When Moving, Should You Keep Your Current Home as a Rental?

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A common question we at the DeMattei Real Estate Team are asked is: "When I move or buy another home, should I keep my current home as a rental?" It's a great question, and not an easy one to answer, but today we try to do just that.

Here are six things to think about before making your final decision:

• Think long term: We encourage you to think about your goal down the road. Will the property cash flow? After you collect the rent, is there enough there to pay the mortgage and still profit? If not, you might want to think twice about renting your home, as it could create a future financial burden.
• Do you really want to be a landlord: At some point, every landlord gets a call in the middle of the night about a leaky toilet or some other urgent problem. You can hire a property manager to take care of problem for you. It's a great way to go if it's economically feasible.
• Do you want rental properties as part of your retirement portfolio: A property that's paid off and rented is generating passive income for you. This means you can collect income while on vacation or doing things you enjoy doing. Passive income is a nice thing to have.
• Principal residence tax exclusion: As your principal residence, when you sell it you can exclude up to $250,000 in gain if you're single and up to $500,000 if you're married. You have to be able to claim the house as your principal residence for two out of the last five years and they don't have to be consecutive. This can save you a ton of money, but you should consult your tax adviser before making any big decisions.
• Moving out of the area: If you're moving to another city, but you think you might move back in the future, we encourage you to keep the house until you make a final decision. That way, you'll always have a place to come back to.
• Never put yourself in a position where you need to sell the property: If you keep it as a rental for a few years and decide you want to sell it, but market values have dropped 10%, make sure you can afford to keep it until the market recovers. Over time, real estate values go up, so don't put yourself in a position where you have to sell in a less favorable market.

If you know someone who has debated renting their home instead of selling it, we ask that you share this information with them. We want to make sure everyone in the Roseville area is making sound real estate decisions. If you have any questions on other real estate topics, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We'd be pleased to help you!