Warren Buffett Is Wrong: Diversification Isn’t Just for Ignorant Investors

Should you aim for diversification in your real estate investments? What about your stock investments?

Oddly enough, many real estate investors never bother to ask that question. They just assume that all real estate investments require a lot of money and that each niche requires so much skill that you can only master one.

They’re wrong on both counts, and it adds risk to their investment portfolio.

Warren Buffett’s Take

Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett famously said, “We think diversification is—as practiced generally—makes very little sense for anyone that knows what they’re doing…it is a protection against ignorance.”

I disagree.

Don’t get me wrong: I have nothing but respect for the Oracle of Omaha. He’s built an incredible career out of choosing stocks and other investments.

But guess what? You’re not the near-prescient investment analyst that Warren Buffett is, and neither am I. Most of us can’t pick winners with the consistency that he can.

That goes for professional investment managers, too, not just part-time or retail investors. It’s why actively managed mutual funds historically perform worse than passively managed ETFs. 

And don’t tell me about how different real estate investing is from stock investing or how the same principles don’t apply to you. Most novice real estate investors lose thousands of dollars on their first few deals. It’s tuition to learn the ropes. Even after getting some expertise under your belt, real estate investors still end up making costly mistakes sometimes, or have market conditions fall out beneath their feet. 

Real Estate Lends Itself to Narrow and Deep

Real estate is expensive. If you buy a property by yourself, you’ll likely need $50,000 to $100,000 between the down payment, closing costs, cash reserves, and possibly the initial repair costs. And if you invest passively in real estate syndications, you usually need a similar amount for the minimum investment. That makes it hard to diversify when each individual asset requires so much capital.

Likewise, active real estate investing requires niche expertise. If you invest in Section 8 properties, mobile home parks, self-storage facilities, or in any other niche for that matter, you need to master the skills and knowledge required to succeed in that niche. That, too, makes it hard to diversify—you can’t just learn a new niche overnight and expect success buying up luxury retail properties in primary markets.

Andrew Helling of Helling Homebuyers sums up the consensus argument: 

“Diversification limits your ability to understand specific market niches and often causes you to miss out on opportunities that come with a concentrated investment strategy. While it’s riskier, I prefer to go all-in on local deals that I really understand. These are easier to manage, quicker to visit, and require less work, since I know the local market very well.” 

You can see why real estate investors typically opt for a handful of similar properties in a few markets. In other words: narrow and deep, as opposed to wide and shallow.

Contrarian Take: Why I Go Wide and Shallow

Markets are unpredictable, and my crystal ball is no clearer than anyone else’s. In fact, every time I’ve tried to get clever with investments, the universe has served me up a big slice of humble pie.

I’ve seen real estate deals go south after all the numbers on paper looked great. I’ve seen syndicators fall apart after many people I respect recommended I invest with them. And I’ve seen white-hot housing markets collapse in value after nothing but positive buzz from pundits and investors alike.

So, I invest $5,000 in a new passive real estate investment every month as one of hundreds of members of SparkRental’s Co-Investing Club. In the last year, I’ve invested in multifamily properties, mobile home parks, retail, storage, industrial, and more—all with different syndicators and investors in different markets across the U.S. Most of the deals we review each month are real estate syndications, but some are funds or notes. 

“Spreading investments amongst various property types can protect your return when certain sectors retract or underperform,” explains Ryan Martinson of WhatsMyPayment.com. “When a particular segment booms, diverse investors participate in the upside.”

Risk Mitigation Strategies

Specifically, my diversification strategy protects me from risk in the following ways.

Markets

You might scoff now, but in 2006, big real estate players from New York and Washington, D.C., were plowing huge amounts of money into Baltimore real estate. The city had a renewed sense of optimism at the time, with crime rates slowly but steadily decreasing and lots of money pouring into low-income neighborhoods. 

As a Baltimore native and a naïve young real estate investor, I, too, jumped on the bandwagon. Then I got my butt handed to me in 2008. 

All that outside money disappeared virtually overnight. Up-and-coming neighborhoods slipped back into decay. And a few years later, in the wake of riots, crime rates increased again.

The details differ as you look at other real estate markets around the country, but the lesson is the same: Sometimes, markets reverse course unexpectedly. I lived in San Francisco briefly in 2009 and loved it (even if it already flashed warning signs for sociopolitical issues by then). Everyone speculated on San Francisco properties for two decades—only to see values crumble over the last few years.

Austin, Texas, and Boise, Idaho, were white-hot a few years ago and then had a terrible 2023. In the ‘90s and ‘00s, people had written off Rust Belt cities in the Midwest, only to have them resurge later.

The bottom line: You can’t always predict where a market will turn next. So don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

Property types

After the Great Recession, everyone said self-storage was the ultimate risk-free real estate investment. In a recession, people downsize and need storage, right?

Until you overbuild them and the fundamentals of supply and demand catch up with you.

As an aside, it actually turns out that while self-storage isn’t very correlated with home prices or unemployment, it is heavily correlated with home sale volume. People rent storage units when they move, and in the near-record-low transaction volume of the last year, storage has suffered.

Again, I can’t predict what will happen in a specific industry or for a specific property type. To be frank, I actually just recently learned about how dependent storage is on home sale volume. But it goes to show you that even the big Wall Street institutional funds, which have poured money into storage over the past few years, often get it wrong.

And if they often get it wrong, you better believe you will sometimes, too, and probably more often.


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General partners/syndicators

When we first launched our Co-Investing Club, I asked a lot of experienced real estate investors, both active and passive, about the sponsors (syndicators) they recommended. I heard a lot of names, but two names kept coming up again and again. These two big names had an immaculate reputation and plenty of experience and deal volume.

Guess what? They’ve been by far the two worst-performing syndicators we invested with in our investment club. In fact, they’re the only two that have given me any cause for concern.

You can look at an investor’s track record and ask others in the industry about them. But you just can’t predict how a general partner will perform when market conditions change. And spoiler alert: They always change sooner or later.

Today, the rule of thumb we try to follow in the Co-Investing Club is a one-year “probation period” after our first investment with a sponsor. We want to see how well they communicate, how they handle hiccups, whether they start distributions on time, and so on. We don’t mind investing again with a sponsor we know, like, and trust, but we try to space them out because diversification spreads out risk.

The wisdom of crowds

I’m no longer so arrogant as to think that I can spot winners every time or even most times. This means I rely on the wisdom of thousands of other investors.

Before investing with a new sponsor, I ask about other passive investors’ experiences with them on the Left Field Investors or BiggerPockets forums. Then my cofounder from SparkRental and I get on a “pre-screening” call with them. If we still feel good about them, we invite them in front of our Co-Investing Club so we can all grill them together.

Every time we vet a deal from a sponsor, we collectively ask better questions. We focus more on risk and how many ways the sponsor is mitigating it than on the potential returns.

In one deal, a member happened to live five minutes away from the apartment complex in question. She gave us a local perspective on the neighborhood and the demand for this type of housing there.

In another deal, a member who works in the insurance industry pointed out just how badly the sponsor had underestimated insurance costs.

Lean on others as you diversify. Through group investments with others, I get to benefit from their expertise, not just my own.

Dollar-Cost Averaging vs. Timing the Market

I practice dollar-cost averaging in both my stock investments and my real estate investments. Every week, my roboadvisor pulls money out of my checking account to invest in a broad portfolio of ETFs. And every month, I invest $5,000 in a new passive real estate deal.

I don’t have to worry about timing the market. When other investors ask me if now is a good time to invest, I basically reply that they’re asking the wrong question.

I can’t predict the stock market or the real estate market. Either could collapse tomorrow or shoot for the stars. But by continuing to invest month in and month out, I make sure I maximize my time in the market rather than timing the market.

Plus, I enjoy cash flow in the meantime, rather than sitting with a ton of cash on the sidelines waiting around for a dip that may take years to appear.

A Numbers Game and The Law of Averages

Last year, our investment club invested in 13 deals, in line with our goal of around one a month. One or two of these investments will likely underperform or lose money. Others will overperform and exceed expectations (some already are). Most will fall in a bell curve in between and average out to strong annualized returns in the long term.

At the end of the year, I didn’t wring my hands and worry about how this or that deal was doing. They just added up to numbers on a page, all averaging each other out.

But if I had invested all of my funds in a single property or deal, you better believe I’d be thinking about that one deal all the time—especially if it was losing money or underperforming.

“By abiding by the law of averages, investors are typically able to lower the risk of downturns in fluctuating markets,” explains Nate Johnson of NeighborWho. “Instead of an ‘all or nothing’ approach, diversifying helps give investors a financial safety net while helping to ensure a consistent trajectory towards financial growth.”

And hey, even Warren Buffett can’t pick winners every time. For all his talk about how diversification is for investors who don’t know any better, Berkshire Hathaway owns stakes in over 60 businesses.

By spreading smaller amounts across many property types, in many markets, with many syndicators, I can sleep at night knowing that the law of averages will protect me. Call me an ignorant investor if you like, but I feel pretty good about a bell curve of returns on my many investments.

Provided by Bigger Pockets

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Episode 60: How Your Mobile Phone is One of Your Most Valuable Tools

Listen On:

We know this sounds crazy, but if you really pay attention to how often you pick up your phone, you’d be amazed.

They are called smart phones for a reason.  They are compact and easy to carry for a reason.  They have amazing cameras and video and apps to use for a reason. 

So, are you using your phone for all its capabilities?  In this episode we break down all the tasks we use our mobile phones for when operating our rental property business.

We know we should not be as dependent on this little electronic device as we are, but it sure does make managing our rental properties so much more efficient!

LINKS

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MULTIFAMILY INSURANCE COSTS ARE THROUGH THE ROOF

By LAUREN LIEB

Landlords and investors across the country are encountering extreme increases in insurance premiums. Renewal premiums are increasing anywhere from 20% (at the low end) to 200%+ of the previous year’s premiums, which is putting landlords in a precarious situation when looking at how to afford such astronomical increases.

WHY ARE INSURANCE PREMIUMS GOING UP SO MUCH FOR LANDLORDS?

Various factors are causing the steep increase in insurance premiums in the multifamily industry, and according to insurance companies, those increases aren’t likely to go away this year – or next.

Climate Change

The primary reason for heightened rates is tied to the increase of both the severity and the frequency of catastrophic weather-related events. The GulfCoast states all the way up the Atlantic have faced a large increase in claims and payouts due to hurricanes. The West Coast has been inundated with large wildfire claims, since the wildfire season is no longer being contained to the hotter months, but instead are occurring year-round.

Increase in Tenant Lawsuits

Higher claims due to tenant-caused damage and liability lawsuits are also directly impacting the industry’s premium trends, especially for properties that don’t require or track their tenants’ renter’s insurance. That gap leaves the landlord’s policy to be primary on a claim they may not be responsible for.

Inflation

Properties are also facing higher replacement costs, which are directly tied to insurance premiums, which are in turn due to inflation, labor costs, supply chain issues, and increased timeframe of construction.

Insurance Providers Exiting the Market

Due to an historically high claims payout history for the multifamily industry, some insurance carriers, who had previously specialized in multifamily, have also pulled out of the industry all together, causing less competition in the market. Most of the standard carriers remaining have put a cap on the age of the building they deem as allowable risks, which has put properties older than 30 years at a severe disadvantage when approaching the standard market.


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HOW CAN YOU PREPARE FOR INSURANCE INCREASES

For investors, it’s important to underwrite deals with an insurance agent who is knowledgeable about the industry trends. Assuming a cost-perdoor that last year would have been $500, is now going to likely be double that today. Underwriting without the input of an expert will cause certain strife when budgeting.

It’s also important to take insurance costs listed in Offering Memorandums with a very large grain of salt. Rarely are those figures on the mark, and without the specific details of what the seller was insured for, it is essentially comparing apples to oranges.

Those with or preparing to work with lenders also need to pay specific attention to what the lenders are requiring regarding insurance requirements. Those with government-backed loans will need to budget for the additional coverage that must be carried when working with those lenders.

Lastly, be sure to shop for insurance if you haven’t received a quote in the last 2 years. An insurance broker can help you determine if you are in fact getting the best insurance rate possible and what improvements you can make to your property to reduce your premium.

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10 Ways to Lower Your Property Taxes

By Glenda Taylor

If your most recent property tax assessment caught you by surprise, you have options beyond simply paying it. With a little research and a lot of determination, you can get your property taxes lowered. Here’s how.

1 Lower Your Tax Bills

Property tax rates are decided at the county level, and the money collected is used to pay for schools, streets, and public safety. If you want to own a house, you already know that you’re probably going to have to pay property taxes. What you may not know is that you might be able to decrease the amount of taxes you owe. So, don’t just fume about a high tax bill—do something. Scroll through to discover ways to lower your property taxes and keep more of your hard-earned money for yourself.

2 Review Your Property Tax Card for Errors

Your home’s tax card is the official record of your property. It contains information such as your home’s assessed value, square footage, the year it was built, and the number of bedrooms and bathrooms it has, but tax cards often contain errors. Obtain a copy of your tax card from your local county assessor’s office and go over it carefully. If you find errors—if, for instance, it lists more bedrooms than you actually have—point that out to the assessor and ask for a reevaluation of your tax.

3 Appeal Your Tax Valuation—Promptly

Most county assessors limit the amount of time you have to appeal your tax valuation after they mail out notices; in some jurisdictions, the period is as little as 30 days. If you fail to appeal within that time frame, the window of opportunity closes, and you’ll have to pay the higher tax. The appeal process typically involves filling out a form detailing why you believe the assessor’s valuation is too high—for example, perhaps the house has sustained structural damage. 

4 Get Rid of Outbuildings

Structures on your property, including storage sheds, she-sheds, and greenhouses, may also be assessed for taxes. That said, some counties and towns tax only permanent structures with foundations, or only those above a certain size. But if your property tax bill includes a couple of storage sheds that you don’t really need, consider getting rid of them. If you decide to remove them, notify your county assessor’s office so it can update your property tax card.

5 Check to See If You Qualify for Property Tax Relief

Not all states offer property tax relief, but many do offer reductions for homeowners who are seniors, veterans, or disabled. In addition, certain types of property, such as property used for agricultural purposes, may qualify for tax breaks. These reductions are decided at the state level, but you won’t automatically get them—you need to apply. Call your county assessor’s office to find out if you qualify for any tax relief programs.


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6 Move to a Less Expensive Area

Property tax rates vary widely from state to state and from county to county. If you live in a county with high property taxes, you may be able to buy a house in a neighboring county and pay much less in property taxes. You may end up with a longer commute, but you’ll save on taxes.

7 Compare Tax Cards of Similar Homes

If you’re sure you’re paying more than you should in property taxes, you stand a better chance of having your tax lowered if you can demonstrate that houses similar to yours are being assessed at a lower value. Tax cards are public information, so go through the ones of homes like yours (same square footage, age, style, and number of bedrooms and baths). If you can show that your property is valued higher than other similar properties, the assessor’s office may reduce your valuation.

8 Have Your Property Independently Appraised

County assessors and real estate appraisers value properties in different manners, but if a real estate appraiser values your home at less than the county assessor does, you can often get your valuation reduced. You’ll pay $250 to $400 for an independent appraisal, but if it substantially reduces your home’s assessed valuation, you could save thousands every year.

9 File for a Homestead Exemption

A homestead exemption provides tax relief for a primary residence in the wake of a bankruptcy or death of a homeowner. Many, but not all states, offer homestead exemptions, but requirements vary. You typically have to have lived in the house for more than a year and must meet certain income requirements. If you qualify, the county assessor will be able to tax only a portion of the value of your property.

10 Invite the Assessor Over

Sometimes the best way to show the assessors that your house is not worth as much as they claim is to ask them to come see for themselves. The key here is to accompany the assessor and point out all the problems she may not notice, such as cracks in the foundation, structural problems, water damage, and other significant defects.

11 Hire an Expert

Navigating the appeal process can be complex and time-consuming. Fortunately, if you’re not up to it, there are experts who can help. Both tax attorneys and property tax consultants can challenge your property valuation to get your taxes reduced. You’ll have to pay a tax attorney up front for the time spent on your case, while a property tax consultant takes a cut of your tax savings, usually 50 percent of the first year’s savings.

Pay Less

Who doesn’t want to pay less in property taxes? With this advice in hand, you can begin the process of lowering your property taxes.

provided by bobvila.com

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Is a Tenant Who Smokes Protected? Safeguard Your Rentals

As a landlord or property manager, understanding the intricacies of smoking policies in rental properties is crucial. This comprehensive guide dives into the multifaceted aspects of managing smoking tenants, including legal considerations, tenant rights, and practical enforcement strategies.

Legal Landscape: Smoking and Protected Classes

Understanding the legal aspects of how smoking is treated in the context of rental properties is crucial for landlords and property managers. Here’s a more detailed look:

Lady smoking Shutterstock_2230066237

Fair Housing Rules and Smokers: The Fair Housing Act, a pivotal piece of legislation in the United States, aims to prevent discrimination in housing. It enumerates specific protected classes, such as race, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and familial status. Smokers do not fall within these categories. Courts across various jurisdictions have upheld this view, clearly indicating that landlords are within their rights to impose no-smoking policies without fear of violating fair housing laws.

State-Specific Smoker Protection Laws: While federal law does not protect smokers, there is a patchwork of state-level laws that offer varying degrees of protection to smoking tenants. In 29 states and the District of Columbia, laws have been enacted that classify smokers as a protected class, to some extent. These laws vary significantly in their scope and application. They may, for instance, prevent employers from discriminating against smokers but do not necessarily apply to housing. Therefore, it’s important for landlords to be aware of the specific laws in their state and how they might affect their ability to enforce no-smoking policies.

Differences in Enforcement: The application and enforcement of these state laws can significantly differ. In some states, these protections are robust, while in others, they are more symbolic. Knowing the nuances of state law is essential for landlords to navigate this landscape effectively.

Tenant Rights and Smoking Regulations

The rights of tenants regarding smoking in rental properties are also a complex issue:

Absence of Federally Protected Smoking Rights: At a national level, no law explicitly grants tenants the right to smoke in rental properties. This absence of federal protection means that, generally, landlords have considerable leeway to restrict or prohibit smoking on their properties without infringing on tenants’ legal rights.

Fair Housing Act Considerations: It’s critical to understand that the Fair Housing Act’s primary goal is to prevent discrimination against protected classes. Since smokers are not a protected class under this act, landlords are not discriminating based on this law when they prohibit smoking. This distinction is important because it allows landlords to implement no-smoking policies as a part of their property management strategy without the risk of legal challenges based on federal discrimination laws.

Impact on Tenants’ Health and Safety: The decision to prohibit smoking is often rooted in concerns about health and safety. Secondhand smoke can pose significant health risks to non-smoking tenants. Similar to noise complaints, smoking can be a source of disputes and discomfort in multi-tenant properties. By restricting smoking, landlords are often seen as taking steps to ensure the health and well-being of all their tenants.

Local and State Regulations: Besides federal law, local and state regulations can have a substantial impact on smoking policies in rental properties. Some cities and states have more stringent regulations that may restrict smoking in certain types of housing or areas. Landlords need to be aware of these local ordinances as they can further define what is permissible regarding smoking in rental properties.


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Implementing and Enforcing No-Smoking Policies

Incorporating No-Smoking Clauses in Leases: Clearly defined no-smoking clauses in lease agreements are pivotal. These should explicitly state the restrictions and consequences of violating the no-smoking policy.

Uniform Application and Enforcement: To avoid discrimination claims, it’s imperative that no-smoking policies are applied uniformly to all tenants. Consistent enforcement is also key to maintaining the policy’s integrity and effectiveness.

Managing Existing Tenants Who Smoke

Approaches to Monitoring and Compliance: Employing smoke detectors specifically designed to detect cigarette smoke can aid in monitoring compliance. However, privacy concerns must be taken into account, especially when using security cameras in common areas.

Addressing Violations and Potential Eviction: When a tenant breaches a no-smoking clause, landlords typically begin with a formal warning. Continued violations can lead to eviction processes, contingent on the terms outlined in the lease agreement.

The Case of E-Cigarettes and Vaping

Extending Policies to Include Vaping: As e-cigarettes and vaping become more prevalent, landlords should consider updating lease agreements to encompass these forms of smoking. The effects of vaping on property and other residents can be similar to traditional smoking.

Practical Tips for Landlords

Clear Communication: From the onset, landlords should communicate their smoking policies clearly to prospective and current tenants. This ensures that all parties are aware of the rules and their implications.

Legal Consultation: It’s advisable for landlords to consult legal professionals, particularly when drafting no-smoking clauses and policies, to ensure compliance with local and state laws.

Handling Exceptions and Accommodations: While enforcing no-smoking policies, landlords should also be prepared to handle exceptions or requests for accommodations in a fair and legal manner.

Conclusion

In summary, tenants who smoke are generally not considered a protected class under federal law, specifically the Fair Housing Act. This means landlords have the legal right to impose no-smoking policies in their rental properties without violating federal discrimination laws. However, it’s important to note that in 29 states and the District of Columbia, there are smoker protection laws that may offer some level of protection to smoking tenants, although these laws vary in their scope and application, and often do not directly impact housing policies. Therefore, while federal law largely supports landlords in restricting smoking in their properties, it’s crucial to be aware of and understand any specific state laws that might affect this issue by sourcing a legal professional. 

Source: Multifamily Insiders

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Episode 59: Determining Wear and Tear Vs. Damage to Your Rental Property

A gold-colored background states the title "Determining Wear and Tear Vs Damage to Your Rental Property; Episode 59.”  There is a picture of a microphone and photos of the hosts, Kevin Kilroy, Stacie Casella.

Listen On:

There is nothing worse than showing up to one of your units and seeing damage.  Well, the only thing that might be worse is a tenant who believes they are not responsible for that damage and is calling it standard wear and tear.

We are using our personal stories to show you how we have combated this problem with our own properties and giving you some tips on how to set yourself AND your tenant up for success so that, hopefully, you won’t have to be bothered with this issue.

Give this episode a listen and learn how you can avoid this potential problem with your rental properties.

LINKS

👉 Episode 7: A Guide to Move Out Procedures and Security Deposits

👉 PDF: HUD Appendix 5C, TENANT DAMAGE versus “NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR”  

👉 Course Waitlist: From Marketing to Move In, Place Your Ideal Tenant

👉 Help other DIY landlords discover what we have to say… Please leave us a review of our podcast! 

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Market Madness: 10 College Markets That Are Great for Cash Flow

With the college sports season’s thrilling climax, this is also an exciting time for real estate investors who own rentals in college towns that are being given a high profile. These landlords have likely long known that student rentals are one of the most lucrative places to make ongoing high yields. 

Having the national spotlight focus on a college town where you invest is like having huge ads placed outside your property to attract future tenants. Colleges in the South and Midwest generally mirror real estate in those areas, which have provided some of the strongest cap rates for investors in recent years. 

Here’s a closer look at the towns and cities where great sports teams pair with great investments. We ranked the college towns based on their rent-to-price (RTP) ratio. An RTP is calculated by dividing the gross monthly rent by the purchase price (or, in subsequent years, by the market value). A standard RTP that investors use is around 1%, often called the 1% rule, although an RTP above 0.6% is also considered good. Thus, if a property rents for $2,000/month and has a market value of $2,000, the RTP would be $2,000/$200,000, which is 1%.

It’s important to note that every market will have its fair share of ZIP codes with high and low RTPs. There’s cash flow to be made in every market—you just need to find it.

The Rent-to-Price Ratio of Each College Market

1. The University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, Alabama): 0.76%

2. University of Dayton (Dayton, Ohio): 0.67%

3. Texas Tech (Lubbock, Texas): 0.66%

4. Northwestern (Chicago): 0.64%

5. University of South Carolina (Columbia, South Carolina): 0.64% 

6. Indiana State (Terre Haute, Indiana): 0.63%

7. Texas A&M (College Station, Texas): 0.63%

8. Mississippi State (Starkville, Mississippi): 0.62%

9. University of Illinois (Champaign, Illinois): 0.62%

10. High Point University (Greensboro, North Carolina): 0.60%


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A Closer Look at the Top College Towns

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The University of Alabama is a big draw for real estate investors. However, the Alabama Crimson Tide isn’t the only reason to invest here.

Like other more northerly Alabama cities of Birmingham and Huntsville, Tuscaloosa County ticks the boxes for good investment criteria. It has low unemployment (2%), a population growing by 2% each year, a decent median income of $58,620, and a generally affordable median rent of $1,549 with a robust rental growth of 7%, which means investors can increase their cash flow each year. With a median home price of $205,030 and year-over-year price growth of 2%, Tuscaloosa is affordable, stable, and profitable.

According to the Tuscaloosa County Economic Development Authority, the main employers in the small city of 266,638 are the University of Alabama (6,839), Mercedes-Benz (4,500), and the DCH Regional Medical Center (3,444). Each long-established company is a stable source of employment. 

Dayton, Ohio

Known as the birthplace of aviation, Dayton, Ohio’s real estate business takes flight thanks to its affordable median home price of $185,000, its 3% annual appreciation, reasonably affordable rent of $1,234, and main employer, the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, with its workforce of 30,000 people. Other big employers in the area are Premier Health Partners (14,135) and Kettering Health Network (5,029). However, it ranks just below Tuscaloosa due to its 3% unemployment and stagnant population growth.

Lubbock, Texas

The 11th largest city in Texas, Lubbock enjoyed a stellar ranking in a 2023 survey of 500 college towns for Best Real Estate Investment Potential. That survey was echoed in BiggerPockets data, with a low 3% unemployment rate, a modest population increase (1%), a healthy median income of $59,228, an affordable median rent of $1,342, and an annual rent growth of 1%. Homes are also affordable, with a median price of $202,763, though price growth is stagnant. 

Texas Tech is the biggest employer in the city. Various other employers contribute to diverse business infrastructure in manufacturing, agriculture, wholesale retail, and healthcare, including Covenant Health, United Supermarkets, Convergys, and Tyco Fire Protection Products.

However, Lubbock is more than a place to invest in real estate, which could be part of its charm. It was ranked No. 8 in 2022 for U.S. cities with the best work-life balance, No. 1 in 2023 for the best cities overall for recent college graduates, No. 6 (2022) for the best mid-size city business climate, and No. 10 (2022) for the best city for raising families.

Chicago, Illinois

Located 40 minutes outside Chicago in Evanston, Northwestern both benefits and suffers from being located in the metro area of a major city. Unemployment is at 4%. However, home appreciation is at 6%.

For investors, it’s interesting to note that the median income is $82,914, yet the median cost of a home is around $300,000—generally affordable by today’s standards. However, as major corporations move out of big Northeast cities to warmer states and remote work takes hold, Chicago has felt the hit with a few big defectors. 

The Windy City has as experienced a small (-1%) population loss over the past year. Still, with established universities, hospitals, finance sectors, new tech businesses, and other attractions and businesses of a major city, along with relatively modest real estate prices compared to other major cities, Chicago remains a worthwhile real estate investment.

Final Thoughts

Successful college sports teams often come from successful universities, well embedded into the economic fabric of the vibrant city in which they reside, so it should come as no surprise that many of these cities also make for good real estate investments. It’s unsurprising to learn that many successful real estate investors started their journey as students, renting out rooms in a home they owned and building their empires from there. Whether you are an investor or want to kick-start your kids’ investing career, looking at cities with a successful college sports team will steer you in the right direction.

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Landlord Rights Are Being Stripped Away—Why the Latest Examples of Squatting Should Concern You

The media tends to side with tenants and take a negative view of landlords overall. One notable exception was an episode of HBO’s Silicon Valley, where the hapless Jared has tried for over a year to evict a nonpaying “professional tenant” who is currently subleasing Jared’s unit through Airbnb because California’s landlord/tenant laws are so biased in favor of the tenant that an eviction can take close to an eternity. 

At the same time, Erlich (who rents the rooms in his home to Jared and the other characters trying to build the fictional tech company Pied Piper) is demanding one of his tenants and soon-to-be-supervillain Jian Yang leave his house (video contains NSFW language) and unfortunately lets Jared’s situation slip. This inspires Jian Yang to decide that instead of leaving, as Erlich requested, he would instead stay and simply stop paying rent.

While that episode was quite amusing, some municipalities seem to be trying to transcend parody into something beyond satire. New York, for example, just arrested a woman for changing the locks on a squatter in the $1 million home she inherited. 

According to a New York Post story about the incident:

“[Adele] Andaloro claims the ordeal erupted when she started the process of trying to sell the home last month but realized squatters had moved in—and brazenly replaced the entire front door and locks.

“She said she got fed up and went to her family’s home on 160th Street—with the local TV outlet in tow—on Feb. 29 and called a locksmith to change the locks for her.”

Understandable, but not a wise course of action. The two got into a heated argument, and the police were eventually called. As the New York Post article notes, “Under the law, it is illegal for the homeowner to change the locks, turn off the utilities, or remove the belongings of the ‘tenants’ from the property.” The word “tenant” is an extraordinarily generous euphemism in this case.

What complicates matters more is that in New York City, someone can claim “squatters rights” after being in a home for just 30 days. But “’[b]y the time someone does their investigation, their work, and their job, it will be over 30 days and this man will still be in my home,’ Andaloro said.” So, that left Andaloro between a rock and a hard place:

“Andaloro was ultimately given an unlawful eviction charge because she had changed the locks and hadn’t provided a new key to the person staying there, the NYPD confirmed to The Post. She was slapped with a criminal court summons, cops added.”

This case may be exceptional, but it is by no means unique. Also, in New York, a couple bought a $2 million “dream home” to care for their son with disabilities but couldn’t move in because a squatter had beat them to it. In another home, a squatter completely destroyed a property in the Rockaways, where dozens of emaciated dogs and cats were trapped inside on the verge of death. 

The New York Post quotes one attorney saying such cases have increased “40% to 50% in similar cases in the wake of COVID.”

This is made all the more frustrating by New York’s apparent lack of interest in prosecuting normal crimes. In 2022 and 2023, over half of felonies were downgraded to misdemeanors and misdemeanor cases resulting in a conviction plummeted from 53% in 2019 to 29% in 2022.  

Meanwhile, New York’s crime rate skyrocketed in 2022.

Crime in New York City by type (2022) - New York Post
Crime in New York City by type (2022) – New York Post

Fortunately, crime has ebbed a bit in New York City (and the rest of the country in 2023 and so far into 2024). But I feel pretty confident in saying it’s not because people like Adele Andaloro are being arrested.

I should also note that this isn’t just a problem in New York. On the other side of the country, in Oregon, an investor posting as a squatter explained on X (formerly Twitter) how he could “steal a property” due to Portland’s laws on the subject. 

Indeed, I would have thought such problems would be more acute in California, which has the second-highest homeless rate in the country. Unfortunately, California chose a “housing first” policy instead of a “shelter first” policy to help homeless people get off the street. Providing housing for each homeless person is, not surprisingly, extremely expensive, especially in high-priced places such as Los Angeles and San Francisco. 

Getting back to New York: Despite this absurd story, the city has done a mostly good job with its homeless population and has been able to shelter 96% of its homeless population, whereas California shelters a paltry 38%. While some of this may be due to the more temperate weather in most of California as compared to New York, the fact that three times as many homeless people died in Los Angeles as in New York City in 2020-2021 (1,988 to 640) shows that it’s not all that. 


Looking for more information or a support network on the investing side of rental properties?

Check out BiggerPockets!  They provide resources and tools to help people learn about real estate investing and build wealth through rental properties. Their website offers a community of over 2 million members, educational content, networking capabilities, and software tools. BiggerPockets also publishes books and podcasts about real estate investing.


The Erosion of Property Rights

The story of Adele Andaloro really shows less about how municipalities choose to help their homeless population and more about the erosion of property rights in many places throughout the United States. We’ve seen this in the deluge of passed and proposed legislation targeting property owners throughout the country.

Now, I should note that Andaloro made a huge mistake. As indefensible as her situation was, she should not have taken the law into her own hands, especially in a state as unfriendly to landlords as New York. 

I should also note that landlords have more leverage in economic transactions than tenants do, and so the law does need to protect tenants. Landlords, after all, are the ones who write the leases. So, it’s incumbent upon the government to make sure the landlord cannot put any overly arduous or unfair clauses in that lease. 

Laws that require properties to be maintained or 24-hour notice to be given to a resident before entry or mandating evictions go through the court system and not be done with hired muscle are all legitimate and necessary in any functional and just society. But these “rights” have clearly gone way too far in many municipalities. For example, Denver just passed a law preventing landlords from demanding a tenant leave for any reason other than “just cause,” i.e., “nonpayment of rent, violation of lease terms, nuisance, and engaging in illegal activities.” 

This means if a property owner ever intends to sell their house, move into it, or give it to their kids, they are simply out of luck. (Other states and cities have passed laws requiring landlords to offer extended notice and pay moving costs in such cases, which I actually think is reasonable.)

Regarding so-called squatters rights, legally speaking, they are supposed to simply be that “[a]n individual may claim rights as a squatter if they are roommates, tenants, or occupying property that is abandoned or not used.” This is just adverse possession, a somewhat odd law that transfers property from the owner to its occupant if the occupant has continuously occupied the property for a certain length of time without refraining from the owner. States vary from three years (Arizona) to 30 (New Jersey) on just how long that needs to be. 

But in many cases, squatting has become synonymous with trespassing. And instead of punishing the perpetrator, the victim is the one who must stomach the cost. 

In Missouri, where we do most of our investing, “just like most other states, [Missouri] doesn’t have special laws regarding squatters’ removal. Therefore, to evict a squatter, you’ll need to go through the state’s eviction process.” This means for the offense of having someone break into our property, we have to pay to evict them and lose out on the opportunity cost of any rental income that could come in during that time.

This is the case in most states, so the big question to investors is, how friendly are the landlord/tenant laws where you invest? Because if you do get a squatter, the question becomes how hard it will be to evict them. Indeed, I had gotten several, and while the courts here are rather slow, they are thankfully much faster than in New York.

(In some areas, it is also sometimes worth boarding the windows and doors, at least during renovation, to prevent a squatter from getting in.)

SparkRental.com did a study and came up with a list of the most renter-friendly and landlord-friendly states. It looked like this:

Landlord-friendliness of state laws - SparkRental
Landlord-friendliness of state laws – SparkRental

Back in 2020, BiggerPockets also did an analysis with similar results. It found the five most landlord-friendly states to be:

  1. West Virginia
  2. Arkansas
  3. Louisiana
  4. North Carolina
  5. Alabama

And the five most tenant-friendly (or perhaps most antagonistic to landlords) were:

  1. Vermont
  2. Delaware
  3. Rhode Island
  4. Maine
  5. South Dakota

Moving Forward

While cases like Adele Andaloro make the headlines, overall, they are still rather rare. You don’t want to become paranoid. 

Still, in a time when such farcical cases are becoming more commonplace, and property owners are under continued legislative attack, it’s important to know which places are the most amenable to property ownership. This is especially true for buy-and-hold investors.

Indeed, in the least landlord-friendly places (New York being one of them), I would probably lean away from investing in buy-and-hold residential real estate there. (Commercial, fortunately, doesn’t have these problems.) 

In other cities and states that are still tough on landlords but below the farce, I would still recommend caution. Budget for higher administrative and legal costs and a higher economic vacancy factor. And make sure any potential acquisition still works with such restraints. 

Finally, make sure to understand your local laws, and no matter how ridiculous they may be, don’t take the law into your own hands.

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6 CHANGES LANDLORDS ARE MAKING IN 2024 TO COMBAT RISING VACANCY RATES

The automation of rental property management has revolutionized how landlords operate, streamlining tasks and enhancing efficiency beyond measure. From showcasing vacancies to collecting rent, landlords are automating nearly every aspect of their business, saving time and resources while improving tenants’ experiences.

In the digital age, there’s simply no going back once tech has advanced. A modern touring and renting procedure makes all the difference to today’s tenants, and we may be heading into a renters’ market. To combat this, landlords can identify where antiquated practices are replaceable with tested tech.


The United States Census Bureau asserts that the national rental vacancy rate has reached 6.6%. This is a 13.8% increase from the average vacancy rate in 2022


1 Garnering Interest with Virtual Tours

Virtual tour software showcases available units online, giving an elevated remote experience for inquiring tenants. People are doing more research than ever and are more likely to schedule an in-person tour after a virtual tour than with a listing that leaves them with questions. This saves time for both parties and widens the property’s reach beyond geographical limitations – a huge plus for potential renters moving a plane ride away.

2 Simplifying and Screening Tenant Applications

Digital application collection allows applicants to submit documents and information electronically. Integrated background check tools streamline the selection process and ensure a thorough assessment.

With AAOA’s own tenant screening app, applicants can also pay a screening fee, and landlords receive notifications immediately to view completed credit and background checks.

Tenants that are less tech-savvy or new to renting often fail to satisfy these requirements prior to in-person tours. While landlords prefer to hold firm, sometimes a gut feeling or an extended vacancy leads to letting their guard down. For that reason, this solution is very effective in tandem with tour-scheduling software, as it brings these requirements to their immediate attention and bars them from skirting this step before touring.

3 Streamlining Property Tours

The most time-consuming part of filling vacancies, and arguably the most difficult for landlords, is the scheduling and execution of in-person tours. It takes time to line up the availability of all parties, travel to the property and run the tour – all while running the risk that the potential tenant arrives late, doesn’t arrive at all, or fails to meet rental requirements after the fact.

Self Tour technology, like InstaShow, advertises listings and allows renters to tour the property after they have passed background checks and submitted all the necessary documentation. This software eliminates the need to arrange a mutually available meeting time and gives renters the freedom and flexibility to tour vacancies when it is convenient.

This alleviates countless pain points for renters, such as typical stop-start communication around scheduling, juggling work and personal schedules, and organizing background checks and application data on one platform.

Once a user has their profile verified, they can schedule tours via the app within the listing’s parameters, notifying property managers immediately. The software then facilitates a secure and seamless experience with real-time identity verification before using Bluetooth technology to allow access to the property.

The software tracks their experience as they walk through the unit and for added security, can pair with smart cameras to enable real time surveillance and 2-way communication.


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For a minimal amount, there’s a really good basic package but what we love is the option to upgrade and add 24/7 maintenance management on. 

Hemlane offers complete financial support as well.  You can link multiple bank accounts for direct deposit rent payments, add automatic late fees, sends reminder notifications to your tenants, and has a detailed profit and loss statement that can includes automatic and manual uploads of income and expenses.

It gets better!  If you reach a place where you are ready to hand off management to a property manager, Hemlane has that too under their “Complete” option.

You can try Hemlane out FREE for 14 days (no credit card required) to see if its a good fit for you!


4 Automating Lease Signing

Digital lease agreements can be signed and stored securely online. This eliminates the hassle of printing, canning, mailing, and maintaining documents, making it convenient for both landlords and tenants. Most property management platforms charge for this feature, while others, like Innago, offer it for free.

5 Facilitating Rent Collection

Online portals or apps for rent collection automate monthly payments, ensuring timely and consistent transactions. Tenants can set up automatic payments, reducing the risk of late or missed payments. Landlords can track payment histories, send reminders, and generate reports effortlessly.

6 Enhanced Communication and Maintenance Requests

Integrated communication tools maintain consistent and transparent communication with tenants. Automated messages for rent reminders, lease renewals, or general announcements can be scheduled, fostering a proactive and professional relationship. This can include centralizing maintenance requests, thereby allowing tenants to submit issues for review. Landlords can track these requests, assign tasks to maintenance staff or contractors, and monitor the status of repairs, ensuring timely resolution and tenant satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

Modernizing the rental property management process offers landlords unparalleled efficiency, convenience, and organization. To harmoniously transition into using these kinds of software, finding platforms that offer many solutions in one place is ideal. However, the all-in-one platforms are by far the most expensive. Therefore, it may be optimal to consider one platform to streamline advertising listings and facilitating tours, and another, like Doorspot, that begins with signing the lease and encompasses ongoing communication for just $54/month.

Embracing these technological advancements automates the rental process, improves tenant satisfaction and ultimately contributes to a more successful and profitable business.

LEAH MAHER

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Episode 58: The Hidden Costs of Owning and Operating Rental Properties

Listen On:

So, the one thing that everyone needs to realize is that how we own and operate OUR rental property business may differ from YOUR way of doing things.  I know, crazy, right?

The thing is that the kind of rental that you prefer, be it single family home or large multifamily complexes and the location of those, be it out of state or right in your backyard, and the condition of those, be it run down with a ton of added value or with everything in place so all you have to do is step in and run it…all makes a huge difference on what your expenses will be.

HOWEVER, there are a bunch of expenses that some landlords, us included, might forget to consider when evaluating a new property or maybe even when making a change to an existing one.

Those hidden expenses are what this episode is all about. Give it a listen to learn what you might have to prepare for.

LINKS

👉 Episode 20: Part 1: The Nuts and Bolts of Residential Rental Property Insurance

👉 Episode 21: Rental Property Insurance Part 2, Interview with Ryan Bravo

👉 Episode 28: The Cash Reserves Blueprint: Protecting & Expanding Your Portfolio

👉 Episode 39: 50+ Must Ask Questions When Hiring a Property Manager, Part 1

👉 Episode 40: 50+ Must Ask Questions When Hiring a Property Manager, Part 2

👉 Purchase our 14-page Property Management Questionnaire to use when interviewing or vetting a new property manager.

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