As high school students and their parents finalize college plans, some families are turning their attention to a bold financial move to avoid high-cost college housing. What’s that?
Buying a rental property for their child (and their friends) to live in.
Several months ago I spoke to Ingrid Case at Money magazine on important considerations for such a decision, and in this blog I’ve included my full insights on the topic.
Why consider a college rental property?
Some parents with idle cash may prefer the idea of an investment property over high-cost dorms, or subsidizing off-campus housing because rental payments don’t back to you. As with any real estate purchase, the cash outlay can be quite large, so a considerable amount of money may be tied up for some time.
Important factors to consider
When making a big financial decision, it’s always important to consider the broader implications of the choices we make. Most parents of college-aged children are approaching retirement, so their own financial planning needs are quite important, too.
Time horizon - College only lasts 4 years, and upon many graduation many students prefer (or require) the flexibility to move to a wide range of locations to pursue the career of their choice. For that reason, the holding period of such a rental property may not mirror what people would normally choose to do (i.e., typical holding period of 5 years, at a minimum). In the event of falling real estate prices, this could be an obstacle to exiting the property in the event of a short holding period.
Finding the right property – The real estate market is in a challenging environment right now, which has the potential to uncover opportunities for some investors, and risks for all. Consider whether the property you are looking at is appealing to a broad range of renters, or something that primarily appeals to college students. Also keep in mind that college students may not be looking in the same location when they are completing their summer internship.
Know your tenants – As a landlord, good tenants can make the difference between having a profitable income property or a costly headache. Ask yourself if your children were not going to live there, would this make sense as an investment property to you (or not)? If the answer is no, this might not make sense for you. Why?
You may not be comfortable with an investment you have made being in the hands of strangers, or care to take on the responsibilities (both time, and financial) that come along with being a landlord. And during a time when real estate markets are challenged, you might not want to commit to the decision of selling the property at a specific time in the future (i.e., graduation) regardless of what market conditions look like.
Making your decision
As with any investment decision, ask yourself not just what you want to do, but why you are doing it, and for whom. And if the absence of your child living in this property would cause you to reconsider continuing to own the property (or to purchase at all) it’s important to know that up front.
Contact Paceline if you’re considering an investment property and want to know what this means for all aspects of your financial plan, including how soon you can retire.
Read the full article on Money magazine’s website
This blog was written by Jeremy Bohne, Principal & Founder of Paceline Wealth Management. Paceline is a fee-only investment advisor serving clients in the Boston area, and on a remote basis throughout the country. Paceline specializes in helping tech and biotech executives, physicians, and those seeking financial planning services.