For many buy-to-let looks an attractive income investment in a time of low rates and stock market volatility. Buy-to-let may no longer be the hot property of the boom years, but it has seen a resurgence in recent times.
As an income investment for those with enough money to raise a big deposit buy-to-let looks attractive, especially compared to low savings rates and stock market volatility. But beware low rates. One day they must rise and you need to know your investment can stand that test.
Many investors who bought in the boom years before 2007 struggled as mortgage rates rose before the
A rare Victorian railway carriage found semi-concealed in a hedge has sold for £2,300 at a wedding venue house sale.
The carriage, believed to date from around 1890, was among the contents of Birkin House, near Dorchester in Dorset, which were auctioned earlier.
Six serious bidders emerged for the carriage, used more recently as a garden shed, before it was eventually sold to a local buyer. Beforehand, auctioneers had only expected bids of around £1,500.
Birkin House, in the village of Stinsford, has been run as a wedding venue and bed and breakfast in recent decades. Its current owners are
Properties in market towns are noticeably more expensive than the average for their county, according to a new study.
Lloyds Bank has revealed house prices in market towns tend to be six per cent (£14,000) more than in other parts of their region.
The most extreme case is Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, where the average property value is £861,371, which is 181% higher than for the county as a whole.
All of the ten market towns with the highest house prices are located in southern England, with Lewes and Cranbrook the next most expensive after Beaconsfield.
Auction House Devon & Cornwall’s November Land and Property Auction was a really successful event with 10 sales achieved from 12 Lots offered and combined Lot value of over £1.4M.
13 Briseham Road, a burnt-out Local Authority property in Brixham with a guide price of £30,000 - £50,000 sold for £60,000 and Furze Park, near Liskeard, a rural cottage to renovate with outbuildings and 3 acres of land, with a guide of £200,000 - £225,000 sold for £242,500. The adjoining parcel of land measuring 2.83 acres with a guide of £15,000 - £20,000 sold for £28,000.
The number of people who are behind with their rent has fallen to its lowest level for five years, according to LSL Property Services.
LSL, which owns several chains of letting and estate agents, said the total amount of late rent fell by £49m between September and October. The figures are for private sector tenants in England and Wales. Significantly, they come at a time when rents across the country have risen to an all-time high.
In October, the proportion of rent that was late fell to 7.1%, down from 8.5% in September. That is the healthiest month since the data was first recorded, in
PROPERTY finance lender, Auction Finance Limited, has increased its Loan to Value (LTV) rate by 10% thanks to a booming auction market.
Auction Finance is now offering up to 80% LTV for auction purchases up to £150,000 after auction houses across the UK reported a four per cent increase in the numbers of lots being sold.
This growing appetite for residential investment, semi-commercial, commercial or land in the auction room has led to Auction Finance launching its highest ever LTV rate.
Scott Hendry, director of Auction Finance, said: “Previously our highest LTV rate was 70%, but to keep on
Most residential lettings by non-resident private landlords which began before 15 January 1989 will be regulated tenancies under the Rent Act 1977. It does not matter whether the letting is furnished or unfurnished.
Since 15 January 1989 most new lettings have been assured or assured shorthold tenancies and it will only be possible to have regulated tenancies in very limited circumstances; .
A regulated tenant has certain important rights concerning the amount of rent he or she can be charged and security of tenure. With a regulated tenancy:
• the landlord cannot evict the tenant unless he or
Auction House has won two major national trophies at the prestigious annual Negotiator Awards in London this week.
It collected the awards for ‘Residential Auction House of the Year’ and ‘Franchisor of the Year’, at the ceremony held at the Hilton Hotel in Park Lane. Almost 700 people attended the gala event on Tuesday 5 November 2013 where the trophies were presented by comedian, Hugh Dennis.
The company beat off stiff competition. from thousands of entries by estate agents, letting agents, auctioneers and service companies across the country, to take the top awards. The judges described
PROPERTY prices are racing ahead at their fastest rate in more than three years with average values rocketing almost £13,000 in the past 12 months.
According to Britain’s biggest mortgage lender, prices were 6.9%t higher in October than a year earlier. This means a typical three-bedroom semi now costs £171,991 – a rise of £12,834.
The latest Halifax house price index showed October’s increase was the strongest since May 2010 and follows a 6.2% year-on-year upswing the previous month. A 0.7% month-on-month rise also marked the ninth consecutive increase.
Thousands of potential homes are lying derelict because of tight mortgage lending rules, according to property finance experts.
Property specialists and developers are reporting a rise in the number of mortgage refusals on derelict properties in need of refurbishment. Stricter lending rules mean many mortgage providers won-t pass a mortgage unless a property has a kitchen and bathroom. This has led to many experienced property developers and residential landlords being declined mortgages from high street lenders because properties are deemed as not habitable.