Need newbie Advice for poss. student rental in S. Ontario Canada

Need newbie Advice for poss. student rental in S. Ontario Canada

Rental Property Investor · Lynden, Ontario · Member since 2017 · 90 posts · 19 votes

Good Morning BP. Excited newbie here. Looking for any advice on this project. This is in Brantford, Ontario.  A house came up, and they're asking $142,900. Its a Semi-detached home 3 bedrooms & one bathroom. It seems like there's enough room in the basement for a 4th bedroom & possibly another bathroom. It has been used as a rental. The tenant moved out yesterday. The house has only had one viewing because the tenant wouldn't let anyone in & now she's out.

"It will need work on the inside" says the listing agent. No other info given. The roof, furnace, windows, copper piping &  100 Amp service w/breakers are newer (don't know if that includes wiring throughout).

The house is about 15 minute walk to the university area. Brantford is booming as a university city. They are expecting 10,000 student increase in the next 5 years.

The listing agent expects the house to go quickly ("within days, if not hours" he says. Could just be hype, but there are NOT a lot of other houses available in Brantford & this one is very cheap!)

I can re-hab myself for the most part (I own a roofing company & know enough about construction), & I have flipped a house a few yrs. back. So, that's not the part I'm worried about. More interested in how to price this out. I would assume there's demand & this is cheap. In southern Ontario, ridiculous bidding wars are happening all the time. But if it needs that much work I don't know how to approach the pricing.

Plans could be to keep it & rent it out and thus benefit from quickly rising house values in the long term as well, or to re-hab it & sell it. 

Note: I have not run any numbers on it yet. I have not been inside yet. I'm going  to get inside this morning.

Anything is helpful. Thanks.

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Wholesaler · Toronto, Ontario · Member since 2016 · 35 posts · 11 votes
9y

Hi!

I actually do some student rental stuff (in Hamilton). I think that at the end of the day your decision with what to so with this house should be guided by the numbers and what you feel most comfortable with.  After walking through the house, trying seeing what the houses in the area are either renting for, get a feel of the neighborhood, what other comps have been sold in the area and take it from there, see if there are a lot of students in the area or families and etc. 

Something that I have learned over the years is just because a house is "cheap" doesn't necessary means it's a good investment or deal.  Your decisions should be based on the numbers, and what you are comfortable with, for it to be a good investment.

Hope that helps!

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  • Wholesaler · Toronto, Ontario · Member since 2016 · 35 posts · 11 votes
    9y

    Hi!

    I actually do some student rental stuff (in Hamilton). I think that at the end of the day your decision with what to so with this house should be guided by the numbers and what you feel most comfortable with.  After walking through the house, trying seeing what the houses in the area are either renting for, get a feel of the neighborhood, what other comps have been sold in the area and take it from there, see if there are a lot of students in the area or families and etc. 

    Something that I have learned over the years is just because a house is "cheap" doesn't necessary means it's a good investment or deal.  Your decisions should be based on the numbers, and what you are comfortable with, for it to be a good investment.

    Hope that helps!

  • Rental Property Investor · Lynden, Ontario · Member since 2017 · 90 posts · 19 votes
    9y

    Thanks. Any specific methods that you've used  to do the calculations?

  • Real Estate Investor · Tennessee · Member since 2016 · 46 posts · 3 votes
    9y

    Hi Ralph,

    I grew up and lived in Brantford my whole life before moving to London (UK) last year. I also own a rental property, about 5min walk from the Laurier Brantford campus.

    Mind disclosing the street name? I can give you an idea from personal experience whether the $142K is worth it.

    Already though, I can say that students in the city are quite spoiled in terms of options, and a 15-min walk is going to sound like a lot for them. If it's on the other side of the Colborne bridge too, it'll be perceived as far away, even though we know it's actually very close to the campus.

    Happy to help if you have any other questions about Brantford.

    Cameron

  • Rental Property Investor · Lynden, Ontario · Member since 2017 · 90 posts · 19 votes
    9y

    I ended up passing on the place. It was in such a horrible state. Soft (squishy) floors, a hodge-podge of finishes. slanted floors upstairs. Everything was ridiculous. It needs to be gutted back the studs  & the floors straightened out.  Way more than I'm interested in doing. Thanks though. That one was on Buffalo St., right behind the rail station.

    I'm not necessarily looking to rent to students. Rentals seem in short demand in Brantford for anyone. Looks like a good time to jump in. They're going quickly too.

  • Rental Property Investor · Lynden, Ontario · Member since 2017 · 90 posts · 19 votes
    9y

    I'm looking at a few more this afternoon. Not in a hurry, but I do want to take advantage of this market.

  • Rental Property Investor · Lynden, Ontario · Member since 2017 · 90 posts · 19 votes
    9y

    By the way... who's looking after your rental while you're in the UK? A property manager? And if so, would you be willing to discuss that with me? I figure I'll need  one of those soon.

  • Rental Property Investor · Oakville/ Brantford, Ontario · Member since 2015 · 147 posts · 91 votes
    9y
    Hi Ralph Noack I have 5 rentals in Brantford that I buy and hold to single families if you need any help feel free to PM me I would be more than happy to help you. If you want to rent to families and not students my suggestion is not to buy downtown but look at other areas such as eagle place, west Brant, and if there is a low enough price in holmedale that would work too. My rents range from 1300-1500 based on 3 bedroom 1 or 1.5 bath homes.
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