You’ve heard of real estate investing—but at Renters Warehouse DC/NOVA, we’re passionate about something called Rent Estate™. Rent Estate™ is a belief in the American dream: in the power and financial freedom that comes from owning profitable rental property. We won’t play games with you: when it comes to whether you should rent your Washington DC home or sell it, we believe that greater financial freedom comes from renting! We base our entire business model on this belief.
However, the decision to rent your property or sell it outright really comes down to the individual: it comes down to you, as the potential landlord—and what will benefit you the most.
In today’s blog post, we’re going to make a strong case for why we think renting your property will benefit you as landlord more in the long term—but it would be remiss of us not to point out some reasons you might not want to! As an expert property management company in Washington DC, we know the final decision should always rest with you.
Compelling Reasons to Rent Your Washington DC Home
Washington DC is a mighty market: as our population grows, the demand for homes grows with it—however, new homes are not being produced at a rate to meet this demand. Given that construction has yet to catch up, rental rates are hot across the metro area! Let’s explore some of the reasons why you should rent your Washington DC home to live out your American dream.
The Market for a Sale Is Lukewarm
Across the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria Metro area, the market is lukewarm. It’s not falling drastically enough to favor buyers—but it’s not sizzling, either. While the median list price for homes in Washington DC is $615,000, the reported median for homes that actually sold is dramatically lower: only $547,800. When you juxtapose that with the median rent price of $2,700—$500 more than the metro at large—you see how those numbers don’t equate well for your long-term wealth.
Consider this; in roughly ten years, you’d already have more than half that listing price—just from charging median rates! An expert property management company in Washington DC can always provide you a free Rental Price Analysis. This professional market research can reveal even greater detail about what you could be potentially charging if you decide to rent your Washington DC home.
Rent Estate™ Is a Solid Foundation for Your Net Worth
It’s a well-known financial fact that those who own some form of real estate (especially a home) have a higher net worth than those without. The average net worth of a homeowner is $195,400. The average renter; only $5,400. A great case study in this regard is the entire millennial market. It’s common knowledge that few millennials have real estate holdings and trend towards renting—they also tend to have a lower net worth.
Let’s also say that your Washington DC home is your first potential rental property—and you want to expand your portfolio. You know that real estate is a great way to diversify and balance your assets—but not all real estate is equally effective at growing your long-term wealth.
Only Rent Estate™ can provide the engine you need for positive growth! It pays the mortgage with enough left over to begin investing again—but only if you work with an expert property management company in Washington DC. Managing properties on your own—especially with a vast portfolio—can dent your wealth. A property management partner can also steer you clear of costly mistakes early on. Effective property management is effective portfolio growth!
Rent Estate™ Is Rock-Steady—Even in a Downturn
As real estate experts say, “Real estate is an interesting asset.” This is equally true of Rent Estate™. During a recession, real estate behaves as a “haven” that traditional stocks simply can’t offer. On the flip side, when the stock market is soaring, prices rise with it.
Think of it this way: rather than sell at “market low-tide,” you can turn your home into an income-earning machine. When the market reaches “high-tide” again, you can sell your property at peak value. This is just one of the many ways that Rent Estate™ secures your long-term wealth.
Reasons Why Rent Estate™ Might Not Be Right for You
At Renters Warehouse DC/NOVA, we believe that honesty is the best policy when it comes to property management in Washington DC. With that in mind, we’d like to cover some of the reasons why you may consider a quick sale instead.
You Don’t Want to Be a Landlord
This is probably the biggest reason why many potential landlords consider selling their spare homes rather than renting them. It’s a fair point: being a landlord isn’t for the faint of heart! Becoming a landlord necessitates wearing many hats at once to keep your property running at peak profitability.
From lawyer to contractor, becoming a DIY landlord will expand your skill set in ways you never thought possible—it will also be a full-time job. However, this pain point can easily be alleviated when you work with some form of property management in Washington DC. If you’re worried about becoming a landlord because of the workload, just know you don’t have to do it alone.
Markets Have Gotten Hot!
Maybe you’ve managed to wait out the cold and lukewarm markets for one that’s a seller’s paradise! When prices finally rise to a peak, selling your property can become an attractive alternative to renting. This already applies to you if your home happens to be located in the luxe neighborhoods of Chevy Chase, which confound the market medians for the rest of the Washington DC area.
However, this one is heavily dependent on timing: if you’re determined to go this route, keep your eye on the market to maximize your returns! In the meantime, you could still be earning income from your home in the form of a rental rather than dealing with the mortgage alone.
You Can’t Afford to Rent
Every great investment opportunity starts with a buffer zone, and Rent Estate™ is no exception. At Renters Warehouse DC/NOVA, our Professional Landlords strive to keep your property occupied at all times. When there is a vacancy, we market your rental home aggressively to make sure its turnover time is short. However, basic property management in Washington DC cannot promise you this level of service.
If you can’t afford a minimum three-months’ buffer of property payments and other expenses if your tenant falls through, a sale might be the better choice for your financial goals.
The Best Choice Is What’s Best for You!
As we said before: at Renters Warehouse DC/NOVA, we support your American dream—and however that dream manifests for you. If you’ve run the numbers and you agree that Rent Estate™ is the right path towards your financial freedom, get in touch with us!
Once you’ve made the initial step in reaching out, we can put our robust rental price analysis to work for your Washington DC rental home right away to help you find your bullseye rental price! We offer this at no charge to you: that’s right, absolutely nada.