Louise | Property Venture

How can you Private Sector landlords thrive beyond 2023?

Many Landlords and investors in the Private Rented Sector have grown weary of the incessant negative press and being scapegoated for soaring rents.

Yes it is incredibly difficult to navigate the housing market as a renter. And yes there are some unscrupulous Landlords who ignore legalities and housing regulation in pursuit of profit. Some of whom usually end up as part of a TV programme. But that is not representative of the whole PRS sector.

Michael Gove talks about landlords at NRLA Conference

For more people to be able to easily find a decent home, more needs to be done to supply decent housing. The endless Merry-go-Round of criticism of those who already supply decent homes is not a solution. Landlords find it increasingly challenging to supply homes in the climate of increased taxation, increased regulation (over 400 rules and regulations), high operational and finance costs.

Landlords with higher loan to value mortgages (50%+) make up 30% of the sector. These landlords are under the most pressure by rising interest costs. If more PRS Landlords tire of the situation and are driven out of the market, the less stock there is for housing those people who are not in a position to buy their own home. The more homelessness will be experienced in the UK.

What is the State of play for landlords in the PRS?

11.6m people live in homes supplied by the Private Rented Sector, this has doubled in 20 years.

Never has the PRS been so important in supplying homes. Yet the PRS stopped growing in 2016. There have been steady disposals of rented homes since. (Zoopla)

No one else is picking up the slack, certainly not the Government and the Build-to-Rent sector only represents 2-3% of housing stock. Housing delivery is falling.

All at a time when we are reaching the limits of rental affordability – rents have increased by 10.5% in the last year (Savills) and represent the highest proportion of income for decades.

Rental demand is up 51% compared with the 5-year average, yet rental stock is down 30% vs the 5-year average (Zoopla Sep ‘23)

Is the Government finally understanding the Private Rented Sector-PRS?

Having attending a recent National and Residential Landlord Association (NRLA) conference where Michael Gove appeared – albeit via video link. The audience of 800 property people, the majority of whom were landlords, got to pose topical questions.

Ben Beadle, CE of the NRLA has done a great job of lobbying on behalf of landlords, particularly around the Renters Reform Bill which plans to abolish Section 21, the main efficient and speedy way to reclaim a home. Michael Gove is beginning to appreciate the consequences of landlord-bashing.

What were the property insights to help landlords survive and thrive?

Under labour there is unlikely to be substantial change to PRS Regulation and Legislation. Much of the work to date e.g. Renters Reform Bill has been done with Cross-Party support and as such, the outcome will be more enduring. Although Labour might push for longer fixed tenancies above what is currently proposed. Clive Betts Labour MP for Sheffield SE spoke on behalf of the DLUHC Select Committee (Department for Levelling Up Housing & Communities) on housing reforms. Although it is worth highlighting 85% of tenancies are terminated by tenants. Only 6% of landlords use section 21 and only a very small % of tenants are served a notice to terminate without good reason.

It is doubtful that Rent Controls will be introduced in spite of some Labour members calling for them. The evidence at the conference overwhelmingly showed that Rent Controls don’t work. Or in fact they exacerbate rent increases. Scotland was cited as one example. Edinburgh specifically is a place where rents have increased higher than other parts of the UK.

What 3 key things ought landlords do?

1 You still need to formulate plans to nudge up the energy-efficiency of our homes.

The push for Energy Efficiency hasn’t gone away. Even though Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has slowed the impetus until post-election. Whether the current Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is used as a means of measure into the future remains to be seen.

2 You need to put your best foot forwards by prudently managing your rental homes, especially by ensuring rents keep up with inflation.

ONS Data show that rents do not keep up with ‘average’ 3% inflation. By not regularly reviewing rental levels you can leave yourself exposed. Then you may be obliged to increase rents dramatically in one go, to keep up and protect profitability to survive. We will soon reach an unaffordable level, as rents now represent the highest proportion of income for about two decades. So acting in a measured way on an ongoing basis is more constructive.

3 Having great processes and systems in place will help ensure longevity beyond Renters Reform. This will ensure that not only can you be implicitly confident you have taken the best measures for your tenants, but that you can explicitly show to a court you have done so too.

How are you weathering the current climate?

I am a landlord, ‘prudent’ property investor and developer. I help others to invest ‘prudently’ either with a bespoke Property Finding service or in a supportive mentoring capacity. If you’d like help or to find out more do message me info@property-venture.com. Or connect with me here

My business Property Venture® is an award-winning, Boutique property consultancy focusing on helping time-strapped professionals and expats who don’t have the local presence, or capacity, to acquire the ‘right’ properties for them.

Tags: Buy to let, investment property, landlords, UK

How to Choose Online Agent or Bricks-and-Mortar? Good or Bad?

I have recently used online Agent Open Rent to find a new tenant for one of our Surrey homes. It is the first time for me, as I usually use an Agent for tenant-find and then self-manage.

I think I am a decent judge of character, but I was apprehensive about conducting viewings. I also wasn’t sure how much of my time it would suck up. And whether I would find the same calibre of tenant that an agent had produced in the past.

What I was in no doubt about was the saving I was going to make.

And avoiding the angst of constantly overseeing what an agent was doing to ensure that the administration, paperwork and required legal notices were being served appropriately. For which we as landlords are accountable.

If an online agent or ‘traditional’ agent makes a mistake the heavy hand of the Law ultimately hits landlords, even when an Agent has made the mistake. Some landlords perceive they have outsourced accountability for legal requirements, as well as the hassle, when they hand over their property to an agent. But the buck stops with the landlord.

Am I slating traditional Bricks-and-Mortar Agents?

Don’t get me wrong there are great Agents out there. In fact I used a new Agent recently on another home and was impressed with their service. It was their expertise that got my home tenanted swiftly and above the market price I had estimated. So Agents provide valuable intelligence on market rates and the way the lettings market is moving, as well as judgement calls on which tenants are appropriate.

However the agent I had used on this latest house, I have been with for over a decade. They have gone through 2 take-overs / mergers and become much bigger than the original company I started out with.

On the one hand new systems had been brought in which are much-needed in today’s audit-trail of accountability requirements. But merging systems doesn’t always work that well. And the separation of the different functions into individual departments and split geographies meant there were a number of handovers, between staff in lettings, management, administration. There was always a ‘weak link’ which inevitably caused a problem. I felt I needed to stay on the case and progress chase. To plug that weak-link gap and that sucked up energy needlessly.

And then there is the Tenant Fees Act. Don’t get me wrong, I think it is good that tenants don’t get hit with lots of surprise costs when they least expect, or can possibly afford it. However it means that Agents can hit Landlords with these costs instead.

Agents can use an enticing % rate for tenant find fee only to impose lots of extra charges. Fees like; contract set up, contract renewal, deposit protection or handling disputes, introductions to services e.g. Gas Safe contractors, document preparation. Or indeed charge the tenant find fee on an annual recurring basis, which soon mounts up.

I also tend to read the small print of Terms of Business. I don’t like the idea that by signing you may be obliged to agree to being introduced to the ‘partner’ services like tax.

What are the advantages of a landlord using an Online Agent?

I reckoned I could be saving about £2,500 by using a landlord online Agent like Open Rent in year 1 and more if the Agent’s model meant charging recurring introductory fees each consecutive year.

This Surrey home is Victorian and needs lots of maintenance. I had not been able to do certain things to the property I had wanted to because Agent fees impacted income in year 1 significantly.

By using an online Agent and making these savings it meant I could invest more into the property. This in turn makes it more appealing and rentable.

Analysis of the Online Agent Stats

Out of 40 enquiries 8 viewings were arranged, with one no-show. Of the 7 viewings there were 6 sets of interested tenants and one we proceeded with.

We also managed to get more rent. Yes the rental market is very buoyant currently. But the money we invested back into the home also made a difference.

Using an online, landlord-dedicated, platform is certainly a great alternative to using traditional bricks-and-mortar agents. If an Agent’s fees are getting out-of-kilter with the service they provide, consider it. However, for distance or remote property investors sometimes a local Agent may well be the optimum choice.

Tags: #surrey, Agents, Buy to let, investment property

How Important Prudent Property Title Management?

Late last year I wrote a blog post on how to stop your house being stolen or your Property Title re-registered

What five things can you do to stop your house being stolen?

This was prompted following some alarming media coverage about two men who had their houses stolen. Here is the link to the original post with more detail

Property Title - explained by Louise Reynolds

I am writing about this again because I had a personal experience. Not quite so dramatic, but I mention it at the end of this Blog post.

There are 2 facts that these two original stories have in common.

Both properties were not occupied by the owners. One was empty, the other was meant to have been let out.

It appears that both thefts took place using fake Identity.

And as an additional aside, the Police did not want to get involved, saying it was a ‘civil’ not criminal matter.

What are the 5 things you can do to prevent house theft?

Not only do you need to be aware of the danger of Identity theft, but also the way in which house-theft can take place. There are some simple and straightforward preventative steps you can take. These protect your property and de-risk the situation for you.

Ensure Land Registry has the latest up-to-date address for you.
Register for the Property Alerts. These are sent to the owner if there is any activity on the property Title. They do work and are free
Put a restriction on the Title to help prevent a fraudulent sale. This is less straight forward but you can do it yourself without using a lawyer. Completing the RX1 form is where to start, but it will take time to choose which restriction. And therefore which additional form applies to your particular situation This is not part of the standard conveyancing process in England and Wales. So if you want your solicitor to do this you will have to specifically request it.
Having a mortgage on the house provides an additional layer of security because your lender will take a charge on the property.
Do strong tenant checks and choose a good Letting or Managing Agent.

My Personal Property Title experience Update

I recently received a Land Registry Alert. An unknown Legal Firm lodged an application to record a ‘Depositary First Lease’ against the Title of our Home.

This was alarming as it could have meant any number of things. Originally it was difficult to get through to Land Registry to query this. The first emailed response wasn’t helpful. A case of ‘Computer say no’

Contacting the original Legal Firm didn’t help. They work based on Postcodes and because our Home is not on their system as a paying ‘client’ there was no motivation for them to help.

Land Registry and Property Titles

I eventually got through to a more helpful Land Registry call handler, who departed from his strict job description. He did a bit of digging. He found that it appeared the legal firm had made an error in the Title number. It had intended it for a property in Sheffield. They had tried the same Title Deposition twice!

I am shocked at the number of careless mistakes that Legal Firms make. To them they are minor errors, but to home owners they can cause much distress and inconvenience. The offending Legal firm couldn’t even follow through properly, which would have disclosed it was their mistake after all!

It goes to show it is best to keep on top of your ‘Title’. Because even if Land Registry activity is not as pernicious as house theft, it could cause a problem if you are in a hurry to sell.

Tags: Buy to let, home, investment property

International Women’s Day: Women in property

On International Women’s Day 2023 I want to celebrate all the supportive women in property. Especially those who are a regular part of my life.

Many of them who have helped me on my stressful development journey these last 18 months.

Without the kind of support I have had from these lovely ladies and more, it would have been a far more difficult and lonelier place to be. There are many more who don’t feature in this collage.

That isn’t to say men haven’t been supportive too. But today I just want to celebrate these great women in property who have all made it to my site and shared their ideas, expertise and feedback. It’s been immensely valuable.

I have now got Building Control sign-off, achieved my targeted Energy Performance Certificate rating of ‘C’. And the first tenant viewing resulted in the property being snapped up at asking price.

So Thank you!

It really helps to work with the right professionals, from Architects to Accountants to fellow developers and investors. Being able to share progress updates and stories is away of sharing Good Business and property practice.

If you would like to connect and stay in contact then join me here

On Linked In

Or here on Facebook

Or over on Instagram

#propertysistersuk #internationalwomensday #iwd #iwd2023

Investor landlords: want to increase property value through energy efficiency?

I’ve got energy efficiency and performance on my mind. I have just received welcome news that we achieved the targeted ‘C’ for our EPC – Energy Performance Certificate on our Surrey Victorian development project

How have we boosted the Energy efficiency for a Victorian house?

Well we didn’t do anything whizzy. Just good old-fashioned insulation and quality building.

Now you might be thinking that isn’t so impressive. However let me give the context. The main house is a Victorian semi-detached house. We retrofitted the existing main house as well as extending it.

Catering for the long term Energy-performance now – in preparation for 2030 – helps with the profitability of buy-to-let investments. By holding long term we minimise churn rate expenses -that is the sale and purchase costs when regularly buying and selling.

Oh and the bonus is we increased the floor space by 43%! From 72 sqm to 103 sqm. That brought a smile to my face. I had done a rough-and-ready calculation and thought it would be 93 sqm. So I was delighted.

It’s all in the U-Value. That is thermal transmittance and how effective a material is at insulation. The lower the value, the more efficient the material.

For our specification we had the standard new build insulation which complied with and exceeded Building Regulations.

And for the retrofit of the original Victorian part of the house:

Ground floor – 150mm PIR board (Polyurethane Insulation) between floor joists U-Value 0.15 (W/m2.k)

First floor 100mm acoustic rock wool insulation between joists

Existing solid single skin brick wall – 62.5 mm PIR board and 50 mm gap U-value 0.28

Loft 100mm PIR board packed between the roof rafters and a further 100mm on top of the ceiling joists. U-value 0.12

And as I’ve discovered, it’s all very well having a great specification, and a sexy-looking Schedule of Works. But if it isn’t followed through on site to check that that is indeed what the builders have done, then the EPC might as well go out of the window.

You can check a property’s EPC rating here

I help time-strapped professionals and Expats invest in UK property. So if you need some support then message me info@property-venture.com or get in contact +44 (0) 1932 849 536

My business focuses on helping time-strapped professionals and expats who don’t have the local presence, or capacity, to acquire the ‘right’ properties for them. Property Venture® is an award-winning, Boutique property consultancy that specialises in bespoke sourcing. We focus on de-risking investing for clients.

Tags: Buy to let, Energy-efficiency, investment property

House theft? Six things to avoid your house being stolen

There has been some alarming media coverage recently about house theft, two men who had their houses stolen in the last two years.

It’s shocking to think that this can be done.

Radio 4s Winifred Robinson’s ‘You and Yours’ Consumer protection programmes on 27.10.22 and 2.11.22 covered this.

The first house owner – Mike

Reverend Mike Hall lives and works in North Wales but owns/owned a house in Luton which was unoccupied. His house was broken into and the locks changed. The house was then sold to new owners who paid £135,000 for the house, half its actual value in 2021.

Even when the police got involved they initially treated it as a civil, not criminal matter. It was the new owners who appeared on the Title at Land Registry so Mike could not have his property back. The new owners, a family, had bought in ‘Good Faith’.

Mike used form AP1 at Land Registry along with evidence to apply to get his house back. This is ongoing over 12 months later.

The second house owner and renovator – Angus

Angus bought his dilapidated Victorian property in Southampton at Auction for £180,000 in 2018. It took him 18 months to renovate it from its dilapidated state to a home. He got a job in Cornwall so decided to rent it. He advertised through a well-known Estate Agent for a ‘tenant’ called ‘Steven Jones’. ‘Steven’ paid the rent, bills and Council Tax.

‘Steven’ took out a tenancy with a fake ID. ‘Steven Jones’ then posed as an Estate Agent to sell the property for about £190,000. Angus believes the true value was around £240,000 -£250,000. He only discovered the situation when Southampton Council contacted him to say someone else was living at the property. Angus subsequently discovered he no longer appeared as the owner on the Title at Land Registry.

Unfortunately Angus is now without a home and living with his parents. The local MP Caroline Nokes has taken up the case to try to sharpen up Land Registry processes.

Identity Theft used to steal houses

It appears that both thefts took place using fake identities. The fraudsters applied for, and got, a genuine duplicate driver’s licence but changed the picture. Using this they then got utility bills for the property and used those to set up Bank Accounts in the name of the original owner. They may have used the same solicitor, then bought gold with the proceeds and vanished.

Let’s get House theft in context

To put this in context the Land Registry says that of the 5 million transactions 2021, 63 were fraudulent or appeared to be. They are governed by the Land Registration Act 2002 and so they have to be sure of someone’s identity which makes it challenging to reverse these situations and even more important to protect yourself.

What can you do to prevent house theft?

Not only do you need to be aware of the danger of Identity theft, but also the way in which house-theft can take place. There are some simple and straightforward preventative steps you can take to protect your property and de-risk the situation.

Land Registry checks for your house

1. Ensure Land Registry has the latest up-to-date address for you. You are allowed up to 3 and one can be an email address. So if you move, make sure you notify Land Registry

2. Register for the Property Alerts – these will contact owner if there is any activity on the Title of that property. I do this and have in fact actually scared myself. I leapt into action when I got one of these email alerts, only to realise there was activity owing to a mortgage registration. So they do work and are free

3. Put a restriction on the Title to help prevent a fraudulent sale. This is less straight forward but you can do it yourself without a lawyer. Completing the RX1 form is where to start but it will take time to choose which restriction and therefore which additional form applies to your particular situation. This is not part of the standard conveyancing process in England and Wales so if you want your solicitor to do this you need to request it. If you don’t live in the property then it is a RQ form you need.

Additional prudent measures to protect you house

4. Having a mortgage on the house provides an additional layer of security. Your lender takes a charge on the property and so would be notified of activity on the Title. There may be circumstances when keeping a small mortgage on a property could be beneficial for you.

5. You ought to conduct strong tenant checks or at least work with a good, Letting or Managing Agent with a strong reputation will help.

6. Guard and protect your ‘Identity’ as much as possible

If you want help on your property investment journey then get in contact +44 (0) 1932 849 536 or e-mail info@property-venture.com

Inspired by You and Yours BBC Radio 4 programme 27.10.22 and 2.11.22

Disclaimer: Property Venture^® is not a legal adviser. The information has been outlined in layman’s terms to guide and inform. It is not offered as advice. Intending purchasers should not rely on information given as statement of fact but must satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise as to its accuracy. With regard to in-country legislation, then you must take appropriate legal advice during your purchase process, at which time your solicitor or adviser will discuss with you up-to-date legislation and costs.

Neither Property Venture^®nor any of its Directors, employees or representatives will be liable for damages arising out of or in connection with the use of any information provided or any action taken in reliance on any information appearing on this website.

Don’t Panic! It’s UK Property investing – but not as we know it!

How on earth do you make sense of the market currently….? The UK property investing climate is causing panic. We’ve experienced material shortages and regular, almost weekly, price increases. Then the energy crisis fuelled inflation. Followed by the UK government announcing swingeing, unfunded, tax cuts that sent the financial markets into a tail spin, increasing the cost of borrowing even further.

Starting your UK property investing journey?

If you are just embarking on a refurbishment or development, then stress-testing at much higher finance rates around 6% might be sensible. And working through various financial and exit scenarios.

Midway in a UK property refurbishment project?

Louise Reynolds on Surrey Residential site_UK property investing

If you are part way through a refurbishment project that’s more tricky. It may be a question of being more flexible than ever before.

Can you:

· borrow less and keep your LTV lower, thereby reducing your debt level?

· Consider a number of different sources of finance, or a blend of finance, thereby spreading the risk?

I don’t think panicking is helpful and rushing into locking into inappropriate products. Evidently you might be rushing to get a low rate locked in, that is different. Seize the moment. The market is in a state of flux, but interest rates may settle as lenders calm their nerves and can see a clearer picture emerging.

Managing UK property investing risk

This is a time to mitigate risk and take the medium to long term perspective. We may no longer live in the ultra-low interest rate era and may have to readjust to ongoing higher Bank of England interest rates. Perhaps at the 3% mark and the commensurately higher mortgage rates.

At times like these we might need to consider the total lifetime return on property investments, Return on Capital Invested (ROCI) over a period of time, not just yield or cash flow but capital growth as well.

This might include future-proofing your property as well. For example making it more energy-efficient, so that if the rental rules change your asset is more valuable as it already complies with newer more stringent Energy Performance criteria.

UK Property Investing – Market Context

There is still a supply: demand imbalance in the UK property market which isn’t going away anytime soon. So there are market fundamentals that still make UK property investing attractive.

How are you making sense of things and what measures are you taking?

I help busy UK-based professionals and expats navigate the property market challenges. Property Venture® is an award-winning, Boutique property consultancy that finds the right investment properties for clients. If you want help on your property investment journey then get in contact +44 (0) 1932 849 536 or e-mail info@property-venture.com

Tags: Buy to let, developing, investment property, mortgages, risk

Time-strapped investors: protect yourself against rogue builders

In the current climate it is challenging for you time-strapped investors to protect against the downside of contractors or builders proving unreliable or taking advantage.

So should you just close your eyes and cross your fingers and hope for the best?

Well no. There are things you can do to protect yourself and mitigate the downsides.

So what are they?

An architect’s Professional connection

Building site time-strapped investor danger sign

Apart from all the obvious things like having a detailed and consistent tender pack – which helps get a shortlist of contractors so you have a 2nd choice if the selected contractor plays up. Having a relationship either directly or indirectly, like through an architect is really positive. If the contractor or builder is looking to the next project from the same architect then they will be interested in the positive outcome of the project in hand.

Time-strapped investors check visibility of a Builder’s reputation

A local reputation that matters, more so if there is an online presence. If there is no social media footprint or website, or review site presence, then there is less visible accountability. If there is no means for feedback and review there is less of a conscience.

And a medium to long term outlook on business is important. This means they’ll be interested in the next contract and be more motivated to do decent work for you and behave with decency and integrity. If they are simply jobbing, they may have no real vested interest in the outcome or producing a great result. And when the going gets tough, it is easier for them to walk away.

What are your experiences of finding and working with contractors and builders?

If you want help on your property investment journey then get in contact +44 (0) 1932 849 536 or e-mail info@property-venture.com

My business focuses on helping time-strapped expats and busy business people who don’t have the local presence, or capacity, to acquire the ‘right’ properties for them. Property Venture® is an award-winning, Boutique property consultancy that finds the right investment properties for clients.

Tags: builders, Buy to let, investment property, Risk & Reward

Surrey Residential Development Extension

Concrete pouring has taken place on site at our Surrey residential development. We will soon be building the rear extension.

This is welcome news to soon be able to start getting out of the ground.

It is a major structural hurdle, en route to creating a new part to the building.

And it’s great to celebrate progress when there are plenty of things that can halt progress. Not everything can be forseen before starting on site.

Managing a project like this means not only getting to see diverse aspects of a residential build but also experience some of the challenges. This is really useful. Especially when we help time-strapped expats and busy professionals invest. They often look for the best ways of adding value to their property investments.

I care about outcomes and the process of getting there. This forms part and parcel of what I do as a personalised property sourcer.

You don’t get to pour concrete on every project. Have you?

Do you want help on your property investment journey?

Get in contact +44 (0) 1932 849 536 or e-mail info@property-venture.com

My business focuses on helping time-strapped expats and busy professionals who don’t have the local presence, or capacity, to acquire the ‘right’ properties. Property Venture® is an award-winning, Boutique property consultancy that finds the right investment properties for clients. We offer a bespoke sourcing and consultancy service.

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Tags: Buy to let, construction, investment property

6 ‘Property Investing during Inflation’ tips

The Covid Pandemic has fuelled inflationary pressures. The tragic war in Ukraine has caused further economic damage. And we are now being warned of impending global food shortages. All of these pressures have contributed to pushing inflation to close to 10% in the UK. This makes it the biggest issue facing Britain* closely followed by economic worries. You investors may want to think about property investing during inflation.

How are property prices affected?

There’s doom-mongering about spiralling house prices but much of this focuses on averages. And as we know averages can hide a myriad of micro factors.

Prices are affected by supply and demand fundamentally although other factors come into play:

Inflation places upward pressure on interest rates and other home ownership expenses. Higher household costs can increase home repossessions. Over-leveraged property investors also put themselves at risk.
The property market can get nervous about an impending economic downturn. This in itself can be self-fulfilling.

Are you facing a UK Property price bubble?

In the 2008 credit crunch, the economy and lack of money for mortgage lending were key to falling demand and prices. Property prices had risen significantly through the availability of ‘easy credit’ in the lead-up to this period.

Nowadays mortgage lending criteria are more rigorous and house prices don’t appear out of kilter.

The December 2021 House Price index** shows UK House Prices growth at 7.4%. Demand is up 49% and supply in minus territory. Some areas like Wales have seen prices increase by double digits. But not all areas are seeing significant property price rises. London is fairly static and Aberdeen has negative growth.** In many regions, real property prices (net prices after inflation) have risen at about the rate of inflation.

Zoopla research shows that 3 bed houses are the most popular property type to January 2022. Strong demand for houses, which tend to be more pricey, may be a contributory factor to higher average house prices.

The mix of housing stock and the demand: supply imbalance, is creating price pressure. But this is in micro-markets and housing type niches. You are not necessarily facing a bubble.

Still we aren’t building enough homes and so house prices look set to continue to rise, even if it is at single digit growth.

Property Investing during Inflation – Six Tips for you

Know the ins and outs of your patch and what the type of demand is e.g. is there a dearth of 3 bed properties because of family demand vs 1 beds for commuting professionals
Know your ideal buyer or tenant type and what it is they want e.g. is it critical to be within a mile of a main train station? Or to have extra space for a Home Office?
Look at specific numbers, for a specific area for a specific property type
Know your risk profile and capabilities. If you are risk-averse and new to property it might be unwise to over borrow or over-leverage or overstretch your self.
There is always a balance with risk and reward so don’t get swayed by the upside and forget the downsides.
Stay on top of things. Check the detail of the numbers and rental income to ensure you are alerted early on if there is a problem so you can tackle it straight away rather than burying your head in the sand.

*Ipsos – May 2022 poll – 32% of Britons cited as top concern.

**Hometrack

If you want help on your property investment journey then get in contact +44 (0) 1932 849 536 or e-mail info@property-venture.com

My business focuses on helping time-strapped expats and busy professionals who don’t have the local presence, or capacity, to acquire the ‘right’ properties for them. Property Venture® is an award-winning, Boutique property consultancy that finds the right investment properties for clients and offers a bespoke sourcing and consultancy service.

Tags: Buy to let, investment property, Risk & Reward