Most investors aim to be able to buy houses outright with cash either to do up and sell on, or to rent out and remortgage later. 

Cash buyer status is considered by many to be property investor nirvana and gives you multiple advantages over people who are mortgage-dependent.

Speed: purchase of a property can be completed in a matter of days. If that is important to a vendor, this will blow...

THE QUESTION

Is £25K enough to get started in the property industry? Local 2-bed terraced houses are around £200K.

I have around £200K equity in my property and I have recently taken out a new mortgage on the family home.

I am a builder so I can improve properties easily.

THE ANSWER

The big plus is your background, you will be able to take on dilapidated, problem properties...

Back in Spring 2020 property investors were wringing their hands and predicting a huge dive in property values – did it happen?  No.  Instead the stamp duty holiday and people working from home gave the property market a shot in the arm and it rapidly became a rampant sellers’ market.

Most of the people buying were looking for a main residence, rather than a property...

Post-pandemic many businesses have discovered the benefits of having remote workers – and many workers are embracing the lack of commuting time and the ability to be more flexible.  One of the benefits companies have discovered is the reduction in office space needed.  Some companies have even relocated altogether to an out of town location to take advantage of lower rental and...

THE QUESTION

We have 5 BTL properties on mortgages.  We have used all our funds for the deposits on these houses and now have about 50k left.  We want to continue to grow as proper investors. What are our options to continue to move and grow? 

We would like to buy and renovate a property, but not really sure how this would work as the property we are considering has no heating...

Being a full-time property investor is many investors’ dream, but few consider the adverse effect it has on their ability to raise a mortgage. This nirvana of being full-time in property is frequently encouraged on property courses and at meetings.  It is held up as the definitive status symbol, to be worn almost as a badge of honour.  Property speakers often spit out the...

THE QUESTION

We have a property which the whole ground floor is our residential home, and above we have 3 two-bedroom flats, which we let out. The current mortgage ends in later this year approx. 30%LTV.

Our ages are slightly problematic as my husband is 76 and I am 63.  Our current broker is suggesting gearing up our other properties and paying off this one, they say this is the cheapest...

THE QUESTION

I am looking into a BTL with tenants in situ.  It’s a two- bed house, with a studio annexe; both with separate tenants.

The annexe does not have planning permission, but has been let out as a studio for several years. 

In the land registry, it's one property with one title deed. There are no separate leases or any lease. Owned by one person, under whose ownership...

If you’re looking at property investment one of the biggest stumbling blocks that you’ll face may be your credit rating.  It doesn’t take much to get the odd smudge on your credit record – a missed payment or a lot of maxed-out credit cards.  It can even be something from your past that still shows up on the record.

This is one of the things that stops...

THE QUESTION

I made an offer for a property that will be my first BTL.  It was accepted and the surveyor went round, Now the surveyor has said kitchen is not up to scratch so the value of house is zero.

The house needs some work, which I was going to do before letting, I am a builder, so I know what needs doing and have the skills to do it.  I just wanted to do it and get the property...