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Home prices in Seattle are very high relative to the average in Washington State, but so are rental prices.
A common question is, can Seattle homeowners convert their homes to rental properties in 2022?
According to real estate data service Zillow, rents in the Seattle area are very high compared to other nearby cities, as well as the average for the entire Seattle Metro Area. Seattle’s average rent is currently $2,197, which is a pretty hefty price.
But given the high price to buy a home in Seattle, this may have contributed to the influx of renters moving to the Seattle area in recent years.
This robust rental market, together with general home appreciation, can present some opportunities for Seattle homeowners today. Those who are able to move to more expensive homes would do well to consider retaining their present residences, converting them to rental property to provide income.
While many move-up homeowners must sell their current homes to get the cash for their new homes, there are many who do have the ability to buy while retaining their former residences. Here is why this could be a good financial strategy.
Related: With Seattle rents rising, is a fixed-rate mortgage the answer?
Let’s assume that your home today has a mortgage of $350,000 at 4%. Your monthly payment should be around $2,300 including taxes and insurance. Let’s assume also that your home is worth $500,000 today.
If you can get $2,197 rent (the median for the Seattle area), your tenant will be nearly covering the mortgage, insurance and taxes. You will actually receive a tax benefit because you will be able to claim a “paper loss” through depreciation.
We don’t have time or space to go into the mechanics of depreciation in this article, but just know that you may be able to claim a loss on your taxes, even if the property breaks even. Speak to your tax advisor for details about how this works in your case. This can reduce your income tax burden, effectively giving you some positive cash flow.
Part of the great appeal of residential income property (like your rental home) is that it has a strong tendency to increase in value – in other words, it appreciates.
This means that if your $500,000 home rises in value 5% over the next few months, it will be worth $525,000. And if this trend continues, over $550,000 the next year. Your equity will have increased from $150,000 to $200,000 in two years – a 33% increase.
Right now, with the strong demand for housing, prices in Seattle increased 13.4% over the past 12 months.
The increasing rents in the Seattle area mean also that you will be able to get more rental income from your property as the market increases. While you may be reluctant to raise the rent on that nice Jones family who now live in your home, the natural turnover of tenants means that you’ll be able to get more rent for your property when the inevitable turnover of tenants occurs. This means that your cash flow will increase.
For those homeowners who don’t have enough cash available to make a 20% or larger down payment on their new home, keep in mind the option of making a smaller down payment and paying mortgage insurance for a year or two. The mortgage insurance can be dropped once the new home has appreciated to the point where the loan amount is 80% of the home’s appraised value or less.
This kind of strategy is not suitable for all homeowners, for obvious reasons. But for those who can do it, retaining the former residence and converting it to income property can be a good – and highly profitable – investment.
If you’re on the fence about whether you can rent out your current home or you should simply sell it, you may be a move-up buyer. The best way to identify where you are and what you can do about it is to download our free ebook by clicking this link or the button below.
If you’re in need of a mortgage, Sammamish Mortgage is here to help. We are a mortgage company serving the Pacific Northwest region including Washington, Idaho, Colorado, and Oregon. We have been providing mortgage programs with flexible qualification criteria to borrowers since 1992. Please contact us if you have any questions or are ready to apply for a home loan.
Whether you’re buying a home or ready to refinance, our professionals can help.
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No Obligation and transparency 24/7. Instantly compare live rates and costs from our network of lenders across the country. Real-time accurate rates and closing costs for a variety of loan programs custom to your specific situation.