt to know the legal aspects of this very important process. Contact us by phone: (734) 224-5454 or email: [email protected]. We also invite you to our monthly meet-up every first Thursday of each month to share experiences and hopefully do business with fellow real estate investors.

BUILDING WEALTH IN REAL ESTATE: HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?

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By Glenn Mananeng

This is a question on the mind of investors. There is no definite answer for this. This topic is always up to debate no matter how you look at it, as wealth is measured differently by every individual. Here are a few factors you need to know when building wealth – allow us here at Unique Wealth Education to teach you some important pointers to consider:

#1 Wholesaling

This is the easiest point of entry for the majority of the investors, as it requires the least amount of capital. You find a seller who wants to put their property for sale and find a buyer for that property on “as is” condition without the fixing part to try and get the market value higher. After the property has been sold, you’ll get a cut on the sale. Basically you are the intermediary that builds a buyers list to locate undervalued properties using a multi-pronged approach. This relies heavily on how good and how broad your real estate network is.

#2 Fix and flip

You don’t have to be an avid real estate investor to know what fix and flip is. Anyone who has cable and passed by HGTV has a basic idea of what it is. You buy a house below the average market value, renovate it, sell them for a profit! This is one of the most widely used real estate investment strategies used around the county.

Keys to fix and flip investing success:

· Preparing yourself by understanding how to locate undermarket valued properties in the right locations
· Understand values (make sure you are comparing apples to apples and going with the highest comp when doing our due diligence as a conservative approach)
· Aligning yourself with multiple capable and competitively priced renovation contractors to not only give you a bid prior to purchasing the home, but also to deliver as agreed on
· Understanding how far to go with finishes and layout changes to keep within the budget and comps in the area
· Stay away from potential losers such as foundation issues and bad layouts
· Having a sales strategy in place prior to the purchase that accounts for commissions, closing costs, holding costs, etc…
Contrary to “reality” real estate shows, getting rich doesn’t happen overnight. The longer it takes to flip the property, the more expenses you would incur for maintaining it while waiting for a buyer. Working with getting coached by or partnering with a seasoned investor is a huge advantage, as you learn best practices and pitfalls to avoid, which only years of experience can provide.

#3 Rentals

Mortgage Paydown

Let’s use a rental property as an example. In a normal scenario, you have a tenant who is essentially paying the rent in exchange for living privileges. If you bought the rental property with a mortgage, your loan will eventually cancel itself out over time. Why? The rent you receive from your tenant is basically used to pay the loan, which is increasing your equity in the property. The money left over is your cash flow divided by the amount you put down to come up with your CAP rate. This is a GREAT way to build long term wealth.

Cash Flow

We can all agree that this is very important. For those who are new in the game, cash flow is basically the income you get from your investment property (usually rental properties). This is a major factor in generating a high return for your investments and savings. Once you increase cash flow by accumulating properties, this allows you to plan your income and determine the course of future investments.

Taxes

If taken into account optimistically, you’ll see a lot of tax benefits when it comes to real estate investments. Consult your CPA to see how you can depreciate properties that you are holding onto for rental income and also discuss with them acceleration methods used to front load depreciation to give you more capital to buy more and keep building your portfolio.

The answer to how long it’s going to take, as you might’ve guessed already, is up to you. Your real estate skillset, determination, experience, and risk management are major players in this ballgame. it’s all about how smart you invest in the industry. If you make due diligence and play your cards right, you’ll one day realize that you’ve gained a considerable amount of wealth already. Unique Wealth Education can help you in your real estate career in helping you avoid common mistakes & pitfalls, is something that we take to heart very seriously. Contact us at(734) 224-5454 or email us at [email protected]to learn more.