Renting Your First Apartment

When you’re looking for an apartment for the first time, it can be overwhelming. The best way not to panic is to break the process down into 10 sequential steps. Read more

First-Time Home Buyer? Here’s What Not to Do

Insanely low mortgage interest rates — and the knowledge that they’ll eventually go up again — make a lot of people feel like it’s time to buy a house right now. And maybe it is … if you go about it the right way. Read more

Single-Family Rental Demand Is Outstripping Supply

Demand for single-family rental housing is outstripping the available supply of homes, and some housing markets that have been hit hardest by the foreclosure crisis have seen rental demand jump by more than 25% in the past year, according to a report to be released Tuesday by real-estate firm CoreLogic. Read more

6 Ways to Make the Landlord Pick You

You’re entering the apartment rental market for the first time, and you’ve spent many weekends looking for a place. You finally find one that’s just perfect for you, but 20 other people are waiting to see the apartment. Read more

7 Handy Little Items Every First Apartment Needs

Everyone thinks of the big necessities when moving into a new apartment: repainting, buying furniture, getting along with roommates. These are all important, of course, but then there are the little things that really matter in a pinch Read more

Should I Rent My House If I Can’t Sell It?

The following is information taken from “Should I Rent My House If I Can’t Sell It?” on The KCM Blog.

There has been a lot written about how buying a home is less expensive than renting one in many parts of the country. Rents are skyrocketing and homes are at bargain prices. These two situations are also causing some sellers to consider renting their home instead of selling it. After all, they can get great rental income now and perhaps wait until house values increase in the future before selling.

This logic makes sense in some cases. We at KCM believe strongly that residential real estate is a great investment right now. However, there is a huge difference between deciding you want to become an investor (and landlord) and deciding that renting your primary residence might be ‘easier’ than trying to sell it. As a real estate professional, it is your job to educate the homeowner to the possible challenges that might arise if they rent their home. Read more

How Landlords Can Avoid Rental Scams

Renters aren’t the only victims of scams. Due to the turbulent housing market, both apartment hunters and property managers/landlords alike have been seeing a rise in the number of scams. Getting bilked by tenant fraud can happen to the best of us, but by being aware of the strategies and situations scammers use to rent out apartments, you can prevent yourself from becoming a victim. Read more

Renting? Know Your Rights

The housing market’s slow rebound makes renting a good option for many. Former homeowners looking to recover their financial stability are joining new renters on the hunt for their first apartment and long-time tenants facing rising rental costs. But in the rush to find a place to call home, here’s what all renters should know. Read more

Renters More Optimistic About Buying

They may have watched the value of their parents’ homes soar then crash. And, chances are, they know someone who is losing their home to foreclosure. Still, the hope of homeownership is alive among people who rent and want to buy, according to a recent survey by PulteGroup.

The home builder’s survey results showed that 60% of renters who say they want to buy a home in the future have increased their intent to buy compared to a year ago. And 61% of that group says they plan to purchase a home within the next two years.

It also indicates that homeownership continues to be as much an emotional desire as a practical one. Nearly half said they wanted to own a home because they would like being able to call themselves homeowners.

At the same time, 44% still said they thought buying a home is a good investment. And then there were the practical respondents, 36%, who said they wanted to own a home for more space. The percentages were similar across the country. Read more

What is a Good Real Estate Investment?

A “good real estate investment” can mean different things to different people. For this article, the definition of a good real estate investment is:

A real estate ownership interest, whether a personal residence or rental property, that increases one’s net wealth by a fair rate of return on their invested cash equity; for the corresponding amount of risk they are taking by owning a relatively high risk asset.

What that means is that if you are going to put your invested cash equity into real estate, your net worth should improve by a greater amount than if you invested in a similarly risky asset. Read more

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