Recently, surveys show that there is a growing demand for upscale rental apartments. This presents a potential opportunity for real estate investors all over the country. Plan holders of Solo 401k accounts can also capitalize on this latest real estate trend, as it is also an opportunity to invest and grow their retirement funds.
Latest study shows that young professionals nowadays prefer renting to buying their homes. The reason is that credit market is now tightened and it is harder to qualify for a home loan. The shifting job market and the likelihood of changes in personal life such as marriage and divorce are also reasons for which young people are more hesitant to commit to a property purchase. Plus, upscale rental apartments can offer high-end amenities, such as a swimming pool or a gym. If a young professional were to buy her first home, it would be unlikely that she would be able to afford a property with such luxury.
Because of this growing trend, investors are now looking at this demand as a great investment opportunity. This demand can be capitalized by plan holders of Solo 401k accounts as well. A Solo 401k account, also known as an Individual 401k, is allowed to invest in real estate, including rental apartment buildings.
Investing in real estate with a Solo 401k, plan holders will enjoy many benefits over other retirement plan. The first benefit is the high Solo 401k contribution limit, which allows account holders to stash away up to $52,000 per year as of 2014. Plan holders who are over 50 years old can also make an additional catch-up contribution of $5,500 per year. The total annual limit for this group is $57,500. Since account holders can contribute more into this tax-deferred account, they can gather enough funds faster to invest in real estate.
If account holders do not have enough money in their retirement account even with the high contribution limit, they will still have other financing options. Unlike a traditional IRA account, a Solo 401k is allowed to use non-recourse financing for real estate purchases. If an IRA account obtains financing for their purchases, it will trigger an Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT). This doesn’t apply to a Solo 401k, however, and account holders can certainly leverage their investment. This is definitely a powerful advantage for upscale rental properties, which requires intensive capital up front.
Investing in rental properties is a good way to create steady passive income. The return is also more predictable, especially after the lease is signed. Not only that, with the introduction of the Solo 401k plan, now investors can use rental properties to diversify their retirement portfolio and capture the opportunities presented by this newest trend.
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