5 Landlord Friendly States in the 2022 U.S. Housing Market

Location is one of the most critical factors to make when investing in real estate. Investing in landlord friendly states will not only give you a high profit potential but also more control over your rental property.

Any investor who’s learned how to invest in real estate knows that some states have laws that tend to favor the tenant over the landlord, while others strike the right balance, making them landlord-friendly. Differentiating between the two and gasping the state’s landlord-tenant laws is one of the keys to making your rental property investment a success.

In this article, we’re going to look at some of the factors that make a state landlord-friendly. Because we want you to succeed, we’ll then provide you with some landlord friendly states for you to consider.

Factors that make a state landlord friendly

Generally, landlord-friendly states are locations where the laws don’t take the tenant’s side when it comes to the eviction process, property maintenance, and repair issues. Regulations such as property taxes, notices, and security deposit timelines in these states favor landlords.

Here are some pointers to note down when looking for a landlord friendly state:

Affordable property taxes

Property taxes are an assured expense in every state. However, you can invest in states with lower property tax rates, instead of others that leave you with low profits. Some states allow you to pay lower taxes for properties of the same size and the same features. This will ultimately save you thousands of dollars and optimize your return.

Eviction process

Being a landlord is a hard job. If you take up the property management tasks, you must know how to deal with bad and difficult tenants. For example, some may delay rental payments every month. Others break property rules in regards to smoking, pets, and parties. The extreme ones may even cause damage to your property.

In these cases, you’re left with no option but to evict your tenants. The eviction process in some states may delay for a couple of months. However, you want to invest in a state with a less complicated eviction process that’s faster.

Rent control laws

Rent control laws put a cap on the amount of rent that you can charge and also regulate how often you can revise the rates. While some states set strict rent control guidelines to protect tenants from greedy landlords, the laws can be very restrictive even in some reasonable circumstances.

If you want more control over how much rent you can charge and how often you can raise the rates, you need to invest in a landlord friendly state. Some states are more lenient when it comes to rent control.

Registration and license acquisition

The amount of paperwork involved when it comes to business registration and licensing can be a pain. This process in some states is costly, tedious, and very tiring. As an investor, you’re likely to be attracted to a state with a less complicated registration process that gives you no trouble when acquiring the necessary papers.

Top 5 landlord friendly states in 2022

If you’re looking for states that offer all of the above plus much more, you need to look no further. Here are 5 of the top friendly states for landlords to purchase rental income properties for sale in 2022:

Arizona

With a low property tax rate, Arizona boasts of being one of the leading landlord-friendly states. If a tenant fails to pay their rent on time or damages your property, the eviction process is quite straightforward. You simply have to issue one of the following notices:

• 5-day notice for tenants who’ve delayed their rent payment
• 5-day notice for tenants who don’t maintain their rental unit
• 10-day notice for tenants who breach the lease terms or rental agreement

If the tenant fails to honor the notice within the time period, you can file an eviction lawsuit.

The State of Arizona also allows you to serve an Unconditional Quit Notice if there are any serious violations, such as continuous criminal activity or failing to report a criminal record. The notice allows the landlord to terminate the lease immediately.

Florida

Florida has the highest population of renters in the U.S. housing market. Luckily, the landlord-tenant laws are not very detailed, creating a favorable environment for rental property investors.

First, Florida laws prohibit rent control, and there are no limits on security deposits or restrictions on late fees. As for the security deposit, you’re only required to return it within 15-60 days after the tenant moves out.

When it comes to evicting tenants, you are required to provide your tenants with a 3-day notice to either pay the rent or vacate the property. If the cause of eviction is serious, such as continuously violating the lease or causing intentional property damage, you can serve an Unconditional Quit Notice.

Florida’s average property tax rate is about 0.98%.

Georgia

Georgia has historically been a top state for real estate investors for various reasons. Firstly, Georgia’s property tax rate is under 1%. Secondly, Georgia has no limits on security deposits and late fees.

The eviction process in Georgia is less formal than in many other markets. While you can issue a notice when the rent is due, it doesn’t have to be in writing, and there’s no particular notice period. Once you’ve issued a notice, the tenant has 7 days to pay or vacate.

Landlords in Georgia can also legally enter their properties without any prior notice.

Indiana

Landlord-tenant laws in Indiana have no tolerance for tenants who delay their payments. A landlord can issue a 10-day notice to tenants who don’t pay on time or violate the lease. If the tenant doesn’t comply within the notice period, you can file an eviction lawsuit with the court.

Indiana also doesn’t have any limits on the security deposit. Landlords can withhold the security deposit for 45 days after the lease has ended. This is to give the landlord time to ensure that no severe damage has been done by the tenant.

Texas

The property tax rate in Texas is 1.83%, which is higher compared to the other landlord friendly states. However, the landlord-tenant laws in this state generally favor the landlord.

To start with, there are no limits on the security deposits a landlord can charge. Landlords and tenants can also agree on their own terms for property repairs. For example, a landlord can place the repair costs on the tenant if they’re behind on rent.

If you want to evict a tenant for late payment or lease violation, you simply have to issue a 3-day notice for them to pay up or move out. If the tenant fails to honor the notice within the notice period, you can file for eviction in court. Landlords in Texas can withhold the security deposit for up to 30 days.

Should you invest in a landlord friendly state?

Every state in the U.S. has its landlord-tenant laws. Some state laws favor the tenant, while others are landlord friendly. Investing in a landlord friendly state can help you protect and maximize your property investment. All in all, ensure you treat your tenants well to ensure they’re happy and protect your investment.