What Sam Saw Today

Getting a mortgage is hard work.

Ever since the property market went *pop* most major banks have made getting mortgages harder than ever.  Chuck into that some extra regulatory hoops to wriggle over and you’ll soon find yourself wondering if you ever really wanted to buy a property.

Anyway, it would appear the Kickstarter effect has winged it’s haloed glow over to property investment. (more…)

I own cheap property.  I own expensive property.

I have DSS tenants.  I have mega-earning professionals.

If I had my time again with the benefit of 10 years experience, what would I do? (more…)

Admit it, you did a double-take didn’t you?

You thought to yourself: “Is that…is that Doctor Who’s Tardis?” (more…)

Property investment is a capital hungry business – the purchase of a property is just the beginning of a long line of costs.

You need more than you think.  (Rule: 52)

Estate agents, glossy brochures and TV programmes deal in the “headlines” of buy to let; the sort of sums which make you think property is a short-cut to becoming an over-night millionaire.

Property can make you money – but it’s also going to cost you money.  And there’s a lot of hidden expenses involved.  These are the boring details that many don’t like to deal with – talking about solicitors fees and stamp duty takes some of the sexy sheen away from which kitchen worktop to opt for.

But the devil is in the detail. (more…)

Is there any such thing as an “easy” buy to let?

That’s what prompted this property experiment – the subsequent purchase of a property before auction and the proceeding renovation tales!

While the project may have been completed ahead of schedule, tenanted in double-quick time (from day of purchase to tenanted status in 6 weeks) and has been rented ABOVE the initially expected rental of £1300-1400pcm at £1450pcm, it has not all been plain sailing. (more…)