The Rental Property Tax Benefit That Quietly Dwarfs Returns From Cash Flow Fair warning: this one gets a little technical. But stick with us, because understanding how it works can save you tons of money. We’re talking about the tax benefits of owning rental property and claiming real estate professional status — and once it clicks, you’ll see why the tax advantages of real estate can dwarf what you...
Top Ten Landlord-Friendly States in 2026 (and the Top Ten Working Against You) Holding real estate is a great way to both preserve and grow wealth. But if you're going to do this, you want to do it in a place where, 1. the real estate holds its value, and 2. while you're holding the real estate, it's actually easy for you to own it. One thing that really makes a difference for landlords and property...
Why Buy Real Estate in Kansas City? Kansas City has been a center of commerce and growth since America’s frontier days—and today, it’s one of the most compelling cities in the U.S. for real estate investors and rental property owners. With a central location, diverse economy, relatively affordable housing prices, and landlord-friendly laws, the Kansas City Metro stands out as livable city with...
Lutz Q4 2025 Lender Rate Survey: Local Bank Responses to the Fed's Recent Rate Cut Fall is here, and with it comes the final push of 2025—83 days left to lock in deals before the year closes. As investors, this is a prime time to capitalize on market shifts, especially with the Federal Reserve's recent 0.25% rate cut influencing borrowing costs. At Lutz Sales + Investments, we work closely with local...
How Real Estate Professional Status Supercharges a Cost Segregation Study Most landlords know that a cost segregation study can front-load years of depreciation into the first year of ownership. Fewer realize that pairing cost seg with Real Estate Professional Status (REPS) can unlock those paper losses immediately—wiping out W-2 wages, business profits, even portfolio gains. Below is a plain-English...
Cost segregation studies can save real estate investors thousands of dollars a year on their tax bill, even for smaller properties. But there are some important things to know to ensure you maximize your deduction and don't run afoul of the IRS. We use DIY cost segregation but there are other companies who do cost segs, take a look and feel free to use whatever company you’d...
5 Lessons We’ve Learned Investing in Real Estate At Lutz Sales + Investments, we don’t just broker deals—we’re investors ourselves. And over the years, we’ve made mistakes, learned the hard way, and fine-tuned our approach to building value in multifamily and commercial properties. Whether you're buying your first duplex or managing a 50-unit building, these five lessons are grounded in...
Lutz Quick Guide: 5 Commercial Real Estate Terms Every Investor Should Know When analyzing a commercial real estate opportunity, a few core metrics can reveal a lot about its performance, risk, and profitability. Below, we’ve broken down five essential terms—complete with formulas and examples—to help you evaluate deals with confidence. 1. Cash-on-Cash Return (CoC) Definition: The annual...
At Lutz Sales + Investments, one of the most common questions we hear—and honestly, our least favorite—is: “What will my new property tax bill be?” It's not because we don’t want to help. It’s because the answer is complicated. In Jackson County, Missouri, your property taxes are based on the county-assessed value, and that figure often differs significantly from the price you paid for...
Let’s first start with what the utilities are that someone needs to pay for. There are six utilities that you should think about when looking at any rental property, not every one applies to every building, but make sure you think about these six as you look at purchasing any property. Electric Gas Water/Sewer Trash Lawn/Landscaping Snow Removal...