What is the best leveraging strategy with where I stand now?

What is the best leveraging strategy with where I stand now?

Member since 2018 · 61 posts · 46 votes

Ok, so long story short. I bought a single-family property and lived in it for a couple of years and I spent money and time fixing it up so I could transform it into a rental, which I successfully did. Before I moved out and bought my new property (which is my primary now), I refinanced the rental at a 2.6% which dropped my mortgage some so I could cash flow more substantially on the property (cash flow is $758 currently). The property was appraised at 124k and the mortgage left is 67k. I am kicking myself now because I realized that I probably should have done a HELOC on that property that I moved out of (that is now the rental). Now, I am sitting in my primary residence that doesn't have enough equity for a HELOC (even after minor updates) and I am learning after calling about 25 credit unions that it is not typical for them to offer HELOC for investment properties (there were a couple that said they would, but the stipulations were too much for my liking).

Overview: My investment property cash flows well. The last appraisal was 124K with a 67k mortgage. Cash flow=$758

My primary residence does not have enough equity for a HELOC

The reason that I want to get a HELOC is to acquire another investment property (but this avenue is looking weak)

The problem: I can't get the HELOC on the investment property.. or at least I don't know how to. Although I am open to other finance strategies that involve strong leveraging.

My question: If you were in my situation and wanted to move forward with acquiring a single-family investment property in the near future, how would you go about it? Are there HELOC options?

Location: Cincinnati OH


 
   

1Reply
15 views

Most Popular Reply

Joe SplitrockPro Member
Moderator
Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
5y

@Patrick Crehan I would normally recommend more leverage on your rental property and less on your primary residence. Your mortgage interest on your rental property is tax deductible, but is not on your primary residence. There are also sometimes homestead protections for equity in your primary residence. That means in catastrophic situations like getting sued or filing bankruptcy, they can't touch your home. The equity in the rental property is not protected and they could force you to sell it. 

Given your current situation, refinance would be an option, but I don't think it is worth giving up that interest rate and paying closing costs. There are some lenders who will secure a HELOC against a rental property, so I would just keep looking.

Even if you can't pull equity out, at least you have good cash flow. Save that money and build up reserves for your next purchase. 

See this reply in the discussion

9 Replies

Jump to latestLatest
  • Joe SplitrockPro Member
    Moderator
    Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
    5y

    @Patrick Crehan I would normally recommend more leverage on your rental property and less on your primary residence. Your mortgage interest on your rental property is tax deductible, but is not on your primary residence. There are also sometimes homestead protections for equity in your primary residence. That means in catastrophic situations like getting sued or filing bankruptcy, they can't touch your home. The equity in the rental property is not protected and they could force you to sell it. 

    Given your current situation, refinance would be an option, but I don't think it is worth giving up that interest rate and paying closing costs. There are some lenders who will secure a HELOC against a rental property, so I would just keep looking.

    Even if you can't pull equity out, at least you have good cash flow. Save that money and build up reserves for your next purchase. 

  • Member since 2018 · 61 posts · 46 votes
    5y

    @Joe Splitrock

    Thank you I will keep looking indeed. My plan b is simply save the cash flow for the next investment like you stated.

  • Member since 2020 · 9 posts · 3 votes
    5y

    Can you cash out refi on the rental?  If appraisal holds and you can get out 75%, you likely still end up with around $20k after closing costs, etc.  With the higher principal and higher interest rate your mortgage payment increases a little over $300/month.  Still cash flowing over $400 doesn't seem that bad to me with $20k in your pocket for a DP...if my math holds up.  I am in a somewhat similar situation in Cincy so curious how this works out for you.

  • Member since 2018 · 61 posts · 46 votes
    5y

    @Eric Geiger I've been working with Penfed credit union as of a few days ago. They are doing a heloc on my investment prop with a %4.75 and I think a 10 year draw period. They said you can only have no more than 3 investment props in your portfolio

  • Cincinnati, OH · Member since 2020 · 4k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    5y

    @Patrick Crehan,is the rental titled in your personal name? I was able to get a HELOC on a duplex that was fully rented from Huntington. They knew it was an investment because they did a HELOC on my primary at the same time.

    The kicker is, it has to be titled in your name and not in an LLC.

  • Member since 2018 · 61 posts · 46 votes
    5y

    @Evan Polaski

    It is in my name. Huntington was the first place I tried, but because of COVID they are not offering HELOCS on investment properties at the moment. Bummer

  • Cincinnati, OH · Member since 2020 · 4k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    5y

    @Patrick Crehan, not sure it matters, but mine is technically a PCL, personal credit line, with my property as the collateral on the PCL.

  • Member since 2018 · 61 posts · 46 votes
    5y

    @Eric Geiger

    Hey Eric, just an update. PNC bank is now working with me on a 50k heloc. You can do one heloc on either vacation home or second home (my second home is my rental). They also offer a “lock in rate” so if you draw 25k out and lock in their rate (which was 4.5% when i talked with them) then you would be paying that same rate for like 20-30 years whatever they offer. Pretty nice

  • Member since 2020 · 9 posts · 3 votes
    5y

    @Patrick Crehan Nice!  Thanks for the update. 

Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.