How To Find The Most Profitable Investment Property (2024)

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25 Aug 2023

How To Find The Most Profitable Investment Property

Category: Investing 101, LeasingTags: How to Invest, Profitable Investment Property

Investing in a commercial property can offer fantastic tax benefits, low barriers to entry, and some of the highest return rates. Whether it’s an investment in a long or short-term property, investors can create positive cash flow with a high return on investment.

Here are tips to help when deciding what types of investment properties can help build wealth and equity and diversify your portfolio.

Research the Market

The first thing an investor should do is research, and a good tip is knowing the location of the property beforehand. Analyzing how much properties in the area sold for can help when determining cash-on-cash returns and cap rates. Many factors affect the price, rental expenses, tenants, and value of your property. As a result, if you want a decent return on investment, you should start your property search by analyzing the neighborhood to make sure it is a good real estate market.

Calculate the Value of Your Property

Calculating the value of your investment can help when deciding if purchasing a property makes financial sense. Some important metrics to add to an income property analysis include:

  • Cash Flow – By considering estimated rental income after rental expenditures, investors can judge whether a rental property will make money or require additional funds to be successful in real estate.
  • Cash on Cash Return – This is the annual pre-tax cash flow (NOI – annual mortgage payment) to the overall cash investment ratio (down payment, closing costs, any rehab expenses, and other loan charges).

What Types of Commercial Properties Are the Most Profitable?

  • High-Tenant Properties – Typically, properties with a high number of tenants will give the best return on investment. These properties include RVs, self-storage, apartment complexes, and office spaces. The more tenants there are—and the higher demand for your property—the more significant your income becomes and the less you will have to concern yourself with finding tenants with little notice.
  • Properties in Areas with Growth – High-traffic areas are particularly best in retail since they tend to bring in tenants who will renew their leases. These areas are also more likely to draw new tenants if current occupants leave for any reason. Another prime example of an area with potential growth is a newly developed suburb, which can be a magnet for investors.
  • Triple Net Lease PropertiesTriple net properties are usually single-tenant spaces, but those tenants are more likely to sign long-term leases. They are also ideal for inexperienced investors, as they place the responsibility of paying real estate taxes, maintenance, and building insurance into your tenant’s hands. This makes it easier to have a stable income from your investment rather than estimating your payment based on projected maintenance costs.

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FAQs

How To Find The Most Profitable Investment Property? ›

The first thing an investor should do is research, and a good tip is knowing the location of the property beforehand. Analyzing how much properties in the area sold for can help when determining cash-on-cash returns and cap rates. Many factors affect the price, rental expenses, tenants, and value of your property.

What is the 4 3 2 1 rule in real estate? ›

Analyzing the 4-3-2-1 Rule in Real Estate

This rule outlines the ideal financial outcomes for a rental property. It suggests that for every rental property, investors should aim for a minimum of 4 properties to achieve financial stability, 3 of those properties should be debt-free, generating consistent income.

How to calculate if an investment property will be profitable? ›

The simplest way to calculate ROI on a rental property is to subtract annual operating costs from annual rental income and divide the total by the mortgage value. However, there are some other calculations you can use to determine how much of a return you might expect when investing in a specific property.

What type of investment property makes the most money? ›

Commercial properties are considered one of the best types of real estate investments because of their potential for higher cash flow. If you decide to invest in a commercial property, you could enjoy these attractive benefits: Higher-income potential. Longer leases.

How to find a property that cash flows? ›

How to Find Positive Cash Flow Properties
  1. Choose Your Location Wisely. ...
  2. Consider Community Context. ...
  3. Find Off-Market Properties. ...
  4. Focus On Cheaper Property. ...
  5. Register Your Real Estate Business's Intellectual Property. ...
  6. Minimize Your Expenses.

What is the 80% rule in real estate? ›

When it comes to insuring your home, the 80% rule is an important guideline to keep in mind. This rule suggests you should insure your home for at least 80% of its total replacement cost to avoid penalties for being underinsured.

What is the 50% rule in real estate? ›

The 50% rule or 50 rule in real estate says that half of the gross income generated by a rental property should be allocated to operating expenses when determining profitability. The rule is designed to help investors avoid the mistake of underestimating expenses and overestimating profits.

What is a good ROI on a rental property? ›

In general, a good ROI on rental properties is between 5-10% which compares to the average investment return from stocks. However, there are plenty of factors that affect ROI. A higher ROI often also comes with higher risks, so it's important to compare the reward with the risks.

How much profit should you make on an investment property? ›

Investors and experts alike regard return on investment (ROI) as the most important aspect of evaluating the profitability of a real estate investment. It is generally recommended to aim for an ROI of 10-15%.

What is a good cap rate on a rental property? ›

Investors hoping for deals with a lower purchase price may, therefore, want a high cap rate. Following this logic, a cap rate between four and ten percent may be considered a “good” investment. According to Rasti Nikolic, a financial consultant at Loan Advisor, “in general though, 5% to 10% rate is considered good.

What type of property has the highest ROI? ›

Investing in a commercial property can offer fantastic tax benefits, low barriers to entry, and some of the highest return rates. Whether it's an investment in a long or short-term property, investors can create positive cash flow with a high return on investment.

Where do the rich invest in real estate? ›

New York, Los Angeles, and London remained the top places with the highest sales in real estate in 2022. While ultra-prime properties, worth $25 million or more, saw higher sales in New York and London. In 2024, the luxury real estate market is expected to improve.

What is the greatest risk for investment property? ›

The biggest risk in real estate is the potential for financial losses due to variations in property values. A downturn in the housing market or an economic recession can negatively impact property values and leave investors with losses if they need to sell or refinance.

What type of real estate is best for cash flow? ›

Residential real estate

Investments are usually active (not passive), meaning you'll likely spend substantial money and time generating positive cash flow and profits.

What is a house hack? ›

House hacking is a real estate term used to describe generating passive income from renting out a piece of your property while living there yourself. This can mean anything from renting a room in your house to purchasing a multifamily home and living in one of the units while other renters occupy the remaining units.

How to tell if a rental will cash flow? ›

How do you know if a rental property has cash flow? The cash flow analysis should tell you whether your investment has cash flow. If you have money left over after calculating the gross revenue less all debt service payments and property expenses, then you have a cash-flow-positive real estate investment.

What is the 4-3-2-1 investment strategy? ›

The 4-3-2-1 Approach

One simple rule of thumb I tend to adopt is going by the 4-3-2-1 ratios to budgeting. This ratio allocates 40% of your income towards expenses, 30% towards housing, 20% towards savings and investments and 10% towards insurance.

What is the 7 rule in real estate? ›

In fact, in marketing, there is a rule that people need to hear your message 7 times before they start to see you as a service provider. Therefore, if you have only had a few conversations with the person that listed with someone else, then chances are, they don't even know you are in real estate.

What is the 100 10 3 1 rule? ›

Many real estate investors subscribe to the “100:10:3:1 rule” (or some variation of it): An investor must look at 100 properties to find 10 potential deals that can be profitable. From these 10 potential deals an investor will submit offers on 3. Of the 3 offers submitted, 1 will be accepted.

What is the 90 10 rule in real estate? ›

This concept shows that if you have 10 tasks that are 90% complete, you've essentially accomplished nothing. For some real estate professionals, this can be the crux of their business. It also may mean the difference between success and failure for them.

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