Investing Your IRA

Renting to strategic defaulters

Mack and Andi Durbin — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 19:10:00 GMT

A new survey of former homeowners who have walked away from their homes found that their credit was good enough after foreclosure for the vast majority to rent new housing and few were required to make a larger than normal deposit....(read more)

Rental rates rising

Mack and Andi Durbin — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 00:59:00 GMT

With rents rising faster than last year, the picture for residential real estate investors is getting even better than it already was as a result of once-in-a-generation prices and low interest rates, according to the founder of the leading Internet platform for investors and real estate professional....(read more)

Top rental investment areas

Mack and Andi Durbin — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 16:35:00 GMT

Housing markets that have seen the biggest plunges on home values have topped a new ranking of the best markets for rental-property investors....(read more)

Re-check your insurance policies

Mack and Andi Durbin — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 19:03:00 GMT

With winter weather creeping in, landlords should be aware of exactly what their landlord insurance policy covers....(read more)

For vacation home purchase cash is king

Mack and Andi Durbin — Sun, 15 May 2011 20:45:00 GMT

After sitting on the sidelines for two years, buyers with discretionary income those who don't have to choose between, say, helping send Johnny to college and nabbing that lakeside cottage are becoming card-carrying members of the mortgage-free crowd....(read more)

Questions to ask when booking a vacation rental

Mack and Andi Durbin — Sun, 01 May 2011 21:08:00 GMT

It’s easy to become overwhelmed with the millions of vacation rental choices online, many listed from companies or individual owners that offer various strengths and weaknesses. Here are five important questions to consider when planning a vacation rental trip:...(read more)

Success in Real Estate Investing is All About Perspective

Mack and Andi Durbin — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 20:56:00 GMT

Everybody wants to be an entrepreneur, but no one wants to be a landlord. What’s up with that? As if tenants are some kind of outcasts who bring a chill to your spine with just the sound of their voice. “I don’t want to hear them complain when the toilet backs up!” “Being a landlord is a hassle!”...(read more)

Vacation homes sales surge

Mack and Andi Durbin — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 22:19:00 GMT

In a sign that the housing market is finally making a major move in a positive direction, vacation home markets—some of the most battered in the real estate downturn—are making a surge higher in many of the hardest hit areas of the nation. Condominium sales in Hawaii and Florida are surging higher even as some potential buyers remain hesitant about the economy....(read more)

Harsh winters may have increased vacation home purchases

Mack and Andi Durbin — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 21:57:00 GMT

While no direct correlation was made to the harsh winter temperatures, the research survey indicated a substantial increase in the number of homebuyers seeking a vacation home purchase, an increase of 800 percent year-over-year. This dynamic trend is further supported by an increase in the number of buyers describing their transition as a geographic relocation, now 40 percent. ...(read more)

Is the Vacation Rental Lifestyle Right for You?

Mack and Andi Durbin — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 19:56:00 GMT

But here are the real questions to consider before you purchase a vacation home: Is the lifestyle that comes with owning and managing a vacation rental home right for you? Do you have the right personality for the job? ...(read more)

Retirement Planning for Late Bloomers

Mack and Andi Durbin — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 21:06:00 GMT

Increasingly, Americans are entering the age of retirement without enough savings to do so comfortably. However, it is never too late to focus on life stage retirement planning to make the golden years glisten much more. ...(read more)

Maximize use of your vacation rental home

Mack and Andi Durbin — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 19:33:00 GMT

According to a recent survey by TripAdvisor, one of the world's largest travel sites, some 40 percent of respondents said they are planning a vacation rental stay in 2011, indicating that rental homes are poised for a busy year ahead. Thirty-three percent of travelers said they stayed in a vacation rental in 2010....(read more)

Attracting off season guests to your vacation rental home

Mack and Andi Durbin — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 20:13:00 GMT

It's that time again: you're thinking about building fires in the fireplace, bundling up in your warmest sweater, sipping hot cocoa while you watch the snow, and fretting over that unrented vacation home. While T.S. Eliot may think that April is the cruelest month, for many vacation property owners, any month between now and Memorial Day would qualify. That cabin or condo that renters clamor over all summer tends to sit depressingly (and expensively) empty all winter....(read more)

Best retirement cities

Mack and Andi Durbin — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 16:25:00 GMT

In addition to warm cities, we’ve also noticed that seniors are attracted to communities that already have a significant population of retirees. This demonstrates that seniors will go to places that already have a comfortable infrastructure in place....(read more)

Make sure your tenants have renter's insurance

Mack and Andi Durbin — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 20:22:00 GMT

With winter months ahead, renters should make certain they have a contents insurance policy that covers fire damage. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, residential fires are more prevalent in winter months than in spring or summer months....(read more)