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

Value that a speculator believes an investment will reach at some point in the future. ...

Discounted value of net cash receipts to be obtained from a property. The present value calculation includes consideration of annual cash inflows plus the disposal value. ...

Also called a rollover mortgage. Provides a borrower with a fixed-rate mortgage that expires at a preestablished time, such as in four years. This permits the lender and borrower to ...

Federal agency that aids veterans of the armed forces. For example, it guarantees a home loan for up to a predetermined dollar amount or percentage of the loan balance, whichever is less. ...

The term acknowledgement refers to an act, deed, declaration, or an expression of appreciation, but it also refers to accepting or recognizing something. The definition of acknowledgement, ...

The definition of emblements in real estate is very simple: emblements are the crops grown on a piece of property leased to a tenant. Legally, the crops are the property of the person who ...

Roof sloping upward from all four sides of a building with the two longer sides of the roof forming a ridge in the middle. ...

Geographic area that is attractive to prospective tenants. Square footage in an office building or apartment house that may be rented by a tenant. ...

Specific portion of a larger land tract. A parcel can also be a lot in a property subdivision. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions