Michigan Real Estate Blog

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Investing in income property can be a great way to increase your capital. But for many people, investing in real estate, especially commercial and industrial real estate is just out of reach from the financial point of view. But what if you could join forces with other small investors and large investments in commercial real estate in the group? With Real Estate Investment Trust, you can do it!
REIT means Real Estate Investment Trust, and is sometimes referred to as “real estate holdings.” Real estate investment trust is a companie that owns and manages a portfolio of real estate and mortgages. Anyone can buy shares of the REIT. Real estate investment trust offers the benefits of real estate without the headaches or expense of the landlord. Said another way the investor has the benefits of real estate ownership with no management role in the toilets and tenants.
Real Estate Investment Trust of certain types offers great benefits of liquidity and diversity. In contrast to the actual ownership of real estate, these measures can be quickly and easily sold. And because you invest in a portfolio of real estate, rather than one building, it comes with less financial risk.
Real Estate Investment Trust was created in the sixties when Congress decided that small investors should also be able to invest in large-scale, income-generating properties. It was found to be the best way to make it a model of investment in other sectors – the purchase of shares.
The company must distribute at least ninety percent of their taxable income to shareholders each year as a Real Estate Investment Trust. Most Real Estate Investment Trust pays out one hundred percent of their taxable income in dividend distributions. To maintain its status as a pass-through entity, Real Estate Investment Trust dividends are paid to shareholders annually.
From 1880 to the 1930’s, a similar provision in place, which allows investors to avoid double taxation – paying taxes as private and business – were convinced, because they do not pay income tax if the income is distributed to beneficiaries. It was abolished in the nineteen thirties, when the passive investments are taxed at the corporate level, as well as part of the profit tax. Real estate investment trust supporters were not able to change the law to overturn the decision within thirty years. Due to high demand for real estate funds, President Eisenhower signed the nineteen sixty Real Estate Investment Trust as a REIT tax pass-through entities.
The company must comply with all other requirements to qualify as a real estate investment trust and to win passage of a person. They should:
1. Be structured as corporation, business trust, or similar association
2. Be managed by a board of directors or trustees
3. Offer fully transferable stock shares
4. Have at least one hundred shareholders
5. Pay dividends of at least ninety percent of the REIT’s taxable income
6. Have no more than fifty percent of its shares held by five or fewer individuals during the last half of each taxable year
7. Hold at least seventy five percent of total investment assets in real estate
8. Have no more than twenty percent of its assets consist of stocks in taxable real estate investment trust subsidiaries
9. Derive at least seventy five percent of gross income from rents or mortgage interest
At least ninety five percent of a real estate investment trust gross income must come from financial investments (in other words, it must pass the ninety five-percent income test). These include rents, dividends, interest and capital gains. In addition, at least seventy five percent of its income must come from certain real estate sources (the seventy five percent income test), including rents from real property, gains from the sale or other disposition of real property, and income and gain derived from foreclosure of property.
This article was written by Robert Shumake, CEO of Inheritance Capital Group, LLC and founder of http://reitbuyer.com/ an online service for people who wish to invest in real estate without the headaches and liability exposure that go with being a landlord. Visit Robert’s website to learn more about Real Estate Investment Trust.

What is a HUD-1 Form in real estate? The HUD-1 Form is a record of all money spent during the purchase of a home. Appraisals and other services are listed on the HUD-1 Form and many are tax deductible items. Learn more about HUD-1 Forms from this Expert Real Estate Tips segment.

Homeowners’ insurance is a must for any owner of residential real estate. It has been around for many years, coming to the rescue of many real estate homeowners. Leaky pipes and their subsequent damage have been causing homeowners grief for an even longer time. Homeowners’ insurance has alleviated such problems by underwriting the cost for repairs.
I remember as a child my father making repairs with money from our homeowner’s insurance policy. He told me that there was never a claim too small, unless it was within the deductible range.
While my father’s information was correct for the times, the rules for small claims on residential real estate have changed. Submitting a small claim today, especially for water damage, could cost you multitudes more in the future.
A California Insurance Department study showed that 25 percent of insurance companies refused to renew policies for residential real estate owners, who made one or two non-water damage claims within the past three years. The figure rose to 32 percent, when the claims were water damage-related. This means the insurers are paying the legitimate claims but are apt to drop those real estate customers at policy renewal time.
Additionally, all insurers share claims information through the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE) database. Not only are you apt to be dropped by your current residential real estate insurer, but others may not approve you. The study also showed that 62 percent of the top 13 insurers in the state of California refused applicants with only one-to-two claims in the past three years.
If another insurer does approve you, it will most definitely be at a much higher premium rate that will add up over the years to a much larger amount than the small water damage claim you made.
So, what has changed?
Toxic Mold
Litigators have jumped on the toxic mold lawsuit bandwagon. Toxic mold comes from water damage repairs that were incorrectly made or only partially cleaned up. It can literally make the real estate residents very ill. Some toxic mold is created by homes that were not quality built and allowed water to seep in between the outer and inside walls. There have been a few multimillion-dollar homes in California that had to be totally leveled due to toxic mold.
Insurance companies generally are expected to pick up the tab and then sue the repair contractor or original builder for reimbursement. This attitude has caused a lot of litigation – between insurers and residential real estate owners, as well as between insurers and parties assumed to be responsible for the toxic mold. They often lose court cases for reimbursement, as well as incurring attorney fees and court costs. Is it any wonder insurance companies have become gun-shy of small water damage claims that could lead to costly repairs and litigation later.
Administrative Costs
Another reason for the change in attitude toward water damage claims is the change in real estate insurers’ business practices. Since the early 90s, real estate insurers have looked for more practical ways to increase profits. Through studies, they found that small claims created the same large administrative costs as the larger claims, even though the payouts were small. They now weed out residential real estate customers who make small claims.
Alternative Game Plan for Real Estate Homeowners
Today, it is better not to make small damage claims of any type. Real estate homeowners should increase their deductibles to $1,000 or $2,500. This reduces their premium costs by as much as 30 percent. They are covered for large damages but not paying for services (small claims) that they are not receiving.
With the larger deductible, the premium savings can be placed into a savings account to pay for small claims that would earlier have been submitted to the insurer. Whenever used, the money should be replaced as soon as possible.
After seven-to-ten years of submitting no claims, most real estate insurers will qualify you for a claims-free discount, saving you even more money.
Is It Worth It?
In deciding if you should submit a claim (even a larger one), first determine if it is worth the possibility of losing your policy and/or paying higher rates. Add up all the repair costs. Determine how much the real estate insurer will pay, based on your policy. Subtract your deductible. Is the remainder only a couple hundred dollars or substantially more? Now, determine if it is worth it. Remember, even moving to another state will not escape the CLUE database.