A property career often starts as a way to supplement your full-time income, these days known as a ‘side hustle’ or ‘the 5-9 job’. 

Some people keep it that way, finding a couple of properties and letting an agency manage them, so the rental income pays for holidays and the occasional new car.

Some start off with that intention and then get bitten by the property...

THE QUESTION

I am about to view a two-bed apartment, which has a low asking price and an impressive yield.  What are the pitfalls to watch out for?  Is it hard to raise finance for this kind of purchase as a buy-to-let (BTL)?

This is one of a row of flats that are above commercial properties, mostly shops (this on is actually above a kebab shop).  There is pub next door....

When you’re ambitious about your property career, but your bank balance isn’t quite ready to start buying properties, it can be frustrating.  You want to get started, but saving that all-important deposit to get started is holding you back. 

After all, there’s only so much money you can put away each month - and if you’re in a job with a family to look after,...

THE QUESTION

If you own a property that was mortgaged and not owned outright, could you still put that as security for a bridging loan?

THE ANSWER

This is a good question and a good opportunity to examine what I teach on the Ninja Investor Programme. The answer is ‘yes’, but let me explain more.

An unencumbered property is highly advantageous if liquid cash is not available or is...

When you’re starting out on the journey to become a landlord, houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) can appear to be a goldmine. Everyone knows that when a four-bed semi becomes an HMO, the rental income is likely to be much higher than it would be when you let it as a house-share or a family home.

So what’s to stop you simply charging four separate tenants per room?

There are...

THE QUESTION

Property can be so stressful and emotional sometimes. One of my investors has pulled out for personal reasons and the vendor wants to complete early next week. It’s a good deal, but it looks like I’ll lose my deposit - any ideas?

THE ANSWER

When you enter the game of playing with private investors, you have to take on the chin that you are dealing with individuals who...

Most property investors rely on mortgages to purchase properties.  Bridging as a means of financing a purchase tends to be treated with suspicion; it’s unknown territory.

The problem is that most people take their knowledge of mortgages and apply it to bridging and that’s where disaster lurks!  Here are five core facts about bridging.

1. Interest rates

With a mortgage, the...

THE QUESTION

There’s a house I have seen, it’s a three-bed house on a street that consists of just three-bed houses all around the £92k mark

Except there is one house on the street that’s had a really good loft conversion that’s added 2 bedrooms and another bathroom and it sold a few months ago for £165k

If I buy a house on this street and do a conversion to...

When most people think of property investors, they think of buy-to-let landlords - but there are many different strategies to generate an income from property besides that.  Let’s look at a few of these:

Buy-to-sell

Also known as ‘flips’, this strategy involves buying properties with a view to reselling them at a higher price.  In its purest form this strategy...

THE QUESTION

I have a property worth £170K with a mortgage of £105K.  How much would I be able to borrow on bridging finance for another property?

THE ANSWER

The first important thing to consider is what the second charge bridging market looks like.

Not all bridgers lend if you cannot offer them a first charge.  You can’t do that, because your mortgage lender already...