I.D.E.A.L.
Definition of "I.D.E.A.L."
An acronym stating the real estate is the I.D.E.A.L. investment. Each if the five letters in IDEAL stands for an advantage to real estate as an investment. "I" stands for interest deduction. The mortgage interest paid on the first and second residential homes are tax deductible. On the average, real estate is a good hedge against inflation because property value and the income from properties rise to keep pace with inflation. "D" stands for depreciation. The building on your land depreciates in book value each year and you can deduct this depreciation from your investment property and not residential. "E" is for equity buildup. This buildup of a capital asset is like money in the bank. As you amortize a mortgage, the value of your equity investment will steadily rise. In the case of income-producing property, this amortization could mean that your tenants help you build your estate. "A" is for appreciation. Your property value goes up every year, hopefully. Be careful because this is not guaranteed. "L" is for leverage. When you buy a house you make a down payment, say, 10% and you borrow the balance, say, 90%. You get the benefit of 100% even though you put up only 10% of your own money. You can maximize return with other people's money (OPM). The use of a mortgage and OPM means that you can use small amounts of cash to gain control of large investments and earn large returns on the cash invested.
Popular Real Estate Terms
Contract to act on the behalf of a principal in selling real estate. The principal agrees to pay a commission to the broker when a buyer is produced who is ready, willing, and able to meet ...
The coefficient of dispersion is how municipalities can determine differences between the assessed values of properties in an area or neighborhood. It gives a broader look at the state of ...
Ownership rights to the minerals or other precious resources, such as petroleum, in one's property. A property owner having the mineral rights to the property can do one of three things ...
An official indicating intensity of land use in a zoned urban area. ...
Government owned lands, for conservation purposes or for specific uses such as dams and hydropower. Public lands are owned by federal, state, and local governments. Many public lands are ...
A rental contact in which the tenant's rental is tied to a change in the price level, such as the Gross National Price Deflator. ...
When a mortgage loan is provided to a borrower, the lender establishes a fund called a tax and insurance escrow to accumulate the debtor's monthly payments for property taxes and insurance ...
Bond collaterized by real assets. Two kinds of mortgage bond are senior mortgages and junior mortgages. A mortgage bond may have a closed-end provision that prevents the firm from issuing ...
Tax deduction permitted upon the transfer of property from one spouse to another. The deduction is allowed under the federal gift tax for lifetime transfers or under the federal estate tax ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.