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property investing

can anyone recommend some good websites, books, companys, etc in helping me get started in property investing???

Comments

  • BobProperty
    BobProperty Posts: 3,245 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    birdy1010 wrote:
    can anyone recommend some good websites
    You mean apart from this one? :D If you intend to rent them out then there's several landlord sites. If you are intending to renovate to re-sell then you can get building advice at places like http://www.trustedtradesmen.com/forum/default.asp and
    http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/
    birdy1010 wrote:
    books
    Can't recommend any as a lot of them are one or more of: too general, too American, too hyped/full of BS.
    birdy1010 wrote:
    companys, etc in helping me get started in property investing???
    None. Most exist to make money off you, not out of property.
    A house isn't a home without a cat.
    Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others.
    I have writer's block - I can't begin to tell you about it.
    You told me again you preferred handsome men but for me you would make an exception.
    It's a recession when your neighbour loses his job; it's a depression when you lose yours.
  • birdy1010
    birdy1010 Posts: 33 Forumite
    have you not invested then??
  • BobProperty
    BobProperty Posts: 3,245 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I'd be getting out now, not in. Personal circumstances mean I will be selling to rent. If it weren't for the personal circumstances I'd just be staying put. I won't be buying for a year or so at least.
    A house isn't a home without a cat.
    Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others.
    I have writer's block - I can't begin to tell you about it.
    You told me again you preferred handsome men but for me you would make an exception.
    It's a recession when your neighbour loses his job; it's a depression when you lose yours.
  • clutton_2
    clutton_2 Posts: 11,149 Forumite
    http://www.singingpig.co.uk/forums/18/ShowForum.aspx

    this is the book list on singingpig, which is also an excellent property website
  • birdy1010
    birdy1010 Posts: 33 Forumite
    with the market still increasing by approx. 11% per year, there still must be money to be made i assume? or has the experienced investor ONLY now got the upper hand as??
  • dunstonh
    dunstonh Posts: 121,263 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Is the market still increasing at 11% per year? Is it likely to increase at 11% a year in future?

    What about the rental yield? Rental income isnt increasing at that rate and many rental incomes do not cover the cost of borrowing. Rental yield is now around 4-5% of the value of the property for many people and that is tiny.

    It is getting close to the point where mortgaged buy to lets are basically subsidising someone living in their property. Indeed, the point may have already passed.

    Experienced landlords can still find a deal but too many novices are going into this blind and are just going to get burned if we see some interest rate increases in the future.
    I am an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA). The comments I make are just my opinion and are for discussion purposes only. They are not financial advice and you should not treat them as such. If you feel an area discussed may be relevant to you, then please seek advice from an Independent Financial Adviser local to you.
  • birdy1010
    birdy1010 Posts: 33 Forumite
    with #70k left on my mortgage and #110,000 in equity, how should i utilise this??
  • dunstonh
    dunstonh Posts: 121,263 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    With 70k on a mortgage and £110k in equity, then you are already invested in property. Your own.

    When you are borrowing money to invest, you are gearing. You are speculating that you will cover the cost of borrowing and make a profit. The potential is big gains but the negative is that you can crash and burn.

    If I was to suggest that you borrowed money but rather than buy a house, put it in an investment portfolio, how would you react? Probably in a negative manner. Yet buying the property is no different to buying a diverse investment fund range as far as risk goes.

    That said, people do it and if done well, it can make you a lot of money. If done badly, it can fail and leave you out of pocket. Whilst not an exact example, you can look to endowments where people invested rather than repay their debt. The idea was to invest and make more money than they would by paying off the mortgage. Many endowments went on to pay big surpluses in the boom years. Then after a period of sustained growth which become unsustainable, the crash came and people stopped making money on them. Some decent invested investment linked mortgages are still doing well but they are selective and better chosen than in the past.

    Notice any possible similarities to the investment boom and what happened next to what could happen with property in the future (and has happened in the past)?
    I am an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA). The comments I make are just my opinion and are for discussion purposes only. They are not financial advice and you should not treat them as such. If you feel an area discussed may be relevant to you, then please seek advice from an Independent Financial Adviser local to you.
  • clutton_2
    clutton_2 Posts: 11,149 Forumite
    i agree with dunstonh, i dont think the time is right to get into BTL property at present, not unless you can find a property which is being sold substantially below the current market value - and such properties are as rare as hens teeth !
  • BobProperty
    BobProperty Posts: 3,245 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    birdy1010 wrote:
    with the market still increasing by approx. 11% per year, there still must be money to be made i assume? ....
    Funny how Rightmove's headline today says:
    August House Price Index
    HOUSE PRICES RUN OUT OF STEAM!
    A house isn't a home without a cat.
    Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others.
    I have writer's block - I can't begin to tell you about it.
    You told me again you preferred handsome men but for me you would make an exception.
    It's a recession when your neighbour loses his job; it's a depression when you lose yours.
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