Investment property purchase and rental considerations

It is great to hear that you have decided to become active in the rental investment market.

First you need to decide if you want a single family residential or a multi-residential.

In a single family residential you are likely to break even on monthly cash flow (all your expenses - mortgage, property tax etc) paid but you will not make cash flow. The money here is made on resale value and equity that the tenant pays into your home.

I would consider the best investment for this type a townhouse - they are low maintenance and easy to rent. If this is your decision, let me know and I will narrow down some good options to send.

In a multi-residential, resale value increase is not as high (depending on area) unless you somehow increase the profit of the operation (renovate to create higher rents, add in coin-op washer and dryers, implement paid parking, etc). These are great to create monthly cash flow and can often be fully paid off within ten years if you put 100% of the rents into your mortgage payments; which would leave you with net incomes ranging from $30,000-$100,000, depending what and where you invest.

The value of these are based on CAP rates. Places like Toronto and Port Credit in Mississauga will have a lower cap rate, around 3-6% max; as the resale is higher. Places like Hamilton and Brampton have lower resales, but are very hot rental markets with cap rates ranging into the 8-11% range.

Hamilton is a good area right now for investment property for a multi-res. It is the number one investment spot in Ontario for multi-family and due to low income, renters are very active.

If you want 20% or less down, we would need to stick with 5 units or under ( I believe most banks are 4 and under, but either RBC or CIBC is 5 and under

Once you review the above information to help you decide which investment strategy you would like to pursue and then we can go from there into more detailed info.

All the best!
Mark