The flow of Russian money into the capital is slowing as a result of government pressure and a tightening of anti-money laundering rules, experts say. For several years the Russian oligarch buying up prime real estate in London has been a familiar headline, however mortgage brokers are saying that this activity may now be cooling down.
Landlords tempted to max out buy-to-let borrowing: Lenders are working around tougher mortgage rules - is it a good idea?
In the past few weeks, both Virgin Money and specialist lender West One revealed they will now allow landlords applying for a buy-to-let mortgage to use both the property's rental income and their own earned income to get them past tough affordability thresholds. The approach - known as 'top-slicing' - is on offer from a growing number of buy-to-let lenders including Virgin Money (pictured) Barclays, BM Solutions, Precise Mortgages, Vida Homeloans, Kent Reliance, Aldermore and Metro Bank.
The best towns and cities to invest in property: Map reveals that student hotspots are the best bet for buy-to-let
Buy-to-let landlords squeezed by recent tax changes may find better returns by targeting towns with strong student populations, research suggests. University towns and cities where housing is cheap, such as Liverpool and Middlesbrough, provide rental yields up to seven times higher than in London, a study by credit specialists Totally Money found. Its report compared average rents to house prices to highlight the most profitable places for buy-to-let and named a pair of postcodes close to two of Liverpool’s three universities as a hotspot for property investment - with rental yields of almost 12 per cent.
Ten tips for buy-to-let: the essential advice for property investors
Buy-to-let is much tougher than it once was. A tax crackdown on buying properties and a tax raid on the rental income from owning them has seen to that. But for many Britons the idea of investing in property still appeals, as they trust bricks and mortar and may feel that they can add value to a property. Read our top ten buy-to-let tips
Buy-to-let isn’t dead yet: We reveal where Britain's landlords are forecast to make the biggest profits - of up to £500,000 over 25 years
Landlords are set to rake in hundreds of thousands of pounds profit on buy-to-let over the next 25 years with London investors standing to make up to half a million. Analysis from mortgage lender Kent Reliance claims that long-term property investment can still deliver significant returns for landlords through rent and capital gains, despite recent regulatory and taxation changes denting profits.
A third of landlords with just one buy-to-let are considering selling up - but bigger landlords want to invest more
Two years on from sweeping tax reforms to buy-to-let, the Government's aim of limiting small-scale amateur landlords appears to be closer to fruition.A third of landlords with just one buy-to-let property are planning to sell and give up on buy-to-let, but 38 per cent of landlords who own two or more properties say they are planning to buy.
Jeremy Hunt is one of NINE Cabinet ministers 'making more than £10,000-per-year by renting out properties'Â
It comes after Britain's Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt (pictured) was forced to apologise after he failed to declare a business interest with Companies House and the parliamentary register of MPs' interests. A spokesman for No 10 said: 'Jeremy has rightly apologised for an administrative oversight, and as the Cabinet Office have made clear there has been no breach of the Ministerial Code. We consider the matter closed.' Mr Hunt amended the register to show he has half a share of a holiday home in Italy and half a share in an office building in Hammersmith, West London, according to The Guardian. They are in addition to the seven apartments he acquired recently in Southampton.
How to invest in property without becoming a buy-to-let landlord... and even do it tax-free with an Isa
For two decades buy-to-let was the golden child but after sweeping tax reforms it's rapidly losing its shine. A stamp duty hike and the removal of full mortgage interest tax relief have compounded the issue of high house prices. The lure of bricks and mortar remains strong in spite of buy-to-let getting tougher, so are a new breed of property platforms worth considering?
Optimistic sellers raise asking prices by more than £2,400 in a month - but it's taking longer to sell homes
Rightmove said the figures suggested the market remained resilient, although this rate of growth was �well below’ the 1.6 per cent monthly average at this time of year over the last ten years. The website said all regions saw price rises between January and February, except for a marginal fall in the South West, where prices dropped by £131.
The buy-to-let mortgage that lets you rent a home to your children... or even your parents
Anyone who has looked at buying a property with the intention of renting it to a family member will know it's not easy. But now a new family buy-to-let mortgage has been launched by Mansfield BS that actively targets those who may want to rent a home to their children - or perhaps even their parents.
Buy-to-let's not dead yet: Landlords can still make rental returns 8.9% by letting properties room-by-room
Research from specialist buy-to-let mortgage broker Mortgages for Business shows landlords who let out property on a room by room basis are still raking in yields of 8.9 per cent. This compares to a much lower, though still healthy, 5.6 per cent yield on 'vanilla' buy-to-lets where the whole property is let on one tenancy agreement.
BUY-TO-LET AND LANDLORDS: TIPS, TOOLS AND GUIDES
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Is there a housing crisis and how do people manage to afford London homes? Watch the Property Show
Declining ownership is seen as another sign of property market in crisis, but is this true? Ed Mead, of estate agents Douglas and Gordon, joins the Property Show, to look at the state of the market and whether prices will keep rising. And as an experienced agent he also answers the question many of us will have asked: 'How on earth do people afford London homes?'
LANDLORD ESSENTIALS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Tax on buy-to-let and how to cut your bill: From income tax to stamp duty, what you need to know
The taxman will want to know about any buy-to-let returns you make. If you don't declare your income properly or capital gains when you sell, you could be in trouble. We run through the taxes associated with buy-to-let. Some of these taxes and allowances have changed, so make sure you are up-to-date with them.
Buy-to-let mortgages: How they work, what you need to know and how to get the best deals
Buy-to-let has become big business as Britain's small army of property investors ploughed their savings into homes to deliver both income and growth. Buy-to-let mortgages are generally interest-only, require larger deposits and need rent to comfortably more than cover payments. We explain more in our guide.
The buy-to-let traps: How to avoid the classic mistakes that mean investing might not pay off
Those considering investing in buy-to-let - or hoping to improve the returns on their existing properties - need to make sure they aren't making common mistakes. We outline the classic errors to avoid to make sure you get the best from buy-to-let - and how to look after your tenants so they look after you.
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BUY-TO-LET: DON'T MISS
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