Before the buy-to-let scheme started in 1996 it was extremely difficult for private investors to raise finance on residential investment property, unless they were already high net-worth individuals, or were high-income earners, or both. At that time any residential property loan, other than a standard mortgage loan to an owner-occupier, would be treated by the…

In my experience, one of the most common mistakes made by property investors is that they do not have a clear idea of what they are trying to achieve, and as a consequence, they do not really have any sort of a plan or strategy. As the old saying goes “if you don’t have a…

Whether it will be worth while for you will depend upon what you want to achieve. Most investors buy property for: Income; or Capital appreciation; or A combination of the two. What you want (or need) will determine the type of property you buy and where you buy it. As a general rule, you will…

In a sense buy-to-let has demystified property investing and has made it a realistic possibility for many ordinary people. However, even a “cheap” buy-to-let property is a major investment and care needs to be taken in finding the right properties. Because of a booming property market, many people have done well through buy-to-let, even if…