A GUIDE BY FRED CHILTON

Your first
investment property.

A free workbook for a property someone else will pay to live in. Verify the rent before you rely on it, count every operating cost once, plan your reserves, and see what the plan looks like during a vacancy or a first-year repair.

Get the free guide Free · 11-page PDF + worksheets · No cost, no obligation

A worked cash-flow example from full rent down to the cash actually left
A reserve plan that separates closing funds from cash for repairs and vacancies
A vacancy and repair stress test, with your own pause point written down

Your first investment property guide cover

WHAT’S INSIDE

Look beyond the rent.

Eleven pages about the two things that decide a rental: whether the numbers are real, and whether the plan survives a month without rent. Rent arrives monthly. Repairs, empty weeks, and large bills do not.

01
Check the property facts firstWhat to verify and who to ask: supported rent, the current lease and payment history, taxes after purchase, insurance for rental use, condition, dues and rental restrictions, local permits, and management costs.
02
What may be left each monthFull rent, minus an allowance for empty time, minus taxes, insurance, dues and owner-paid utilities, management and leasing, maintenance, recurring costs, loan payment, and a replacement fund.
03
A worked cash-flow exampleA filled-in example shows how rent, expenses, the loan payment, and replacement reserves leave $34 a month before income taxes.
04
Cash to close and real reservesLender reserves are not the same as money you can readily spend on a vacancy or a repair. Both get written down separately.
05
A vacancy and repair stress testLonger vacancy, lower rent, a major first-year repair, and rising taxes or insurance — with where the cash would come from and the pause point that would make you walk away.
06
Match the loan to your planOccupancy described accurately from the start, what rent a lender may actually count toward approval, and what to confirm before a company owns the property.
07
Compare the financingTwo options side by side, including required reserves, prepayment charges, a possible balloon payment, and who must sign personally.
08
Your one-page property briefPrice, intended use, supported rent and its source, planned cash left, cash after closing, your largest concern, and what still needs verification.

Fred Chilton
Licensed mortgage broker · NMLS #1810817

THE GUIDE + EMAIL TIPS

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Educational information only. Not a rate quote, approval, or commitment to lend.

A LOOK INSIDE

The worksheets you’ll use.

Two of the worksheets inside, line for line, so you know what you are getting before you sign up.

WORKSHEET · MONTHLY CASH-FLOW PLAN

Rent if fully occupied and paid
Minus: allowance for empty time or unpaid rent
Rent expected to be collected
Minus: property taxes
Minus: rental-property and required flood insurance
Minus: association dues and owner-paid utilities
Minus: management, leasing, and tenant-change costs
Minus: routine maintenance and repairs
Minus: licenses, accounting, and other recurring costs
Minus: loan principal and interest, plus required financing charges
Minus: money set aside for future major replacements
Planned cash left before income taxes

The worked example puts rent, operating costs, the loan payment, and replacement reserves together. The next page tests what happens to annual cash flow after an unexpected repair.

WORKSHEET · GIVE THE PLAN A TOUGHER TEST

The property sits empty longer than expected
Rent is lower than my first estimate
A major repair happens in the first year
Taxes or insurance rise
My pause point: I would revisit this purchase if…

For each line you write the cash needed and where it would actually come from. An allowance in a worksheet is not money in the bank — and lender reserves are not the same as cash you can readily spend.

QUESTIONS

Before you sign up.

What you get and how to use it.

Buying a home to live in instead? The first-time buyer guide covers the full monthly payment, cash to close, and the offer-to-closing steps.

What exactly do I receive?: The 11-page investment property PDF and its worksheets, plus mortgage tips and marketing emails from Fred. The worksheets are made to be completed with your own numbers.
Is this only for financing questions?: No. Much of it is the property itself: supported rent, leases, insurance for rental use, condition, dues, local rental rules, and management costs. The financing pages come after the property pages for a reason.
Do I have to give a phone number?: No. Name and email are the only fields. If you would rather talk it through, texting or calling (949) 345-0201 is your choice, not a requirement.
Can I read it right away?: Yes. A download button for the PDF appears on this page as soon as your request is accepted. Save a copy to read or print later.
What if I need another copy?: Use the download button after signing up, or contact Fred if you need help getting a copy.
How do I stop the emails?: Reply “unsubscribe” to a guide email to stop the series. You can keep the PDF.
Is this investment or tax advice?: No. It is educational information only — not a rate quote, Loan Estimate, approval, commitment to lend, investment recommendation, or tax or legal advice. Rental income, occupancy, returns, and future refinancing are not guaranteed. For financing figures, try the mortgage payment calculator or start an investment-property snapshot.