Buying my Parents House with 0$ down but having 20% equity

Buying my Parents House with 0$ down but having 20% equity

Member since 2019 · 3 posts · 0 votes

Hello Bigger Pockets! This is my first post so feel free to give me any and all advice!

My Wife and I currently have a 2 year old girl and another one due in May. Instead of paying for the apartment we had in the local downtown my parents offered us to move into their house (I grew up) and pay them the Mortgage and Taxes until we can buy it from them (max of five years were in year two). They moved to a new house in a better township and brought my siblings with them and my growing family gets to move into my childhood home.  

Here is the agreement;

1. I purchase the house for $315,000.00 and they get to refinance

2. I have to get all the inspections and COs completed - my Dad and I did alot of work to the interior that never was inspected. 

          a. Built into the Garage from the living room and kitchen

          b. Two car garage built in back yard

          c. In-Ground swimming pool installed 

-- I am trying to get the appraisal amount as high as I can so it'll allow concessions for Closing Costs and Gift of Equity as Down Payment and Equity in house after closing. 

-- House down the road same design but not updated went for 352,000 (Port Jefferson Station, NY)

So with the market where it is and mortgage rates getting lower I see it as an opportunity to jump on a low rate. What would be big ticket items you can suggest to bring the house to its full potential at appraisal? 

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Real Estate Agent · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 846 votes
6y
Originally posted by @Nicole Heasley Beitenman:
Originally posted by @Jaysen Medhurst:

@Thomas Kennelly, unless the home is truly dilapidated very few renovations/updates make sense from a financial POV. I.e. you'll spend more doing the reno than you'll get in additional value. Kitchens and bathrooms usually deliver the best return at 80-100%.

If that's the case, how do flippers make any money?

They buy at a depressed value. It's not the renovations that make them money, it's the fact that they bought a good deal. Usually because of a motivated seller that just wants out or because the house is in such rough shape that there is a good spread.

Their ability to buy low for whatever reason makes them money. 

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  • Real Estate Agent · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 846 votes
    6y

    Most home improvements don't add a lot more value than what it costs to do them. Unless of course you DIY well. 

    Exception being very dated finishes and dilapidated items. 

    So I'd focus on just bringing the house up to the standard of whatever comps you have in the neighborhood that you want the appraiser to value the house off of. Projects in a vacuum are going to be meaningless. You just need to take the comps and improve it to that standard. If you improve it beyond that standard then the appraiser is going to have a tough time assigning a value and you're going to be at the mercy of whichever appraiser you get. 

  • Rental Property Investor · Greenwich, CT · Member since 2015 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    6y

    @Thomas Kennelly, unless the home is truly dilapidated very few renovations/updates make sense from a financial POV. I.e. you'll spend more doing the reno than you'll get in additional value. Kitchens and bathrooms usually deliver the best return at 80-100%.

    I don't understand comment #1. Either you purchase the home or your parents refi (and retain ownership). Both can't happen.

    What do you mean by get all "...COs completed" is there no Certificate of Occupancy?

    Lastly, make sure you're speaking to a good CPA. 

    1. You may end up with some tax liability, if you purchase below FMV from your parents. You can only get ~$60k/year of gift-tax exclusion ($15k from each parent to you and your wife).
    2. Will your parents still qualify for a capital gains exemption? At this point, sounds like they will. But if you wait a year or two more them may get stuck.
  • Real Estate Broker · Northeast PA · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    6y

    If you built the garages, installed the pool, etc without permits and inspections, you'll have many more problems with getting those passed by your township than you may think.

    The solution I would recommend is to have your parents refi, put the property into a trust, you can be a co-beneficiary, and when you can afford, give them whatever money you have agreed to and have them quit claim their beneficial interest in the trust to you.

    I am a realtor, not an attorney, so please seek out a qualified attorney to get you set up. 

  • Member since 2019 · 3 posts · 0 votes
    6y

    Should of said I'm a realtor and have access to a number of of people needed; 

    @Jaysen Medhurst 

    We have CO for house but need inspection to go through since renovations have been completed. We're not doing the large renovations until after with a HELOC. So that answer's my question about what to address and change thanks for confirming. One concern you bring up is the gift-tax Exclusion. So and appraisal of 375,000 is my max before i incur taxes?

    @Marc Winter, They would Refinance their new house with my payment on the current house. But putting this house into a trust and doing a quit claim will avoid the heavy taxes? Wouldn't it give them the option of a 1031 exchange when pay for this house?

  • Real Estate Broker · Northeast PA · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    6y

    @Thomas Kennelly,

    Wow, that totally threw me off your thread.  Your original post didn't clarify these newly related items.  I didn't understand that they want to refi the new property. (BTW, a HELOC is not a refi). Your other questions--I suggest you consult the professionals involved re: trusts, 1031 exchanges, and tax consequences.

  • Investor · Youngstown, OH · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Jaysen Medhurst:

    @Thomas Kennelly, unless the home is truly dilapidated very few renovations/updates make sense from a financial POV. I.e. you'll spend more doing the reno than you'll get in additional value. Kitchens and bathrooms usually deliver the best return at 80-100%.

    If that's the case, how do flippers make any money?

  • Real Estate Agent · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 846 votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Nicole Heasley Beitenman:
    Originally posted by @Jaysen Medhurst:

    @Thomas Kennelly, unless the home is truly dilapidated very few renovations/updates make sense from a financial POV. I.e. you'll spend more doing the reno than you'll get in additional value. Kitchens and bathrooms usually deliver the best return at 80-100%.

    If that's the case, how do flippers make any money?

    They buy at a depressed value. It's not the renovations that make them money, it's the fact that they bought a good deal. Usually because of a motivated seller that just wants out or because the house is in such rough shape that there is a good spread.

    Their ability to buy low for whatever reason makes them money. 

  • Investor · Youngstown, OH · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    6y

    @Anthony Angotti Makes sense. Thank you!

  • Rental Property Investor · Greenwich, CT · Member since 2015 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    6y

    @Nicole Heasley Beitenman, a flipper's compensation comes from the willingness to take on the work, time, and risk of the project. 

  • Member since 2019 · 3 posts · 0 votes
    5y

    ***UPDATE*** 

    We are closing on the home next week and went from pursuing a FHA mortgage @ 10% down using Gift of Equity to being 20% down and taking a conventional loan out and using the remaining Equity above and beyond the purchase price to pay for closing costs.

    Having recessed lighting installed and ceiling fans installed in each room brought appraiser higher in his evaluation, "I see your going to make this a better home" 

    The home ultimately appraised for 430,000.00 and given the market read here on Long Island it looks like I just got it in before appraisal wills start decreasing. 

    Thank you for your advice and good luck

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