Leases & Leasing articles

If you have an investment property, should you rent it or sell it? The answer to that question is that you should do both. If you have lots of time on your hands and are handy with tools, you can choose to rent out your property. However, if you have several properties for rent, maintaining them can consume lots of your time. You can choose to hire someone else to maintain your properties, but it cost you money. And higher... Read More

So, you've decided that you want to lease that next vehicle. Can't really blame you. With today's incentives, rebates, and favourable lease rates why wouldn't you. Not only do you get to drive a new car, but a new car that you wouldn't otherwise be able to afford if you were to purchase and finance it. Buyer beware though. With leasing comes new and sometimes rather confusing vocabulary. Don't get lost in a sea of leasing jargon. Protect yourself. Learn... Read More

In today's rapidly changing business environment it makes sense to consider all the options before paying for your business equipment ? whether it's a photocopier, computer system, computer hardware or software, telephone system, security equipment, office furniture or anything else. Many business people will give great consideration to the actual purchase, getting quotes from different suppliers and considering different choices. When it comes to paying, however, they simply pay cash or use bank finance without fully exploring the available options.Most... Read More

"If it can be manufactured, it can be leased." For the past decade or so, this statement has become more and more true to fact. From computer software to commercial aircraft, equipment leases are utilized day in and day out in a constantly changing and highly aggressive business environment worldwide. To gain or to keep the edge over their competitors, companies of every type and size are constantly looking for creative ways to conserve working capital while expanding operations. Many... Read More

For business owners who need working capital now there is a revolutionary, tax-deductible cash flow solution that frees up capital and gives them the money they need to grow. This diversified cash flow solutions is known as "asset leasing."With an asset lease, business owners can obtain quick cash for any company need by simply selling their equipment and leasing it back. Businesses not only receive immediate working capital or cash, most also realize significant tax savings from converting the assets... Read More

Some people choose to lease a car rather than buying one outright. Here are some useful tips on what to consider before leasing a car:The most important thing to remember is that you do not own the vehicle. You get to use it but must return it at the end of the lease unless you choose to buy it.Up-front costs may include the first month's payment, a refundable security deposit, taxes, registration and other fees and other charges.Monthly lease payments... Read More

What exactly is a contract?By definition, a contract is an agreement between two or more parties to do, or to refrain from doing, a particular thing in exchange for something valuable. The parties can be individuals, businesses, organizations and government agencies.They key elements of a successful real estate contract:1. Offer and acceptanceThis implies original signatures with no alterations to the contract. Don't mistake offer and acceptance for counter-offer. When the original offer is marked up and initialed by the party... Read More

Working with tenants can be an amazing experience. (Owners and contractors are equally astounding, but those are subjects for another day.) It seems I get my most memorable anecdotes over the phone. Here are a few of the ones I've culled from my blog and experience and put together for your reading amazement.First was a late-night phone call I took:*beeeep* *beeeep* *beeeep*"Hello?"*beeeep* *beeeep* *beeeep*"Hi, my smoke alarm keeps going off."*beeeep* *beeeep* *beeeep*"Is there a... Read More

How do you fix a price point for an apartment? Take a guess? Figure it based on your carrying costs? Check comps and do a market analysis? Charge whatever the market will bear? If you're looking to place quality tenants, less is sometimes more.We all want to make money with income property; the more the better! When you're looking for a new tenant, however, don't assume that you're going to make more money by charging more. If your property is... Read More

Leasing is a perfectly viable and legitimate way to finance a new car. Although leasing offers attractive benefits, it is somewhat more complex than buying with a loan. This means there can be pitfalls if a decision to lease is made for the wrong reasons.Therefore, a comparison of leasing versus buying is always a useful exercise when considering automobile financing. One option will generally be decidedly better than the other in any specific situation.Let's first look at the financial side... Read More

According to the Equipment Leasing Association ("ELA"), U.S. businesses lease every thing from laptop computers to commercial airplanes, racking up more than $ 200 billion in equipment leased each year. Although four out of five U.S. companies use leasing to acquire equipment, many don't know the ins and outs of leasing well enough to negotiate a good deal. By focusing on a few key aspects of the lease transaction, you can save a bundle on your next lease and eliminate... Read More

Recently there was an article in the Houston Business Journal of the anchor store in many shopping centers through out Houston pulling out. Kmart, took out some stores, so did three other big box stores and a few consumer electronics places and larger furniture stores, now Albertson's has left. Who gets hurt? The franchise stores who pay a high price and lease to be in those centers along side a big anchor tenant. Think about it, Albertson's with their large... Read More

Car leasing is extremely popular because it provides an attractive method of driving an automobile that you might not otherwise afford. It allows you to make lower monthly payments than with traditional car purchase loans. About one out of every four vehicles driven by automotive consumers in the United States are leased.But leasing is not for everyone. You should take the time to learn about leasing, and be sure it's right for you before making a decision.What is LeasingWhile a... Read More

Many lessees enter into lease transactions that they believe are competitive based on faulty rate assumptions. Most lease rate calculations don't take interim rent into consideration. Interim rent is the trap door that allows lessors to receive increases in lease pricing. It is unpredictable and the amount can be arbitrary. By understanding how interim can impact your lease, you can close this trap door and enjoy the lease pricing you thought you negotiated.What is Interim Rent?Interim rent, also known as... Read More

Most great generals know how to design winning battle plans. They also know how to use their resources to gain advantages over the enemy. For these military leaders, getting enough tanks, aircraft, ships and armaments into the hands of the right personnel can spell military victory or defeat.In the business arena, gaining access to certain resources and getting them into able hands can also determine success. Many successful business leaders have discovered that equipment leasing can make a significant difference... Read More

Every real estate investor dealing in rental homes has done his own clean-up and fix-up, at least in the early years. Landlords also become very skilled at managing tenants after being burned a few times.You learn the tricks of the trade and how to get the best results for the least cost. Maybe a few of these tips will be new to you.You can give kitchen cabinets new life with a liberal application of Liquid Gold.Everyone has at least one... Read More

When you see the phrase "joint and several" in a legal document or contract it means that that the parties on one side of the agreement are responsible individually and collectively for the terms of the agreement.Example: In the case of two tenants signing a lease agreement, "joint" means they are jointly responsible for the rent."Several" means that their joint relationship is severed.In a contract it indicates that they have agreed that they are also responsible individually for the rent.... Read More

You, Mr. Landlord are pleased to find qualified tenants for your rental house. The man and woman sign a one-year lease on Tuesday.On Thursday the male tenant contacts you and says they have changed their minds because his girlfriend thinks she sees "dead people" in the bathroom.He expects you to cancel the lease!What do you do, hire an exorcist?No, you smile and softly explain... "Listen Bub, that was a legal contract you signed. It binds both of us to everything... Read More

Each year venture capitalists fund more than 2,500 start-up companies in the U.S. Many of these companies try to conserve their equity capital by approaching venture-leasing firms to secure equipment financing. By obtaining lease financing, these savvy firms are able to use their equity capital for high-impact activities like recruiting key personnel, product development, and expanding their marketing efforts.What are the qualities that make some start-ups more attractive than others to venture lessors? Here are ten factors that most venture... Read More

The residual income from owning rental properties may bring more money into your life than the fast flip in the long term. If nothing else, the stress is reduced because a well-chosen investment will pay for itself until you the market is ready for you to sell. In order to make this idea work, you must plan carefully. Choose your property, choose your management approach, and choose your tenants carefully to make the most of your investment.Choose your property.Not every... Read More