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The Triple Net Lease
In every locality there are apartment buildings that are becoming
neglected. Because of the deteriorating condition of these buildings,
rents are low. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to find a
tenement that needs primarily cosmetic repairs - painting, cleaning,
landscaping, carpeting, etc. - and strike a triple net lease agreement
with the owner.
Under a triple net lease (also known as "nnn"), you agree to manage
the property, rent the apartments, maintain the building, and pay all
costs, including taxes, insurance and mortgage. In short, the owner
becomes a silent partner who is no longer bothered by the hassles of
being the landlord. In exchange, you agree to pay him an amount almost
equal to what his NET income from the building currently is. This
lease should be for a minimum of 5 years, allowing you time to create
a large profit for yourself.
Your profit comes from making the necessary repairs, increasing the
value of the property, and streamlining management to reduce expenses.
However, these "nicer" apartments will command a higher rent, and will
attract more tenants, keeping the building full. This additional
rental income is your profit.
Let's say you find a 6 unit building worth $100,000. Rents are
$350/month per unit, but the vacancy rate brings actual average income
down to $1800/month. Mortgage, tax, insurance, water, plowing,
maintenance and all other costs to operate the building currently run
at $1400/month. The owner is therefore making $400/month, has all the
hassles, and his building is deteriorating from neglect.
You offer a Triple Net Lease in which the owner is relieved of all
the work and hassle. You will pay the owner a flat $300/month for
which he needs to do absolutely nothing.
With a little effort and the $100/month you are making, you fix the
place up, one apartment at a time, then rent each one out for
$400/month. Eventually, your efforts result in a full building with
monthly income of $2400. Your better management has reduced expenses
to $1300 per month. The owner still gets only $300. You are now
earning a net income of $800/month for about a few hours a week of
your time.
Do this with 5 buildings and you now have a full time job that nets
you $4000/month - $48,000 a year.
Of course, your triple net lease could include an option to buy in
5 years at a price slightly higher - about 10% - than its current
value, with a portion of your $300/month payment - perhaps 50% - to be
applied to the down payment. Now, in 5 years, your efforts have
resulted in the building being worth $130,000.You buy it for $110,000
less $9,000 already paid as a down payment (that portion of the
$300/month you have been paying the owner which is applied to the
purchase price). With a $101,000 mortgage you own a $130,000 building.
Your equity is $29,000 - all profit to you, in addition to the income
you have been earning. You now own a valuable building that brings in
an income, or at the very least is paying for itself. Meanwhile, your
$29,000 equity could be put to work earning you more money, or getting
you another building. If you have, indeed, done this with five
buildings, realize that your equity is a total of about $145,000, in
addition to the $48,000/year you have been earning.
With a triple net lease, you need no cash or credit, but experience
would be helpful in convincing the owner to accept your offer. With a
little effort and ingenuity, you could make a lot of money, especially
when you consider that you can usually increase the rents each year or
two, due to inflation and the cost of living. Within 5 years your
income could easily exceed $50,000,even with such small buildings.
With larger buildings - 20 units or so -your income could be over
$100,000/year.
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