Meals Eating In Or Dining Out
While some hotels offer a free breakfast package during your stay, lunch and dinner are often eaten at restaurants and eateries away from the hotels. This is unless guests also want to visit the hotels on-site restaurant every night. Unlike vacation rentals, hotel rooms are small and thus have no space to fit a kitchen. So in addition to paying for your hotel room fees, a considerable amount of your travel allowance would have to be spent on meals. On the bright side, this gives you more opportunities to sample the local delicacies of your holiday destination, enriching your taste buds with new and interesting cuisines!
However, if you are looking to save costs, maybe a home-cooked meal might be a better option. Most vacation rentals include a kitchen stocked with utensils and cookware, ideal for you to display or practice your cooking skills. Meal choices are also not restricted to what is available nearby. Instead, it is limited to what you can get at the grocery store! The downside though, is that you would have to do the dishes and clean up after your meal. Oh well, this will make for another great chance to bond with your travelling companions though.
Youll Probably Pay More To Finance The Property
One of the biggest downsides to owning an investment property is that you pay more to finance it. Investment property loans typically come with higher interest rates than other mortgage options. That means a higher monthly payment and more interest paid over the life of the loan.
On top of this, lenders usually require a hefty down payment when covering an investment property. In most cases, it’s 25% or more. On a $300,000 home, thats at least $75,000.
Make It Clear In Your Listing Description
Many hosts are live-in, meaning that their vacation rental is also their primary home. With that said, a lot of these owners opt for a quiet week without many bookings and host the majority of their stays during the weekend. If you fall into this category, it might be best to state it clearly in your listing description.
Having something like, Cozy Cape Cod Cottage Perfect for a Weekend Escape lets guests know right away what type of trip your vacation rental caters to. Adding any verbiage surrounding short-term rentals, overnight stays, or weekend trips in your listing description communicates to guests that your vacation rental is perfect for a short-term getaway.
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Do I Need A Second Home Or Investment Property Mortgage
The real estate market is changing and with it, mortgage rules. People are using their homes in new and different ways that can affect the type of home loans they need.
If you want to rent out part or all of your home, or another building on your property, that can affect financing. See a few examples below.
And if youre not sure how your living situation will affect your mortgage loan, connect with a lender to learn more about which rules apply.
Reasons Why You Should Not Buy A Vacation Property
Updated: by Financial Samurai
Are you thinking of buying a vacation property to live a better life? Ive owned a vacation property since 2007 and let me say I should have just rented instead. This post will discuss all the reasons why you should not buy a vacation property.
I understand why people want to own a vacation property. The secret to never feeling homesick while on vacation is to simply buy a property in each of your favorite vacation destinations. So clever right?
Well, that was what I thought until I blew my finances up buying a Lake Tahoe condo a couple years before the financial meltdown in 2008 2010. At one point, the property was down about 50%. Until this day, the vacation propertys value has not fully recovered.
Ever since I was a kid, Ive been a dreamer. Most dreams never came true, but it didnt stop me from fantasizing what could be. After I discovered San Francisco in 1995 when I went with a childhood friend to visit UC Berkeley, I knew I had to go West at some point. Life felt so much better than in Virginia.
Soon after relocating from New York to San Francisco in 2001, I discovered Lake Tahoe and told myself, if I could spend six months in San Francisco, two months back home in Honolulu, two months in Lake Tahoe, and two months traveling internationally, how sweet that would be!
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Reporting Income And Allocating Expenses
The fundamental federal income tax principle for a mixed-use vacation home that’s classified as a personal residence is that deductible expenses allocable to rental usage can’t exceed the gross rental income. In other words, rental expenses can’t cause a tax loss.
Gross rental income is defined as rental income after subtracting direct expenditures to obtain tenants, such as commissions paid to rental agents and advertising expenses. Deduct allowable expenses allocable to rental use on Schedule E of your personal return. You can also claim itemized deductions for allowable mortgage interest expense and allowable property taxes allocable to personal use.
How do you allocate vacation home expenses between personal and rental use? For a vacation home that’s classified as a personal residence, apply the following seven steps to report the rental income and allocate expenses:
Affording A Second Home
Buying and maintaining a secondary residence is an enormous financial decision. A second home has all the costs of your first home and often more but without the easy write-offs from the IRS.
If you’re considering buying a second home, one of the first steps is to decide whether you will finance the purchase with a mortgage or if you will pay cash. To help you decide, use a mortgage calculator to research interest rates from lenders in the area where your vacation property is located. Then, once you’ve gathered estimates of the total cost of your monthly mortgage payments, go over your financials to see if it makes more sense to take out a mortgage or to pay cash.
If you are set on getting a vacation home but don’t have the capital for an all-cash purchase, be aware that the IRS has closed the loophole in which you could use a second mortgage to purchase a separate investment property while still deducting your payments as personal mortgage interest. If you intend to borrow for a second home, you will have to take out another mortgage that allows for tax-deductible interest.
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Are You Minting Money Like Oprah
Nobody needs a vacation property, just like nobody needs 10 pairs of jeans, 50 pairs of shoes, or $20,000+ automobiles. The vacation property market gets hit the hardest during a downturn as people let go of non-essentials first.
Can you imagine losing your job, and losing a ton of equity at the same time? Not good. You better have multiple income streams, strong cash flow, and a financial backup plan if you plan to buy a vacation property.
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How Often Will You Actually Use The Property
If youre planning on spending less than a month or two every year at your vacation home, youre probably better off sticking with a rental. Consider how easy it is to commute from your primary residence to your vacation home, and whether thats a journey youd welcome making every weekend or long holiday. Remember that as the owner, youll be spending part of your time opening the property, and cleaning and securing it before you leave.
Thinking of buying a vacation home in an area where you havent vacationed often? It can be a smart move to try before you buy, says Tammy Barry, director of sales and marking for Heritage Harbor Ottawa, a marina resort community along the Illinois River. Barry recommends that potential buyers do a full yearlong rental in a vacation destination before purchasing a second home there.
Youre buying a lifestyle, and you want to make sure that it meets the goals of your family.
Tax Treatment Of Rental Homes
Rental homes are treated as investment real estate. You report your income and expenses from your rental homes on the Schedule E form which lets you deduct just about every expense that you incur in owning the property. You pay taxes on the profit that you earn on the home after expenses. If you lose money on the home, you can use that loss to offset income from other investment real estate properties or claim up to $25,000 of the loss against other income. To be able to fully claim this “passive activity loss” against your income, you will need to have an Adjusted Gross Income of $100,000 or less, since the ability to carry that loss forward goes down by $1 for every $2 of income over $100,000 and is completely phased out on incomes of over $150,000.
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How Should You Classify Your Property
Were not tax experts or lending experts, and you should definitely have conversations with qualified professionals before making any big financial decisions.
However, below are some main points that can give you a general idea of which classification might make the most sense for your property.
Financial Advantages of a Second Home
- As we mentioned earlier, mortgage rates tend to be lower for second homes than investment properties.
- Owners of a second home may be able to deduct mortgage interest on their income taxes.
Financial Advantages of an Investment Property
- Owners of an investment property may be able to write off annual losses and depreciation on their taxes.
- Owners of a second home may be able to write off expenses such as repairs, renovations, and marketing costs.
The classification that makes the most sense for your property will depend on how you are going to use it.
As this MoneyCrashers article points out, tax rules are complex and can vary based on other factors, including an owners other income:
As a consequence, sophisticated real estate owners frequently use a combination of legal entities trusts, C corporations, Sub-Chapter S elections, and limited liability companies to buy, manage, and sell their real estate assets. The owners typically engage in subsequent complex transactions between the entities to minimize legal and financial liability or maximize their personal tax benefits.
Restrictions On Short Term Rentals
Before you decide to move forward with a short-term rental, make sure youâre actually allowed to do so. Markets that attract tourism often place restrictions and limitations on short-term rentals. Because theyâd be so profitable, many landlords would be tempted to enter the short-term rental market. However, this could erode the supply of affordable housing for local residents. Some municipalities might ban short-term rental sites such as Airbnb.com, or require an expensive license or registration fee. Itâs always best to mind your due diligence and research local rental rules before deciding between short-term vs. long-term.
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Long Term Vs Short Term Vacation Rental Properties: The Pros And Cons
If you have invested in a property that you think you can position well as a vacation rental, you may be wondering how to decide on the benefits of long term vs short term vacation rental properties. Read on to find out about the unique sets of advantages and disadvantages that are often associated with the two different vacation rental strategies.
Amenities What Is A ‘must Have’
What is a necessity for you whilst on a trip? A pool? Cable television? Internet connectivity? A washing machine and dryer? Hotels and vacation rentals offer different amenities to guests, so it pretty much depends on what you are looking for as a must-have.
Most hotels provide Internet connection, toiletries, slippers, towels and daily-cleaned sheets as part of the standard hotel service. For additional services such as laundry services, hotels tend to charge extra. If you are not careful, even the drinks in your mini fridge could cost a few bucks. Always remember to read the fine print if you stay at a hotel! Some amenities are also shared, such as the lounge and pool area.
Alternatively, as vacation rentals are usually privately-owned homes, they are equipped with a washing machine, a dryer, a television, Internet connectivity and regular, household items. Some vacation rentals even have their own private pool or garden, so be sure to check the pictures listed! The drawback, however, is that you have to make your own bed and clean the house yourself.
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Consider Your Stage Of Life
Are you raising a young family? How often do you travel? How much money, on average, do you spend on a family vacation? Are your kids grown and you want to provide a gathering place for everyone?
Considering your stage of life will help determine exactly why you want to buy a vacation home and if the timing is right.
Is Owning A Vacation Rental A Good Investment
When investors follow the appropriate steps to buying a vacation rental property, they are more than likely to reap the many benefits this investment offers. The biggest payoff vacation rentals have is increased cash flow. Vacation rental platforms are a great way to generate income from a short-term lease, and if your property is in high demand, you will see even greater profits.
The tax benefits associated with vacation rentals are also available to take advantage of. Your vacation home is considered a business if it is rented out for at least 2 weeks per year or more for tax purposes. This means that the rentals income will be taxed, but you can also write off many of your rental propertys expenses. You can deduct many items from your taxes, including utility costs, property management fees, occupancy taxes, mortgage interest, and more.
Not only can you generate income by leasing out your rental property, but also you have the benefit of vacationing there yourself. If you ever decide to take a getaway, your vacation rental can be made available for your own personal use. You can even hold on to your vacation home to use as a future retirement home.
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Owning A Vacation Property Is Bad For Your Finances
According to a 2020 National Association of Realtors Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey, vacation-home sales accounted for 13% of all transactions. Roughly 11% of primary home occupiers also have vacation homes.
It sounds nice to have a vacation home, but I can assure you lots of issues randomly pop up once you own one. For example, I recently went up to my place in Squaw Valley for four days.
When I entered, I found blue and green marker doodles all over my sofa and two sofa chairs! I couldnt believe the tenant wouldnt fess up to the damages, nor could I believe the housekeeping didnt report the damage to the front desk and make the tenant pay.
My condo is being professionally managed. If Im paying 25% of revenue to the property manager, I shouldnt have to spend time inquiring about this incident.
Rental income is also highly contingent on the weather for ski season. These last four years have been pretty dry, causing very little income growth even as the economy boomed back in the Bay Area.
At least theres strong Spring, Summer, and Fall rental income, otherwise, Id be losing at least $30,000 a year for the luxury of owning a property I only use at most five weeks a year.
Can You Call An Investment Property A Second Home
Tempted to call your investment property a second home and take advantage of some of the second-home perks, like a lower down payment and interest rate?
Dont be. In the mortgage world, you need to call it what it is whatever it may be.
It is absolutely imperative that borrowers are completely transparent when disclosing to their lender the intended use of the property to ensure that they receive the appropriate product and rate, Joseph says.
Joseph adds that borrowers may be asked to sign a document verifying their intended use of the property, so theyll have to indicate in writing what they plan to do with the home. Deceiving a lender otherwise could have serious consequences.
Intentionally misleading a lender constitutes mortgage fraud, Joseph says. Not only is it unethical, its illegal and could result in criminal prosecution.
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