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Mortgage options for property development business

I'm tempted with the thought of developing properties to create some income. I have a deposit but would like a mortgage that doesn't penalise me for buying, developing and reselling within a year.

Another option would be to release equity from my current house but I assume this will still hold similar charges.

How do developers make this work without 100% cash (plus development costs)?

Thanks

Comments

  • Thrugelmir
    Thrugelmir Posts: 89,546 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    How do developers make this work without 100% cash (plus development costs)?

    By using a bank for a commercial credit line.

    The purpose of residential mortgages isn't to provide business finance.
  • Wh05apk
    Wh05apk Posts: 2,938 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    If you have equity in your current property you could possibly do an offset style mortgage, which would allow you to draw down the funds, then repay when you sell, not all lenders will allow borrowing if they see it as a "business" proposition, if you are simply using it to fund a buy to let for example, that would be permitted.
    I am a mortgage adviser.
    You should note that this site doesn't check my status as a Mortgage Adviser, so you need to take my word for it. This signature is here as I follow MSE's Mortgage Adviser Code of Conduct. Any posts on here are for information and discussion purposes only and shouldn't be seen as financial advice.
  • holly_hobby
    holly_hobby Posts: 5,363 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    You should also be aware that as a property developer, you will be liable to income tax and not CGT on disposal of the development.

    Holly
  • shortchanged_2
    shortchanged_2 Posts: 5,546 Forumite
    edited 18 October 2011 at 12:46PM
    I'm tempted with the thought of developing properties to create some income. I have a deposit but would like a mortgage that doesn't penalise me for buying, developing and reselling within a year.

    Another option would be to release equity from my current house but I assume this will still hold similar charges.

    How do developers make this work without 100% cash (plus development costs)?

    Thanks

    Good luck with that one, unless you are confident that is that house prices are going to rise over the next few years.
  • Good luck with that one, unless you are confident that is that house prices are going to rise over the next few years.

    I agree. Unless the OP can do all the work themselves the margins will be razor thin (or probably negative given the way house prices are going).

    My advice would be to do something different, the time for flipping houses in 12 months for massive profit ended about 4 years ago.
    Thinking critically since 1996....
  • Conrad
    Conrad Posts: 33,137 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I have small time developers making money. One example is 2 ladies that buy in Suffolk, 1 of whom does up old cottages (paid £199k, just sold for £400k 1 year later - her and hubby do all the work) and the other buys large plots / barns and makes a good returns - all Tax free as they use each as thier main resi, - again they do the work themselves. Perhaps this is not so easy in more depressed parts.

    I also have developers who buy houses and turn them into flats and make reasonable returns after Tax.

    Finance on your main home is the way most people get going. Specific development finance can be add from vaious lenders up to about 70%. You will OF COURSE pay fees and exit charges - you yourself want a profit on each development, so of course do your funders - they aren't charities. I would suggest fees in total of £10k ish - plus normal selling and buying fees such as stamp duty. One small lender has lower fees at about £7000 on a £150k loan.

    It can and is done, and even now people make money (just as people made amazing films and songs despite the 1979 dire times when we all thought the end was nigh).
  • I am sure it can be done but in the toughest housing market in decades and never having done it before risking your main residence does not sound a great idea.

    Conrad, your experience seems to indicate the people making money from it now have been doing it a while. Most probably backed up with oodles of cash from the good times to support developments now when it is tougher.
    Thinking critically since 1996....
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