Leverage In Real Estate Investing

Definition of "Leverage in real estate investing"

Deborah Herman real estate agent

Written by

Deborah Hermanelite badge icon

American Way Real Estate Inc

Use of other people's money (OPM) in an attempt to maximize the return but at high risk. The use of leverage in real estate investing is a way to maximize yield on a small down payment. When building real estate wealth, leverage helps one grow fast without extreme risk. High-leveraged investing in real estate is particularly beneficial in a highly inflationary environment. The best scenario is when property values increase on their borrowed fund. Property values can also decrease such as that which occurred in California in the early 1990s. A risk is negative cash flow in which income from highly leveraged property may be inadequate to pay operating expenses, interest, and principal.

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

Maybe you’re studying for your real estate exam, or you heard the word from your real estate agent and didn’t know what it means. Whichever your reason, we’ll go ahead and ...

An official indicating intensity of land use in a zoned urban area. ...

Request of a local government's planning body to alter the zoning requirements based on a justifiable reason. ...

Small piece of carpet often placed under a door or at an entrance to a doorway. ...

The rate, usually expressed annually, charged on money borrowed or lent. The interest rate may be variable or fixed. The higher the risk, the higher the interest rate. Mortgage interest ...

payment of a debt before its due such as a mortgage payment or insurance premiums. ...

In everyday discourse, the term specifications describe various properties and features. They can be attributed to products, services, objects, and industries, such as real estate. What do ...

The geographic moving of an individual from one region to another usually because of a change in employment. Relocation normally involves the complete moving of the individual's ...

The term agricultural property means a type of land that has been designed or is permitted to engage in agricultural activities. Also referred to as agricultural land, agricultural ...

Popular Real Estate Questions