STR Losing Money - Sell at Loss or Hold?

STR Losing Money - Sell at Loss or Hold?

Member since 2023 · 1 post · 0 votes

I'm a novice investor and purchased a short-term rental property in a pandemic boom town in 2022 that is losing money and I'm debating to sell it for a loss, or holding onto it while continuing to accrue negative cash flow. The property was purchased for 710K, and we could sell it now for approximately 625K since our local market has gone down post-pandemic. I don't anticipate it will appreciate back to the 710K sale price for the foreseeable future. We have a good interest rate (4.25%) and a remaining loan of 450K on the property (we put 250K down). With our current rental income, that we don't expect to increase anytime soon, we are at an annual cash flow of about $-11,000 after mortgage, taxes, insurance, expenses, maintenance, etc. are all covered. We are wondering if it would be better to just off-load the property now at a ~85K loss, or hold onto the property while accruing large annual deficits in hopes that the property will appreciate back to our purchase price in the future. We do have the ability to financially withstand the annual negative cashflow for this property with positive (~18K) annual cashflow from a second (more profitable) rental property - but are wondering if we should just cut ties, or continue to take good money and put it into bad. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! 

0Reply
27 views

Most Popular Reply

New to Real Estate · Salt Lake County, UT · Member since 2023 · 42 posts · 16 votes
3y

Hey Jacob,

This is a tough one. The negative cash flow of the property is pretty substantial, however you may be able to shorten it. Have you tried different ways of renting like house hacking the property? If you don't want to experiment, or don't want any long term renters I would most likely exchange it or sell it. Especially since the appreciation wont cover your payment for a while.

Hope this helps,

Romney

See this reply in the discussion

6 Replies

Jump to latestLatest
  • New to Real Estate · Salt Lake County, UT · Member since 2023 · 42 posts · 16 votes
    3y

    Hey Jacob,

    This is a tough one. The negative cash flow of the property is pretty substantial, however you may be able to shorten it. Have you tried different ways of renting like house hacking the property? If you don't want to experiment, or don't want any long term renters I would most likely exchange it or sell it. Especially since the appreciation wont cover your payment for a while.

    Hope this helps,

    Romney

  • Investor · Austin, TX · Member since 2021 · 9k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    3y

    Get out of the property. I don’t see short term rentals doing any better in the near future.

  • Bjorn AhlbladPro Member
    Investor · Shelton, WA · Member since 2017 · 6k+ posts · 6k+ votes
    3y

    @Jacob Berl welcome to BP! Seems to me you have answered your own question and figured this out. Best option is sell it. 

  • Realtor · Gatlinburg · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 957 votes
    3y
    Quote from @Jacob Berl:

    I'm a novice investor and purchased a short-term rental property in a pandemic boom town in 2022 that is losing money and I'm debating to sell it for a loss, or holding onto it while continuing to accrue negative cash flow. The property was purchased for 710K, and we could sell it now for approximately 625K since our local market has gone down post-pandemic. I don't anticipate it will appreciate back to the 710K sale price for the foreseeable future. We have a good interest rate (4.25%) and a remaining loan of 450K on the property (we put 250K down). With our current rental income, that we don't expect to increase anytime soon, we are at an annual cash flow of about $-11,000 after mortgage, taxes, insurance, expenses, maintenance, etc. are all covered. We are wondering if it would be better to just off-load the property now at a ~85K loss, or hold onto the property while accruing large annual deficits in hopes that the property will appreciate back to our purchase price in the future. We do have the ability to financially withstand the annual negative cashflow for this property with positive (~18K) annual cashflow from a second (more profitable) rental property - but are wondering if we should just cut ties, or continue to take good money and put it into bad. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! 

    Did you decide to sell? We are seeing more posts on here about this predicament. Which market are you in?
  • Member since 2023 · 43 posts · 20 votes
    3y

    Hey Jacob, if you don't mind do you think I can see a link of your Airbnb property? It'll help me get a better idea on your situation. Just to see if theres a couple things you can change differently before making such a big decision.

  • Chris SeveneyBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes
    3y

    @Jacob Berl

    Look at it this way, your loan payment has approx $16k in interest ever year where as you are paying 11k. So put another way someone else is more than have your interest payment on the property

    While not ideal. It’s not awful. Question is if you take the hit (and does that include realtor comissions) will you have an investment that does better ?

    7e investments53 Reviews
Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.