The real secret is to buy only in situations in which debt servicing costs are less than rental income minus expenses . Investors most often get into trouble in negative cash flow situations . A bankruptcy in real estate terms is known as a foreclosure . This is when the bank or other lender takes possession of the building because the buyer can’t meet payments for a period of time . Foreclosures are the closest thing to personal bankruptcy , and stay on a person’s credit record for seven years . (bankruptcy stays for ten .) A more amicable situation is one in which the owner hands title (as symbolized by the keys and deed ) to the property to the lender in lieu of foreclosure , but this also involves a seven-year record . One or more missed payments followed by a catch-up will not lead to foreclosure , but this information does damage a credit record for some years .
To buy in a turnaround , the most promising situation is one in which the neighborhood and properties are already being improved by the current owners . It is good sign if developers are moving in . (But this is smart money . ) The largest profits are made just before the developer stage , when individuals are fixing up the property . The quality of the people is even more important than the quality of the buildings . A blue-collar neighborhood with stable incomes and families may be a better bet than one inhabited by young singles who move out every few years . Seattle , Washington , was a case in point when the aerospace industry laid off people . |
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