The Move-Up Investor

. Of all types of Investors, the Move-Up Investor is easily the most near and dear to my heart. I will be one of the many Move-Up Investors out there. At one point with time, my rental property was my primary residence. Now, it is really an income producing investment. Fortunately that this is easily repeatable and savvy investors do it all the time.

On this page we will quickly discuss the characteristics with the Move-Imvestor, how to analyze your present home as an investment property after which find the deals available for your next home.

Let's first outline the characteristics from the Move-Up Investor.

The Move-Up Investor typically:

1. Never owned an investment property. (You have to start somewhere!)

2. Owns a house that can be rented and funds flow.

3. Can qualify for a loan without selling their current property.

4. Can repeat the move-up strategy to build long-term wealth over time.

Analyze your current property as a possible investment property.

1. Begin by removing any emotional attachment for the property. Treat it as though it were a commodity, not a home. You should be as objective as possible.

2. Figure out precisely how much it costs you to own this property. Payment, Taxes, Insurance (landlord, not homeowners).

3. Research current rents for your area and find the median rent, not the typical. It is best to be as conservative as you can here.

4. Determine cap rate and funds flow for your property. Make use of the below chart for some help.

Now comes the fun part. Let's find you the next home!

The first conversation you'll want is with a lender. See how much home you really can afford without selling your current home. Remember, "Move-Up Investor doesn't mean you must buy a bigger, higher priced house. I have a few clients who own multiple homes within the same neighborhood.

Have a look at a few of the properties below for move-up deals in our current market. (If we're dreaming, we might as well dream big!)

Each property selected below is only an example of what's available. Prices listed below are just asking prices. Estimated market value is based on comparable sales in the area and projections are deemed reliable, not guaranteed. The theory here is to purchase BELOW Rate in a down market.

Patrick is a graduate of the University of Texas and during his time there he started working with Laura Duggan, broker-owner of West Austin Properties learning everything there is to know about Austin and Central Texas from your third-generation Native Austinite. He also gained valued information about the business of real estate, rounding out a first-class, hands-on design of education. Since then, Laura and Patrick have grown to be business and marketing partners. He's got also continued to purse his real-estate education by becoming an Accredited Buyer Representative, a Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist and Transnational Referral Certified. In February 2010, Patrick and Laura were named Star Power Stars.