Are turnkey rental properties a smart investment?
If you are just getting started with buying rental properties in the Central Valley you most likely are familiar with the term “turnkey rental properties”; these are properties that will will be ready for renting as soon as you buy them and won’t require any work to get it ready for tenants but are these rentals a good idea for investors?
About Turnkey Rental Properties
When we use the term “turnkey rental properties,” we are referring to the loosely defined investment strategy of buying, rehabbing, and managing a property through a third party. The process of working with a turnkey real estate provider typically looks something like this:
- Finding a property: Based on your personal investment goals, the company will help you to identify and build a portfolio of properties. Most claim to have a pre-vetted database of turnkey investment properties for you to consider. Some also have proprietary software to evaluate which properties are likely to produce the greatest returns.
- Funding the investment: Unlike experienced investors, most turnkey buyers are unfamiliar with the various ways to finance rental properties (e.g. various loan products, 401K, 1031 exchange). The turnkey provider will help you to evaluate a range of financing alternatives depending on your individual circumstances and goals.
- Acquiring the property: Once you’ve identified the property you’d like to purchase, the turnkey provider will assist you with all of the paperwork, home inspections, appraisals, loan documents, and more. They provide end-to-end service, much like a real estate agent would, but they specialize in working with long-distance buyers who want to take a hands-off approach.
- Renovating the property: Depending on the situation, some turnkey rental properties will be in need of major renovations, while others may simply need minor repairs to bring the property up to code. The turnkey provider will manage all renovations and maintenance for you.
- Managing the property: The primary reason that people buy turnkey rental properties is because someone else pledges to manage the property on a day-to-day basis. This includes finding tenants as well as responding to any tenant needs (e.g. fixing a leaky sink). It ostensibly creates a stress-free investment opportunity—all that’s left for the buyer to do is deposit those rent checks!
Generally speaking, most turnkey firms will charge around a 3% fee for property acquisition, and then anywhere from 7 to 10% for ongoing management of turnkey rental properties.
That said, it’s important to know that there are hundreds of turnkey firms across the U.S., and no two are exactly alike. Some will buy, rehab, rent, and THEN sell a property to you (the investor). Others specialize in helping you to find cheap properties (for as little as $20,000!) that need major renovations—and the turnkey company will take on all of those renovations for you. The range of services can vary greatly, so be sure to thoroughly research several turnkey providers before you commit to anything.
Get Central Valley Property Management
For affordable Central Valley Property management contact RPM Central Valley today by calling us at (209) 572-2222 or click here to connect with us online.
