Question on leveraging assets

Question on leveraging assets

Rental Property Investor · Columbia SC · Member since 2022 · 13 posts · 13 votes

Hi All,

I recently secured my second rental property using a HELOC and now I'm thinking about my next purchase. I've heard of folks using the equity in their rental properties to purchase additional properties and I'm trying to learn if this would make sense for me. My first rental has over 100k equity and the rent is almost double the debt payment (I've got a really great mortgage from 2020 so it cashflows very well). I believe there maybe a few different ways to tap the equity in my 1st rental, but my concern is that if I take out the equity for a new purchase, I'll be reducing the cashflow of my business due to the additional debt repayment. Assuming I'd be able to use the capital on a new purchase and that new purchase would pay for itself and then some, I wouldn't expect it to also cover the debt repayment for the equity loan. I don't want to refi or sell the 1st property since it's doing so well. The second rental is doing well but it will take me some time before the HELOC is repaid and I can use that again. So I'm reaching out here to see what others have done and if leveraging the equity in my first rental would make sense to pursue a 3rd property. As info, I'm focused on long term buy and hold single family. Thanks for your time and I appreciate any feedback or guidance.

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  • Jonathan GreeneBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Madison, NJ · Member since 2016 · 6k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    1y

    You are in a great spot with your second rental property, but what's the rush? Using a HELOC can work, but it's still a second loan on one property so I wouldn't be looking for a way to leverage one of your two properties just yet to get a third. Any time you use a HELOC, you only want to use 50 percent of the available equity or less so if you can do that over time carefully, it will work. But don't rush into a third too soon. Make sure both properties have all the repairs and maintenance needed and no major cap ex is needed before you try to add one on double leverage.

    Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing59 Reviews
  • Jaycee GreenePro Member
    Real Estate Consultant · St. Louis MSA · Member since 2024 · 3k+ posts · 726 votes
    1y

    Hey @Alexander L Gulledge! Do you have a finance person in your family/group of friends? Or at least just getting all of your thoughts and numbers on paper (or in a spreadsheet) and mapped out over the time period you're talking about, I think would be a very helpful exercise for you. I'll shoot you a DM.

  • Rental Property Investor · Columbia SC · Member since 2022 · 13 posts · 13 votes
    1y
    Quote from@Jonathan Greene:

    You are in a great spot with your second rental property, but what's the rush? Using a HELOC can work, but it's still a second loan on one property so I wouldn't be looking for a way to leverage one of your two properties just yet to get a third. Any time you use a HELOC, you only want to use 50 percent of the available equity or less so if you can do that over time carefully, it will work. But don't rush into a third too soon. Make sure both properties have all the repairs and maintenance needed and no major cap ex is needed before you try to add one on double leverage.

     Thanks Jonathan. I'm not in too much of a rush, but want to have a plan / strategy in place for when I'm ready to move. Will likely be mid 2025. I want to continue growing my portfolio and build long term wealth. Both rentals are in a good place for now and my business is cash flowing well. I'm covering the leverage and have reserves in place for any capex expenses. I appreciate your thoughts. I certainly don't want to over reach or put myself in a bad situation. 

    @Jaycee - Thanks for your comment and for reaching out. I'll follow up with you on the DM. 

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