THE QUESTION

Can you recommend somebody who can help me with 100% bridging finance?

THE ANSWER

If you mean where you put nothing into the deal, that is not how bridgers work, except in exceptional circumstances. They always want a safety net built in so they can sell off the property quickly, if they need to, and recoup their money. 

This means for virtually every deal you need to put up...

Property can be a lonely world; non-property people tend to foresee doom and gloom about the property market; other people in property are chasing the same deals as you are.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

With the right environment, you can learn from your peers - sharing experience and helping each other to avoid pitfalls and discover some of the smart property moves that make your...

THE QUESTION

Can you use a bridging loan to exchange on a site, do the work and complete after the sale? In other words, delay completion using a loan to do it.

THE ANSWER

I have been teaching exactly this strategy for years at my Ninja Investor Programme.  I call it the 100% refurb strategy, because you rarely end up borrowing less than 100% of the purchase price when you use it.  We...

When you’re getting into property investment you need one of two things:

• A reasonable cash pot as the deposit for your first property
• A means of financing the deposit for your first purchase

The days of 100% mortgages are long gone and for most people that means a 25% deposit.  If you’re in the south east, that could be a fairly big wedge of money, with property prices within...

THE QUESTION

I've had three very different opinions from three brokers on a First-Time-Buyer-First-Time-Landlord BTL mortgage.  I've got JV experience (through a Ltd Company), I don't have a mortgaged property (I rent at present), I’m recently divorced and have a smallish cash pot.

I can't afford to buy where I live, but this is where my kids go to school, so I want to stay...

The devil is in the detail

When I meet people who are thinking about getting into property it’s not unusual for them to come up with a list of reasons why they haven’t got started yet.  Some of these are excuses, but some are simply the result of listening to people who only have some of the information.

Even people who have been in the property business for many years believe...

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,...