Whether you invest in real estate or work to help others find the perfect home, having a good credit card can help you get rewarded for your everyday business expenses. Every real estate business is different, however, so there’s no one best card for everyone, especially because agents and investors tend to have different types of expenses.
To help you find the best credit card for your business, we’ve put together a list of our top choices based on how they can provide more value to your bottom line.
How a Business Credit Card Can Benefit Real Estate Agents & Investors
A business credit card can help you run your real estate business more smoothly in a lot of ways. You may technically be able to use a credit card to buy real estate — but it’s not the recommended use of your business credit card. If your credit limit is high enough and the cost of purchase is low enough, you could get a cash advance and put the balance of the house on the card. However, the high interest rate on a credit card makes that a costly decision.
A more effective way to use a real estate credit card is to let it help you to save money by giving you cash back or points on your everyday purchases. The money you save can increase your working capital. Small business credit cards can give any business owner — including realtors — access to higher cash flow to grow their business. Rewards credit cards can also offer things like bonus points, sign-up bonuses, and other business perks.
What to Consider When Looking for a Credit Card for a Real Estate Business
When looking for the best credit card for real estate agents, search for a reward program and redemption options that suits your business. There are business credit cards that reward you for purchases at home renovation stores, for travel, for gas, or for everyday purchases. For example, if you’re spending a lot of time driving to open houses, having a card that rewards you for gas station purchases could go a long way. If you buy airfare to travel overseas for showings, having a card with travel rewards and no foreign transaction fees could be a game changer.
The best credit card for real estate investors gives rewards for the right bonus categories and offers low fees. If you’re looking to transfer a balance from a high-interest card, look for a low balance transfer fee and a 0% intro APR. This allows you to avoid paying interest on your balance for a specific period. A good business credit card will also give you free employee cards for any additional agents at your company.
Whether you have excellent credit or fair credit, you can find a card that will give you leverage to grow your real estate business. Often, credit card issuers are willing to work with a variety of cardholders to help them build their credit. Once you build up to excellent credit, you may be able to qualify with lenders for a luxury credit card and get even better perks.
4 Best Business Credit Cards for Real Estate Agents & Investors
As you compare these and other top business credit cards, consider what your specific expenses and needs are. Also, consider your personal preferences with various features, such as interest rates, fees, and card benefits.
1. Best for Fixer-uppers:
If your real estate investment business involves fixing up and flipping houses for a profit, the is worth considering. The card offers
This card also has a annual fee.
Unlike many store credit cards, this one isn’t a one-trick pony. In addition to the Lowe’s discount, you’ll also earn
You can redeem your points for Lowe’s, Outdoor Rewards, and American Express gift cards. Also expect to get access to Lowe’s ProServices, which offers discounted delivery, and bulk rate pricing.
2. Best for Gas: Sam’s Club® Business Mastercard®
Whether you’re an agent or an investor, you may spend a lot of time in a car driving to view various properties. With the Sam’s Club® Business Mastercard®, you’ll get 5% cash back on eligible gas purchases on the first $6,000 spent each year, then 1% after that.
You’ll also earn 3% cash back on dining and travel, and 1% back on all other purchases. The card doesn’t have an annual fee, but you do need to be a Sam’s Club Business membership to have the card, which costs $45 per year.
The good news is that you don’t have to shop at Sam’s Club to use the card. And if you spend enough on gas, you can easily make up for the card’s unofficial annual fee.
*All information about the Sam’s Club® Business Mastercard® credit card has been collected independently by Nav. This card is not currently available through Nav. To see what business credit cards are available, please visit the Nav Credit Card Marketplace.
3. Best for a High Rewards Rate:
If you don’t spend a lot in any one category or just want a high rewards rate on every purchase you make, look no further than the .
. American Express Membership Rewards points can be particularly valuable if you transfer them to the program’s partner airlines and hotels.
The card also provides an introductory APR promotion of . So if you’re planning a big makeover project or have some startup costs for your agency, you’ll have plenty of time to pay off the purchases interest-free.
The card has a credit limit, but you may be able to spend beyond it without fees or penalties. You’ll also pay a annual fee, and you’ll get access to some tools to help with your accounting and expense management.
4. Best for Fair Credit:
If you have fair or average credit, you’ll have a hard time getting a good business credit card. Most of them require good or excellent personal credit to get approved.
With the however, you can qualify without a stellar credit history. The card is tailored for business owners who have defaulted on a loan in the past year, or have a limited credit history (less than three years).
The card charges a annual fee, and also offers . While that doesn’t stack up well against our other top choices, it’s decent as you’re working to rebuild your credit history.
The only major drawback is that Capital One reports business credit card activity to both the commercial and consumer credit bureaus. So if you misuse the card or rack up a high balance, it could damage your credit even more.
But if you use the card responsibly and keep your balance relatively low, it could help you cover your expenses while you build credit.
How to Choose the Best Card for Your Real Estate Business
As you compare these and other business credit cards and see what features they offer, you’ll probably get an idea of what you want in a card. As you consider your preferences, biggest expenses, and personal credit score, you’ll have an easier time narrowing the field down to one choice.
While picking the right card is important, though, don’t spend more time on it than you need to. Over time, your preferences, expenses, and credit may change, and the card you choose may no longer be the best one for your business. Choose the card that’s right for you now, then make changes later if you need to.
This article was originally written on February 1, 2019 and updated on February 8, 2023.
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