The rise in house prices has far outweighed the rise in annual salaries over the last 20 years. Many homeowners have found themselves in a situation where they simply can no longer maintain their mortgage payments on a home they purchased twenty years ago.

In the same period, the rental market for houses has boomed as many couples find that in the short term, they can pay less per month for rent than they would have to pay for a mortgage.

A couple of other advantages are that you are not responsible for major repairs, which can add up to a considerable amount of money over time. Therefore, it would seem as if renting a property at the moment is a far more viable proposition than purchasing your own home.

However, there are other considerations, to keep in mind when comparing purchasing and renting on a long-term basis.

Lenders have always been less kind to tenants than homeowners, when it comes to handing out loans, especially mortgages. Finding all kinds of loans is much easier if you already have a mortgage, as it is possible to use any equity in your home as security against a loan.

Tenants pay rent for which they never see return, homeowners on the other hand, eventually will own the house, free and clear. This will give them a huge cash amount should they choose to sell. Alternatively, they will have no rent to pay for the rest of their lives giving them more available cash every month.

The recent near disappearance of the hundred percent mortgage, has its downside in that it may be more difficult for new home buyers to get on the ladder. Nevertheless, on the plus side, it means that once the new homeowner has their mortgage their home is far less liable to be repossessed. This is because it is also less liable to slip into negative equity, meaning it is worth less than the owner paid for it.

Another advantage of this down market at the moment is houses are now actually cheaper than they were a year ago. Enabling those who have saved a deposit to find a home at a lower price than they would have paid last year.

Once the market moves upwards again, as it always does, the new homeowner will be in a much better position. Having paid less for their house, and also owning a bigger percentage of the equity in the property.

There are advantages at the moment to renting over buying but they should be carefully weighed against the much more rewarding long-term benefits of home ownership.

As a successful property investor, you will want to make a commercial property analysis of any real estate deal before you consider making the purchase. There are many factors which you should take into account while making your property analysis. Some of these factors which you should look at are: the location of the property, the price, taxes, local government and zoning laws, potential rental income, as well as the options you have for obtaining the property using an investment property mortgage loan.

Commercial property has many guidelines and regulations which must be followed. The last thing that you want to do is purchase investment commercial property, and then find out once you own it that you cannot lease it to the business you want, or that zoning permits you from using the property how you would like to. Whenever you are reviewing a commercial property analysis, it is vitally important to find out about the local governmental rules and regulations which will govern what you can and cannot do with the property in question. Look at what you had planned for the property and make sure everything is in agreement.

Taxes can be a big consideration when you are making a commercial property analysis. Some local areas offer tax incentives for commercial property owners and to certain businesses. If your property can meet the guidelines then you could possibly see a nice tax reduction. Also, if the area taxes commercial real estate at a high rate, you could be in for a real surprise if you did not consider taxes in your commercial property analysis.

Just as there can be tax incentives to buying commercial property in a particular area, the same can be said for financing options. Many commercial lenders have programs which fit a variety of different business and community needs. If your property qualifies you can see a nice reduction in your mortgage interest rate.

Another consideration is the rental rate of other commercial properties in the area. If many properties are sitting vacant that is a sign that you may have serious trouble renting to a business and keeping them for the long-term. This is important for your commercial investment analysis because the rent money is your income on the property.

While performing a commercial property analysis you should take all of the above into consideration. You also might want to consider hitting the pavement and talking to people in the area of your potential property purchase. See what the people who already live and work in the area think about the property.