Tired of the stock market roller coaster? Investing in real estate may be the answer. Real estate investment can provide a hedge against inflation and may even carry tax advantages.¹

There are many ways to profit from real estate investment. You can:

• Purchase "fixer-upper" properties, make renovations and sell them for more than the original cost of the home plus the cost of renovations.
• Purchase rental properties, charging monthly rents that exceed your monthly mortgage payments plus the cost of maintaining the properties.
• Purchase a vacation home, and sell it for more than the original cost of the home plus the cost of renovation.

How you finance your real estate investment is entirely up to you. One option is to use home equity financing for a portion of the purchase price. This approach could help you avoid paying private mortgage insurance by allowing you to make a down payment of 20 percent or more. Plus, this option could enable you to make that real estate investment now, rather than waiting for your savings to accumulate.

Or take advantage of an 80/10/10, 80/15/5 or 75/20/5 loan. The numbers represent percentages. The first number represents the amount of the purchase price financed by your primary mortgage; the middle number represents the percentage amount of the purchase price financed by a home equity loan and the last number represents your cash down payment. By qualifying for one of these loans, you can combine a first mortgage with a home equity loan. This offers:

• Cost effective down payment strategy: Bypass the added expense of private mortgage insurance while making a down payment as low as five percent.
• Lower interest rate: Purchase a larger home with a smaller first mortgage, avoiding the higher interest rate of a jumbo loan.
• Shorter repayment period for a portion of your loan transaction: The home equity loan has a shorter term, allowing you to pay it off quicker than a traditional mortgage loan.
• Simplicity: One application, one closing.

Learn More

AICPA Members can access a library of homeownership guides to gather valuable Investment Property advice. Sign up and download Wells Fargo’s “Investment in Progress” Homebuyer’s Guide to learn how to turn a house that needs help into a potential gold mine through renovation and resale. For more information on how the AICPA-Sponsored Home Mortgage Program can help you with your home financing needs, call 1-800-CPA-1210 or visit us online for more information. Be sure to ask about the complimentary CPA Getaway.