You’ve bought a property and refurbed it and now you’re ready to refinance at it’s higher value and get as much of your money out as possible.  Then you can move on to the next deal.

The problem is you have to convince the mortgage lender’s surveyor that your property has escalated in value.  The surveyor will look at what you paid for it – regardless of...

My interest in property started when my mother bought me a book about property as a birthday present; it was called Property Renovation Profits.  It’s a gift that changed my life. I read the book and I did what it said in the pages. I followed the instructions to a tee: I bought property, renovated it, and sold it for a profit.  Then I was fired up enough to do it again. 

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THE QUESTION

I’ve been offered a house well under market value, but it has a tenant who has lived there since 1992 on a regulated tenancy.  She is only paying £225 rent per month, if I bought the property would I be able to evict her or not?

THE ANSWER

The regulated tenancy could not have started in 1992 because the last date for legally commencing such a tenancy was 31st...

THE QUESTION

We got the search results back on a property; it says that there has been an unauthorised loft conversion.  It must have been done a good while ago as the property has been empty for more than three years.

The plan was to use the loft as either a third bedroom or a study, but the surveyor advised that the floor needed more support.

Can we apply for back-dated planning...

Go to any property meet and you’ll find at least as many people who are ‘getting into property’ as those who are already successful.  A year down the line many of those same people are still standing on the starting line and haven’t got started yet.

What’s holding them back?

There are three things:

1. Fear – of failure, but sometimes of success
2. Indecision...

The quality of deals you do depends on your ability to negotiate successfully.   There’s more to a deal than simply making an offer, it’s a lot to do with how you are perceived by the vendor or the estate agent.

I use a six letter acronym to help property investors to develop their ability to make better deals – with more profit in them.  This spells SPEECH.

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Serviced apartments are an attractive way to invest in property.  Sites like Air B&B and Booking.com are now mainstream and people are always looking for a great place to stay, where they have some independence. 

That means that savvy investors are looking at the opportunity with interest.  So, if you have a successful track record with HMOs this may look like a logical next...

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...