Can you have capital growth and high income from one property? This is the ultimate have your cake and eat it scenario. Have your cake and eat it, implies some kind of greed but when have you ever bought a cake and thought I’m not going to eat this? Property is a win-win situation, you get to financially benefit and you provide homes for those that need them.

The traditional buy to let property was the main stay of the investor looking to get better returns than in the bank. However, house prices have increased, the deposits needed have increased but the rents haven't increased in the same way. Whereas house prices on average double every ten years, rental prices don't typically follow the same trajectory. According to a report and index from Office of National Statistics for March 2022, UK rental prices have increased by 12.9% since January 2015. Using data from Office of National Statistics for November 2021, the UK average house price rose by 41.98%. House prices are...

So you're thinking about investing in property but you're not sure if it's the right thing for you? You're not alone! A lot of people are hesitant to invest in property, mainly because they think it's a risky venture. However, this isn't always the case. In fact, there are several reasons why investing in property can be a smart decision for you and your portfolio. In this video, we will discuss some of the benefits of property investment and why you shouldn't be afraid to get started! I've got 6 reasons why you shouldn't be scared about investing in property;

1. Investing in property is a good way to diversify your portfolio.

By investing in multiple asset classes, you can reduce your overall risk and increase your chances of achieving your financial goals.

And remember, property prices have increased by an average of 10% in 2021! If you're thinking about investing in property and holding then don't wait, they say buy property and wait, don't wait to buy property, now is your time...

8 ways to achieving your property goals!

Here we share eight essential ways you can improve your chances of success with your property business and your property goals.

1. Planning

Ensure you have a plan – such as an overarching 12-month plan which is then broken down into daily, weekly or quarterly goals.

Once you have a plan, don’t file it away - follow it! Our brains need to feel progress, and that progress translates into happiness. And we want to be happy in our business.

2. Direction

Without the plan that we just discussed above, it's hard to know if you're going in the right direction. So, not only do we need a plan, but we need to then act on that plan. The plan will not magically work without that direction.

3. Complexity

In nature, there is no inertia – things either decay or grow. Don’t let the fear of complexity make your business stagnate - follow Mother Nature’s lead.

With planning and direction, an...

Does money really make you happy?

Money is one of the most divisive topics there are.  And one on which everyone will have an opinion.  When you start your property journey, money mindset will be a massive thing for you and also one of the most significant issues for those around you who won't understand your goals.

Non-property investors tend to feel that landlords are money-grabbing and out to rip people off.  They are not seen in a positive light, and most of that seems to revolve around money and their views of it.

So, ignoring all that for now, let's take a more in-depth look at money as we ask the age-old question …

Do you need money to be happy?

Research has shown that there is a positive correlation between income and happiness within a given country. It also says people living in more affluent countries are no happier than people living in poorer countries.

The findings concluded that higher absolute income led to higher happiness. But...

6 Secrets of Buying Property with No Money Down

The first thing to say, of course, is that money will be needed to get into property. But this article is about buying property with no money down & the different ways of using other people’s money (OPM) or other organisation’s money to fund purchases and refurbs - plus all the different ways that you can become a property investor or property developer.

So, the six ways that we're going to cover are using banks, rent to rent, asset finance, lease options, investor funds and creating joint ventures.

Let's start with number one, banks.

• Banks’ money

Banks tend to like traditional property projects in terms of lending, so they will want to see conventional development models.  We see the BAR model working well here:

• Buy - houses in need of refurb or which are in poor condition
• Add value - fix problems, make new and, borrow funds to develop
• Refinance.

You may need to combine this source of...

5 ways to buy a property below market value (BMV) by finding motivated sellers

One of the areas we covered was finding motivated sellers, you can buy a property below market value , using this idea.

In a recent blog, we answered the question: What is a BMV deal and does it really exist?

Motivated sellers are people who are looking to sell quickly and, if needed, below market value. So, how do you find them?

The key for you to buy a property below market value is to understand the different types of situations that a vendor may find themselves in. By understanding their unique set of circumstances, you can look to solve their problem (such as getting a quick, cash sale) and, hopefully, get a BMV deal in the process. Here’s how …

1. Offer speed / creative solutions

There could be many reasons why someone needs a speedy house sale, for example:

• people in debt who need money quickly. (Figures from The Money Charity highlight a 14.3% increase in debt enquiries...

How to buy the best investment property?

Becoming successful as a Property investor isn’t a matter of chance. While the unforeseeable may happen from time to time, buying well and the best property can help supercharge your success. Buying a property well is part of this process.

What do you mean buying well? 

We use this phrase a lot – and for a very good reason. To ensure our continued success, every property we consider has to meet specific criteria in order to be the best property that we can buy – that is "buying well".

Here’s how you can help ensure the success of your business …

How to buy the best investment property? Revisit the five rules of investing                                            

We have written a...

How to Invest in Property?

The FIVE rules of property investing

Is there a fool-proof way to guarantee a profitable investment? Sadly, no - you will never be able to guarantee that an investment will definitely be profitable. However, that said, we are now in our third decade of being property investors and stick to these five rules to ensure the very best chance of success.

Let’s look at our five rules of property investing. How to Invest in Property?

1. Create cashflow

Think profit and cashflow - not just potentially increasing valuations.

Look closely at your monthly costs and forecast income.  The balance after deducting your expenses should be positive, thereby providing you with net income cashflow.

This provides you with both your working capital and income for your lifestyle.

If you don’t have this as a result of your investment, you’ll need to earn money elsewhere at the same time as managing your property.

Calculating your cash...

Can you buy a property with no money?

Does "no money down" property investment really exist?

In short. No! People often talk about “no money down” property investment. This doesn't mean free houses, however - it refers to a technique of buying property with other people’s money, not your own.

We see newspaper reports of houses being sold for a £1 – but there are still legal costs, refurbishment or renovation costs. Someone will need to foot that bill at the very least.

Houses cost money - they don’t come free.

That said, there are several ways you can buy a property without using any of your own money – you can use Other People's Money (OPM).

What is OPM?          

Other people’s money is where the funds are from:

• other investors – you can find these in networking and property investment groups
• family or friends whose money is in low-interest rate savings accounts and who are happy to give you a...

What does STPP mean in property and why you need to understand it

The abbreviation STPP stands for Subject To Planning Permission and is regularly seen on documents related to property purchases and developments.

What is planning permission?

If you plan to change a property by way of expansion, development or even a complete re-build, you are likely to need planning permission.

In other words, you may not be free to decide entirely by yourself, just what you can build or change in terms of an existing property or piece of land.

What is planning legislation?

The law basically lays down a series of rules relating to the construction or development of property in the sense of what types can be constructed, where, and for what purposes.  It also, in some cases, defines what modifications to a property may or may not be acceptable.

The totality of these laws is referred to as planning legislation.

Why do we need planning rules?

Planning legislation exists for many purposes,...