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.

Buying overseas real estate often comes with increased responsibilities. Hence you need an efficient local real estate agent

While you might be a real estate guru in your home country, buying real estate in a foreign country can get messy without a knowledgeable local real estate agents

Here are just three ways things could go wrong when buying overseas property:

Over-the-top valuations: A foreign buyer probably doesn't have the stats on comps and recent sales that would help him make the best decisions on pricing. Locals might see this as a chance to price the property above market value. Without an agent on your side and banking on exchange rate advantages, sellers might feel justified to charge you more.

Taxes and paperwork omissions: In countries like Spain where there could be local rules and taxes regarding foreign home ownership, it's easy to ignore a few details. Not having the necessary licenses and permissions can be very costly.

Lopsided Communication: Sure your developer wants to come to terms quickly, which you find appealing as you don't want to hang around too long. However, you don't want to sign any form or contract without understanding what it entails. It's always important to get expert advice before signing on the dotted line.

You should have two people on your side when buying foreign real estate, a lawyer, to help with legal complications, taxes and paperwork and a real estate agent to guide you through the home buying process. You might want to ignore an agent's services as a way to save on agent charges. But here are six reasons why hiring a real estate agent for foreign property purchases is vital:

1. Full access to the market: Buyers in North America who work with agents have a full access to the Multiple Listing Service (A service that offers access to information regarding market value, comps and properties on the market). While some countries do not have a property listing service, a good agent will likely have a slew of properties and connections with other agents. This ensures he can secure a property that fits your criteria.

2. Detect overpriced properties: Where there is no MLS to set pricing, sellers and their agent often pad the asking price on their properties. Especially when the buyer has no agent on their side. Even in countries with MLS, ignorance can be a justification for an agent to charge you up to 40% above asking price. You can take advantage of an agent's market knowledge in this case. An agent has comps and data coupled with market experience and should be able to tell you instantly when a property is overpriced. However, do not neglect to do your own research about properties that catch your fancy. This will help you keep unethical agents in check.

3. Help with securing mortgage: One of the risky aspects of buying property abroad is getting financing. When considering going for a mortgage, your real estate agent can give you the low-down on mortgages for foreigners. He or she might also be able to connect you with bankers. An agent can also facilitate your loan by helping you with the necessary paperwork. This is one major reason why the services of a real estate agent are invaluable when you're buying a house overseas.

4. Negotiating and drawing up an offer: Negotiating tactics you have mastered in the US might fail to work when negotiating with sellers in Japan. The reason is that there are culture and language differences which can be difficult to fathom. So instead of trying confrontation or hard sell tactics, it is usually best to hire a professional agent who understands your situation and can persuasively represent this to a seller.

5. Help with finding good deals: You're probably trying to scoop up a good deal on a property. However, it's unlikely you'll find great deals by driving around a neighborhood. Agents have connections with other agents and access to a lot of properties. Hence it's much easier to find great deals by working with them.

6. Recommend trusted professionals: A trusted real estate agent would probably have a number of reputable service professionals in his network from inspectors, lawyers, handymen, mortgage lenders etc... This would be highly beneficial since you have little experience in the neighborhood and might be susceptible to pseudo professionals.

Caveat: When choosing agents to work with, work with vetted professionals. Don't just go with the agent down the street as that might turn out costly. This is why we periodically recommend agents in select communities who are vetted and have significant market experience to make your foreign property dream come true.

BUYING PROPERTY ABROAD: HOW TO CURTAIL RISK WHEN MAKING OVERSEAS PROPERTY INVESTMENTS

Many people are buying property abroad today because of the investment potential. The price of foreign property can be especially attractive when exchange rates tip the balance in favor of a prospective buyer’s currency. Imagine buying a beachfront house in Brazil for $50,000 when you’d spend $400,000 for the same house in a place like Orange County. Buying property abroad is a way to get actively involved during retirement.

If you don’t want a hands-on management, this type of investment would still generate passive income for you, an income not depending on the US dollar, denominated in another currency. There are reputable property management companies that can help you take care of your new investment and help you make consistent rental income from your investment. The fact that many Americans are not preparing adequately (or even preparing at all) for retirement means many Americans are not living out their dreams after retirement. “About 60% of Americans have no savings in retirement accounts like 401(k)s or IRAs,” reports Business Insider. The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) estimates the shortfall in retirement savings to be at $4.13 trillion for heads-of-households aged 25 to 64.

One of the reasons why many Americans lack sufficient retirement savings is that the traditional means of saving are unreliable, according to USmoneyreserve.com. If protecting your retirement is important to you, buying property abroad can help you get the ideal retirement and offer the kind of security that other asset classes cannot provide.

Moreover, there are wasteful aspects in some markets that haven't worked themselves out yet, and those inefficiencies can work further bolstering your good fortune. For example, there are some markets in the world with restricted wellsprings of capital where people need money. Without access to easy credit, they frequently offer their property at a much lower cost to have fast access to money.

Furthermore, when you spend money on overseas property you do not just get the benefit for those market inefficiencies, you additionally have the advantage that a lot of shareholders are so concerned about risk that they create no real hazard, nor create any competition. But even though overseas properties offer a chance to diversify your investment and can help you get the retirement of your dreams, there are some risks. Here are some tips to help you curtail risk when buying property abroad.

1.     Read the books.

The key to successful property investments overseas is to do your homework and not cut corners. By all accounts, read books about the country you are considering buying an international investment property and read relevant forum posts online but do not get sucked in by the sellers and never overlook the power of local knowledge. Even a simple walk around the area can give you a great insight into the events and settings that take place on a daily basis, giving you a real feel for the place.

2.     Beware of overseas investment property in "emerging markets".

This term can be used to dress up areas of neglect. Look around for signs such as closing shops and boarded up houses, as these may suggest a struggling economy. If you come across something else that you do not feel at ease with, do not go with the property investment. Foreign buyers should feel 100% safe in the area before taking the plunge. Likewise, if you look at a series of new developments that are beginning to emerge, this could be a sign that the real estate market in the area is about to take off.

3.     Do not leave yourself at the mercy of the laws of the country when buying property abroad.

Buying investment property on foreign soil requires the advice and guidance of a local lawyer. Before you sign on the dotted line, make sure you are accredited and credited as well as fluent in English and the language of the country you wish to purchase.

4.     Don’t take the risk of using cash.

Using a bank with an office abroad to conduct large transactions is always the best. Foreign investment properties and those that sell them must be approached with caution and due diligence.

It’s normal to be apprehensive when buying property abroad for the first time or trying anything new. And yes, the risks are there but to be successful in property investing, you mustn’t let that hold you back.