Latest Property News - Homelets & Sales

Details: Published: 04 March 2022; Hits: 783

DOES YOUR BUY-TO-LET TICK THE RIGHT BOXES FOR THE RIGHT TENANTS?

There’s a book by Simon Sinek called Find Your Why, and it's all about identifying your reason for having a business: why do you do what you do?

The same question can be applied to your rental property: why would a tenant choose your buy-to-let instead of another one? Why would they pay you more rent? And why would they stay beyond their initial contract?

Asking yourself these questions helps you appreciate everything that's already great about your rental property, and to seek out areas for improvement. It's an integral part of owning a successful buy-to-let, both when it’s empty and while it’s occupied.

It's also why we carry out interim inspections – not just to identify repairs, but also to ensure our landlords' lettings portfolios keep up with the local market and ahead of government legislation.

So let's look at how you can review the rentability of your own buy-to-lets to keep them performing at their peak and pulling in the crowds.

Details: Published: 15 February 2022; Hits: 848

LEVELLING UP LETTINGS: SHOULD YOU SELL OR UPGRADE YOUR BUY-TO-LET PORTFOLIO?

What a time to be a landlord! No sooner are we passed the phasing out of mortgage interest relief than the Government announces new areas of expense.

The Levelling Up white paper released on February 4^th aims to make the Private Rental Sector in England and Wales more eco-friendly. It's all part of a drive to reduce carbon emissions as part of the UK's target to be net-zero by 2050.

While everybody agrees that energy-efficient homes are a good thing, the white paper has left landlords in Liverpool and around the country with more questions than answers.

How much will it cost to upgrade your buy-to-let?

Will you get that money back through higher rent?

Is funding going to be available?

Are you better off selling up and buying a more energy-efficient property?

Should you stop being a landlord altogether?

There's plenty to unpack in there, and our blog this week does just that, so you can make a plan that's best for you.

Details: Published: 02 February 2022; Hits: 1058

RENTAL ARITHMETIC: SHOULD YOU BE A PRIVATE LANDLORD OR A LIMITED COMPANY?

Landlords in the Liverpool City Region are an essential part of the local rental market - there simply aren't enough new homes being built and demand from tenants is stronger than ever.

Ever since the Chancellor began phasing out mortgage interest relief in 2017, landlords have been wondering whether it's still possible to have a profitable buy-to-let business.

It's a concern for landlords in Liverpool as much as anywhere else. Some have chosen to exit the buy-to-let market altogether, while others have decided against expanding their portfolio.

We'd like to reverse that trend by talking about one of the biggest shifts in the property market: landlords switching from owning their buy-to-lets privately to buying them through a limited company.

It isn’t an option that's right for everyone, and if you only ever intend to own one or two rental homes, you're probably better off staying as a private landlord. But if you're a higher-rate taxpayer and you'd like to build a sizeable portfolio, there can be significant advantages to owning your rental homes through a limited company.

So this week’s blog is all about cutting through the noise to see if being a private landlord or owning your buy-to-lets through a limited company is right for you.

Details: Published: 24 January 2022; Hits: 930

PREMIUM LETTINGS: HOW TO ATTRACT HIGH-EARNING PROFESSIONAL TENANTS

Landlords are always asking us how they can make their property more attractive to professional tenants, and no wonder. It's a lucrative market of high-earning people who'll pay a premium rent for the right home. But what exactly do they want?

Professional tenants often work extra-long hours, so their free time is particularly precious: whether they're staying home alone or entertaining friends, they want to truly savour where they live.

They also expect a professionally managed home where they can be sure of being well looked after, with a 24-hour number to call in case of emergencies. And with time a precious commodity, finding a home fast is also a priority, which means your buy-to-let should be listed on a major property portal and not buried in classified ads.

If you already own a buy-to-let, our blog this week will help you identify improvements you can make to reach a new audience. And if you're starting or expanding a lettings portfolio, you'll find tips on what professional tenants look for in potential homes and locations to pay a premium rent.

Details: Published: 05 January 2022; Hits: 816

BUY. REVAMP. RENT. REPEAT: FOR SUSTAINABLE LETTINGS SUCCESS

There are many different models of buy-to-let, but a proven winning formula is buying a property in need of renovation, upgrading the specification, then releasing the increased equity to fund another buy-to-let project.

Homes in need of work cost less to buy, which immediately reduces the cost of stamp duty. And when you're not paying for somebody else's taste, you can add value by updating the interior and identifying untapped potential.

With tenancies getting longer and renting becoming a lifestyle choice, tenants are looking for high-quality homes to live in for longer. By meeting this continually growing demand, you'll achieve higher rents and grow a profitable long-term business.

Finding suitable homes to renovate, getting the specification right, and having the finance in place for the purchase and works are essential elements of any successful project. So here's our comprehensive guide to the "buy, revamp, rent, repeat" system used by many successful landlords.