Buying and owning property is rarely easy or simple. When the property in question is in a distant location, the challenges multiply, but it might seem appealing if you live in an area where real estate is expensive. So, one of the most significant things you can do as an out-of-state real estate investor is to use a property management service.
You should consider many other factors before jumping into one of these investments, so here are some of the most common concerns among out-of-state real estate investors.
Key Takeaways
- Buy in a town you know, or get to know the town before you buy.
- Finding a property management company and a maintenance worker is as essential as finding a real estate agent.
- Don't just tour the property. Get an inspection.
Regardless, here are the issues to consider before you make an offer.
Investing In Out-Of-State Property
Reasons to Buy Out-of-State Property
If you live in a place where prices are sky-high, such as San Francisco or New York City, local real estate investing or even local homeownership might be out of the question. You want to look at areas where the market fundamentals are sound, but property costs are significantly lower.
On the other hand, if you live in an area with depressed or falling real estate prices, you may prefer to rent a home and invest in real estate elsewhere.
ROI Is the Key
In either case, you may find that the return on investment (ROI) is better elsewhere than it is at home. That is a big reason why many buy outside their region. Purchase price, appreciation rates, mortgage expenses, taxes, housing regulations, rental market conditions, and more factors might be more favorable in another state and can contribute to a property's potential ROI.
Out-of-State Property Challenges
You won't have the same intimate, day-to-day knowledge of a distant market that you have of the market in which you live. You don't have an in-depth understanding of the best or worst neighborhoods. You will have to rely on research, word of mouth, gut instinct, and the opinions of any professionals you hire.
Another challenge is understanding the laws and regulations regarding property ownership and property taxes in your target area. Even if you read every line of the local codes and ordinances, what it says on paper and what happens in the real world don't always match. Talk with property owners in the area to get a true understanding of local challenges.
Networking Out-of-State
You'll need good contacts in the area to make your investment plan successful. That doesn't only mean a real estate agent. You may need a property manager, a maintenance worker, and a contractor before long.
The secret to many out-of-state investors' success is finding and hiring an excellent property management company. It will be their job to fill vacancies, collect rent, make repairs, and handle emergencies.
If you lived in the area, you might choose to manage the property yourself. If you live far away, professional property management is an extra expense you must incur to safeguard your investment.
The Complications
Even with a property management company on your payroll, you'll still need to make an occasional visit to your property to make sure that what managers and tenants tell you matches reality. This is an additional time and money cost that must be considered.
Also, when purchasing a rental property, especially out-of-state, you'll likely encounter higher homeowners insurance rates, mortgage interest rates, and down payment requirements. Lenders consider rentals riskier than owner-occupied mortgages.
You'll also complicate your tax situation by owning rental property and earning income in multiple states. You may need to hire an income tax professional to keep you in the good graces of the tax authorities.
How Far to Go
After considering all these factors, you may find that being an owner-occupant or purchasing investment property close to home is a much simpler and less expensive proposition.
In fact, think that through. Even San Francisco and New York City are within a couple of hours of less expensive real estate, and even places where prices are depressed have solid neighborhoods reasonably close by.
Before You Buy Out-of-State Property
If you're still intent on buying out-of-state, be sure to heed these additional warnings. Do not buy sight unseen. Online information on a property can be out-of-date or incomplete. A local real estate agent or property owner might lie to close a sale.
If you unwittingly become the owner of a nuisance property that violates health and safety laws, you can be on the hook for code violations that are time-consuming and expensive to fix. If a property has been vacant for long enough, it can develop maintenance issues that can be solved only with a bulldozer, and you might be on the hook for the demolition bill.
Get an Inspection
Make sure you see the property in person and hire a professional to make an inspection.
Finding quality tenants is particularly important for absentee landlords. You won't be there to keep a close eye on your tenants' behavior or their treatment of the property or to pressure them to pay if the rent is past due. In addition to hiring a top-notch property management company, you want tenants that won't cause you or your management company headaches.
Get Pre-Approved
While you're visiting, take the time to meet with various lenders and research the different mortgage types and interest rates available locally. It is best to get pre-approved for a mortgage, as this will reduce the time it will take to close the deal once you've found your dream out-of-state property.
Finally, if you've never owned property, buying your first property out-of-state is extra risky. No matter how many books you read on property ownership, there is no substitute for experience.
How to Make Out-of-State Property Work
If you are going to buy out-of-state, consider buying in an area you are familiar with, perhaps your college town or your hometown. It helps to have some knowledge of the area.
You'll need a network of local professionals to help you manage your property.
As a bonus, if you buy in an area you visit anyway, your leisure travel can become at least partly tax-deductible because you will add a business component to those trips to check up on your property.
Dos and Don'ts
Buy in an area with some similarities to where you live, such as climate, demographics, or property age, so you have some idea of what you're dealing with. If you have lived in a 1960s suburb of California your entire life, don't buy a Victorian in Boston.
Don't buy a high-risk property. Buy in a primarily owner-occupied neighborhood to attract tenants with lower economic risk. Finally, as mentioned earlier, building a great network of professionals to help you and occasionally visit your property yourself is crucial.
Out-of-State Property Alternatives
There are other ways to invest in real estate elsewhere. One option is a real estate investment trust (REIT) or a REIT exchange-traded fund (ETF). This is similar to investing in a stock, and you can choose a REIT with a risk/return profile that fits what you're looking for.
Just as a stock owner doesn't have to make decisions about running the company, when you own shares of a REIT, you won't have any of the headaches associated with owning property.
How Do I Become an Out-of-State Investor?
One of the keys is finding a property management company that will handle your property. Then, locate, inspect, and purchase your desired property.
What State Has the Highest Return on Investment for Real Estate?
The state with the highest real estate ROI varies by analyst, but some popular states are Arizona, Florida, Maryland, and Delaware.
What State Is the Best To Make Money on Real Estate?
It depends on your budget, what you like to invest in, and how you choose to manage your investment properties.
The Bottom Line
Owning investment property is not an easy investment where you put your money in and wait for it to grow in value. You have to nurture your investment with more money and ensure it remains an attractive and viable option for renters or other buyers.
One of the best things you can do for your out-of-state real estate investments is find a good property manager you can trust to take care of your investment for you.
