Real Estate Investing

Food, water, shelter.  These are the most basic needs for human life, so important in fact that instinct should kick in should circumstances challenge us to survive.  But we hear time and time again about hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes and other natural disasters that virtually wipe out all the food, water, and shelter that support and protect human life.  At the risk of stating the obvious… without the resources to live, there is no life.

I regularly read online sources for the latest real estate news and CNN.com caught my attention with Home for 10 people… in a portable box.  As I clicked over to read the story, I imagined one of the stackable houses like I’ve heard about in Japan where people live in a 10×10 unit or about some fabulous prefab design.  Instead, I found this amazing story about how one idea by one man is helping people to survive when disaster strikes,

The ex-Royal Navy search-and-rescue diver says the idea behind the ShelterBox came to him “literally in a heartbeat” while watching the news in 1999. Henderson was struck by the footage he saw of relief workers dropping food on the ground to victims of a disaster.

“I decided there and then that I would try to make a difference in a more sensible and dignified way,” he recalls. “I went to my study and I got a piece of paper out, and I wrote down ’shelter,’ ‘warm,’ ‘comfort,’ and ‘dignity.’ And that’s where it started.”

The portable easy-to-carry box contains supplies that will help people to survive including a 10-person tent, water containers and purifiers, thermal blankets, multi-fuel stove and cooking utensils, and more. 

The non-profit Shelter Box organizions - sponsored by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard - is always looking for donations and volunteers to help with this humanitarian effort.  I applaud the work of this volunteer group and thank them for their kindness.

Here are three great real estate-related gift ideas that also happen to be tax write-offs. These are kind of different, and may not be for everyone, but they’re worth a look at least.

Make It Right donation: This campaign, spearheaded by Brad Pitt, aims to build eco-friendly homes in New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward, the area hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. You could “adopt” an entire house, or only a piece of a house, as a gift to someone who needs nothing and who values such initiatives. And it’s a donation, so it is a tax write-off!

Give Your House Away: OK, so when you give your house away to a charitable organization like House Angel or Real Estate With Causes, you might not actually get to see the recipient’s response. But you’ll feel better having done some good. You’ll also get a tax deduction equal to the home’s current market value, not what its value was when originally purchased.

Buy a house for your college student: This is the ultimate gift for a college student. You can sign them up as co-owner and help build their credit as well, an added bonus. There are, however, pros and cons to this scenario. Consider it carefully before deciding one way or the other. But of course, it is well known that real estate ownership has tremendous tax benefits.

We’ve heard about donating money, time, cars and even credit card rewards, but what about property? The New York Times has an interesting story about an elderly couple who donated a summer home to charity. The 80-something couple donated their island cottage, bought in 1965 for $20,000, and received over $6,000 monthly income and a sizeable tax write-off. Bonus: They designated the AARP and other charities of their choice as recipients, so they know the donation is going to causes important to them. According to the article, real estate donations are becoming more accepted.

Nonprofit groups once shied away from real estate, but more of them now encourage these donations, especially as property values soared in recent years. Some have established foundations or planned-giving departments, while others work with consultants to help with transactions. Many groups are gearing up for a spurt of year-end activity.

Still, only about two percent of charitable contributions each year are real estate, ranging in value from $250,000 to $15 million. This is one of the most flexible options when it comes to charitable donations. A property owner could do 100-percent donation or part-sell, part-gift. Real estate donations can avoid the capital gains tax altogether or help even out the tax picture when other property has been sold at large gains.

By and large, those who donate real estate to charity are successful, wealthy philanthropists who want to give back to the community, according to the article. So it’s an interesting idea, but may not be for everyone.