Should you sell your primary residence or turn it into a rental property?
If you’ve been paying attention to the news, you know that inflation is high and the cost of living is increasing almost everywhere. At the same time, home values are increasing, and property taxes are rising with them. If you want to make a wise real estate decision in this environment, what should you do?
There are two main ways for homeowners to get value out of their current properties. First, you can sell the home and get your equity out of it. However, a less conventional strategy is becoming more popular in our area: converting your primary residence into a rental.
Many homeowners bought their properties when interest rates were low. Now that rates are higher, many of them are reluctant to let go of their fantastic mortgages. If you’re in this position, renting out your home could be a perfect solution. You won’t have to let go of your old mortgage, and you can continue to build equity.
How do you do that? First, you need to speak with your lender if you haven’t paid off your mortgage. You typically can’t use a primary residence loan for investment purposes, so you may have to change the terms of your mortgage or wait until it is paid in full. Also, you must have lived in your home for at least 12 months before converting it into a rental. Finally, check local laws and HOA regulations to make sure it’s legal for you to make this switch.
There are some fantastic pros to converting your primary residence into a rental. For example, you’ll have a steady stream of passive income you can use to invest in other areas. Rents have been rising all over the country, so you might be able to make more money from your rental than you think.
There are also many tax benefits to rentals. Unlike primary residences, there are a lot of deductions that rentals may qualify for, including advertising, repairs, cleaning, and maintenance. However, the most important tax benefit is the depreciation expense. This is an exemption for general wear and tear, and it could make all of your rental income tax-free.
Unfortunately, there are some cons to turning your primary residence into a rental. Maintaining a rental can be a full-time job unless you pay a property management company to do it for you. Also, you forfeit the ability to exempt yourself from capital gain taxes when you eventually sell. You can get around this using a 1031 exchange, but you’d have to use the funds to purchase another investment property, so your options are limited.
Personally, we’ve been buying and selling real estate together for 25 years, and our biggest regrets are the two homes that we sold instead of keeping. Keeping your old home and renting it out is definitely not for everyone, but if you can make it work, the rewards are almost endless.
The truth is that whether or not it makes sense to convert your primary residence into a rental depends on your situation. If you’d like to discuss the topic further, don’t hesitate to call, email, or click this calendly link. I’d love to talk things over with you.
