Posts Tagged ‘buy to let’


Buy to let mortgage market could remain difficult

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

During the boom years in the property sector buy to met mortgages became very popular, and many people invested in properties to rent out over the course of the property boom. However, since the global credit crisis and the near financial collapse seen over recent years the mortgage markets have changed radically, and buy to let is just one of the sectors that have been affected.

Getting a buy to let mortgage has been difficult for the past couple of years, and although the mortgage market is said to have improved over recent months officials believe that buy to mortgage access will remain restricted for some time to come. Buy to let mortgage lenders are also facing a drop in confidence levels amongst would be landlords.

Research was carried out by LSL Property Services, and in its report said that there are a number of factors that are contributing towards the state of the situation. Officials believe that the bleak conditions in relation to buy to let mortgages could continue until at least 2012.

Increased capital gains tax in the UK has been partly blamed for the situation, as this means greater financial losses for higher rate tax payers. This, in combination with house price falls seen recently, has given rise to speculation that the buy to met mortgage market could continue to experience difficulties.

The survey that was carried out that previously 48 percent of landlords thought that it was a good time to buy due to rising rents and house prices. However, this confidence is said to have been stopped in its tracks because of the situation with capital gains tax and the more recent fall in house prices.


Mortgage restrictions lead to increase in buy to let activity

Saturday, April 24th, 2010

For many people being able to buy their own property is an impossible dream at the moment, and this is because there are still so many restrictions within the mortgage industry and things are really difficult for those looking to get onto the property ladder. Increased deposit demands, more stringent lending regulations, and the increased caution being exercised by lenders is leaving many would be buyers out in the cold.

For many of those that are unable to buy a property due to these restrictions the only way that they can put a roof over their heads is through renting. The waiting lists for council properties and registered social landlords can be very lengthy, and for this reason many people are opting to rent within the private sector.

This increase in the number of people looking for properties within the private sector has impacted on buy to let mortgages and properties, with the number of landlords investing in buy to let property having increased in order to meet the rising demand of consumers that want to rent in this sector. Figures show that 10 percent of landlords said that they would invest in buy to let property in the first quarter of the year, but this increased to 12 percent for the second quarter of the year.

The data was released by the Paragon Group, which said: “Demand for property investment has remained strong during the recession and has improved since house prices stabilised. Landlords know that the long-term forecast for tenant demand is extremely healthy, with socio-economic and demographic changes leading to growth in the number of households calling the private rented sector home. Government figures show that the private rented sector is the only housing tenure that is currently growing.”


Rise in the number of landlords obtaining buy to let mortgages

Monday, December 7th, 2009

Figures that have recently been released by a mortgage group have suggested that a rising number of landlords are adding to their property portfolios by obtaining buy to let mortgages. (more…)


Turnaround with buy to let reference checks

Sunday, November 8th, 2009

For many years landlords in the UK who have been looking to rent their properties out to potential tenants have always been careful to ensure that a credit reference check is carried out on any potential tenant to make sure that they are not experiencing financial problems that could result in them being unable to make payments on the rent. (more…)


Recession to affect buy to let investors

Saturday, July 11th, 2009

A recent survey has shown that many people believe that the ongoing recession in the UK is going to have an adverse effect on buy to let investors, with many expected to make significant losses on their property investments. (more…)


Buy to let investors could be forced to sell or face repossession

Friday, October 24th, 2008

A recent report has indicated that following the collapse and part nationalisation of the lender Bradford & Bingley, which dealt primarily with buy to let mortgages, many landlords could find themselves faced with the prospect of either selling their properties or being repossessed. Many landlords that are coming to the end of special deals such as fixed rate mortgages will find that they are unable to get another affordable mortgage, and could find their repayments rising by hundreds of pounds a month. (more…)