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
A column designed to support a concentrated load. A pier column is made out of steel, steel reinforced concrete or wood. A structure extending out into the water supported by numerous ...
A situation that occurs when borrowed funds cost more than they produce. ...
Intermediate debt (5 to 10 years) without periodic payments but the entire amount (balloon payment) is due at the maturity date. If full payment is not made, the lender may foreclose on the ...
Lawsuit brought by one or more persons of a large group for the benefit of all members of the group. ...
Action that is beyond that allowed legally. Examples are charging illegally high interest rate on mortgages and real estate exceeding the amount permissible by legal statute, and a real ...
(1) Agreement to sell real estate with a pre-arranged reverse but at an established price. This may not be legal in some instances, and any resulting losses may not be tax deductible. (2) ...
Modification in the amount of money involved for some justifiable reason. ...
Real estate broker specializing in the listing and selling of commercial property. This property can include apartments, businesses, hotels, industrial, retail or wholesale uses. ...
Property zoning having the net effect, intended or not, of excluding the poor and minority groups from living in a particular area. Building lot size is the most frequently used ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.