Why You Should Purchase Real Estate Investment Software

By Layla Vanderbilt

Although many real estate investors approach the evaluation and purchase of investment properties with a great degree of enthusiasm and zeal, it is surprising how few take advantage of real estate investment software to maximize their profits once the ?thrill of the chase? is over. In cases in which an investor is interested only in flipping a property over a short period of time, investment software may not be necessary, and the investor?s objectives can likely be accomplished with a simple budget spreadsheet. However, if an investor?s intention is to purchase and hold property over a meaningful period of time, real estate investment software can perform an invaluable function. When considering software, a typical investor will want to use a program that will take all pertinent variables into account so that profit is maximized and the property is sold at the best possible time.

Luckily, you have a lot of options from which to choose. You can use anything from a simple Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to a more complex software specifically developed with the more sophisticated real estate investor in mind. Either way, you will want to assure yourself that the software you use allows you to ascertain whether your investment is a gold mine or little more than a money sink. You?ll also want to know what sort of rent you should charge, and you might want the ability to look at multiple properties in order to compare and contrast them against each other. By being able to do this, you?re sure to find the one that can mint you the most cash.

Investment software is invaluable in helping you figure out what sort of rent to charge. It does this by helping you calculate your internal rate of return (?IRR?) and your modified internal rate of return (?MIRR?), and then comparing them to see if the numbers add up.

Additionally, real estate investment software can help you calculate the rental fees for a given property. This calculation of the appropriate rent for your properties then allows you to determine if your internal rate of return (IRR) and modified internal rate of return (MIRR) make your investment work out financially.

One of the greatest things about real estate investment software is that it can help you decide when to sell a particular piece of property. After all, why hold onto something that isn?t making you any money? Why not sell it and buy something more profitable?

What if you own a number of investment properties? Real estate investment software can help keep track of your various mortgages, taxes and insurance costs. After all, you will want to make sure you meet all your financial obligations on time, and you?ll probably want to be sure you can refinance once the interest rates make it feasible to do so.

For investors with multiple properties, investment property software is a virtual necessity. The software accounts for the multiple mortgages, taxes, and insurance costs that accompany each property, and makes it much more likely that the investor will meet his obligations in a timely manner. In addition, the software can be useful in helping an investor opt to refinance a loan when it is advantageous, from a rate perspective, for him to do so. While it is possible to use a pen and paper to manage certain investments, software is a far better solution in most cases. Using investment software can help the investor maximize profits and divest himself of properties that are underperforming. - 23212

About the Author:

Layla Vanderbilt is the content coordinator for a leading property management software review website which connects people with the leading property management tools.