Monday, October 31, 2011
Mortgages double
Defaqtos figures reveals that in October 2008, there were 237 buy to let mortgage products for landlords to choose from; currently, there are 483 products on the market, an increase of 104%.
The research also shows that increasingly these buy-to-let mortgages are available through mortgage brokers. Currently 86% of landlord mortgages are available through intermediaries. In 2008 this figure was 70%.
Mortgage Search - get me the best rates
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Landlords satelite dish dispute
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Rents rise in all areas
Rents were up the most in the South East and the East Midlands last month rising by 1.8% and 1.1% respectively compared to August. Rents rose the least in the West Midlands and North East, up by 0.2% and 0.3%.
Landlords need to make the most of increasing rents as Property Hawks sister website the Rentindex indicates that from now on there is a seasonal drop off in rents until the spring.
Landlord insurance - best internet rates
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Landlords look to long-term
- 95.2% of landlords intend to hold their residential property investments for the next 12 months.
- 85.9% intend to hold their assets for at least 10 years.
- 25.0% of landlords intend to retain their property investments for the next 20 years or more.
- The average period that residential property investors expect to hold their property investment assets is 13.5 years.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Residential auction opportunities
For information about buying at auction have a look at our guidance notes.
GOOD LUCK!
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Fools gold...?
Anybody investing in the financial markets will also be aware of the fantastic performance of the real stuff as gold prices have doubled, tripled and then doubled again. The reason? People are scared. The fear and flight to safety has propelled the value of the precious metal ever higher.
This made me to reflect on the performance of residential property over recent years. Has property prices benefited from exactly the same impulses propelling the gold price to record highs? The more scared people get. The more they shy away from the complicated financial assets that most of us don't understand and towards straight forward 'bricks and mortar'.
Good times - bad times
So in good times property values go up because we feel good and want a nice new house to show off to our friends and family. In bad times we buy because it's seen as a safe bet. Look at the way the London market has continued to boom event during the 'down turn'. But does this make investing in property 'fools gold'. Is the day of reckoning imminent when an almighty correction brings housing crashing down to an affordable level more and in line with our straighten times? Any body following the financial press will have seen the recent Knight Frank report pointing to lower house prices.
I don't think so - but for now let's get out those baggy trousers and keep on dancing to the real thing! 'What doya reckon?'
Landlord insurance - professional rates
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
4.25% Mortgage - free legals & survey
The loan offered up to 70% LTV and reverts to the lenders standard variable rate after 2 years. There is no completion fee but a booking fee of £199 applies.
Phone now for details 029 2069 5446
Mortgage Search - whole of market
Monday, October 24, 2011
How to End a Tenancy
There are two ways you can do this, if you have used a Section 21 Notice you can use the Accelerated Possession Proceedings, you don’t have to attend Court and it takes approximately 6 weeks for you to receive your Possession Order.
If you have used a Section 8 Notice you can not use the Accelerated Possession Proceedings as you will need a Court hearing, the hearing will be listed for approximately 8 weeks after you have issued your claim. At the hearing the Judge will then decide whether or not to order possession.
When making a Possession Order a Judge will give the tenant between 2-6 weeks to move out of the property depending on the tenant’s circumstances.
As you can see obtaining a Possession Order takes time, if you would like any advice on this or general landlord legal advice please contact me.
I am also running a couple of legal seminars next month aimed at residential landlords and letting agents.
Ending the Tenancy, will advise you on when to end the tenancy and how. It will run through what Notices you need and when they need to be served. If you tenant does not vacate the property at the expiry of the Notice, you will need to issue Court proceedings. This seminar will also take you through the process of obtaining possession through the Court. Thurs 17th Nov 2011
All seminars are held at our offices in North Notts, 10 mins drive from Jct 28, M1 motorway and only charged at £15 per person. We also offer a special session answering questions specific to your own issues.
The workshop will give you 1.5 hours of useful guidance from myself a Solicitor who is involved with these & issues on a day-to-day basis.
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Crisis...what crisis?
The headline writers seem to be on a search for ever increasingly sensational and apocalyptic terms to describe the precarious situation surrounding the European 'bailout' and the precarious state of the world economy.
This leaves me thinking two things:
A. Thank god we are not in the Euro (No thanks to Tony Blair - another one you got wrong nice man Tony!)
B. What crisis?
I'm just a simple landlord but from where I'm sitting:
- Rents are growing
- Tenant demand is strong
- Most of my mortgage payments are laughably small given they are base rate related
- Rental profits are the highest in my living memory as a landlord (20 years to date)
Do you have a crisis or are you sitting pretty. Let us know...
Mortgage Search - EXPAND my portfolio
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Landlords are a cottage industry
Cosy cottage to rent ££495 pcm |
No more so than the statistic that 78 per cent of private landlords only owned a single dwelling for rent, with only 8 per cent of landlords stating they were full time landlords.
As we've always said the private rental sector is largely a cottage industry. Pass me the wool I want to knit my tenant a new blanket.
Discounted landlord insurance from Alan Boswell
Residential development opportunity
A block of residential apartments, ideal for letting out but need fully fitting out first.
Spenmill Grange, Cleckheaton, BD19 6HY
Detailed Planning Consent for 24 two bedroom apartments
Completed to shell condition.
Established residential location
Good access to Leeds, Bradford and Manchester city centres
Offers in excess of £500,000 (subject to contract)
All enquiries:
James Wilson Email: james.wilson@allsop.co.uk Tel: 0113 236 6679
Anthony Hart Email: anthony.hart@allsop.co.uk Tel: 0113 243 7950
Landlord Insurance - smarter rates
Friday, October 21, 2011
Lease options fall out
Focused around Phil (such a nice chappy) Martin who went bust taking 3 million pounds of other folks money. ( maybe not such a nice chappy? ).
Phil Martin is another high profile property evangelist who paraded around the property investment clubs to go bust.
People be warned, there's a darker side behind all the happy clapping, ask yourself whose behind the grinning whitened smiles and sharks eyes.
If it sounds too good to be true........
Let's all try worshiping at the church of common sense. Praise be!
Discounted landlord insurance from Alan Boswell
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Letting agent - a warning!
Post a comment if you have a view or any advice for our unfortunate landlord.
"I'm a fan - have been using Property Hawk for some time as a very small landlord - just 2 properties!
I wondered if you'd be interested in discussing my story - or publishing a warning - or helping me (quite desperate now!)
I have been using an agency for 2 properties. My query is linked to both of them, but predominantly property A.
The tenants at Property A had arrears of c£1000, so after (bad) advice from my agency I gave them 2 months notice (good advice would have been to go down the fast track route, but my agency advised it would be easy to get my arrears back if I took the longer route). This left me with £2,000 of arrears - and £5,000 of repairs to the property (for which I'm trying to pursue the tenants via the small claims court as a matter of principle!)
The deposit on Property A was £625. The tenants pushed a note through the agency doors, with the keys, advising that the deposit should go towards the arrears.
I've been pursuing the agent for the last 2 months to try and get the deposit returned to me. £625 is a lot of money, especially with the total loss of £7k on the property - plus I am not a large landlord - the property is the first house I bought on my own and so the emotional burden has also been huge. It is a typical case of keeping in in case of separation from my husband when we moved in together!
The second property, Property B, was an investment - not a wise one! - and one that doesn't make money. This was again let through the agent, however, after a catalogue of problems with the management of the property (including not renewing gas safety or sorting out fixing a faulty gas cooker!) I decided to work directly with the tenant and manage the property myself. They are happy with this as they have also been frustrated with the agent.
I therefore gave notice to the agent that I would start managing this property directly, via email, on 11 September. After no reply I emailed again on 19 September (as I was on holiday). I then spoke with the DPS to find out how to proceed and they advised the agent could directly transfer responsibility to me via their website. I advised the agent of this on 29 Sept and asked them to do this for both properties.
Today (7 Oct) I spoke with the agent again, having been fobbed off on many occasions. At last they've told me that they have transferred Property B, but can't transfer Property A as it is in a single claim.
Re Property B - I advised the tenants of this, in order to confirm that everything was above board. The tenants then told me they received a letter from the DPS confirming a deposit had been lodged - dated 29 September. This raised alarm bells as sounds like they haven't lodged the deposit.
Does this then mean they have done the same with Property A? I rang the DPS to try and find out if the deposit has ever been lodged and the current situation. The DPS refuse to give me any information. They also advise that they do not regulate the scheme, and ultimately are not interested in the fact that an agent is potentially behaving fraudulently.
My question therefore (and sorry for the long message!) - is there anything I can do to get my deposit back from the agency, or at very least to find out from DPS the current situation?
If nothing can be done, I would simply be grateful if you could warn other landlords and get them to ask for proof that a deposit is lodged with the relevant scheme, if relying on an agent to do this. I understand the ultimate liability is with the landlord...."
Landlord Insurance - professional rates
Rents eat up average salaries
Read more in the Independent
Search all our BTL mortgages here
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Population growth or not?
The internet is both wonderful and highly distracting.
I stumbled across a chart on Englands population growth over the centuries
Between 1100 and 1700 we wavered between 2 and 5 million dependent which way the wind or the plague was blowing. Then it all started to take off with a few good ideas in farming and various forms of spinning cogs. By 1800 the population had doubled to around 10 million, another hundred years on and thanks to doctors doing a bit more research we got to 30 million, another hundred years after that despite a couple of big wars we still managed to double it again.
However in contrast I was looking at the Irish statistics.
Now they've had very differing fortunes. Back in 1841 they hit a peak at 8 million, then they had an awful time with potatoes and their population fell back to 4.5 million in 1901. But since then they've managed to increase back to just 6 million. Not what you would call a bounce back.
It's interesting to ponder on the different population paths each country will take over the coming centuries and how this will effect the economy and the value of property.
This GeoHive site has some interesting data on existing and estimated future population around the world with India as its tip for the top and the Uk dropping from no. 22 to 29 in the hit parade, as for Ireland ..... ?
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Longer average tenancies
This is great news for landlords on every level and underlines the current high levels of demand for rental property.
Re-letting is such a costly drag, may this trend continue.
Read full ARLA statement here
Property price twitter - chirpy
North / south divide continues to grow - Rightmove statistics - Rightmove
Record north south divide in property prices - Telegraph
London house price surge - Business Week
North south divide widens - Guardian
House prices fall £5000 - Telegraph
See all the property price tweets
Discounted landlord insurance from Alan Boswell
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
More Friends than Rising Damp
Seems that this new generation of landlords is seen as more Friends than Rising Damp, more cappucino than Camp coffee, more smiley than slimey.
But we all know thats all surface veneer, deep down they're as misery as Rigsby but with the surface affectations of Joey.
Read the full tips article here in the Telegraph and welcome to the dark side my young apprentice.
Discounted landlord insurance from Alan Boswell
Unfurnished property damage
Landlords with unfurnished properties often fall into the trap of thinking that as there are no actual 'loose' contents, there will be nothing to worry about at the end of a tenancy. However, according to The Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC), landlords can face very expensive repairs due to damage on doors, walls, carpets and worktops and is urging landlords to have professional check-ins and check-outs to avoid potential costly bills.
Free property inventory software
Pat Barber, Chair of the AIIC, said: “A rented property is made up not only of contents, but of fixtures and fittings too and these are often the most expensive things to repair. A recent example brings to life the potential costly damage facing landlords with unfurnished properties. A tenant had cut out a large piece from a sitting room carpet where there was a sizeable burn. He then cut carpet from inside a fitted cupboard and placed it in the hole in the sitting room carpet. Fortunately, the AIIC clerk carrying out the check-out inspection had the experience to detect this kind of damage and managed to save the landlord the cost of a new carpet.
“Another recent case featured and landlord’s hand written inventory that consisted of a short list of contents covering just one A4 page. During the six month let the tenants set up a cannabis factory in the garage, causing damage to the structure of the house due to fitting of heating and watering systems. The tenants also wrecked the property, leaving a huge amount of rubbish to be removed. Extensive cleaning, repairs and redecorating needed. However, due to lack of firm evidence of the original condition, the landlord had to cover all these costs himself.”
According to the AIIC, the most common damage found in unfurnished properties includes the following:
- Doors and walls - Damage/holes from impact, walls - nail and screw holes, drilled cable holes, impact indents from door handles, general excessive dirt and marks,
- Painting and redecoration - Tenants repainting without permission in outrageous colours. Often redecoration is required before the property can be let again
- Carpets - Stains, burns, tears, sometimes whole sections cut out due to tenant damage and replaced with off cuts of a similar carpet found inside cupboards or wardrobes
- Light fittings - Tenants take bulbs and lampshades, sometimes whole fittings and the bare wires are hanging from the ceiling
- Kitchen worktops – Damage, burns to worktops, knife marks in worktops and chips
- Kitchen appliances - Damage to ceramic hobs, one recently was cracked right across, fortunately the inventory was professionally compiled and the tenant was made to pay for a new hob. Broken shelves in fridges, damage to washing machines and dish washers
- Bathrooms - Cracks in sinks toilets and baths - bathroom suites are very expensive to replace and sometimes hard to match when replacing only one item
- Windows - Common damage are chips and cracks, broken window fittings
- Gardens - If the condition is not clear at time of check in, gardening is very expensive - £20 per hour is normal - and the landlord, without any firm evidence, will be picking up the bill. Every area of a garden needs to be listed on an inventory, not just the grass, but the condition of the borders, weedy or not, patio - weedy, mossy, stained etc. Loose or broken flagstones - as always detail is needed to be able to judge what additional damage has occurred
- Cleaning - if the inventory does not categorically state the cleaning condition of every area, then the landlord will be stuck with the cleaning bill after the check-out
The AIIC is committed to excellence and professionalism in the property inventory process and works hard to ensure that all landlords, tenants and letting agents understand the importance and benefits of professionally completed property inventories.
Free property inventory software
Monday, October 17, 2011
Rental demand outstrips supply
74 per cent of ARLA's members believe demand for rental property is outstripping supply.
Demand is particularly acute in London and the south east where they are recording an insufficient supply to meet tenant demand.
Tim Hyatt, president of ARLA, said: "The UK cannot rely on the rental sector to support the housing market in perpetuity. The reality is that there is a finite amount of rental property and unless both housing supply and mortgage availability improves then renters will find that their options in the market are reduced."
"The Government is doing little to encourage landlords to invest in new properties therefore we are running out of quality stock to offer to tenants. This is reflected in rent increases and a lack of choice for consumers.
"Within such an intensely competitive market, we would advise tenants and landlords to seek the best possible advice from agents as there will be those that seek to exploit this situation. Engaging with an ARLA-licensed letting agent is one way to protect your assets guard against this and guard against unethical operators."
Ian Potter, operations manager of ARLA, added: "Although the Prime Minister has announced plans to re-instate Right to Buy and new funds to finance new build, we would query how many properties within the social sector are blocked. This can be by either by elderly tenants who do not want to leave the 'family home' or the economically poor who, even with Right to Buy, will struggle to finance a purchase. How many properties will have to be sold to finance each new build?"
Discounted landlord insurance from Alan Boswell
North south divide widens
With Rightmoves house price index for October now showing that average property prices in the south (£336,743) are now more than double those in the north (£164,347).
The norths average house price now stands at the same level it hit over six years ago in May 2005, taking inflation into account that's quite a house price fall.
These very general statistics are an indication of the differing fortunes of areas around the country and with an ever increasingly flexible population this trend will continue over the coming years.
Those with, will continue to move away from those without.
Expect Britain to divide further over the coming decades, a sad but inevitable truth of a free market.
Discounted landlord insurance from Alan Boswell
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Oxford landlord fined
The Oxfordshire landlord Sikander Hayat was fined £9500 after been found guilty of seven charges of failing to meet regulations governing a house in multiple occupation.
The landlord had negated to keep clear fire exits and to ensure that there was a working fire alarm system and a constant electricity supply.
Read more in the Oxford Mail
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Property developer delusions
A fine example of this kind of 'valuation delusion' can be seen in this Daily Mail article on developer Jonathan Blain .
The property near Totnes was originally put on the market in 2008 for £3 million but has finally been sold by the banks for just £651,000 following repossession. The misguided developer spent £850,000 on renovation costs alone.
Ironically, Blain had been touting his consultancy skills as a 'house selling guru' to frustrated home sellers for a fee of £1000 a day. The mind boggles just how 'wrong' folk can be.
Please people stay real, Willie Wonker doesn't really own a chocolate factory.
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Thursday, October 13, 2011
Rent unaffordable
This is at the same time as the charity are calling for tighter regulation of landlords through costly licensing schemes.
Thankfully Housing Minister Grant Shapps recognises that we can't have our cake and eat it saying that "We have stopped the imposition of excessive new red tape on the private rented sector, which would have pushed up rents and reduced choice for tenants,"
The nature of the residential letting market is that it is incredibly responsive and competitive. Unlike most industries which have limited competition in terms of suppliers, the PRS has thousands of individuals providing the service in a given area, all competing on price and service.
But thanks Shelter for pointing out the the UK is struggling with extreme economic pressures on the nation and individual households.
Read more on Shelters claims here
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Property price twitter - bored
House prices keep falling - Reuters
We're set for a slow house market crash - Daily Mail
Will house prices weather the recession - Guardian
Capital Economics predict 5 percent fall for 2012 and for 2013 - Mortgage Strategy
See all the property price tweets
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Terraced houses line up
Give me a little terraced house over a 2 bed new build apartment every time.
According to Auction Finance Limited we are seeing a surge in demand for terraces in the auction rooms.
Currently, just over a quarter of all homes purchased in the UK are terraced. Research has revealed 38 per cent of house hunters would choose a terraced property over a detached house, semi or flat* making them popular choices for buy to sell investors.
Auction Finance Limited, a national short term lender, which provides funds for purchases before, during and after an auction, has lent more than £8M for the purchase of terraced properties this year. An increase of 22 per cent compared to 2010.
Over the last decade, terraced properties have increased in value more than any other home type, in contrast to flats which have gone down.
The majority of repossessed properties are terraces and these regularly provide quality stock for auction rooms. With the boom in the rental sector, these properties are being snapped up by yield-hungry buy-to-let investors, says Chris Baguley, director of Auction Finance Limited.
Baguley, said:
“As the property market picks up terraced property prices are likely to keep increasing, more so than other types. Investors need to act fast. A large bulk of our lending is to buyers investing in terraced houses. We’re seeing a renaissance for this type of property.
“Auctions offer the buyer the chance to purchase property at what are effectively discounted prices. We’re seeing houses that have been on agents’ books for £100,000 go for as little as £55,000 in the auction rooms. They’ve always been popular but we could see a real boom over the next 24 months. People are going back to basics with investments, terraces are a safe option.
“Terraced properties appeal to a range of people from first-time buyers, buy-to-let investors and students. Many have a lot of period character, a great sense of community and above all affordability – it’s a home type for the times and both buyers and sellers recognise this.”
He added:
“The likes of Sixty Minute Make-Over and Property Ladder are fuelling this popularity as viewers see how traditional terraced properties can be transformed into contemporary stylish homes.”
The average price of a terraced property has increased 68.4 per cent to £151,332 in the 10 years to the second quarter of 2011, said the Halifax.
Auction Finance Limited typically lends 70 to 75 per cent on a property and loan sizes vary from £25,000 to £1m, with an average loan size of £74,500.
Search all our BTL mortgages here
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
BTL mortgages - most popular
Visit Property Hawk mortgages and save time and money with our free online BTL mortgage finder. Below is a selection of the most popular buy-to-let mortgages currently available. If you would like to discuss your requirements with a member of the support team please telephone 029 2069 5446 or you can submit a quick enquiry directly to the team by filling in our online enquiry form. |
Max LTV | Initial Rate | Term | Completion fee | Booking fee | Incentives | Overall Cost for Comparison |
80% | 5.49% Fixed | Jan 31 2014 | 2.5% | £0 | Refund of valuation to a maximum of £500 and free legals for remortgages only. | 5.8% APR |
80% | 4.99% Disc.Tracker | 2 Years | £2995 | £0 | Refund of valuation to a maximum of £500 and free legals for remortgages only. | 5.7% APR |
75% | 3.74% Disc.Tracker | 2 Years | £1999 | £250 | No | 5.4% APR |
75% | 5.35% Fixed | Oct 31 2013 | 2% | £150 | No | 5.6% APR |
70% | 4.5% Disc.Tracker | 2 Years | 0% | £199 | Free valuation up to £335 for purchases and remortgages and free legals on remortgages only. | 6% APR |
70% | 5.25% Fixed | Oct 31 2013 | 2% | £150 | No | 5.5% APR |
65% | 4.5% Tracker | 2 Years | 2% | £150 | No | 5.2% APR |
65% | 3.99% Fixed | Sep 30 2013 | £1295 | £250 | No | 5.5% APR |
60% | 2.99% Fixed | Oct 30 2013 | £2495 | £250 | No | 5.2% APR |
60% | 4.99% Fixed | 2 Years | 2.5% | £130 | No | 6.8% APR |
Please check our website regularly to see the most up-to-date products available.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgages.
We are very fast
They say that we are in the fastest 2 percent of websites.
That's made me feel quite perky.
For those who don't know about Alexa, it's quite a useful tool for landlords to find out whether a website is a legitimate business or a fly by night. You can use it to see statistics on user levels, by checking out their ranking either globally or UK, with 1 the busiest and 5,000,000 an online graveyard.
The internet is full of smoke and mirrors, tread warily.
Discounted landlord insurance from Alan Boswell
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Rental arrears risk
I could always sniff trouble ahead.
You know the classic signs from a tenant, the shuffling on the spot and averting their gaze, expect to see a shortfall in that months rent.
Get tenant references now
Monday, October 10, 2011
BTL is 'back for good'
The 'BTL is dead' doomsayers from a few years back (ie, sensationalism seeking journalists ) are now queuing up to write follow up 'rising from the ashes' diatribe.
As if BTL was ever dead, that's like saying living under a roof with four walls is over.
However one interesting fact that I did note from this 'weekends Daily Mail farcicle' was the scale of the differing resurgence in the mortgage markets.
With buy-to-let lending growing 72 per cent since the first quarter of 2009 when the mortgage market hit rock bottom in contrast to the 12 percent seen in the growth of lending to first time buyers.
Take that and party!
Discounted landlord insurance from Alan Boswell
Sunday, October 09, 2011
Landlords can barely grunt
However we make up for our lack of conversation with excellent spanner skills.
Tenants should remember that actions speak louder than words.
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