Latest Property News - Homelets & Sales

Details: Published: 24 January 2023; Hits: 472

OUR TOP TIPS TO BUILD A PORTFOLIO OF FIVE OR MORE BUY-TO-LETS

2022 saw the highest proportion of property sales to investors since 2016, with landlords accounting for 12.2% of the market. Surprised? Well, it's not so unbelievable when you look at what’s happening.

Interest rates have dropped since their spike after the mini-budget, with buy-to-let mortgages now available from 3.09%.
House prices have fallen back, giving landlords a much better shot at getting a great deal with an instantly higher yield.
Rents have risen sharply because of intense competition among tenants.

Many existing landlords are taking the opportunity to expand their portfolios again, and if you're reading this blog, you could be thinking that 2023 is the year you begin your buy-to-let journey. But where do you start?

Well, there’s plenty to learn, from raising the money to having the right people around you, avoiding classic mistakes and picking the perfect rental property. But don’t worry: we’re sharing everything you need right here to build a portfolio of your first five rental homes, and beyond!

Details: Published: 23 January 2023; Hits: 476

FIVE REASONS WHY YOU'RE BETTER OFF SELLING YOUR HOME WHEN PRICES COOL

How do you feel about the property market right now?

It's peak prediction season in the press, with daily claims from experts that house prices are about to fall off a cliff, stagnate or even slowly rise. We know that most of these predictions will be wrong, but which ones?

The first thing to remember is that asking prices and sale prices are not the same thing. If a home is 10% overpriced and then reduced by 10%, that isn't a fall in sale prices.

So what is actually happening?

One thing we can say for sure is that house prices have stalled, and the market has changed. But how does that affect you if you’re planning to sell your home?

Well, you probably won't have queues of buyers down the street, or multiple offers over your asking price. But then, you’re unlikely to face that on the home you want to buy - an absolute godsend compared to the stressful scrums of 2022.

The best time to move is always when it's right for you, but in case you feel you missed the boat by not selling last year, here are five reasons why you could be better off selling your home when prices cool.

Details: Published: 09 January 2023; Hits: 491

WHICH HAS THE PROFIT, FREEDOM AND SECURITY THAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU?

“Being a landlord might still pay better than a pension” - that was the arresting headline in The Telegraph that caught our attention recently.

Pensions have certainly been squeezed, with workplace pension pots shrinking and inflation eating into returns. Meanwhile, buy-to-let is regularly portrayed in the press as no longer viable, despite research from Hamptons revealing that the average rental yield of 6% is 50% higher than the 4% of pensions.

So who and what do you listen to if you want to start planning for your future?

There's no replacement for hearing things straight from the horse’s mouth, so we’ve gathered some thoughts from our landlords on why they choose buy-to-let. We’ve also included some useful facts that don’t always make the headlines so you can see what feels right for you.

This week's blog doesn’t constitute financial advice, and you should speak to an expert before choosing a pension or investment. But if you’re on the fence about becoming a landlord or whether to expand or offload your lettings portfolio, we hope you find some clarity to start 2023.

Details: Published: 20 December 2022; Hits: 598

WINTER PROTECTION AND PLANNING THE FUTURE OF YOUR PORTFOLIO

The big day is less than a week away, and we hope you’ll have the chance to take some well-earned time off.

As well as the usual overspending, over-eating and overindulging, the festive break gives landlords a chance to review their business and think about what comes next. And if you can limit your intake of mulled wine and eggnog, you can do it all with a clear head!

Christmas provides all sorts of opportunities, including:

filing your tax return long before the deadline
strengthening relationships with your tenants
ensuring your rental home survives winter in one piece
checking and improving vacant properties
planning the future of your portfolio.

As luck would have it, all of these are covered in this week’s blog. So make yourself a cuppa, find a cosy corner where you won’t be disturbed, and let’s dive in.

Details: Published: 12 December 2022; Hits: 487

ARE YOU ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE LAW?

Every landlord needs to follow around 170 different pieces of lettings legislation, so you’re not alone if you’re feeling flummoxed by so many rules and regulations.

Even though we let and manage rental homes every day, we still need to set aside time to keep track of changes to the law and landlords’ responsibilities. And to make sure we get everything right and done on time, we need watertight systems, reminders and checks.

Does this mean that being a landlord is difficult or unprofitable? No, but it can be time-consuming when there’s so much to know and do. You can also be fined or taken to court if you get things wrong.

Some of the biggest misunderstandings we see among landlords and tenants are also some of the most important. So our blog this week covers what you can, can’t, must and mustn’t do, to keep you on the right side of the law for smooth and successful tenancies.