THE QUESTION

If I purchase a property at auction with cash or bridging finance, does that mean I don’t have to wait six months before refinancing?  I’ve heard that there’s a ‘6-month rule’ that requires me to wait for that period of time.

Also can I refinance at the full market value?

Are there any work-arounds to this?

THE ANSWER

Some lenders choose to apply...

If you’re using bridging finance to give you more flexibility (and bigger profits) the weakest link is often the solicitor you choose to carry out conveyancing of your bridging loan.

I’m not about to denigrate solicitors as a profession, they are highly qualified individuals who perform an essential function.  They all have their specialisms and solicitors who are experienced...

THE QUESTION

If we use bridging to buy a commercial unit, does the six-month rule apply before we can apply for a mortgage?

THE ANSWER

This an ownership restriction, not a purchase restriction.

If a mortgage lender chooses to invoke a clause that says you must own the property for six months before they will accept an application to remortgage, then they apply it regardless.  It...

If you are looking to purchase a property as an investment, it can look like an uphill trudge.  You have to save up the 25% deposit, not to mention the costs of refurbing and other things which always come up when you have the least cash available.

However, it’s surprising how many potential investors ignore the equity they have in their home, or an investment property that they...

Success in anything is all down to mind-set.  You know that saying ‘you get what you expect’, your mind-set is responsible for where you are now in your property journey.  If that’s not where you want to be then something has to change.  That means adapting your mind-set.

Your mind-set is driven by the beliefs you have about how things are.  A belief that...

THE QUESTION

I came across quite a few blocks of apartments for sale all priced at £1m+.  How do people finance these or are these properties cash only purchases?

THE ANSWER

If they are already tenanted and need no work, then it is just commercial lending, typically 25-30% deposit (£250k-£300k on a £1m purchase). However, that traps a lot of cash in and limits your...

Most property investors start out using mortgages to finance their property purchases, but then your capital is trapped.  That means you haven’t got spare cash to buy more properties, so you’ve got to wait until you’ve saved up enough for your next deposit.

What is a Ninja Investor?

Ninja investors can buy properties quicker with a relatively small amount of available...

Question:  

I'm new to purchasing property for investment, I've only ever bought property to live in and, while I've managed to negotiate a small discount here and there, I've never pushed things too hard as I've always really wanted to buy the place (so an emotional rather than subjective mindset).

Now that I'm looking at property as an investment I'm understanding more and more that...

THE ANSWER

Neither is better, they're just different strategies.

Buying to sell (BTS) gives you a significant cash lump sum (if you do it right) within months.

Buy-to-Let (BTL) gives you a much smaller monthly profit (if you do it right) for years to come, with the bonus of potential capital growth (depending on where you buy).

• Some people focus on BTS because their current circumstances mean...