October is here and a whisper of Autumn is in the air. In my part of the world you tolerate Summer to get to Fall and Winter to get to Spring. The weather is rarely boring, or, as they are fond of saying here: "If you don't like the weather, wait ten minutes and it'll change". Truer words were never spoken.
Something else that's changing is my percentage of ownership (or "Equity") of my rental real estate portfolio. At the rate we're moving along I am three months away from owning House #3 free and clear! Three more payments and it will be mine I tell you, MINE! BWAAAHAAAHAAA!!!!! I apologize for that moment of insanity. That's just shy of $50,000.00 in one year. Don't think I haven't been tempted to stray from my course...I have. But we're so close now that it would be foolish to not see this through. We will reap the reward of an additional $424.57 or $5,094.84 annual cash flow. That's 10.4% cash on cash return on that $49,123.00 going forward.
I am thinking of adjusting the strategy beginning January, 2014, however. While having one less monthly mortgage payment in itself amounts to an additional layer of security, I am considering lowering the additional monthly principle payments from the $3,400 range to more like $1,800 to $2,000 and banking the remainder in savings to serve as yet another layer of security going forward. Then, when I can pay the balance of the mortgage off with the savings, I will write one check and be done with it. This will slow the payoff process a bit because those large payments really shrink the amount of interest each month. But it's a trade off I'm willing to consider for the safety it provides.
Here are the numbers for October:
Jan 1, 2013 (Beginning Bal) October, 2013 Amount Paid =======================================================================
House #1 - $70,908 House #1 - $68,078 $ 2,830
House #2 - $57,619 House #2 - $55,044 $ 2,575
House #3 - $49,123 House #3 - $10,470 $38,653
----------------------------- ---------------------------- ---------------------------
Total: $177,650 Total: $133,592 $44,058 (-24.80%)
House #2 - $57,619 House #2 - $55,044 $ 2,575
House #3 - $49,123 House #3 - $10,470 $38,653
----------------------------- ---------------------------- ---------------------------
Total: $177,650 Total: $133,592 $44,058 (-24.80%)
My total equity for those three rental properties has increased by 25% (rounding up) just since January of this year. It will be so exciting to pay off that property and have only TWO monthly mortgage payments totalling $1,317.39 (Payment, Interest, Taxes & Insurance)! I can hardly wait.
Whatever the case, rest assured, we'll keep you abreast of the situation.
