Making the wrong hire, overlooking the risks, taking on too much debt.

We’re fortunate to have an above-average income and live well below our means.This summer, we’ll be moving to Detroit (PCSing in August), and we’ve saved about $120,000 to invest in addition to having funds set aside for the home we’ll purchase in Detroit.The reason I’m posting is that I’m struggling to decide how to best allocate the $120k.

It was held by the previous owner for a very long time, so I wouldn't be surprised if some basic facts about the house are incorrect.I was making an offer on a house a couple years ago and discovered that the owner was paying taxes on an additional house that was on the neighbors lot and didn't know it!

In addition to taking 6-9 months to close, they are also subject to (i) annual audits, (ii) annual REAC property inspections, (iii) recurring annual MIP payments on top of your interest rate, (iv) large initial deposits to the replacement reserve, (v) commercial space limitations to 15-20% EGI / 25% NRA, and (vi) less forgiving underwriting with 7.00% minimum vacancy rates when determining our underwritten NOI.

If you can purchase this home with private money or seller financing and get a $110k loan, then you could do a rate/term refi right after so do a 90 or 120 day note to secure the property and get it in your name, then refi into long term debt using the full appraised value. 

Here's the deal: You don't need to withdraw and return the current security deposit just to collect the additional $100.

If you just take the 13,835 financed at 6% you are adding 83 dollars a month. so a double whammy.Now, lets consider if rates drop to 5.5% in 24 months (not a prediction just a what if) and you could have refinanced at a much lower costs then the above scenario in what you paid in pre-paid and additional interest. on the other hand, if rates for your same scenario after your 5 year payback period is 9, then you will have an asset with a much lower then current market rent.  

Additionally, ATCP 134.05 says that if the tenant provides a consumer credit report from an agency that compiles and maintains files on consumers on a nationwide basis and it is less than 30 days old, the landlord may still run a credit check but at its own expense.When I inquired with the company, they replied: "These laws are in place to ensure that you, as a landlord, are not profiting by incentivizing multiple applicants to apply when you have no intent to rent to them.

Clearly the note is more than just evidence of a debt, right?

Alternative Lenders – Look for private lenders or debt funds that focus on asset-based lending rather than borrower experience.