This exciting life event could be a great investment opportunity!

There’s an air of excitement when your kids move out to study at college or university but it can also be a very expensive time.

Purchasing an investment property may be one way to offset those expenses. The idea is to cover the mortgage payments with the rent collected from roommates while your child manages and maintains the property.

As with any home purchase, you’ll want to carefully evaluate local market conditions so it’s important to select the right real estate agent. If you don’t already have someone you feel comfortable with, let me know and I can refer you to a professional who has a firm grasp of the local market.

Local rents, vacancy rates and zoning laws should also be examined. Finally, it’s important to consider your long-term goals and determine whether you plan on renting it out once your child graduates as this will affect the rate of appreciation.

Specific purchasing details such as co-signing the mortgage or listing your child on title should be discussed with your financial planner and mortgage advisor. There are pros and cons to different ownership scenarios so you’ll want to examine what makes sense for your specific individual situation.

Purchasing an investment property that’s managed by your child is a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly but it’s certainly an option worth considering. It could end up being a great opportunity but make sure you do your homework so you can carefully weigh up the risks and rewards. When you crunch the numbers, you may just find that purchasing a campus crib makes great cents 🙂