Best Business Bank Account for REI

Best Business Bank Account for REI

Rental Property Investor · Orlando, FL · Member since 2015 · 131 posts · 62 votes

Morning BP,

After 3 years of investing and 6 doors, I'm going to start treating my REI as more of a business. This includes doing a much better job at book keeping. I thought I was doing a good job until I went to my CPA last year and he absolutely ripped me apart in terms of keeping organized.

With that said, I have an LLC that I have not placed any properties in yet (would need to Quit Claim or push through a Land Trust into the LLC) and would like to start separating my REI cash flow, expenses, etc from my personal checking. In your experience, which banks have been the most small business friendly *business* accounts? I.E. lower running checking limit, no limit on transactions, etc.

I'd prefer to go with one of the larger banks (ease of use and accessibility), but if you've got a great local bank, for reference I'm in Orlando, FL.

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Logan AllecBusiness Member
Accountant · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 980 votes
8y

@Josh Calcanis, if you're OK with strictly online banking, check out Capital One Spark Business.  They have no monthly transaction limits, monthly fees, or minimum balances.

Also, I believe that Chase is having a $300 promotion right now on small business accounts, but of course they have monthly requirements to avoid the monthly maintenance fee.

Of course, "best" is subjective and depends on what you're looking for in a bank.

Whatever you do, just make sure you run all your business expenses through your business bank / credit card accounts and stick with it.

Clarita CPA Group516 Reviews
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  • Logan AllecBusiness Member
    Accountant · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 980 votes
    8y

    @Josh Calcanis, if you're OK with strictly online banking, check out Capital One Spark Business.  They have no monthly transaction limits, monthly fees, or minimum balances.

    Also, I believe that Chase is having a $300 promotion right now on small business accounts, but of course they have monthly requirements to avoid the monthly maintenance fee.

    Of course, "best" is subjective and depends on what you're looking for in a bank.

    Whatever you do, just make sure you run all your business expenses through your business bank / credit card accounts and stick with it.

    Clarita CPA Group516 Reviews
  • Rental Property Investor · Orlando, FL · Member since 2015 · 131 posts · 62 votes
    8y

    Thanks @Logan Allec

    From you're experience, what's the downside with Capital One?

    All I'm looking for is an account/credit card I can run all these expenses/cash flow through. Just to separate personal income/accounts from my REI. I don't need a brick and mortar location at this point.

  • Logan AllecBusiness Member
    Accountant · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 980 votes
    8y

    @Josh Calcanis, the downside is it's an online bank and there aren't really ATMs if you need quick cash.  Also, it's not like you can have a go-to guy or gal at Capital One like you can at a local bank or credit union.  There's no real personal relationship.  But if you're just looking for an account to run business income and expenses through, it's great.

    Clarita CPA Group516 Reviews
  • Kim Meredith HamptonBusiness Member
    Real Estate Broker · St Petersburg · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    8y
    Josh, I really like local bank Center State and IBERIA for investors or commercial banking I am going g to switch from Wells Fargo over to one of them for my PM/Real Estate Company
  • Rental Property Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2016 · 325 posts · 253 votes
    8y
    I have my business accounts with Wells Fargo. Minimum balance requirement is $600 for both checking and saving. However, they don't offer Zele payment acceptance for business account for free like they do for personal checking. I did find a way around it by using CASH app. My tenants pay me through it and it goes to my business account next day. I have also opened Capital one Spark credit card which has pretty good cash back program. All expenses related to REI are charged to it. I also maintain my excel spread sheet that I email to my CPA at the tax time and it makes her job easy. Yes, it is a business and must be treated like one. By doing this you will be able to take lum-sum distribution every quarter or end of the year in bug chunks.
  • Basit SiddiqiBusiness Member
    Accountant · New York, NY · Member since 2015 · 8k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    8y

    @Josh Calcanis

    You should reach out to the bank that you got the mortgage through(if it is financed). There is a good chance that they would wave all minimums on checking accounts.

    Wells Fargo did this for me.

  • Rental Property Investor · Orlando, FL · Member since 2017 · 207 posts · 125 votes
    8y

    @Josh Calcanis

    Try Ally if you don't care about brick & mortar.  I use them and they have good rates too.

  • New to Real Estate · Indianapolis, IN · Member since 2017 · 102 posts · 74 votes
    8y

    I would also check out Ally Bank. They are online as well, but they provide reimbursements for your ATM fees up to a certain point each month.

    Also, they have high yield/no penalty accounts where you can park your cash to earn a lot more interest than you can in a typical bank. 

  • Colleen F.Pro Member
    Investor · Narragansett, RI · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    8y
    Capital one online was a little harder to set up and took longer but they ACH pay one of my vendors quicker and without charge. My local bank use to do this but now charges and it takes longer. BofA has zelle and you can request money from people free (personal account) at least but I have had trouble with them on trust docs so I did not try.
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