Phoenix Real Estate - Are There Advantages to Multi Family Units?

If you are looking to invest in real estate in the Phoenix area, you may
want to consider putting your money into multiple family dwellings.
Considering the current downturn in the economy, it really makes
good sense to invest in this type of housing verses a single family
home. Here is some information that will help explain why this would
be a smart decision.

Creating wealth through real estate investing is something many
savvy business people do. What are the advantages of putting your
money into small residential income properties? Suppose out of 10
units, 2 are vacant. The monthly costs to the investor are much lower
than that of an empty single family home. Make sense?

Here is an example:

Let's say owner "A" invested in a single family home of average size
that normally rents for $1200 with a mortgage of $1000 per month.
This home is now empty, and for one months mortgage the owner is
out $1000. This comes out of his own pocket.

Now, owner "B" has a 6 unit multi family dwelling and each unit rents
for $700 per month. The monthly mortgage on this property to the
owner is $3000. Two units are vacant, which means he will receive
$2800. This only leaves the property owner $200 short of making his
mortgage payment. Now, think about the outcome to you, the
investor. Would you rather have $1000 or $200 coming out of your
own pocket for that months mortgage payments?

This is one of the benefits of investing your money in multiple family
dwellings. You can see why putting your money in a single family
home isn't such a good idea when you can spread the risk among
more units. This helps you to create a more efficient cash flow for
yourself and create future wealth. Can you see how investing in
several multiple dwellings could help secure your financial future?

Owners of multi family dwellings also have plenty of other advantages.
With repairs, for example, you can write off a portion of the cost in
many cases. When you own a single family unit, you get no
immediate tax benefits.

Investing in real estate is one of the best ways to insure that your
future is secure. Real estate and residential properties rarely ever
decrease in value, and tend to increase over the years. Of course,
investing in single family homes is a good decision, but diversify and
put some of your money into multiple family dwellings.

Of course, the negative aspects of owning a multi family dwelling will
come to mind, such as getting calls from tenants with repair and
maintenance problems. This does occur, but it really isn't as often as
you imagine.

The hard and fast facts are that multiple dwellings will insure that you
have a steady income stream that is as recession proof as any
investment you could possibly make. Your family's financial security
depends upon making smart investments, and this is one of the best!

Multi Unit Loan Alternatives

In a difficult loan enviroment for investors buying and investors wanting to transfer ownership of a multi unit these days here are possibile alternatives. You can produce creative alternatives and stay in compliance with the lenders and all legal responsibiltes.


Loan Workouts / Modifications / Assumptions – It may be possible to structure sales based on a negotiated agreement with the existing lender. New financing may not be a viable option in the current market. The following points may be considered:

Negotiation with lender – In many cases, the borrower / property owner is not the best person to conduct negotiations with the lender. A qualified real estate broker, mortgage broker or attorney may be best suited to represent the borrower. I am available to work with you and your client to present the best case to support a loan workout or modification based on current market conditions.
Loan Assumption / Modification – A new buyer may agree to assume personal liability and to reduce the principal balance in return for a reduction in the interest rate, a short-term period of interest-only payments, or other loan modification as part of a property acquisition negotiation.
Seller Carryback – The current owner may structure a carryback (subordinate financing) as an incentive for the buyer to complete the transaction. A carryback reduces the cash equity required from a buyer to close a purchase transaction, while enabling the seller to create an income producing promissory note secured by a deed of trust

Weekly Housing Inventory AZ

I always look forward to Karl's reporting and the report below shows activity that we haven't seen in awhile and it was so encouraging. Everyone was feeling enthusiasm and a thread of excitement that just maybe we had turned the corner and then for some unknown reason with lots of speculation as to why, it just stopped three weeks ago. Some say it is tax time, some the rates went back up and the list goes on but it certainly did a number on deflating the balloon. Hopefully this is only temporary and we get a zip in our step again.

Weekly Inventory Level comparison
©2008 Karl Stauffer

As of Friday, 2/22/08

Current rate of closings has jumped by over 8% in the last week! Closes in the previous month were up to 2668, which gives us a supply of 17 /4 months, a substantial improvement over the previous week
Current Pendings also continue to increase dramatically. They have increased over 50% in the last 6 weeks from 3323 on 1/11/08 to 5309 this week. They are at the highest level that I have seen since early July 2007, PM (Pre-Meltdown). This will translate in to more closings in the next month. Total Listings remain unchanged at 46069.

Best markets in the Valley continue to be Scottsdale under $1M at a 13 1/2 month supply, followed by the SE Valley at 14 1/4 months supply.
Luxury Markets, by contrast, are at 42 1/4 months of supply in Scottsdale $1M+, and 40 1/2 months in Paradise Valley.

The comparison of current active listing change is based on the previous week’s inventory. Supply numbers are based on the number of closings in the previous month, divided in to the total number of active listings. This data is for Single Family Detached homes only and does not include patio homes, condos, or town homes.
Entire MLS (Maricopa and Northern Pinal county), listing inventories are unchanged from last week. Total of 46069 active listings. Based on current rate of closings, about a 17 1/4 month supply.
200’s area (Central Phoenix). Listing inventories are up 1% from last week. Total of 6539 active listings. About a 19 1/4 month supply.

300’s area (West Valley). Listing inventories are unchanged from last week. Total of 15125 active listings. About an 18 month supply.

400’s area (NE Valley), Listing inventories are up 1% from last week. Total of 7792 active listings. About an 18 3/4 month supply.

500’s area (SE Valley), Listing inventories are unchanged from last week. Total of 11549 active listings. About a 14 1/4 month supply.

Scottsdale over $1m. Listings inventories are up 1% from last week.
Total of 1645 active listings. About a 42 1/4 month supply.

Scottsdale under $1m. Listing inventories are up 1% from last week. Total of 2628 active listings. About a 13 1/2 month supply.

Paradise Valley. Listing inventories are up 1% from last week. Total of 446 active listings. About a 40 1/2 month supply.

I hope this information is useful to you.

Karl Stauffer, Associate Broker
480-515-2202 (office)
karl@sonorangmac.com

The market place is terrific for those wanting to buy- prices that we haven't seen in a very long time and multi family units with equity built in http://www.cactuscountryproperty.com/multiunitandland.htm