buy to let mortgage
General Notes
Page Down
 

Need help to understand Mortgage Jargon ?


We have put together some mortgage help pages  

We hope you find this of use. Good Luck !  

This page -    buy to let mortgage

Credit Cards
Loans
Insurance
Mortgages
Utilities





Search Jobs on Yahoo! HotJobs
Search Jobs by Location, Industry or Keyword
www.hotjobs.com



  UK Buy to Let Mortgages

Buy to let mortgages are designed for prospective landlords wanting a mortgage for the purpose of letting the property out to tenants.

These mortgages have become popular over the past few years, driven by increasing house prices, a strong demand for rental properties and a drop in the interest rates available to private landlords. A wide range of buy to let mortgages are now available, including fixed rate, discount, tracker and variable rates.

Buy to let mortgages differ to residential mortgages in three main ways:

  • Rent Potential - the decision as to whether or not a mortgage will be offered is usually based on the rent you will earn as well as your income. In some cases your income is not considered.

  • Interest Rate - buy to let mortgages have slightly higher interest rates.

  • Larger Deposit - typically a minimum of 20% or 25% of the property's value is required as a deposit.
Becoming a private landlord should not be seen as an easy way of making money. It is riskier, more complicated and more time consuming than most other forms of investment and there is no guarantee that house prices will continue to rise. That said, letting a second property to tenants can reap considerable financial rewards over time.

When buying a property to let you will need to decide whether your primary objective is income or capital growth. In other words, are you looking to make a profit month on month or are you looking to make a profit through increased equity in the property as it increases in value over time. The decision may affect the type of property you purchase, and the location. For example, a prime city centre location may be more suited to high growth.

When you manage a property there are many costs involved in addition to the monthly mortgage repayments. As a guide, you should be aiming to achieve a gross rent of about 130% of the rental property's mortgage repayments (interest only) in order to cover your costs.

The additional costs include:
  • letting agency fees - letting agents charge around 10% of the monthly rent for finding and vetting tenants and an additional cost of around 5% if you require a full management service.

  • ground rent / service charges - applicable to leasehold properties.

  • property's upkeep - maintenance costs for the property.

  • gas / electrical appliances - cost of maintaining appliances and ensuring they comply with any regulations.

  • insurance - building insurance and content insurance for those items provided as part of the rental agreement.

  • furnishing - the purchase of any furniture if the property is to be let furnished.

  • legal insurance - to cover the costs of evicting tenants in the event of non payment.

  • decorating costs - the property may require work ranging from painting to a new bathroom suit before it is suitable to be let to tenants.
When choosing a property to let it is wise to take advice from local letting agents to determine what type of properties are in demand and in which areas. The Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) state that a property 'needs to be in the right area, close to transport and other facilities, and in good condition'.

When choosing a letting agent to act on your behalf it is sensible to choose one that is a member of the ARLA. The reason is because members of the ARLA must join in a bonding scheme to protect rent and tenant's deposits. The bond provides total compensation of up to £2 million a year.

There are a number of tax issues that need to be explored in order to maximise your tax position, such as being able to offset your maintenance costs, letting agent fees as well as any interest paid on a buy to let mortgage against your tax.

You can visit the ARLA website at www.arla.co.uk for further information on becoming a private landlord.


NEXT - commercial mortgages

Mortgages explained | About mortgage types | repayment mortgage | endowment mortgage | interest only mortgages | how much can I borrow ? | mortgage payback rates | variable rate mortgages | fixed rate mortgages | capped rate mortgages | discounted rate loans | remortgages | first time buyers | buy to let mortgage | commercial mortgages | mortgage costs | glossary of terms | mortgage FAQ's |

Latest Mortgages News

12:59 AM Mortgage rates hit record low as 90% mortgages make comeback - Times Online

Mortgage rates hit record low as 90% mortgages make comeback
Times Online
Mortgage rates on tracker deals, which move in line with the Bank of England base rate, plummeted to a record low in January, providing a much-needed boost ...
Tracker loan rates at record lowThe Press Association
Co-operative fixed mortgage rates cutMortgage.org.uk
Tracker mortgages cheaper than everYour Mortgage
lovemoney.com -MonitorBankRates.com -Bills.com
all 84 news articles »
01/01/1970
12:59 AM The acute vulnerability of the mortgage market - BBC News (blog)

Daily Mail

The acute vulnerability of the mortgage market
BBC News (blog)
Mortgage banking is one business that remains hooked on taxpayer support in a way that most would say is unhealthy: via the Special Liquidity Scheme, ...
Banks 'still need government support' to give mortgagesThis is London
We may run out of money, say mortgage lendersManagement Today
Lenders warn of mortgage shortagesFinancial Times
Mortgage Strategy -Mortgage Strategy -Financial Times
all 19 news articles »
01/01/1970
12:59 AM No Exit in Sight for US As Fannie, Freddie Flail - Wall Street Journal

eCreditDaily.com

No Exit in Sight for US As Fannie, Freddie Flail
Wall Street Journal
Fannie and Freddie buy mortgages originated by others, holding some as investments and repackaging others for sale to investors as securities. ...
The Fed Has a Shiny New Inflation-Fighting Weapon and Isn't Afraid To Use ItReuters
Where's the Reform on Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac?eCreditDaily.com
Marchant Unveils "Mortgage E-Verify Act"Trading Markets (press release)
San Francisco Chronicle -Before It's News
all 40 news articles »
01/01/1970
12:59 AM SVR mortgage borrowers `could benefit from switching` - Think Money

Money High Street

SVR mortgage borrowers `could benefit from switching`
Think Money
Hannah-Mercedes Skenfield, mortgages channel manager at Moneysupermarket, said that most borrowers on SVRs have recently been enjoying better rates than ...
SVR remortgaging advice from moneysupermarket.comMortgage.org.uk
Is it time to remortgage?Money High Street
Most SVR borrowers 'should consider switching'Your Mortgage
Mortgage Strategy -Mortgage Solutions -Money Marketing
all 16 news articles »
01/01/1970
12:59 AM The unequal credit crunch - Asia Times Online

Washington Post

The unequal credit crunch
Asia Times Online
Of the real estate loans, home mortgages (presumably mostly again government guaranteed) were up 3%, home equity loans (mostly utterly economically ...
Fed's Bullard: Housing should be key in reformReuters
Fed's Bullard: Fed Could Keep Interest Rates Low Until 2012FOXBusiness
Federal Reserve hopes clear exit strategy will boost market confidenceWashington Post

all 91 news articles »
01/01/1970

buy to let mortgage    Links Page    Blogger Users   Privacy - We do not database any visitor information.

Other useful search terms: Help with mortgage , how to get a mortgage , mortgage help , what are mortgages ? understanding mortgage loans , simplified mortgage notes , easy mortgage help , mortgage basics , mortgage facts , how much home deposit , what mortgage rate types , home loan options , morgage answers , home loans questions , house buying loans notes , reasons for quote , explanation of mortgag facts , understanding home buying basics , how much salary required , no deposit , rules for loan amounts