Spending money consistently on a cash flow negative rental isn't smart. It might be time to change your strategy.

Vacation rentals are a great way to make extra income from your property investments. Short term rental provider, HomeAway https://www.homeaway.com/info/getting-started/income reports that the run-of-the-mill vacation rental property owner nets $11,000 a year.

But if you consistently have to spend rental profits on roof repairs, vacancies, regular maintenance, bad tenants etc, you probably have a cash flow negative property on your hand. And there are two approaches to dealing with this problem. You can either wait it out and hope things will somehow change or kickstart an exit strategy to move on.

While cash flow doesn't have to be a decisive factor, especially when you have a vacation rental property in an up and coming neighborhood with strong potential appreciation rates. Many times, you might be spending more than you bargained for with your rental. And the faster you discover this, the better.

This article outlines five signs of negative cash flow vacation rentals but before we proceed let's see a simple formula for measuring cash flow on an investment property:

Cash Flow = Total Income (Application fees, Rent, etc.) - Total Expenses (Monthly mortgage (if applicable); General Maintenance, Electricity, HOA, Property Management, vacancies etc.)

As a rule of thumb when buying an investment property, it is wise to set aside an emergency fund to cover at least first six months of expenses. So let's dive right in and see some of the signs to watch for.

1. High vacancy/Low occupancy rate in a location: What's the occupancy rate for your neighborhood? An important sign of a cash flow negative property is high vacancy rate in the neighborhood. According to Turnkey VR https://blog.turnkeyvr.com/much-money-can-make-vacation-rental/ specializing in the management of turnkey vacation rental homes, "Occupancy rates for vacation rentals can be all over the map. For instance, a vacation rental home in a big city might create more demand than a rental property at a seasonal location like the beach". Location is key when buying real estate, especially for investment. Hence it's wise to spend time researching a neighborhood before taking the plunge.

2. High Maintenance property: Are you doling out high monthly fees for property maintenance? Then you might be dealing with a cash flow negative property. A 30-year-old property might offer a great deal but when you have to spend considerable time and money on maintenance and fixes monthly, you have to ask yourself if it's worth it.

3. Declining Rental Property Market: How strong is the rental property market? There is a strong correlation between a thriving property market and low vacancy rates. Many times a declining rental market is a sign of underlying economic issues, most times accompanied by high unemployment rates and slow growth. Sticking around in such a neighborhood would be unwise. Unless you're confident about a significant development in the neighborhood in coming years.

4. High Property Taxes: Did property taxes go up? Taxes can get tricky, especially when you're buying as a foreigner. However, when sudden tax changes are eating up your income, then you have a negative cash flow property.

5. Problem Tenants: Are problem tenants eating up your profits? You have two options, regarding managing your rental property. You can either hire a property management company, which means more expenses but better management. Or you can just ride it solo. While this offers you the chance to take an active role with your property, dealing with problem tenants (tenants who break things, tenants refusing to pay rent or pay promptly, tenants causing disturbance etc.) is a major headache and can eat into your profits.

Hence the importance of having a screening process that's hard to bypass. However, if you deal with problem tenants a lot, it might be time to consider setting an exit strategy in motion.

You can take advantage of short-term rental cash flow with sites like HomeAway and AirBnb. While tenant turnover rates can be high in the short term, short term rentals can be profitable, especially in a popular destination such as a ski resort or beach community.

Your overseas property purchase doesn’t need to be stopped by financing. You can apply for a mortgage. However, getting mortgage for foreign property isn’t like getting a mortgage at home. This article considers some ways to tip the balance in your favor.

Why bank financing isn't always available for overseas property

When it is available and comes with no string attached, bank financing is the best option to buy foreign real estate. But alas, it’s not usually available. In many markets, it's hard to get loans as a foreign buyer. In Colombia for example, banks don't care if you're a legal resident, as long as you're a foreign buyer, you're not getting mortgage. It's easy to see why this is so. A foreign buyer isn't tied to the country; he can up and leave at any time, taking the bank's money with him. Banks wouldn't want to take this risk. Hence the hassles of getting mortgage for foreign property. This is one of the things stopping passionate investors from traversing foreign lands.

Resident and non-resident bank financing

So, let's say bank financing is available; it most likely would come in one of the following categorizations:

Ø  Resident financing: Except for countries like Colombia, most local banks would treat your loan application as they would treat that of a citizen if you're a legal resident. You'll have to prove credit worthiness just like any citizen and may not have to go through any other process or requirements. This is called resident financing.

Ø  Non-resident financing on the other hand is difficult to secure. Wherever it is available (countries like France, US, Mexico, Panama, The Dominican Republic, Portugal and New Zealand), it comes with a number of restrictions and requirements. Also, the rate you get may not be favorable, except in France, where it's possible for a non-resident with good credit to access a 20-year mortgage at a rate of just 2.25 percent.

Tips To Get Mortgage When Buying Foreign Property

So, here are some tips to help you secure mortgage when buying foreign real estate

1. Don't go it alone.

Even professional property investors get professional assistance when buying foreign property; this could be through experienced local agents or friends. They understand that investing overseas is a much different ball game. If you're in the UK, you can seek the help of an agent selling property overseas through the following bodies:

1. The Association of International Property Professionals (AIPP) and
2. The National Association of Estate Agents International

2. Find a bank that has a presence in your country and the country in which you want to buy a property.

According to Glenn Carter, a Canadian investor who works for Condo Capital "The problem is a foreign credit score does not count for anything, it's just like having no credit score”. This means the interest rates you’ll be quoted will be that of someone with no credit. But a bank with presence in your home country will offer favorable rates. "The interest rate I was quoted from a US Bank was 9%, versus the 3% we got from a Canadian bank with branches in the US.” Carter says.

3. Get an Agreement in Principle

Before signing any contracts or paying deposit, get an Agreement in Principle. Learn more about Agreements in Principle. If you're planning on getting finance on the house, make sure this is explained in the contract, and seek an 'opt-out clause' if the loan is not agreed. This will ensure any first deposit paid is refunded.

What do you do when bank financing is not available in your destination country? This article explores other options to finance your foreign property investment.

You’re not getting the same mortgage deal you’re used to

Bank financing abroad will be different from what you’re used to at home. Here are some ways in which the terms will likely be different:

1. Loan-to value ratios will be around 50 to 75 percent of what you're used to.

2. Terms may be shorter. It's almost impossible to get a 30-year loan when buying abroad.

3. You will be offered adjustable interest rates, rather than fixed.

4. You might be required to get a life insurance to secure your loan for foreign property. This isn't good news if you're already around 60, as banks wouldn't borrow you loans of more than 15-year terms. The reason being that insurance companies, as a rule, wouldn't cover you when you're above 75 years old.

Hence, there is need to check out other financing sources.

Financing tips from experts

Generally, here are some financing tips from foreign property experts:

1. If possible when starting out; start small and pay in cash. If this isn't possible, you can use your current home as collateral, without having to rely on banks or regular mortgages. Depending on the amount of equity in your home, you might get lower rates.

2. Research bank financing terms, requirements and laws in your destination country to decide which financing option would work for you. 

3. Since most of what you know about real estate might be ineffective in your destination country, it would be wise to get a partner or local agent. You'll need someone who can offer useful advice regarding financing and home ownership laws in the country.

4. If you'll be transferring funds denominated in your domestic currency, either to make a down payment, full payment or mortgage payments, don't go through the local bank. Local banks, with their wide dealing spread and limited transaction sizes, offer poor Forex services. Foreign exchange services would offer a better deal. 

Options to finance foreign property without using the local bank

Here are three options for foreign property investors who don't want to go through the local bank:

1. Personal loans.

Potential buyers with excellent credit will often fund an overseas purchase with an unsecured personal loan for foreign property. Interest rates can be in the single digits for qualified buyers.

Financing with a personal loan avoids the risks that go with leveraging property with a HELOC or cash refinance. This type of financing is particularly attractive when you are investing in a developing country where mortgage rates are high, and the cost of property ownership is relatively cheap.

2. Seller financing.

Some private sellers might be willing to pay part of the price. The conditions will be whatever you and the owner decides, and an average term is up to five years. In most cases, the longer a bit of property has been on the market, the better conditions you can negotiate. Much like bank funding, don't expect the owner to provide the deed until you've finished paying the loan.

3. Home equity (HELOC).

When cash is not an option, tapping into your home equity is one of the easiest ways to finance a property abroad. If you are investing in a country without a developed banking industry, it can also be the cheapest. Getting a HELOC has the added benefit of making you a cash buyer, which provides leverage when negotiating price.