Great Rental Revenue

By Todd Anderson

Nov 30, 2010

The Headline touts rental revenue, but what is "great revenue" in Park City, UT? Park City, UT is home to many second homes and vacation homes that are used infrequently by their absentee owners. Many of these homes and getaways are available as short term rentals for vacationers. Also, the majority of the hotels in Park City are condominium hotels meaning that each unit is separately owned and a rental management company is running the hotel amenities while sharing room revenues with the owners. Thus when a property is listed for sale in Park City, the subject of rental revenue opportunity is often mentioned, if not by the seller, then by the prospective buyer.

Great rental revenue though is subjective. Will the purchase produce a positive cash flow? Will it be revenue neutral? Or will the buyer be making monthly payments to own a little piece of Park City? The answer is, it all depends. I have a "rule of thumb" that generally holds true for nightly rentals in the Park City area. Enough revenue will be generated to cover taxes and HOA fees after the revenue split with the property manager. There are many variable in this simple equation: how much owner usage will there be and during what times? How well is the property marketed? What is the management split (in Park City it is usually around 50% for nightly rental property)? What amenities are available to the renters? Etc. etc. Recent price changes have made many of the revenue opportunities look stronger, but you must also consider that rental revenues have been falling along with condominium prices in Park City. A recent travel symposium speaker estimated that nightly rental prices will be off by 17% this year after falling 10% last year and 10% the year before, so while nightly lodging tallies which count room nights show increasing visitor nights, rental revenues are far from their peaks. Buyers and Sellers should also note that added rooms in the Park City area bring more competition to fill each bed. Will the "great rental revenue" on the property you buy in Park City prove to be a good retirement scheme? I doubt it. Will it provide you with a great place to vacation, create family memories, and provide a drive to keep you working in hopes of retiring here? Definitely. I always say "purchase a home or condo in Park City for the lifestyle it can provide and the enjoyment it will bring you". Rarely does a property in Park City "pencil" when it comes to rental revenue. Note that I didn't say "never" and appreciation cures everything when it comes to investments. Besides, do you really want to stay in that great revenue producing storage facility you bought in Salt Lake City? Let the YouInParkCity.com Group assist you in finding a home or condominium in Park City, UT.

Tags: condominium, home, Investment, Park City, rental revenue, UT
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Remodeling your Home to Sell

By Todd Anderson

Oct 06, 2008

Saturday Morning TV seems to be filled with shows on HGTV and the DIY network among others that show people upgrading their homes followed by a Realtor telling them how much more it is worth. The country's present real estate market shows us that those upgrades may not all be good and definitely don't necessarily make you money in the end. This is not to say that something can't be bought at a great price have a few cosmetic upgrades done and be sold for a profit, but the days of the easy fix and flip may be gone. The Park City area, having a resort originally built in the 60's and 70's (not to mention miners shacks from the early 1900's), has some properties that are in need of a remodel. The majority of the guests coming here expect a world class resort and accommodations to match. Real estate buyers in Park City have come to expect granite countertops surrounding professional grade appliances, jetted tubs and travertine tile in bathrooms, LCD or Plasma screen TV's, hot tubs plus plenty of snow in the winter and sun in the summer. Maybe your Park City home or condominium doesn't currently have all this. Do you have to upgrade? If so, what should you do and how much should you spend? To answer these questions you really need to consider what end result you are trying to accomplish. Are you looking to sell soon? Are you looking for better rental revenue? Are you looking to just please yourself or spouse by making your place more comfortable? Do you just want to smile when you turn the corner and see your home come into view? Each of theses answers may lead to a different upgrade and investment in your property. If your intention is to fix up the property and sell it, consult your local Realtor about which project to tackle first and the resulting revenue difference it may make in the sales price of your home. Remember that the most important part will be to get people to come into your Park City house or condominium, so work on the outside "curb appeal" first (this is the first and last thing people see when they come to look at your property). If your intention is to remodel the inside of your home, take a look at the cost of remodels and the average return on that investment in the Sellers section of our website. Remember why you are making an upgrade, if it brings you happiness while you are living in the home; consider that value in your return on investment calculation. Also, for those of you that plan to "do-it-yourself" note that it is never as easy as the ½ hour TV show would lead you to believe. Think about what type of person you are (are you a perfectionist or do you settle for adequate?), make sure that you finish the project to the end and not just do "good enough" especially if your end wish is for better resale value.

Tags: condominium, home, Investment, market, Park City, property, Real Estate, remodel, revenue, upgrade, UT, Utah
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Fed Funds Rate

By Todd Anderson

Feb 01, 2008

Interest rates have an effect on the national economy and while real estate is always local, no two markets are totally detached from one-another. Peoples' ability to buy and sell in their homes or investment properties in other cities affects their ability to buy in Park City. Moves by the Federal Reserve affect mortgage rates, but not always in the way people think. The following is a well written piece from a local lender trusted by the YouInParkCity.com group.

Historic Fed Move Cuts Both Ways for Borrowers

Hot on the heels of its surprise inter-session rate cut of 75 basis points last week, the Federal Reserve cut key interest rates again, the fifth straight cut since September 2007. In its statement last week, the Fed said it had decided to cut the federal funds rate "in view of a weakening of the economic outlook and increasing downside risks to growth." In other words, economic data suggests the US is on the brink of recession, and the Fed is acting accordingly. Who benefits from this cut? If you have a loan that is directly tied to the Prime Rate, you will see an immediate benefit. Home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) and variable rate charge cards are the types of loans that will have an interest rate reduction on their next statement. What does this mean for long-term rates? Long-term mortgage rates, the lowest we've experienced in years, could actually increase after today's cut, based on historical performance and recent trends. So if you're waiting for long-term rates to fall further, don't count on it. Your best chance to lock in the lowest rates since 2005 is now. Getting your application in process now will allow you to capture a great rate before it's too late. What REALLY moves mortgage rates? Fixed-rate mortgage rates aren't directly tied to Fed interest rate moves. Instead, they tend to follow in the direction of other long-term government bond yields, such as the 10-year Treasury, which historically moves in accordance with the economic outlook and in advance of Fed actions. The performance of Mortgage Backed Securities, issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, is what really determines long-term mortgage rates. How does the economic stimulus package fit into the picture? The economic stimulus package from Congress and the White House could be a double-edged sword for borrowers. Combined with recent Fed actions, the package could create inflation and bring about higher long-term interest rates. On the positive side, conforming loan limits are likely to be raised from the current $417,000 to upwards of $625,000. This means great potential savings for purchase and refinance candidates who live in 20 high-cost areas across the country. What should you do next? If you're unsure how the rate-cut or the proposed legislation affects your mortgage, don't worry, you're not alone. There's no one-size-fits-all answer. Give us a call right away. We'll review your mortgage and see what, if anything, can or should be done to make the most of your individual financial goals and needs. Thanks, Gregory Cutt Inet Mortgage http://www.inetmortgage.net/

Changes that stem from the "Economic Stimulus Package" are truly the ones I believe will make a difference to our current economic difficulties as it is the ability to obtain and qualify for mortgages that are the problem, not interest rates. Todd Anderson http://www.youinparkcity.com/

Tags: Economic Stimulus, Federal Reserve, Home Sales, interest rates, Investment, mortgages, Park City, Park City real estate
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