BiggerPockets Daily

You can add renovation costs to a conventional mortgage, but only when you’re using a conventional cash-out refinance. 

If you’re doing a cash-out refinance on an existing home, you can withdraw additional funds on top of your existing mortgage balance. This will give you a new conventional mortgage that replaces your existing one and allows you to access funds from your equity that can be used for renovations. 

While you can add renovation costs to a conventional mortgage with a cash-out refinance, there are other options to consider that may be better suited to your needs.

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Do you have a home warranty? In the world of homeownership, some people want to have peace of mind regarding things like home repairs.

Real estate investors can choose whether to carry a home warranty versus something like homeowner’s insurance, which is required.

Whether you’re a new real estate investor or a seasoned one, understanding the ins and outs of home warranties can make all the difference in preserving your home’s value and minimizing unexpected expenses. 

In this article, we’ll take a look at what exactly a home warranty is, the benefits, and more.

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Understanding how deeds work is vitally important for every real estate investor. There are several different kinds of deeds, and the type you get when you buy a property may affect whether you have recourse if there are any future claims. A clause in the deed may also limit what you can do with your property or require you to allow other property owners to cross your property to access theirs.

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Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky has admitted that the short-term rental company is in over its head and needs “to get our house in order.” The company scaled very fast, very quickly, and did not build up its systems to match, he said.  

“To use a precise metaphor, it’s kind of like we never fully built the foundation. Like, we had a house, and it had four pillars when we needed to have 10,” Chesky told Bloomberg.

The platform recently rolled out several new features to patch up the cracks in its foundation, but will it be enough to keep the short-term rental site going? Or is it a signal of bigger changes to come for the industry that could trickle down to real estate investors? 

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Title insurance is one of the most important ways to protect your real estate investment, although deciding whether lender and owner policies are necessary can be challenging. 

If you end up with a property with a defective title and don’t have title insurance, you risk losing the house and/or thousands of dollars, depending on the situation.

We’ve uncovered the truth about title insurance and answered the question, “What is title insurance?” We’re here to help you understand the difference between lender’s and owner’s policies.

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If you’ve paid any attention to the news, it can seem like the world is turning upside down. The war in Ukraine still rages, Israel is now in a full-fledged conflict with Hamas, which is purportedly backed by Iran, and there’s tremendous economic uncertainty still putting investors on edge.

While some of these events can feel like they are a world away, one in particular will be felt right here at home and may directly impact your real estate portfolio. And that event is the recent removal of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House.

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Purchasing property is exciting, but it’s a legal process, too. 

A major part of buying a property is taking title to the property. But house titles aren’t the legal document most people think they are. Keep reading to discover what is a house title.

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As a real estate investor, eminent domain is something you should know about. If you own property in an area that the government needs for a road expansion, fire station, railway, or something else that benefits the public, it may be legally taken from you, whether you want to sell or not.

If you receive an eminent domain notice, however, you do have the right to due process. You may be able to contest the offer or demonstrate to the court that there are reasonable alternatives to the taking of your property.

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The market may not be ideal, but according to a new survey, most real estate investors are feeling good about it as we hurtle toward 2024.

RCN Capital’s fall investor sentiment survey shows that nearly three in four investors think market conditions are better or at least the same as this time last year. Another three-quarters believe the market will either improve or hold steady for the next six months.

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For many years, rental properties have been one of the best (and most popular) ways to generate passive income. However, before you go down this path, it’s important to understand the finer details of investing. The knowledge you collect upfront will improve the likelihood of a positive experience. 

So are rental properties a good investment for you? Let’s find out.

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