Did you realize that inflation and taxation are the leading threats to your financial stability? The value of one dollar decreases when a nation’s inflation rate rises. When you spend more on necessities like food and petrol, you eventually end up with less savings at the end of the month. There will be less savings and hence less investment potential. Your potential to develop wealth will be limited if you cannot invest and increase your money’s value.

According to studies, our most significant monetary expenditure is typically for taxes. Research that the Tax Foundation performed revealed that the average American spends more money on taxes than on all of their other living expenses combined.

It’s safe to assume that our standard of living will improve along with inflation. Therefore, this mitigates the negative aspects, right? Now let’s examine this issue from a financial perspective. If you have an annual income of $150,000, the marginal tax rate you are likely subject to is around 24%. Let’s say that due to the impacts of inflation, you were lucky enough to see a rise in your income to $200,000. When prices rise faster than your income can keep up with, having $200,000 in the bank could seem like a wonderful deal since it gives you more purchasing power.

On the other hand, one thing you may not consider is the accompanying tax expense. If you increase your salary to $200,000, you can find yourself in the next tax rate, which is 32% more expensive. Therefore, your taxation will also increase even if you have a higher salary.

You might not be able to stop inflation, but you can have some power over your tax bill. Although the statement is true, the purpose of this article is to discuss a method by which you can protect yourself from the negative effects of inflation and taxes. A potential method for doing so is investing in real estate. First, let’s discuss the reasons why investing in real estate can be a good way to combat inflation. Then we’ll go on to discuss the ways in which real estate might help you save money on taxes. 

The Value of Real Estate and Inflation

Some investors have continued to buy property quickly despite the rising cost of living. That causes the curiosity of others to ask why? Let’s wait till things calm down in the market, should we? Since predicting the timing of the real estate market is a little bit beyond the scope of our expertise, we recruited the assistance of our good friend and published author, J Scott, to help provide some clarity on this subject.

When compared to other kinds of assets, real estate has the potential to be a profitable investment during times of inflation. The cost of real estate will likely grow in line with the price of basic goods. Looking back over time, we see that real estate has a propensity to perform quite well during times of high inflation.

In periods of high inflation, real estate may be a profitable investment for many reasons, one being that the rental price tends to rise in tandem with the general cost of living. Inflation is associated with a rise in salaries, as was explained before. Because of this, it’s conceivable that people will have the financial ability to pay a higher rent. As seen, wages are a significant factor in determining market rents. This is fantastic news for you as a landlord. Remember that a landlord has the power to increase rent more quickly the shorter the period of the lease, so keep this in mind. For instance, if you have a rental available for a short or medium duration, you may be able to enhance your rental revenue before the next guest booking takes place. During times of inflation, this is an incredibly potent strategy.

In addition to its other benefits, debt is the main factor in why real estate is a solid inflation hedge. As everyone in this room knows, real estate investors are huge fans of the idea of leverage. When inflation is a problem, having debt, particularly long-term debt with lower fixed interest rates, may be useful. More specifically, we are talking about positive debt, such as the debt you have on an investment property that brings you revenue. We are not discussing negative debt such as credit cards or personal debt incurred to pay for goods beyond our financial means. If you have debt related to investments, your payments may remain the same even if the purchasing value of the dollar declines. Therefore, a monthly bill of $2,000 on a rental home may not affect your real bottom line as much as you would think. Inflation, it is believed, is a kind of economic equality that punishes savers while benefiting borrowers. In preparation for this, many investors are drawing down on their stock holdings and making other preparations to put themselves in a strong position to protect themselves from the negative effects of inflation.

Invest the time and effort to prepare well. You could even be able to turn inflation into an asset for your business. Others believe that fixed-rate long-term debt may be the most effective hedge against currently available inflation. When it comes to purchasing a home to use as a rental, some investors believe that the true asset is the loan rather than the house itself. Some investors, whether doing the right thing or not, will pay above the asking price for a home if they believe inflation will help them pay off their mortgage. Whether or not inflation is a factor, you must do the appropriate research and calculations to determine whether or not the potential investment opportunity makes sense and satisfies your investment requirements. Real Estate by the Numbers is the most recent book by J. Scott, and it was written in collaboration with Dave Meyer. If you are interested in making smart investments in real estate, we strongly suggest you read this book.

The deductions for general expenses

Let’s discuss the tax advantages that come our way as real estate investors now that we understand why real estate a suitable investment might be to manage against inflation. When paying taxes, the Internal Revenue Service will consider you if you own a company if you make a real estate investment. And what this indicates is that you are eligible to use the many tax incentives provided by the tax law to company owners like yourself. When we speak about “businesses,” we are not referring to legal organizations such as limited liability corporations or organizations, which is important to keep in mind. We are only referring to the fact that you are engaged in the real estate investment business. In other words, it doesn’t matter whether your property is managed by you personally or by a formal entity such as an LLC; you still have access to a significant portion of the common expenditures you may take advantage of.

You have the ability, as an investor, to write off any regular and necessary costs that are associated with the real estate investment activities you engage in. Therefore, in addition to the typical expenditures such as interest payments, tax payments, and insurance premiums, you are also allowed to deduct extra costs associated with your real estate. Have you been to any real estate events recently? If this is the situation, some or all of your travel expenses, including airfare, lodging, and meals, may be tax deductible. A broad range of expenses may be deducted from the rent or other revenue you get from your rental property. As an investor, you must check to see that you are recording and appropriately keeping track of these expenditures throughout the year.

This is of utmost significance during periods of inflation since your tax rate may climb in tandem with your rise in income if inflation remains. Since you are now at a higher rate of taxation due to your increasing earnings, deducting a business trip that cost you $2,000 might now save you 32% of the taxes that it used to save you back when you were in a lower tax bracket.

Depreciation

Depreciation is an essential component of any discussion on the tax advantages of property ownership.

One of the clearest advantages of investing in real estate is the ability to take advantage of depreciation. The question now is, what precisely is depreciation? The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) enables investors to deduct the cost of the building’s acquisition from their taxable income. The fundamental principle upon which the tax law is based is that the structure you own will experience some level of wear and tear over time. Consequently, you are authorized to deduct a part of the original purchase price from your taxable income over a certain number of years. When it comes to residential real estate investments, depreciation gives you the opportunity to write off the property after 27.5 years. The Internal Revenue Service permits us to depreciate the cost of commercial assets such as office buildings and retail complexes over a period of 39 years.

Let’s look at an example to understand this better.

Depreciation Example

John puts a $30,000 deposit toward purchasing a rental property that costs $150,000 in total. Let’s say the building has an estimated value of $100,000. John may spread the cost of depreciation of the $100,000 property over 27.5 years, leading to an annual loss of around $3,600. It is essential to bear in mind that John might take advantage of this depreciation, despite the fact that the amount of his initial deposit did not affect its availability. To put it another way, he would have been entitled to the same amount of depreciation even if he had bought the property completely in cash. If, on the other hand, John had purchased this home with zero down payment, he would have been liable for the same amount of depreciation. You can see how the government provides a tax break for us when we use the borrowed money.

There is an option available to boost the effectiveness of this tax advantage for the current year. This is accomplished by combining the use of two different methodologies, namely, cost segregation and bonus depreciation. By doing a cost segregation analysis, you may speed up the process of depreciating your rental facility such that it takes place over a shorter period than the standard 27.5 years. During a cost segregation analysis, your financial advice team will work with you to determine the worth of the structure of the building and then break that value down into its individual components. Consequently, you will be able to speed up a portion of the depreciation over the first few years that you hold the asset. First, let’s look at a specific example of how this happens.

Let’s imagine you spent $100,000 to purchase a home that cost $500,000. Assuming the building portion of the purchase cost is $400,000, your ordinary annual depreciation may be about $14,500. You may be able to expedite a significant portion of that depreciation by doing a cost segregation study, which could result in as much as $120,000 worth of depreciation in the very first year. That translates into the possibility of offsetting $120,000 of your rental income from the taxes you owe for this year by using that deduction.

Now let’s put inflation into perspective by looking at an example of it. It’s possible that your previous income put you in the 24 percent marginal rate. This indicates that the $120k in depreciation enabled you to avoid around $28,000 in taxes that were owed on the revenue from your rental property. On the other hand, since inflation has caused a rise in the purchasing power of your money, the real tax rate you pay can be 32%. Therefore, a reduction in taxes equal to 32% of $120,000, or $38,000, is achieved. As can be seen, a rise in your tax rate results in a corresponding increase in tax savings.

What happens if you don’t have enough money from rent or other passive income sources to cover a significant portion of the depreciation expenditure you paid this year? It’s excellent news that you won’t have to miss these financial benefits. Rental losses considered passive might be carried over into subsequent years to offset the tax impact of other forms of passive income. In addition, if you’re like many investors and have other forms of passive income (besides rents) this year, you may use the extra rental losses to reduce the amount of those other forms of passive income. If either you or your spouse can earn a living as a real estate expert, you’ll have a significant advantage when it comes to investing in real estate. The rationale for this is that as a real estate professional, you may be able to utilize rental losses to offset the taxes owed on income from other sources, such as W-2 wages, stock profits, cryptocurrency gains, and distributions from retirement accounts.

You are free to put the cost segregation plan on hold indefinitely if you cannot take advantage of the associated tax advantages at this time. You can plan to integrate the execution of this approach into a future year to get the best benefit from it, which is an excellent point to consider when doing any kind of planning. In other words, start preparing in advance so that you may use it in a year in which you are not limited in the number of passive losses you can sustain.

As can be seen, the size of our tax burden rises along with both the rate of inflation and the level of our wages. Because of this, engaging in tax planning is even more vital since every dollar of deductible that is produced enables us to save money despite the higher tax rate.

Benefits to Taxpayers Associated with Appreciation

One of the tax advantages of investing in real estate during periods of inflation is that appreciation is often exempt from taxation. Because you haven’t made a profit from selling the property, no tax will be due. Take, for example, the acquisition of a rental property that you made for the value of $150 000. The property’s value has increased to $250,000 due to the high level of inflation seen in the current real estate market. Because of the appreciation of our property, we are not required to make annual tax payments due to this gain. That money is increasing for our benefit despite the absence of any tax burden.

Let’s go one step further with this. Let’s imagine you’ve wished to take advantage of the substantial amount of equity that has accrued in your rental property as a direct consequence of price increases over the years. You may execute a cash-out refinancing on this property, and you won’t have to pay taxes on the money you take out of it at this time. What would happen, for instance, if you decided to use the sixty thousand dollars you obtained from a cash-out refinancing to purchase more real estate? Not only do you not have to pay taxes on that $60,000 right now, but you also can deduct the interest expenditure linked with it from the revenue you get from renting out your property.

Let’s discuss some of the future tax advantages of employing real estate during times of inflation now that we’ve focused on some of the existing tax advantages of doing so.

Real Estate 1031 Exchange Sales

As property investors, one of the major tax benefits that have traditionally been popular is the potential to sell valued rental properties while simultaneously deferring payment of capital gains taxes via a 1031 exchange. This is a technique in which the investor sells one valued rental home and then reinvests the proceeds from the sale into another rental property, delaying the payment of any related capital gains taxes (or properties). There are a few guidelines that must be followed in order to be eligible for the tax deferral advantages that are available. 

• You have a period of 45 days, starting on the date of the sale, to choose the property that will serve as your replacement.
• You have one hundred eighty days from the day of the sale to complete the transaction on your replacement property.
• The cost of purchasing the new property (or properties) must exceed the amount the previous property was offered for sale.
• You must have more or equivalent equity in your replacement property than in the one you’re selling.

You can delay paying any taxes related to the sale of your home if the agreement is managed properly. You are able to delay the payment of any applicable taxes, including the federal capital gains tax, any applicable state capital gains tax, and even the net investment tax.

First, let’s look at a practical example.

1031 Exchange Example

The investment home in Long Beach that Kyle owned and rented out cost him $200,000 when he bought it. Due to the unexpected market conditions, the property’s value has increased to $500,000. Because of the impending implementation of new rent control regulations, Kyle has decided that he no longer wants to reside in Long Beach. Kyle may likely owe more than $100,000 in taxes if he decides to sell the rental property via the traditional channels. Instead, Kyle engages in what’s known as a 1031 exchange via the use of proactive preparation. He receives $500,000 for the sale of the property in Long Beach. He spends that money on purchasing a modest apartment complex in Florida. Because Kyle followed all of the regulations regarding the money and the timeframe, he was exempt from paying any taxes on this transaction. Over one hundred thousand dollars’ worth of taxes has been postponed for Kyle.

The 1031 exchange is a fantastic approach that has proven successful for many investors. But how precisely does this factor into the picture when times are marked by inflation? The purpose of a 1031 exchange is to delay the payment of any applicable taxes on capital gains to a later date. After five years, Kyle would be responsible for paying capital gains taxes if he decided to sell the property for a profit. Because of inflation, Kyle could make his tax payments using inflated currency. This indicates that in precise terms, the amount that he will have to pay five years from now will be less expensive than the amount that he would have to pay using dollars from today. This is just another illustration of how tax preparation using real estate might be very effective during times of high inflation.

If Kyle decided to sell in year five, he could always perform another 1031 exchange into a new home if he wanted. This is an excellent method that enables investors to indefinitely postpone the payment of taxes on capital gains while at the same time wealth accumulation. An investor is not restricted in either the amount of cash they can exchange or the number of times they may do so by using the 1031 strategy.

Summary

Robert Kiyosaki, the author of the best-selling book Rich Dad, Poor Dad, is known for sharing the valuable lesson that it is not about how much money you earn but how much you get to retain. He emphasizes the important role of this point. We are conscious that taxation and inflation are two of the most significant factors that damage our wealth. We also know that the best times to make money are when you least expect it. Although some individuals are developing irrational levels of anxiety due to what they are experiencing today, it is essential to be aware that considerable wealth may be accumulated even during periods of inflation. Inflationary times provide many unique opportunities.

Make sure you give yourself enough time to participate in some preventative preparation. If done properly, it can assist in ensuring that you not only survive but really flourish during times of rising prices by ensuring that you have a cash reserve to ultimately depend on.

Mortgage interest rates could decline in 2023. How is it feasible?

The cost of obtaining a mortgage has more than doubled over the course of 2022, resulting in a precipitous decline in both accessibility and demand in the property market. We see a correction in the property market because decreased demand usually results in decreased pricing. It is my perception that the quickly increasing interest rates on mortgages are the primary cause of this correction and that it will continue for as long as rates remain at their current levels. Therefore, the question that has to be asked is, what do you think will happen to mortgage rates in the following year?

Many people are predicting more mortgage rate increases due to the Federal Reserve’s announcement last week that it will increase the Federal Funds Rate (FFR) by an additional 75 basis points. The Federal Reserve has indicated that it plans to continue increasing the FFR for the remainder of this year and at least into the beginning of the year. Since this is the scenario, many people have increased their 2023 mortgage rate predictions to 8% (from an average of roughly 7.1% at the time of writing).

However, many renowned analysts predict that mortgage rates will decline in 2023. In 2023, rates are forecast to plateau at roughly 5.4%, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Mark Zandi, an economist, anticipates a little reduction in interest rates, bringing them to 6.5%. According to Rick Sharga of ATTOM data, interest rates are expected to reach a high of about 8% before declining to below 6% by the end of 2023. In the next year, Logan Motashami believes mortgage interest rates may decline.

What’s the deal with that? How could interest rates go down if the Fed has already indicated that they want to raise them, and the economy is in such a precarious state? I am conscious that this looks ridiculous, but this prediction is based on economic logic, and thus we need to investigate it.

The Federal Reserve does not have direct control over mortgage rates

First, it’s important to keep in mind that the Fed doesn’t set mortgage rates. When the Federal Reserve talks about “raising rates,” they are referring to the Federal Funds Rate (FFR), which influences mortgage rates but does not directly regulate them (or credit cards, car loans, etc.). On the other hand, mortgage rates are directly influenced by the yield on the 10-year Treasury bond, despite the fact that the Fed only has a limited, indirect influence on these rates.

I performed an analysis to determine the degree of connection between the yield on the bond and mortgage rates, and the result was astounding.99. However, mathematical calculations are not required in order for you to comprehend this. The following figure demonstrates that mortgage rates and the yield on a 10-year bond move in the same direction.

Mortgage rates and the yield on the 10-year Treasury note fluctuated in tandem because of how banks generate revenue and manage their business’s risk and reward profile. Imagine that you are a financial institution with access to billions of dollars it can lend out. Every day, you have to choose whom you should lend your money to, how risky each possible loan is, and how much profit you need to make (in the form of an interest rate) to compensate for the risk. The higher the perceived level of risk associated with a loan by the lending institution, the higher the interest rate will be on that loan.

Lending money to the United States government as a bond is considered the least risky type of financing available anywhere in the world (called a Treasury Bill). A loan to the United States government is what a Treasury Bill ultimately amounts to. Furthermore, the risk involved is very small because the United States government has never been in default on any of its commitments. Because the United States has always fulfilled its bond obligations, holding U.S. bonds presents a very low level of risk for any kind of investor, whether financial institutions or individuals.

An investment in 10-year Treasury securities now yields about 4%. Therefore, a bank has the potential to earn an interest rate of 4% with almost no risk. However, banks want returns greater than 4%, so in addition to purchasing treasuries and lending to the U.S. government, they provide credit to companies and people, often in the form of mortgages.

In the big scope of things, mortgages don’t pose much danger, yet everybody who takes out a mortgage has less creditworthiness than the United States government. The bank is taking on greater risk by providing mortgage financing than it would be providing the same funds to the federal government. Therefore, the bank will charge you a higher interest rate to account for the extra risk it is taking by extending credit to you. When it comes to a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, financial institutions often charge an additional 170 basis points (one basis point is equivalent to 0.01, so 170 basis points are 1.7%) on top of the yield on a 10-year Treasury bond.

How Might Mortgage Rates Fall in 2023?

The two competing theories are:

First, there is a potential that bond yields will go down, which would, in turn, cause mortgage rates to go down. There is widespread agreement among economists that a worldwide recession will begin in the year 2023. Shareholders tend to search for low-risk assets during a recession, and as we’ve shown, the investment with the least amount of risk everywhere in the world is a U.S. Treasury bill. Because of the inverse relationship between bond prices and yields, the demand for United States Treasuries may lead bond prices to increase (more demand = higher prices), which in turn may force yields to decrease.

Therefore, the primary reason why mortgage rates might decrease in 2023 is that we could experience a worldwide recession. This would increase the demand for United States Treasuries, pushing bond yields and mortgage rates down.

The existing disparity between yields and mortgage rates is another factor that might lead to a decline in mortgage rates in 2023. Do you remember what I stated earlier about how financial institutions add the premium to the bond yields of mortgage borrowers owing to the higher level of risk involved and how this additional premium is typically 170 basis points? However, at the moment, that premium comes in at 292 basis points, 72% more than the typical spread!

The gap can widen when there is a great deal of economic unpredictability. Just have a look at the graph down below. Only on three occasions since 2000 has the spread been considerably higher than 200 basis points; those instances were during the Great Recession, the start of the pandemic, and presently. The current spread is a new all-time high not seen since 1986.

We are currently uncertain; nevertheless, it is conceivable that things will become clearer in 2023 (let us hope). I expect a decrease in the disparity between the 10-year yield and mortgage rates if inflation moderates and the Fed slows or reverses its rate rises, which may lead to lower mortgage rates even if yields remain high.

Conclusion

It is essential to clearly understand that there is a realistic potential for mortgage interest rates to decline in 2023, although we do not know what will transpire.

When asked about the issue, Nadia Evangelou, the Senior Economist and Director of Real Estate Research for the National Association of Realtors provided an excellent synopsis by stating that there are three potential outcomes in the year 2023. “In case number one, the rate of inflation continues to be rather high, which compels the Federal Reserve to keep increasing interest rates. This indicates that mortgage rates will continue to increase, and there is a potential that they may approach 8.5 percent. If the consumer price index shows a greater response to the Fed’s rate rises and inflation gradually decelerates, then mortgage rates will likely settle in the 7% to 7.50% range by 2023 (Scenario 2). In the third possible outcome, the Federal Reserve increases interest rates on many occasions to bring down inflation, which leads to a contraction in economic activity. Because of this, rates can go down to 5%.

What you are saying makes perfect sense to me. This indicates that we will have to wait and watch what happens with inflation to determine the path mortgage rates (and maybe property prices) take in the next year.

In my last post, I thought about the impending doom that would strike many people who had invested in real estate. I cited both Warren Buffett and Howard Marks. I used the “third decade in real estate” card as my ace. I endeavored to convince you that we are now in the risky lag period that occurs at the peak of a bubble, much in the same way that the front car of a roller coaster hangs suspended at the top of the first hill.

I advised investors not to be too enthusiastic and overpay for properties likely to depreciate due to interest rate rises and the potential slowing of rent growth. After that, in the next article, I went in a completely different direction. I defended my position by offering explanations for why I was wrong. Alternatively, real estate investors might benefit from variables that reduce the impact of the eventual market decline.

I believe that sustained rent inflation, a rapid economic reaction to interest rate rises, the Fed not overcorrecting, or continuous supply and demand imbalances might save many real estate investors. However, it is important to remember that each of them is a component of the economy or the market. These are not within the control of any investor, and we cannot depend on them to determine our returns. A person is considered a speculator if they make their living by risking the outcome of financial markets and the economy.

If speculating is something you like doing, you should feel free to do so. However, you shouldn’t fool yourself into thinking you’re an investor. If you are a syndicator accepting the money of other people, you owe it to them, to be honest with them.

Regardless of the market or economic cycle, you may invest properly (rather than speculating) by following at least four techniques. In accordance with the main principles of this series, I will concentrate my discussion on the circumstances that exist at the time of this writing. These circumstances include the increase in interest rates, the current lag in commensurate cap rate growth (price reductions), and the potential that a bubble is about to burst.

Maintain a low to moderate level of debt

Interest rate hikes and economic disasters will likely come as no surprise to people who have little or no debt. During periods of increasing interest rates, investors who base their financial decisions on historically low rates of return might find themselves in a difficult position.

When the value of an asset falls, it is conceivable for investors who have taken on too much debt to suffer a loss of equity or even negative equity. This happens when the fall in value washes away an investor’s profits and even the capital initially invested in the venture. If you’re a syndicator, this might make your already-displeased investors even more unhappy, leading to a capital call.

This could be problematic throughout the refinancing process as well. Credit markets tend to become more restrictive when economic conditions are poor. The lending requirements of banks become stricter, their loan-to-cost ratios go lower, and it generally becomes more difficult to obtain money from banks. This can potentially result in negative equity and the possibility of losing an asset that generates outstanding cash flow.

An investment with minimal risk may be transformed into a kind of dangerous speculation via the use of excessive leverage. Caution is advised to anybody considering investing. 

Use Fixed-Rate, Long-Term Debt  

The first approach should be used in combination with this one. There’s a chance that things are about to turn for the worse. However, that course will return to the north at some point in the future. Shareholders with long-term debt with fixed rates will likely ride out the cycle through the trough and up the other side, but the timing of this event is unpredictable. Inflationary pressures on rents are expected to keep profits high throughout the cycle, providing investors with a steady stream of income and a significant return on their money.

The use of short-term, variable-interest loans is acceptable. There is very definitely a place for something like that. However, if you are worried about where we are in the present economic cycle phase, you should consider the content of your debt. 

To save money, it’s best to make purchases outside of the regular market.

In the last post, we highlighted the importance of not spending more than you should for anything. It’s tempting to take advantage of the relaxing conditions in the market by investing in each opportunity that presents itself, given the intense competition for a limited number of transactions among investors during the last decade.

Overpaying today carries the greatest risk when the marketplace is at its all-time high. Safety margins are possibly at their lowest point ever; therefore, now is the moment to exercise extreme caution. Buying something unavailable on the market is one approach to do this. Real estate investors should use a strong off-market buying approach to identify transactions with less buyer competition and presumably at cheaper pricing.

There are several multiple approaches one might use to find off-market bargains. A great deal is determined by the asset class you possess and the skills of your staff. My company invests in recession-proof commercial real estate by collaborating with leading operators. To get in touch with off-market property owners of mobile home parks and self-storage facilities, my preferred operator has eight staff members working full-time in this role. Over several years, this technique has achieved objectives that have been nothing more than extraordinary.

Keeping considerable financial reserves on hand is one strategy that may help improve this endeavor’s effectiveness. Those investors who can purchase assets with cash and then refinance them later may have access to offers and pricing that are accessible to the majority of other investors.

My preferred method of cautious investing, which can be depended on reliably regardless of the state of the market or the economic cycle, typically coincides with the purchase of advantageously priced off-market purchases.

Invest In Intrinsic Value 

Those who are successful in the real estate investment strategy look for opportunities with considerable untapped inherent potential, just as those who are successful in the financial markets or any other kind of investment do. This refers to the value that already exists in an asset that has been bought and may be extracted by a competent operator.

In highly fragmented asset sectors, these real estate holdings are often purchased from smaller, family-owned businesses. Although the options are many, we have discovered that mobile home parks, self-storage facilities, and recreational vehicle parks provide the most promising outcomes. Additionally, our company makes strategic investments in certain multifamily, light industrial, and retail center prospects that have high intrinsic value at the time of purchase.

According to Warren Buffett, the key to successful investment is acquiring assets with a large safety margin. Taking advantage of assets with a high intrinsic worth may provide a substantial margin of safety, which is particularly useful when purchasers risk overpaying for underwhelming properties with uncertain potential upside.

Two important and related margin of safety measures are debt service coverage and loan-to-value ratios. Monthly interest and principal payments divided by operational profits represent the debt service coverage ratio. A minimum DSCR of around 1.20, which translates to a 20% margin of safety between net income and debt servicing, is preferred by financial institutions. However, this modest margin may rapidly evaporate if floating interest rates increase or net income falls.

If you can unlock the true worth of your assets, you’ll see rising net income and a better debt service coverage ratio. An increasing safety net makes it possible to take more calculated risks in unstable economic climates. In addition, this harvest results in significant increases in value, which can counteract the increase in cap rates that is caused by increases in interest rates; this is a huge victory for investors.

A significant number of the properties in which we invest have DSCR values that are far higher than 2.0, which translates to a margin of safety that is one hundred percent. Some go even higher than 3.0, representing a safety margin of 200 percent.

In most cases, an increase in the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio is accompanied by a decrease in the margin of safety. The most important time to consider this margin of safety is when you are refinancing your loan. The investor’s equity is equal to the difference between the asset’s value and the loan’s due amount. Lower LTVs result in increased equity and reduced risk when the economy is in a contractionary phase.

One of our operators starts with a relatively low LTC (loan-to-cost ratio, also known as the LTV upon purchase), which is around 65%. However, there is a possibility that doing so may result in a reduction in their existing average LTV, which is 35%. A location that offers a high level of protection for financial investments.

Avoiding risk is important Mr. Buffett considers avoiding losses to be the most important factor in a successful investment. But the ultimate objective is to produce true wealth. Real wealth consists of assets that provide a steady stream of income. Acquiring assets with unrealized potential worth that can be unlocked by competent management is, in my opinion, the best strategy for mitigating risk while increasing one’s wealth. 

The Steps That Should Be Taken Next

Many articles I’ve written highlight the benefit of investing in things people don’t immediately appreciate. Our company is focused on the goal of providing our shareholders with the safety and profitability that are associated with this approach. Since I find this approach to investing to be the most appealing of the four sound methods, I want to dedicate the next six articles to exploring real-world examples of how to extract intrinsic value from:

1. Light Industrial 
2. Mobile Home Parks 
3. Multifamily 
4. Outdoor Shopping Centers (yes, even retail)
5. RV Parks
6. Self-Storage

The following is a preview of some of the research findings we will discuss:

• A self-storage facility in Texas was purchased for cash from disputing siblings, and then, in only three months, it was valued at 75% more than it was originally worth.
• Covid’s worst-performing months coincided with the purchase and subsequent sale of a mobile home park in Kentucky, yielding an IRR of 347%.
• After just 19 months, a multifamily asset that had originally been purchased for $13 million was refinanced at more than $50 million.
• A sunbelt RV park renovated into a money-making machine is expected to have an annual cash flow of more than 25 percent. 

Please keep in mind that I won’t simply be going through the previous research. Your plan for investing in real estate will benefit from my implementing the ideas of minimizing risk while simultaneously increasing value and wealth. I will do this by putting these principles of value investing into practice. I can’t wait to tell you about these experiences and teach you these techniques using these guiding principles!