Sell And Rent Back: Income For The Buyer
If you're considering purchasing a home to move into and as an investment, you may want to also look into a rent back apartment or a property that the seller wishes to sell and rent back. You will find a large number of benefits if the buyer is willing to be patient and delay their purchase.
Builders who would like to increase their cash flow but keep the property to use as a model home often use a rent back program. The model home will help the builder sell homes by allowing customers to see the builder's finished product. If you are looking for a great deal on a home, consider one that the builder would be willing to sell and rent back from you.
First, you'll benefit because you are guaranteed income: a builder must pay you rent. This is actually much safer than entering into a conventional residential lease, because unlike a normal renter, the builder has a vested interest in making his payments on time. It wouldn't do him any good to be evicted from his model home!
Second, houses used as models usually demonstrate all available upgrades to prospective homeowners. As a result, you will get the best possible house. Often, houses that builders wish to sell and rent back will be reduced in price for these options. Ultimately, this equates to a great house at a much better value than other buyers will get when building an equivalent unit.
There are many benefits to buying model homes. Many times builders will want to retain the first homes built in a new community as their model homes. When you buy a model, then, you're getting the rock bottom price. As builders develop communities, they generally increase prices at least once every quarter, so homes built later will end up costing more. Once the community is completed you'll find yourself with an almost-new home which has already built up a lot of equity even though your home cost much less than those of your new neighbors.
Of course, there are drawbacks to this arrangement. You have to be able to wait to move into your house for months or maybe even years. And though you signed a contract for a newly built home, your home will have had many people walking through it and will be susceptible to wear and tear. But if you are planning on retirement a year or two away, this would be a perfect arrangement. Additionally, builders are usually very diligent on cleaning and maintenance of the model home, making sure it is always in like new condition.
You get all the benefits of a rent back arrangement, If you can be patient and delay moving into your new home. Your increased equity with all the extra features, not to mention the income, will almost certainly make it sensible.
Homes for rent back are usually made available by builders wishing to increase cash flow but keep a home in inventory for use as a model home. This model home will be open to potential buyers to help visualize their own home should they contract with the builder. If you purchase a home that the builder would sell and rent back from you, you stand to benefit in many ways. If you're considering purchasing a home to move into and as an investment, you may want to also look into a rent back apartment.
Published January 3rd, 2008
Filed in Finance
