Cashflow ready houses. Too good to be true?

[Yash Tamta]

I'm analysing cities for buying my first rental. During my search I came across 6+ listings from the same seller all with tenant in place making some amount of cashflow, some of them even making $500+ cashflow(by Brandon Turner's definition).

On paper, it seems I'll make cashflow the moment I buy the property. Not sure if this is "too good to be true" category. I'm a newbie in real estate and seeking some expert advide.

[Michael Smythe]

@Yash Tamta you can make anything look good on paper!

Deals like you describe are typically aimed at newbies that don't know anything about reality.

Often, you're being sold a Class C or D property that's using Class A or B numbers.

You don't find out until after you buy these properties that: 

The tenants aren't performing

There's a lot of deferred maintenance

Tenants are trashing the properties

The tenant pool is NOT what you thought

Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.

If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.

So, when investing in areas they don’t really know, investors should research the different property Class submarkets.

Here’s our OPINION for the Metro Detroit market (use as a template for your target area!) that we’ve learned in our 24 years, managing almost 700 doors across the Metro Detroit area, including almost 100 S8 leases.:

Class A Properties:
Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, 3-5 years for positive cashflow, but you get highest relative rent & value appreciation.
Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% the more recent norm.
Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 680+, zero evictions in last 7 years.

Class B Properties:
Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, decent amount of relative rent & value appreciation.
Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% should be applied only if proper research done to support.
Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 620-680, some blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 5 years

Class C Properties:
Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, high cashflow and at the lower end of relative rent & value appreciation. Can try to reposition to Class B, but neighborhood may impede these efforts.
Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, but 15-20% should be used to also cover tenant nonpayment, eviction costs & damages.
Tenant Pool: majority will have FICO scores of 560-620, many blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 2 years. Verifying last 2 years of rental history very important! Also, focus on 2 years of job/income stability.

Class D Properties:
Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, all cashflow with zero or negative relative rent & value appreciation
Vacancy Est: 20%+ should be used to cover nonpayment, evictions & damages.
Tenant Pool: majority will have FICO scores under 560, little to no good tradelines, lots of collections & chargeoffs, recent evictions. Verifying last 2 years of rental history and income extremely important to find the “best of the worst”.

Make sure you understand the Class of properties you are looking at and the corresponding results to expect.

What else can we assist you with?