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Is buy-to-let still a sound investment?

Published on April 7th, 2009.

Is buy-to-let still a sound investment?

With little movement of interest rates and continuing drops in house prices will buy-to-let now be an investment vehicle of the past?

With buy-to-let lenders tightening up their lending criteria, house prices continuing to fall and the general lack of confidence caused by the Northern Rock crisis I believe that experienced investors will still continue to buy rental stock, banking on long term capital gains. However first time landlords or landlords with smaller portfolios are finding it harder to fund new rental stock. For the well placed landlord that has the correct gearing on their portfolio it is still a time to hunt for the next opportunity!

There will always be risks involved in any business or investment. For example your investment can rise or fall in value and property is clearly no different. You therefore just need to ensure that you minimise potential risks.

In the past I’ve used several methods to minimise risk to my own investment portfolio. These include:

Ensure the mortgage is between 80% - 85% of the property’s value. Every time your mortgage is due for renewal try to release equity. This ensures that your rent covers your operating payments and expenses. Start building a fund by putting this money to one side. Therefore if you have sudden repair bills or a vacant property you have money to fall back on.

Always keep your property well maintained. If the rental market in your area suddenly changes pace the up together properties will rent much quicker. Always ensure you have a tenancy agreement in place, as this will protect you any your property.

Widen the range of tenants you agree to let your property to. You may find that council tenants are able to top up rent monies by their own means, giving you the rent you have always achieved. Areas which attracts students also attracts higher rents. Wear and tear may be slightly higher, but at least the monthly repayments are being met.

When increasing your portfolio look for properties that can add to the overall yield of your whole portfolio, ensuring your investments stay balanced. For example try to buy property in disrepair. Once renovated your equity should have increased, which in turn would increase your property portfolio’s yield.

More recently overseas property investment has become a trend with investors searching for the next property hotspot to invest in. Things to consider when looking for your next investment whether here or abroad include:

How easy is it to get to the property? Can you keep an eye on the property if it remains empty for a period of time? Will the property be let for the whole year or is the property’s location Summer or Winter orientated? Can you easily maintain the property yourself saving you the cost of employing trades people or does the rental income provide enough cash to pay for unforeseen repairs? Will the property’s location ever fall out of fashion with your intended tenants? Remember holiday hotspots change very quickly! Always ensure your investment has a steady stream of visitors.

Even if the U.K buy-to-let is not as buoyant as it has been over the past decade the vehicle for investment is still sound. Ensure you put time into researching your potential investment and prepare yourself for long term capital gains. The online-lettings portal will soon allow for holiday lettings to be uploaded ensuring where ever you or your property is located tenants can always be found.

Benjamin Perry CEO of online-lettings.co.uk The Specialist lettings website where you can <a href="http://www.online-lettings.co.uk">rent flats</a> or buy a <a href="http://www.online-lettings.co.uk">Tenancy Agreement</a>

Orlando Vacation Villas — Comfortable, Luxurious and Cost Effective
Orlando is a holiday paradise for tourists and it’s a fact that it is a paradise as there are many attractions which attracts tourists towards it, for instance Disney land. If you are planning to visit Orlando with your family then you will surely enjoy it, but if you would like to get most out of your holiday and wants to stay within your budget then you have think where you are going to stay. Most of the time when you plan your vacation that means that you are going to stay at hotel but in case of Orlando, you have plenty of options where you can stay. You will find lots of hotels and resorts as well in Orlando but they are more expensive and offer limited services as per your budget. But if you rent a villa you will get more facilities at low prices. They are well equipped with contemporary facilities such as well equipped kitchen with breakfast and dinning area, TV, queen size bed, DVD player, games equipment, etc. You will get more space than any hotel or resort rooms. You can rent a villa as per your needs. Their prices are superlatively low for example $160 for four bedroom villa with luxurious and modern facilities for one day. It sounds quite surprising and unbelievable as well to get luxurious accommodation only at $160. There are plenty of luxurious hotels in Orlando, but no doubt that there is no match with vacation rentals especially when we talk of spaciousness in accommodation. You have entire house or villa instead of ramming in one or two rooms in luxury hotels. Now, take a view on comfort. The Orlando vacation rentals are fully furnished with modern furniture and kitchen are fully equipped. You will get fully furnished villa, well-equipped kitchen, entertainment resources, etc. Villas are also fully air conditioned and have swimming pool as well in order to enjoy the vacation. Other key benefit of villa is that you will get the garage to park the vehicle. Exclusive vacation villa is offers Vacation Home in Orlando at most competitive price. If you are planning to visit Orlando then contact exclusive vacation villa for Orlando vacation home rentals.

To get more information on Orlando villas, Orlando vacation rentals, <a href="http://www.exclusivevacationvillas.com/about-ruby-villa.asp">Orlando Villas to Rent</a> Log on to the website http://www.exclusivevacationvillas.com

Condo Hotels for Your Vacation Home
Condo hotels are one of the sizzling products in current real estate market. New properties are increasing in various regions of the country and new buyers are penetrating the market daily. Things have been moving so promptly in terms of condo hotels, but sometimes it’s worth taking a climax to step back and look at the big picture.

Condo hotels are generally large, high-rise, luxury hotels automated by big names comprising Bulgaria, Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, Star wood, Hilton, Trump, Rosewood, Sonesta, Regent International Hotels, Clarion, Conrad Hotels, and Le Meridien.

Condo hotels have condos that are sold to individually to the purchasers who may use their unit as a holiday home whenever they like. When they’re not using their condo unit, owners have the choice of placing it into an structured rental program. Condo hotel operator of the rental program, in exchange for a share of the returns, markets the condo units as a hotel, takes bookings, runs the front desk, manages the property and offers the services hotel guests expect, such as housekeeping, food and beverage, and concierge. There is a circularizing enthusiasm about the condo hotel concept. More people are understands its value and therefore appealing demand for more inventory. Buyers for Dubai properties, where condo hotels are most dominant, come from all over the world. On the international front, most foreign buyers interested in Dubai property are from Asia and Europe. The vast majority of purchasers wants condo hotel units basically as investments and is aimed on the potential for appreciation with the side benefit of hassle-free ownership. They see the capability to essentially use their condo hotel unit as a holiday home as important but secondary to their goal of investment diversification.

In Condo Hotel Marketplace, implicitly every individual property that has come on the market to date has sold out in pre-construction. Most of these condo hotels are mega high-rise structures with on average 200-500 condo units, and with some in excess of 1,000 units.

Hot Areas for Condo Hotels
Dubai continues to be an extremely admired area and one that has shown bright and steady appreciation. As already specified, the condo hotel trend which had started in Dubai has now spread out west. Las Dubai is starring the pack with many new condo and condo hotel developments in all price ranges being built.

Most condo hotels have amazing features and services that raise their demand to potential buyers as well as future renters. Emblematic facilities are spas, fine dining, business centers, fitness centers, and many more.

Owners of condo hotel units have the authority to resell their unit at any time. They keep any gains derived from admiration. Thus condo hotels combine holiday home ownership with investment hypothetically.

Kuldip Goylea works in various fields like International Property, Preconstruction RealState, Property Overseas, REALESTATE OVERSEAS,REALESTATE INTERNATIONAL, REALESTATE INVESTMENT,INVESTMENT PROPERTY, PROPERTY PURCHASE,REALESTATE PURCHASE,BUY PROPERTY,SELL PROPERTY,BUY REALESTATE,SELL REALESTATE, to know more about <a href="http://www.eastwestdevelopments.com/">Condo Hotels</a> visit: <a href="http://www.eastwestdevelopments.com/">www.eastwestdevelopments.com</a>

The Top 5 Reasons to Use Real Estate Flyer Templates
In difficult real estate markets (such as today’s market), it’s crucial for agents to lean out their marketing costs, yet at the same time, improve their brand identity and become efficient and well-known as an agent.

One of the best ways to do this is by utilizing real estate flyer templates when creating marketing for their property listings.

Real estate flyer templates are pre-designed marketing flyers, which agents open in an editing program like Microsoft Publisher or Adobe Photoshop, insert their property’s photos and description, then save and print for use in open houses and for various marketing efforts.

Here are the top five advantages to using real estate flyer and brochure templates:

1. Unlimited Use — A successful top producing agent is constantly looking to promote their “just listed” or “just sold” listings.  What better way to create marketing material then to have your own flyer template?

As soon as you list a property, just load up the template, drop in the photos and description text, and you’re set.

Then, after you sell the property, simply load up the “just listed” template, change it to “just sold,” and change the price to the sale price.

Now you have an excellent marketing flyer that you can distribute to your farm area to gain credibility and show off your latest sale.

2. Consistent Brand Image — A key characteristic of a top producing agent is familiarity.  All of the top agent’s marketing material has a consistent design theme, a certain “look” that differentiates them from other agents in the area.

Agents that use plain flyers don’t create that signature brand image that the well known agents have.

Consistently using a specific high-quality flyer template that is unique can help prospects in your area associate that look with you and allow you to cultivate a strong and recognizable brand image.

3.  Lower Marketing Cost — Many agents invest large amounts of money each month for marketing services and programs only to end up not using them because they are just too complicated or time consuming.

Other agents end up hiring designers or marketing assistants to help them organize and implement their marketing campaigns, which is also very costly.

Using flyer templates, agents pay a one time upfront fee for the templates (often less than the price of one hour or work by a designer) and are able to use that template for the rest of their real estate career without incurring anymore design fees.

4.  Easy Printing — Printing can be a major source of headaches for an agent, especially if they are trying to do it all themselves.

Worrying about bleed lines, file formats, and document sizes is not an agent’s specialty.

The good thing about professionally created real estate templates is that the printing specifications are built into the template and are, therefore, already taken care of.

Simply update the template with new photos and text each time you use it, and send it off to your print shop (or your own printer).

By using the same template each time you print, you can get any print discrepancies taken care of the first time you use that template, then just save it and re-use it over and over again.

This helps you maintain consistent print settings which allows for easy and hassle free printing.

5. Fast Speed of Implementation — Another key characteristic of a top producer is speed.

Agents that consistently get new listing are fast with everything they do.

Many times these top producers have a team that they delegate marketing and administrative work to, which allows them to get more things done quicker.

If you don’t have your own team to help you, you can still match these top producers in speed by creating your own efficient marketing system using pre-made flyer templates.

Once you get a new listing, take the photos and load them into your brochure template, and get them printed.

Having a routine down can allow you to focus your efforts where it matters most and using professionally designed real estate flyer templates is a key component in becoming a successful and efficient top producing agent.

To download a professional real estate flyer template package, visit TurnKeyFlyers.com

Reuben Fine is the creator of TurnkeyFlyers.com, an online resource that helps real estate agents with their marketing by providing downloadable real estate flyer templates, easy-to-understand video tutorials, and useful sales and marketing articles.

Off-Plan Opportunities in Brasov
Brasov offers one of the highest potential returns on real estate property, through the Off-Plan investment. As its location is near the ski resorts of Romania, with substantial investment in infrastr

Miami Real Estate - The L Steps: 6 Steps of Investing
Real estate investing in Miami real estate is now becoming popular again as there are many properties in foreclosure, short sale, bank reo’s, and government foreclosures. With such an overwhelming inventory of homes available for sale a real estate investor must be able to determine which one to purchase. Investors must follow six steps in order to learn, understand and achieve Miami real estate investment success. These are the six L steps to Miami real estate investing: 1. Location - Location, location, location is still the key of buying Miami real estate. Buying Miami real estate just because the price is low in a declining area is big mistake that should be avoided. Look for homes in an excellent location like, good schools, economic stable and growing neighborhoods, near shopping centers and malls, near bus stops and metro rails, near hospitals and restaurants. Sometimes it is better to pay a little more for a property in a good location than getting a bargain in a place where it is very hard to sell or rent the asset. Location is often overlooked in purchasing real estate as many investor think they can overcome a bad location if the price is low enough. Out of two homes that are exactly the same, the one in the best location will command a much higher sales price and rental income. Location is the number consideration when purchasing Miami South Florida real estate. 2. Long Term - Real estate investing is a long term proposition. Don’t think you are going to be a millionaire over night. It takes years of hard work and dedication in order to succeed. Hold any property at least one year before selling it. Capital gain taxes will be greatly reduced. Consider renting the property for at two or three years. The rental income generated will help you to properly repair and renovate the property. Many investors purchased properties in the middle of real estate boom with no money down and no equity. These investors were thinking of flipping the homes fast and make a killing in the process. Many homes now in foreclosure are due to investors that were caught in the middle and now realize that real estate investing is very hard to time. Long term Miami real estate investing is the secret to a successful real estate career. 3. Lease Option - Never rent a property with a lease option to buy. Either sell or rent it straight out. A lease option usually is a disaster for both buyers and sellers. The tenant will demand a large discount of the rent to go towards the down payment and closing costs. The problem is that tenant will not buy the property at the end of the lease and the landlord/seller will have wasted a lot of money in rebates given to the tenant/buyer. Demand a 20% or 30% deposit from the tenant/buyer and a clause in the contract that if they default on the purchase they will lose the deposit. This technique will force the tenant/buyer to purchase the property or lose the deposit. The risk of losing the deposit will eliminate the tenant from taking advantage of the landlord by walking out of the contract after receiving a monthly rental discount. 4. Local - Buy real estate close to where you live. Don’t buy real estate in another state or in another country. Keep real estate investing local. Buy in your own county and in your city. The more you know about the area where you are buying the better the decision will be. The investor should always be close to the investment property. The Miami real estate investor should inspect the property often to determine any repair, roof and other problems. The landlord must inspect the property every month when collecting the rent. Check for the number of tenants actually living in the property, check for damages and destruction of the property and overall condition of the place. The investor/landlord will not be able to inspect and determine the condition of the property if it is located far away. Keeping real estate local is an essential step in real estate investing. 5. Leverage - Most real estate books and seminars tell you to use other people’s money when purchasing real estate. This technique is not the best and buyers should try to buy the property in cash if at all possible. Buying a house in cash will help you get a better deal and allow you to negotiate from a position of strength. A cash buyer will always have the upper hand in negotiating with banks, property owners, and other sellers. Cash buyers will not suffer and go into foreclosure if the market turns and they are unable to sell or rent the house right away. Like Dave Ramsey always says “cash is king and debt is dumb”. Buying an investment property in cash is an excellent way to avoid Miami real estate investment mistakes. 6. Learn - Research the property and learn everything about it before you buy. A mistake in Miami real estate investing can be very costly. Usually you make your money when you buy not when you sell. Buying the property at the wrong price the wrong place and at the wrong time could be detrimental. One mistake could wipe you out and put you out of business before you start. Ask questions to the experts, real estate agents, appraisers, mortgage brokers, and other real estate investors. Learn, research, educate yourself in all aspects of real estate investing before you purchase the asset. It is definitely a buyers market in Miami-Dade County. Miami real estate investors have more choices than ever before when it comes to real estate investing. Investors must follow the L steps, the 6 steps real estate investor guide to successful real estate investing in order to achieve their investment goals in the Miami real estate market.

Hector Lesende is owner/licensed real estate broker in Miami, Florida and creator of the (Lesende) L Steps. Please visit <a href="http://www.lesende.com/">Miami Real Estate </a> We will sell your home fast. We offer a Foreclosure List. Search <a href="http://www.lesende.com/blog">Miami Real Estate Blog</a> Search <a href="http://www.lesende.com/coral-gables-real-estate.php">Coral Gables Real Estate</a>

Mallorca Property for Sale Raises investors from the Europe
Mallorca Properties are very demanding for many years. You can choose from a wide range of beautiful luxury Mallorca properties for sale that are available in Spain. You could select from the many town houses and apartments, semi independent and stepped villas and country houses, sea view and front line property and sea-face plots. There are also prime Mallorca properties for sale like manors and estates on offer in the rural areas, and in private and secluded locations. There are also other Mallorca property for sale close to the town or city within walking distance from the sea, the beach, and the harbors with their boats and yachts. Also on offer are the under-development Mallorca properties for sale that have the feature of installment payments.

Benefits of using online Mallorca property for sale

You can find a numerous point of accesses to the best Mallorca property sale across the island through our network of tried-and-trusted agent partners.
Few realestate organizations are not the seller, taking away the hassle and uncertainty of dealing with lots of competing estate agents.
They help throughout the process, not just when there is an immediate prospect of a Mallorca property sale.
Online companies have direct access to all the services you might need including property lawyers, financial advisers, surveyors and builders.
There are various Mallorca property sale search services and in the UK. They are easy to contact and can ensures you of a immediate response at all times.

Mallorca property sale are as varied as the island’s landscape. Apartments, villas, country houses, estates and waterfront Spanish properties are available to all who wish to experience Mallorca to the full and we will endeavor to find you that special home.

Spanish property firms provide a customized and professional service, whether you are buying or selling an apartment, penthouse, waterfront property, country estate or golf property in Mallorca.

The Mallorca Island is absolutely one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in Europe. The placid Mediterranean temperatures, the unique infrastructure, perfect airline connections and the impressive varied landscape are some of the reasons for the popularity of the Island. The magnetism of the Mallorca Island can be mirrored in the raising number of international people wanting to own Mallorca property here in from Mallorca property sale. This has developed a demand for property in Mallorca as holiday homes, first residence or as Investment.

Mallorca property in the interior still keeps a fascination with traditional farming and fruit cultivation. Mallorca has continued to be a best holiday destination for many years, where holiday-makers are treasured to the villas each year. Hence, investing in a Mallorca property for sale would be one of the best buys ever and apparently the best decision to make.

There are various range of Mallorca property sale released, including apartments, old farmhouses, townhouses and villas. It is up to you to choose which of this Mallorca property for sale that best suits your necessities and your expenditure.

For any query related Spanish property,Spanish property for sale, <a href="http://www.spanishhotproperties.com/">Mallorca property for sale</a>,Mallorca property for sale,Costa del sol Property for sale,property in Mallorca,property in costa del sol,costa del sol property,property in Spain contact Nick, or visit at <a href="http://www.spanishhotproperties.com">www.spanishhotproperties.com</a> or for <a href="http://unisoft-technologies.com/search_engine_optimization.htm">seo services India</a>

Realty in Bulgaria is a marvelous investment opportunity!
Property overseas is a very exciting investment chance. Costs of houses, real estate in Bulgaria are growing fast. In accordance with statistics, last year, the price on real estate in Bulgaria has ri

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