Definition of "I.D.E.A.L."

Colleen   MacCallum real estate agent

Written by

Colleen MacCallumelite badge icon

EXIT Right Realty

An acronym stating the real estate is the I.D.E.A.L. investment. Each if the five letters in IDEAL stands for an advantage to real estate as an investment. "I" stands for interest deduction. The mortgage interest paid on the first and second residential homes are tax deductible. On the average, real estate is a good hedge against inflation because property value and the income from properties rise to keep pace with inflation. "D" stands for depreciation. The building on your land depreciates in book value each year and you can deduct this depreciation from your investment property and not residential. "E" is for equity buildup. This buildup of a capital asset is like money in the bank. As you amortize a mortgage, the value of your equity investment will steadily rise. In the case of income-producing property, this amortization could mean that your tenants help you build your estate. "A" is for appreciation. Your property value goes up every year, hopefully. Be careful because this is not guaranteed. "L" is for leverage. When you buy a house you make a down payment, say, 10% and you borrow the balance, say, 90%. You get the benefit of 100% even though you put up only 10% of your own money. You can maximize return with other people's money (OPM). The use of a mortgage and OPM means that you can use small amounts of cash to gain control of large investments and earn large returns on the cash invested.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Analysis of the risks and rewards to an individual in making a particular property investment. Investment analysis considers the cost of the original investment, the investment return over ...

A court order on an issue directly related to the immediate action. ...

Something that is inferred, but not explicitly stated. The inference may be deducted from the relevant information. ...

Gift of real property as stipulated in a will. ...

Metropolitan locality such as a city. It is heavily populated with many residents and businesses. An example is New York City. ...

Same as term access right: The right of a property owner to freely go to and return from an adjoining highway without interference." rollover;"Same as term: Tax-free exchange that allows ...

Raising money by mortgages and borrowing the money directly from financial institutions. The presence of debt financing provides financial leverage, which tends to magnify the effects of ...

Tax concept whereby income not actually received is considered to be constructively received by a taxpayer and thus must be reported. An example is a bond interest coupon. The interest is ...

Formal or legal description of property and its dimensions included in deeds, leases, listing agreements, rental agreements, and sales contracts. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions