Tips For Finding A Property To Rent

Tips For Finding A Property To Rent

Article by House & Son









Finding a suitable property to rent can be a stressful experience, thus knowing how to choose your property is a first crucial step. Whether you are a student looking for temporary accommodation or a more experienced tenant, these tips can make the process of renting much easier.

1. Determine Your Budget – A crucial step at the beginning of the research process is to decide how much you can afford on a monthly or yearly basis, and stick to this budget when looking for actual properties. Most letting agents will state either the weekly or monthly rental costs, and whether any bills and council tax are included. When calculating your budget, it is always important to take utility bills, insurance, council tax, deposits and potential removal costs into account as well.

2. Property considerations – Before you actively start searching for properties, it is also important to decide exactly what kind of property you are looking for. Do you want a house or a flat? Do you need a garden and/or parking space? Do you prefer the property to be furnished or unfurnished? Are you planning to rent through a private landlord or a real estate agency? These are just some of the most important considerations to keep in mind before searching for your property.

3. Think about the location – Thinking about the location of your property is essential before renting one. If you don’t live in the close proximity, walk around the neighbourhood, and make sure that the local area has all the amenities you’ll need. Think about how important the proximity of hospitals or schools are, how the neighbourhood’s nightlife is, and how long it will take to commute to your workplace for example. If you think about all these factors carefully, you’ll save time and stress on the long term.

4. Search for properties – Once you have determined your options and expectations and have some knowledge of the local real estate market, you can start actively looking for properties. As a first step, you can look at some estate agents and search for properties to rent online. All estate agents nowadays will have websites, which will give you valuable information on available properties and agency fees. Arranging viewings with more estate agents and for a variety of properties is recommended so as to be able to choose the best possible option. You can also look for classifieds in the local newspapers, or ask around among your friends. If you take a walk in your chosen area, you might also find a suitable property, as landlords and estate agents often advertise rental properties with signs.



About the Author

Thinking of buying, selling ore renting a property? House & Son are professional estate agents in Bournemouth. Visit our website to find out more about our properties in Bournemouth and lettings in Bournemouth.










Tips for new real estate investors

Tips for new real estate investors

Article by Tulio Troche GRI Broker Associate









Tips for new Real estate Investors

You just started investing in real estate The market is getting soft. Lots of opportunities are out there for all of us to take our share now. If you are savvy, you understand that now is a great time to buy homes and keep them as rentals. Maybe you have a home that you just cant move. You don’t want to sell it because you know the market is going to turn around anyhow. Here are some important tips for newbie landlords:* The purchase price must be right if you expect to get something back at the end of the day. A house can only get a certain amount of rent. If you cant cover the mortgage payment with the rent now, you should seriously consider other options. You can only raise the rent so much before it would just sit vacant and wont rent. * A property manager can save you a lot of headaches. Look for him/her to: price the rent right, find good tenants, help you with local laws, etc.. * Run a credit check on potential renters and insist on references. * If you don’t visit Home Depot often…in other words if you are not capable of keeping your properties in good shape you are going to pay much more down the way. Keeping the property in good condition helps attract quality tenants. Budget for repairs!* Skimping on insurance can put a landlord in an tricky situation. * Try to get 10 to 12 per cent return on your money.. Finding a good accountant who understands the dizzying array of tax breaks, deductions and write-offs is often critical to achieving this margin.

Tulio Troche is a GRI Broker associate that works the Orlando Fl area. Always helping with homes, condos, investment properties.

By Tulio TrocheGRI Broker AssociateExit Real Estate Professionals407 581 7470Tulio@TulioTroche.comwww.ISellOrlandoHouses.com



About the Author

Tulio Troche GRI Broker Associate for Exit Real Estate Professionals is an investing realtor. Always looking at real estate to buy for himself and for a few selected that dare to make it happen for themselves.










Tips for Making a Sound Real Estate Investment

Tips for Making a Sound Real Estate Investment

Article by Atarjamat









When you are ready to purchase real estate for investment purposes, you need to learn to look at the process differently than you would if you were buying real estate for personal use. You need to learn to look at the property in terms of how it can make money for you now rather than how much it can yield for you in the future. Certainly you will want to see the tax advantages, especially if your intent is to buy the property and resell it at a profit. There are also tax advantages to renting a property but they are contingent upon the dollar value of maintenance and other costs you put into the property. You will offset these costs against your rental income in order to calculate the amount of your tax credit for that property.

Whether you are going to resell it or use it as a rental property you have to consider how much work you can afford to put into the property and still make a profit. Certainly if you get the property at a substantially reduce price you can afford more repairs or renovations than one for which you have a pay a higher price. In addition you will have to make more repairs and renovations on a property to plan to use for rental property. Another thing to consider when you are investing in real estate for rental property is you must keep the property in top condition if you expect to retain tenants. Even those who rent property do not plan to move every time their lease ends, so they want some place they can feel comfortable and where they can depend on the landlord to keep the place in good condition.

Where can you find real estate investment property at a reasonable price? If you look around you can find information online including the location of <ahref=”http://theinvestorpages.homestead.com/OscarBerlangaBuyers.html”>wholesale investment property. You will be able to find thousands of real estate investment properties at wholesale prices if you take the time to search instead of trying to rush into buying investment property. If you rush you increase the chances of making a wrong decision and thus buying a property that will not be profitable for you. Therefore to save yourself from choosing something that turns out not to be a worthwhile venture take the time to research before you buy any real estate for investment or even for personal use.

If you aren’t sure where to find profitable <ahref=”http://http://techhousebuyers.com/”>real estate investment property, you want to take the time to conduct some research online in order to be in a position to make an informed and educated decision. Only when you research each property you are considering buying as an investment can you be sure you are making the right decision and that you aren

Male Nipple Erection Capital Gains Tax (Cgt) – Uk Landlords

Male Nipple Erection Capital Gains Tax (Cgt) – Uk Landlords

Article by edmundoschwarzenberg









I couldn’t believe how easy it was to see results with natural enlargement. After years of trying the answer at always been right in front of my face. I made my penis an amazing 4 inches bigger in 2 short months and in this article I am going to teach you how this amazing growth can be made possible for you too. There are no tricks or gimmicks with natural enlargement just sustained and biological growth that will blow your mind…

Are you unhappy with the size of your penis? Would you like to be bigger and able to perform better in the bedroom? Results are now guaranteed that will naturally increase the size of your penis permanently.

Natural male enhancement products are often doubted in terms of their effectiveness in actually increasing the size of the penis. However there are some particular products out in the market today that are high quality and safer alternatives to prescription drugs that promise increased penis size by inches and hours of sexual stamina. These products which are called as natural male enhancement supplements are referred to as ‘winners’ in increasing a man’s libido increase sexual stamina and most importantly increase in size and volume of a man’s erected penis.

Men all over the globe are looking for some method of increasing their penis size permanently. There is only one method that actually works to make men permanently larger in the privacy of their own home. This method is one of the most top secret matters on the planet.

Have you given up on making your erection larger? Have you taken penis pills without any seeing an improvement to your erection? A lot of guys have and they’ve given up as a result.

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Are there really penis male enlargements that work? You may have already seen a dozen or so of these advertisements online and you may have found your email inbox flooded with messages telling you that you can now enjoy having a bigger penis but does it really work for you?

In recent years those of us looking into penis male enlargement have probably heard penis male enlargement exercises proposed as a natural way to get bigger. Now having tried so many crappy products I was skeptical when I first decided to try this method out. Having said that there has been no other method I’ve found that even comes close to offering the results of natural penis male enlargement exercises. In fact they were the first method that actually helped me add inches to my penis and I still use them today. This article will cover the basics of penis enlarging exercises and give you a rundown of how they work and how you can get started.

Here we’re talking about tips for male penis male enlargement but not any form of supplements. You can implement these tips in your life right now that will benefit you on your road to bigger penis.




About the Author

Penis Growth How To Know If You Are Good In Bed Or Not! This Is Something Every Man Must Know










7 Great Money Tips To Lead You To Financial Freedom

7 Great Money Tips To Lead You To Financial Freedom

Article by David Maillie









Copyright 2006 David Maillie

Regardless of where we are in life we can all learn something about money and how to better prepare for our future. Especially when we see that the national average is ,000 in credit card debt and that savings and preparedness is dropping. This article can put you back on track to a more fulfilling and financially free life.

1) Automate your investing. Experience has proven that if we have to make a conscious effort every time we need to invest we will start with good intentions and then miserably fail a few months later. If you can automate your savings, whether by using your employers 401k, a sep (self employment plan), or direct deductions from your account you will finish ahead. The rule here is if you don’t see it, you won’t realize it and you won’t miss it. Some of these deductions will reduce your taxable income and save you further on taxes (see your CPA and tax advisor for more info on this). A good rule of thumb is to set aside 10% of your income.

2) Real estate. If you haven’t already, buy a house. Renting will only make your landlord (hint – house owner) rich. Regardless of what the immediate market does real estate is one of the best long term investments you can make. It also has many advantages including deductions for mortgage interest. Real estate will always go up. People will always need a roof over their head. Just watch HGTV, real estate has made many millionaires and is a key factor in almost every tape and book series on gaining wealth. Stick with the standard 30 year fixed mortgage.

3) Medical and life insurance. You need to have them, if you think you don’t just ask anyone that didn’t have it when something unexpected happened. If you love your family, they are a must. But, on that note, don’t get taken. Buy term life. 20 years will give good term coverage and if you follow all of these tips you won’t need anything beyond that. Whole life only makes your agent rich and really never builds any value for the huge costs involved. Term life can be purchased cheap over the internet at great savings. For medical insurance, in most states Blue Cross and Blue Shield offer great plans that are a fraction of Cobra or employer plans. If you have an adequate employer plan, by all means use it. Stick with big names like Blue Cross as they will be around for years.

4) Don’t ever buy new cars. It is a fact that new cars lose 25-30% of their value the moment you drive it off the lot. Let someone else pay for that depreciation and get a two or three year old car or truck. With the latest technological advances cars can easily go 150,000 miles and above. A two or three year old vehicle with 30,000 miles on it will save you not only in initial cost, but also on your insurance, and taxes. Also do your homework before buying your car. Get your credit score and see what loans you qualify for. This can easily be done right off the internet and will save you big at your local dealer (never take a dealers word for your credit and rate – they will hold 1-3 points on rate and that can mean thousands in extra interest over the term of the loan).

5) Get out of debt. I put the investment tips above this as you need to pay yourself first. If you are overwhelmed with debt, their are numerous non-for-profit agencies that will renegotiate your debt and terms on your behalf. Work out a plan to get the high interest debt paid off. Be wiser with your purchases – do you really need that 60 inch flat screen tv? a BMW you cannot afford? etc… Cut up all cards but 1 (for emergencies you should have 1 credit card) and no store cards. The whole purpose behiind store cards is to entice you to buy more and pay more. My grandfather said it best – “if you can’t afford it, don’t buy it.” The only good loan to have is a mortgage.

6) Never burn bridges. If you happen to leave your current employ, leave on good terms. Find a replacement if time permits. This will put you in a good light with your former management and can result in a good reference, another job, a callback for more money, etc… Never leave on bad terms. Its just not good Kharma. Also, it won’t hurt to take former business associates and customers to lunch regularly. This will keep you in tune to the industry, give you many additional contacts afford you future favors – just think of the lobbyists on Capital Hill, you don’t think they spend all that money on their politicians for nothing do you? Don’t be afraid to ask for a favor every once in a while. Kharma is the big rule here -when you help others you will inadvertently help yourself.

7) Give back. Once you’ve made it it is only fair that you help others less fortunate than yourself. Regardless of your beliefs when you donate time and money to help others you will inadvertently help yourself. You will feel great. Also, the cardinal rule of kharma is that when you give you will get many more times what you give back. Take the time to help by volunteering your time. Even if it is 1 hour a week, you will help improve someone else’s life. Volunteer, it will make you a better person.



About the Author

David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical research and clynical analysis. For more great products and ideas please visit http://www.mdwholesale.com and http://www.bestskinpeel.com










10 Tips to be a successful landlord

10 Tips to be a successful landlord

Most private landlords feel under real pressure from all sides in the current economic climate. Those with buy-to-let mortgages coming up for renewal may find themselves with much higher interest rates – especially if there is not enough equity in the property to make a re-mortgage possible.

Many will also run the risk of tenants failing to pay the rent – when a combination of increasing unemployment and the recession take their toll.

Nonetheless, there are simple steps that buy-to-let landlords can take to safeguard their position.

1. Make sure you have the right lease. Landlords need to be sure that their paperwork is in order and that the lease they use gives the maximum protection.

2. Consider guarantors. If you are worried that a tenant will not always be able to pay the rent, consideration should be given to requesting guarantors – friends or family in a more stable financial position who can guarantee the rent.

3. Claim maximum tax relief. Every landlord must make sure that they know how to claim as much tax relief as possible for all available costs including a general allowance for wear and tear. Many landlords consistently don’t make the most of possible allowances and end up paying far too much money to the tax man. A good accountant should be able to help you make the most of available tax relief.

4. Beware early signs of trouble with tenants. Watch out for warning signs such as late or non payments of rent or any other indication that the tenant may be having financial problems. Never let significant arrears build up – take early appropriate action, including legal advice on your available options. Equally keep a close eye on the state of your rented property and make sure that dilapidations don’t build up – or you risk financial bills for repairs which your tenant simply may be unable to pay.

5. Consider ending the lease. If serious arrears are building or your tenant is simply too much trouble, consider terminating the lease, if you are able to do so. Whether the lease is residential or commercial, you really should take legal advice before taking the action. Beware of course that if you do evict the tenant, you may have difficulty re-letting in the current financial climate. Don’t forget that the law is particular tight on residential repossessions. Make sure you serve notice on the tenant in the correct form before repossessing.

6. Remember that you don’t have to accept a tenants’ surrender of the lease. A tenant can’t just give up a lease, and if they try to do so, you don’t have to accept it.

7. If the tenant is behind with the rent, then, depending on what the lease says, you may be able to use the rent deposit to pay any outstanding rent. However in during so, of course you make yourself more vulnerable to future non-payment of rent and in particular with recouping any money at the end of the tenancy either by way of unpaid rent or dilapidations.

8. Consider increasing the rent. With fewer houses changing hands, and with the banks limiting new lending, there are an increasing number of people who will need to rent. With demand increasing, you might want to consider increasing the rent you charge.

9. Increase your portfolio. House prices remain broadly at their lowest level for many years. Buying when the market bottoms out, is a sound financial strategy and if you can raise the necessary money, the current economic climate might prove exactly the time for a canny landlord to pick up a few cheap properties.

10. Check out new tenants. It will become increasingly vital for landlords to make sure that the tenants they take on will be able to pay the rent. Bank references and inexpensive, readily available credit checks will become increasingly important.

Whilst there is always money to be made from renting out property, there are a number of serious pitfalls. If you want to be sure what to do or want some expert advice, do get in touch with a specialist landlord and tenant solicitor.

Tim Bishop is senior partner of Bonallack & Bishop, a firm of UK solicitors with offices in the south-west, offering legal services to private and business clients, including landlord and tenant law. Tim has spearheaded the firm’s growth, seeing it expand by 1000% in the last 12 years. He is responsible for major and strategic decisions and sees himself as an entrepeneur who owns a law firm. Tim has firm plans for continued expansion of the firm.

Tax Tips On A C Corp Asset Sale

Tax Tips On A C Corp Asset Sale

First, unless you are planning on going public or have hundreds of stockholders do not form a C Corp to begin with. Use an S Corp or an LLC. If you currently are a C Corp ask your attorney or tax advisor about converting to an S Corp. If you sell your company within a 10 year period of converting to an S Corp the sale can be taxed as if you were still a C Corp.

Here is what happens when there is an asset sale of a C Corp. The assets that are sold are compared to their depreciated basis and the difference is treated as ordinary income to the C Corp. Any good will is a 100% gain and again is treated as ordinary income. This new found income drives up your corporate tax rate, often to the maximum rate of around 34%. You are not done yet. The corporation pays this tax bill and then there is a distribution of the remaining funds to the shareholders. They are taxed a second time at their long term capital gains rate.

Compare this to a C Corp stock sale. The stock is sold and there is no tax to the corporation. The distribution is made to the shareholders and they pay only their long term capital gain on the change in value over their basis. The difference can be hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Secondly, keep all assets that may appreciate in value outside the C Corp and in an LLC. Your real estate, patents, intellectual property, etc. should be held in a pass through entity so you avoid the potential high C Corp corporate tax rate and the double taxation if you do an asset sale.

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Let’s say that you are a C Corp and the buyer refuses to do a stock sale. If you can get the buyer to move as much of the transaction value to a covenant not to compete, you will be much better off. That will be taxed to you personally at the long term capital gains rate and not the corporate tax rate and the gain can be spread out over the non-compete period.

Another approach you can use is “Personal Good Will”. This is where the seller’s reputation, expertise, and relationships are in effect separated from the assets of the company and account for as much of the good will value as possible from the business. So let’s say that the company sells for million dollars and the amount allocated to the hard assets is million. That leaves million that can be classified as good will. If that good will is assigned to the C Corp, it will be taxed at the 34% rate and then taxed again when it is distributed to the shareholders at 15%.

If you can move that amount to personal goodwill for the owner, it is paid directly to him and he gets taxed at the 15% rate only. The calculation looks like this: If the good will is million and is allocated to the C Corp. They pay 0,000 in corporate income taxes. The ,320,000 remaining gets distributed to the shareholders and an additional 15% tax is paid or 8,000 for a total tax on that million of 8,000. Moving it all to personal goodwill results in a total tax on that million of 0,000, a savings of 8,000. This approach was pioneered in a classic IRS case called the Martin Ice Cream Case.

There is a built in bias on the part of buyers with the advice of their attorneys to avoid doing stock sales because you buy everything including any hidden liabilities. You as the seller want to convince the buyer to do a stock sale by demonstrating that there are no hidden liabilities. Another argument you can use is that most contracts are not assignable without the consent of the other party. In an asset sale it could be problematic to get assignments of a large quantity of contracts. An example is if your company is in a favorable long-term property lease the landlord will never agree to an assignment of that lease. If you have a long-term contract with a government entity, a change in ownership can trigger a contract end. In a stock sale these are not issues.

There are many variables in a business sale negotiation. Price, Cash at close, Stock versus Asset Sale, and allocation of purchase price. The IRS does not allow the buyer’s allocation of purchase price to be different than the seller’s. It also must be noted that from a tax standpoint, something favorable for the seller is correspondingly less favorable for the buyer. An experienced buyer will structure the deal in the most favorable way for himself. Sellers must get good advisors to help them negotiate to achieve the maximum after tax proceeds.

rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link/156993']);” href=”http://www.midmarkcap.com/SellerResources.cfm” target=”_blank”>Dave Kauppi is a Merger and Acquisition Advisor and President of MidMarket Capital, representing owners in the sale of privately held businesses. We provide Wall Street style investment banking services to lower mid market companies at a size appropriate fee structure.

Buy to let mortgages: 10 essential tips for landlords

Buy to let mortgages: 10 essential tips for landlords

It was not such a long time ago that buy-to-let was the favourite product of property investors. Things have moved on a little bit since then, but buy-to-let is still a great way to invest your money if you know how to do it. We have listed 10 tips every buy-to-let landlord should be aware of. Let’s start with no 1:

1. Research: Do you clearly understand what a buy-to-let is? The risks involved,  the potential returns, the benefits? It is vital that you do your research first. The net has got plenty of resources such as specialised buy-to-let sites and buy-to-let information guides. Do you know any buy-to-let landlords? Talk to them and ask them about the difficulties they’ve had to face and the mistakes they’ve made. Don’t forget that a buy-to-let may not be the best investment for you. Have you considered investing your money in shares, bonds, or simply in a high rate saving account? Buy-to-let mortgage rates may be low at the moment, but there is always a risk that house prices might collapse in the forthcoming years.

2. Target the right area: The “right” area has got nothing to do with price. The “right” area is a somewhere where people want to live, and therefore rent your property. Think about your own area. Where do students live? Where are the top schools?

3. Know your tenants: Who are you potential tenants? Get to know them, put yourself in their shoes and try to understand what they are looking for in a rental property. Young people are likely to look for a place that is easy to clean, comfy but not necessarily fancy. Families will probably already have some of their own furniture so you need to take that into account.

4. Be aware of the risks: Investing in a buy-to-let property isn’t without risks. Houses can be without a tenant for some time. Many buy-to-let investors do their planning assuming that the property will be empty 3 months in a year. And what about repairs or accidental damage? Be ready for all eventualities.

6. Decide how much you would like to be involved: Buying a new property is just a start. In order to rent out a property, somebody has to prepare the advertising, the viewings, and when the new tenants are in, be able to deal with repairs. If it’s not something you are willing to do yourself, you can use the services of an agent that will do that for you.

5. Learn how to negociate: Buy-to-let buyers have got a major advantage compared to next-time buyers: they are not involved in a chain, so do not rely on having to sell a property to buy another. Bear that in mind when you negotiate a deal with your lender.

6. Do the maths: You need to get a pen and paper along with a mortgage calculator and do the maths. What is the value of the potential properties you are interested in? What is the potential rent? As a rule of thumb, lenders would like the rent to be 130% of the mortgage payments as a minimum, and will normally require a 15% deposit as a minimum. The buy-to-let mortgage rates are usually higher than regular mortgage deals and have higher fees.

7. Compare: Do not go to the first bank you see and ask for a buy-to-let mortgage. Shop around, and think about using a mortgage broker that specialises in buy-to-let mortgages. Try mortgage sites such as buy-to-let mortgages or compare the market mortgages to find a local adviser.

9. Don’t limit your search to your local town: buy-to-let landlords normally invest in properties in their own area. You need to realise that your town may not be the best place for a buy-to-let investment. The advantage of a property in your area is that you can keep track of it yourself, but bear in mind that you can use the services of an agent to do that on your behalf should you decide to buy a property further away from where you live.

10. Don’t think too big too soon: You sometimes read about buy-to-let landlords who have made large sums of money and built a large portfolio. This is not likely to happen to you, so invest for income and not for short-term gains. Your buy-to-let returns should come from the rent of your buy-to-let property. As the majority of buy-to-let mortgages are interest only, the amount of your loan won’t be repaid at the end of the term. Make sure that your rent covers more than your mortgagepayments so that you can build up a fund to cover emergencies. Once you have covered all your costs, tax bill, and  repayments, you can use the money left as a deposit for other buy-to-let investments, or maybe repay the loan at the end of the term.

 

Raymond Colbert is a UK writer with 10 years experience in the finance industry. Raymond recommends that you speak to a local mortgage adviser if you decide to invest in a buy-to-let property. Sites such as Best Mortgage Rates can connect you with a local adviser at no cost to you.

Seven tax tips for landlords

Seven tax tips for landlords

Article by Chintamani









Millions of landlords end up paying excessive taxes every year. They fail to take advantage of many tax breaks available due to ignorance. IRS provides many tax benefits on rental properties. Learning about these benefits can put thousands of dollars in your pocket.

If you rent out your Property, you can receive rent from the tenants. In addition to rent, there are many tax breaks available from the government. In fact one of the important reasons for investment in property can be to avail those lucrative tax breaks. Here are seven important tips for the landlords.

1. Claim interest on your credit cardsWhen you provide services for the tenants, it is possible that you use your credit card to pay for the services. The credit card company charges interest for those expenses. You are entitled to claim such interest as your deductible expense.

2. Claim your local traveling expensesWhen you drive down to your rental building to attend to a complaint of a tenant, or when you go for purchasing some goods for repair of your property, the expenses you incur towards travel can be claimed as your deduction from rental income.

If you drive a car or a pickup truck or a similar vehicle, you can claim that deduction by one of the two methods -

a. Claiming your actual expenses like gasoline, repairers for your vehicle etc. Or

b. Use a standard rate of 58.5

Seven tax tips for landlords

Seven tax tips for landlords

If you rent out your Property, you can receive rent from the tenants.  In addition to rent, there are many tax breaks available from the government.  In fact one of the important reasons for investment in property can be to avail those lucrative tax breaks.  Here are seven important tips for the landlords.

1. Claim interest on your credit cards

When you provide services for the tenants, it is possible that you use your credit card to pay for the services.  The credit card company charges interest for those expenses.  You are entitled to claim such interest as your deductible expense.

2. Claim your local traveling expenses

When you drive down to your rental building to attend to a complaint of a tenant, or when you go for purchasing some goods for repair of your property, the expenses you incur towards travel can be claimed as your deduction from rental income.

If you drive a car or a pickup truck or a similar vehicle, you can claim that deduction by one of the two methods -

Claiming your actual expenses like gasoline, repairers for your vehicle etc.  Or Use a standard rate of 58.5¢ per mile for travel after July 1, 2008 or 50.5¢ for the travel between January 1, 2008 and June 30, 2008.

For claiming standard mileage rate, the method should be used from the year when you first used your vehicle for your business activity. If you have already claimed depreciation in the prior years as a business expense, you cannot claim standard mileage rate for this year.

3. Claim the expenses of your home office

Most landlords prefer to keep their home as their office.  You can deduct your home office expenses from your taxable income.  Remember, you can claim expenses proportionate to the space you have devoted for office work.  If you use a workshop, the expenses of such workshop can be claimed as your deduction.

4. Claim your casualty and theft losses

It is possible that your rental property may be damaged or destroyed in an event like fire or flood.  In that case you are able to claim a deduction for your loss.  This loss is called casualty loss.  You may not be able to deduct the entire cost of your property which is damaged or destroyed.  You need to take into account the insurance coverage and the exact nature of damage before claiming such a deduction.

5. Claim your long distance travel

If you have to travel overnight for your landlord business, you can deduct the air fare, hotel bills, expenses towards meals and other related expenses.  If you plan your business travel carefully, you may be able to mix your business with pleasure.

Remember to keep proper documentation and notes in your diary detailing the purpose of your visit and the expenses.  IRS auditors always tend to scrutinize such expenses.

6. Plan carefully the expenses for improvement in your rental property

Generally you’re not allowed to deduct the cost of improvements in one year.  You need to recover such cost by taking depreciation, where you recover such cost over 27.5 years.  However, many expenses can be classified as repairs, which can be claimed in the first year itself.  You need to keep all the relevant documentation and make necessary notes in your diary in order to claim such expenses in the year in which they are incurred.  IRS says that when you do a work to keep the property in good condition, it is considered as a repair and not an improvement.

7. Avoid renting the property to your family or friends

People who try to rent their property to family or friends are liable to lose all their deductions due to strict IRS provisions.  So if you wish to allow the use of your property to your family or friends, be prepared to go without many deductions.  Actually, it would be a better policy to arrange hotel for such people if their use is casual or occasional.

Chintamani Abhyankar, is a well known expert in the field of finance and taxation for last 25 years. He has written many books explaining inside secrets of the magic world of personal finance. His famous eBook Stop donating your money to IRS which is now running in its second edition, provides intricate knowledge and valuable tips on personal finance and income tax.