Plan for turning home into an asset

Plan for turning home into an asset

Member since 2023 · 1 post · 0 votes

Hi everyone, I am somewhat new to the real estate game but have always been frugal with my money. I am in a home worth 500K and have just a 100K mortgage left till the home is paid in full. I have been trying to do the math and work out different scenarios to figure out how I can best use the money I currently have. If I pay just the minimum amount on my current 15yr loan, I will have my mortgage paid off in approx 11yrs. If I add 1,350/month on top of each payment, I can have the home paid off in right at 4yrs (which is what I have been actively doing up till this point). My thought process has recently changed because I have learned that my home is actually a liability and instead I want to funnel that extra 1,350/mo into my asset column. So the new plan will be to pay my minimum mortgage and to put the 1,350/mon. away until I have enough to purchase a rental property instead. So what I am hoping by writing this is that someone with a higher financial IQ than myself can second me and let me know if this sounds like a better option/choice. 

Secondly, I am debating whether I should build up to purchase a rental, or if it might be better for me to just save up for another house to move into and rent out my current home instead. Looking at the market, I can probably rent my current home for about 3k/mo which would give me a positive cash flow or 3k-1850= 1150/mo. asset. My only issue is that I would probably be purchasing a new home for around 400K and the monthly 30yr loan would put me around 2,900-3k/mo. Meaning I would pretty much pick up a second home for free..... 2,900-3k -(new rental asset 1150)= 1,750 to 1,850/mo which is my current base payment on the home I'm in now. If I go with buying a rental, I'm shooting for a positive cash flow of 200/mo and would stay in my current home.

I know it's a lot, but my mind has been nonstop these last few weeks as I've just finished reading poor dad, rich dad, and "skip the flip". I'm just trying to figure out the best moves with my money currently as I continue to further educate myself and any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks again!

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  • Realtor · Longmont, CO · Member since 2021 · 577 posts · 631 votes
    3y

    I would definitely recommend buying a new primary over a new investment if you are okay with moving! You will not only have to put less money down, but you will also get a better rate. 

    Personally, I would consider trying to leverage the 400k in your current home more aggressively, and do some type of financing transaction like a cash out refi. There is no real value in not having debt, assuming it is leveraged against an asset and its monthly payment is paid by others. 

    You should be able to cash out 100k of your current home, on a 30 year note without increasing your mortgage. I personally operate at a leverage ratio in the 70's, so I have about 70k in debt for every 100k in assets I own, but also understand that you might not want to leverage yourself that aggressively. 

  • Investor · Greenville, SC · Member since 2016 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes
    3y

    While you save up, you can put that money in an online savings account or money market mutual fund and earn about 4%, which may be near your mortgage rate anyway.  That gives you flexibility to invest in something else or just pay off the mortgage down the road if you don't find anything you like.

    I would only rent a 500k home for 3k per month if it was going to have high predictable appreciation.

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