How to use equity from my own residence

[Cody Holt]

I own a small 2 bed/1 bath home on 40 acres 30 minutes north of KC. Been living here for 5 years and owned it for 3. Got it for a steal, so we have a lot of equity, but the house needs a lot of work. The original plan was to use the equity to build in a few years, but we were blessed with triplets so things got a lot tighter. Would like to keep the property for down the road, but realizing I might be better off to get a place in town with more space and try to turn this place into an investment property for the time being instead. It’s a gamble, but just looking for ideas from more seasoned real estate minds.

[Nathan Gesner]

Quote from @Cody Holt:

Your equity is not a savings account from which you can withdraw for free. If you cash out equity in a property, you are "borrowing" that money from the lender. Upfront expenses and monthly payments must be considered when calculating the return on your investment.

EXAMPLE
You cash out $100,000 of your equity and use this as a down payment on a $400,000 investment property. This creates two loan payments ($100,000 of equity and $300,000 on the new mortgage).

Key Numbers

• Home Equity Loan Interest Rate: 6%
• Mortgage Interest Rate: 7%
• Rental Income: $3,000 per month
• Expenses (management, taxes, insurance, maintenance): $800 per month

Income and Expenses

• Monthly Rental Income: $3,000
• Monthly Expenses: $800
• Monthly Mortgage Payment: $2,000

Explanation

• The investor earns $3,000 in rent each month.
• They pay $2,000 on the investment property mortgage and $800 on other expenses.
• This leaves $200 profit each month or $2,400 per year.
• However, you have to pay $6,000 interest on the equity borrowed.
• This leaves you with an annual loss of $3,600.

This example shows that while the rental property generates positive monthly income, the interest cost of borrowing the initial $100,000 results in an overall annual loss. The investor must consider whether the potential property value increase or other benefits outweigh this loss.