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
Table demonstrating the relationship between the depth of a building lot form the street frontage and its market value. Street frontage is the greatest asset of a land parcel. The ...
The person giving property or establishing a trust. ...
Any written evidence or tangible material which can be reproduced as written material which is coherent and related to the subject at hand. This includes documents, contracts, inscriptions ...
Method of construction where vertical siding is attached to a horizontal framing structure. Often found in the design of agricultural buildings. ...
Founded in 1942 and located in Washington DC, the NAHB has 155,000 members with 824 local groups. Its membership consists of single, multifamily and commercial home builders. The NAHB ...
Present worth of the property which is different than the price paid for it or its book value (cost less accumulated depreciation). The current value may be determined through appraisal. ...
Tax-free status given to certain nonprofit organizations and governmental entities. Churches, charities, and government buildings do not pay property tax because of their tax-free status. ...
group of at least two people or businesses combining to engage in a real estate project that would exceed their individual financial abilities. A syndication allows earning to be ...
Document issued by a public or private institution to perform some activity according to legal requirements. There is usually a license fee. An example is a real estate license. ...

Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.