I.D.E.A.L.
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.
Popular Real Estate Terms
Process of simultaneously appraising several pieces of property. Normally, occurs when a local government conducts a reassessment. ...
Ownership of property transfers from the seller to the buyer when the parties sign the contract. ...
Individual making the payments in a mortgage or pledging a mortgage or property. ...
Real rate of interest on a loan. It is the coupon rate divided by the net proceeds of the loan. Assume Sharon took out a $1,000,000, on year, 10% discounted loan to buy real estate. The ...
If you're involved in real estate, whether buying, selling, or investing, you might have come across the term "alluvium." It's not just a fancy word but an important concept. Let's delve ...
An oral will made by a testator/testatrix just prior to death before an insufficient number of witnesses. Nuncupative wills depend on the oral testimony of those witnesses present as proof. ...
Trading of two or more properties containing separate descriptions and separate financial statements. ...
(1) Government seizes private property, but does not provide fair and reasonable compensation for it. (2) Property is seized and the owners rights abolished because of a legal violation. ...
Reduction in taxes payable to the IRS or local government. A tax credit is more beneficial to the taxpayer than an itemized deduction because it reduces taxes on a dollar-for-dollar basis. ...

Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.