Users' questions 

What counts as an investment property?

Leia Doyle

What counts as an investment property?

An investment property is real estate property purchased with the intention of earning a return on the investment either through rental income, the future resale of the property, or both. The property may be held by an individual investor, a group of investors, or a corporation.

Is rental property considered property held for investment?

Rental Property as Investment Rental ownership is an investment, not a business, if you do it to earn a profit, but don’t work at it regularly and continuously—either by yourself or with the help of a manager, agent, or others.

Can an investment property be owner-occupied?

As the names imply, the difference between owner-occupied residences and investment properties comes down to what you intend to do with them. When you’re buying a home or apartment you intend to live in, it’s called an owner-occupied property. If you plan to rent it to tenants or flip it, it’s considered an investment.

Can I write off appliances for my rental property?

For rental property assets, they are normally capitalized and depreciated over time. Appliances would be depreciated over 5 years. However, for qualifying assets that cost less than $5000 you have the choice to either capitalize and depreciate, or to just deduct the full cost as an expense in the year of purchase.

What is the 10% rule in real estate?

A good rule is that a 1% increase in interest rates will equal 10% less you are able to borrow but still keep your same monthly payment. It’s said that when interest rates climb, every 1% increase in rate will decrease your buying power by 10%. The higher the interest rate, the higher your monthly payment.

Is it illegal to rent a property without a buy to let mortgage?

It is legal to rent a property with no buy-to-let mortgage only if you own the property outright already or are a cash purchaser. However, if you do need a mortgage, then you have to be entirely honest with the lender as to what your intentions are for the property.