Definition of "Investment property"

The investment property definition is pretty simple: it is a property which its main purpose is not sheltering/housing its homeowner but acting as an investment asset.

The ways an investment property can bring return to investors are either instantly through rental income or over time, when the homeowner sits on the property until the value appreciation of the area is good enough for him (or her) to sell it, making money off of the interest appreciation – bought a house at $200,000, sold for $500,000 profiting $300,000 off of that investment. It can be both too: someone that, while waiting for the house to appreciate its value, rents the investment property to make money. Or even a rent with option to buy property.

However, the investment property definition can get murky when you buy second homes. Say you are a snowbird from Boston that buys a home in Florida to run away from the winter. While the rest of the year you use the southern home for airbnb renting, making money off of it like an investment property, you do live in the place for about 4 months a year. Does that make the house an investment property or not? And does it even matter what name is it called?

Actually, yes.

Investment properties, for instance, can’t benefit off a mortgage insurance, as insurance companies only provide a mortgage to primary residences. And that includes Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans. Not to mention tax exemptions a vacation home cannot bring.

So there are a bunch of factors that determine if a home is an investment property or not – like the distance between the primary residence to the second home and even just to name one. It will depend on the loan originator and the story you tell them.

Real Estate Advice:

Have a chat with your real estate agent and a financial advisor so you don’t learn down the road that your money is going down the drain and you could be profiting much more.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Special court for the purpose of providing fast, inexpensive and informal settlement of small financial claims between plaintiff and defendant. The parties represent themselves. A landlord ...

The term lock-in clause is used in an agreement that prescribes a period of time within which either of the parties that signed a contract cannot terminate the contract. In case one of the ...

The real and personal assets of a person at the date of death. The distribution of the assets to the heirs depends on the provision of the will. If no will exists, the distribution is based ...

Is a stockholder-owned corporation known as Freddie Mac. Freddie Mac purchases investment-quality mortgage from lenders and packages from lenders and packages them as securities which are ...

What is real estate speculation? The term real estate speculation may have a difficult definition, but explaining it may be easier. Think of the stock market, buying stocks when they are ...

Same as term insured loan: A loan indemnified against default by the borrower. Such loans may be a mortgage loan insured by a standard mortgage insurance policy or by FHA mortgage ...

Arrears is a legal and financial term used to describe payments in regards to their due dates. While the term is more often used to refer to a contractual obligation or liability that was ...

The addendum definition is an attachment, clause, or section added to an agreement or contract specifying additional terms, conditions, or requirements to the original agreement or ...

Branch of economics that applies the tools of economic reasoning to the analysis and solution of urban economic problems. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions