You don’t have to be a college graduate to make a smart investment! But buying a place in the University area in Charlotte, NC can be a valuable education in how to earn money every month as a landlord.

If you have a son or daughter that is going to be heading to UNC-Charlotte soon, consider buying a townhome or condominium instead of footing the bill for a dorm room or apartment. You’ll have the tax write off as well as an investment that can pay for itself in the long run! Once your student finds a roommate to share the place with, you can collect rent from that person, which will pay for at least a portion of the expenses you’ll be shelling out for your own student. Plus, once your child is working and can afford to pay you rent, you can add that to your income, too! If you decide to let your youngster live rent-free while in school, you can always wait until graduation to begin charging. Naturally, when your son or daughter graduates college and finds a career if he or she decides to stay in the property, you deserve the opportunity to finally begin reaping the benefits of landownership (and to get paid back for all those years of support).

If your offspring moves out, that’s when you move into action. You have the option of either handling the renting yourself, or finding a rental management company in Charlotte, NC to do it for you. There are several good companies in Charlotte that will screen applicants, collect deposits, monthly rent, handle maintenance issues, clean and turn over the property between tenants, and pay you each month for simply owning the property.

Currently, in the University City area, there are several townhomes and condos available for under $120,000 that are two, three and more bedroom homes with at least two bathrooms. Most are always located in communities with swimming pools, which is important to young college students and makes them an attractive feature when renting.

Here is just one example of what you can get and keep for a long term investment. This particular property is located within walking and biking distance from campus in the Glenwater at University Place community. It’s two stories with four bedrooms and three full bathrooms, a basement, neutral paint, new floors, vaulted ceilings, new light fixtures, an island in the kitchen and a large breakfast/dining area. In total, it has over 2,000 square feet of heated living space, is an end unit, and is only $115,000!

Go ahead and buy now in the spring time and have your son or daughter start college in the summer. Why? Because they can start with a quick summer course where they are in class for a bit longer than usual and they’ll get closer to other students faster. They’ll learn the campus while it’s not overly crowded like the Fall semester and go ahead and knock out an undesirable class like math, science, or whatever they don’t do well in. Summer classes give students the opportunity to really get in with the teachers and begin to know them well, too. (It never hurts to try and be teacher’s pet!) The timing is perfect for you to make an investment on a new property, get your youngster moved in, and help them get an early start to school. The early bird catches the worm! When Fall semester comes around, your son or daughter will feel comfortable on campus and already have a few friends; unlike the newbies who have to wait until the last minute to get enrolled, moved in, and buy their books. It’s a win-win situation for you and your college bound kid!

“You learn something every day if you pay attention.” ~Ray LeBlond