In recent years bricks and mortar or property investments have become an attractive form of investment yielding attractive returns. Good profits have been made by business minded people who have been prepared to speculate in a property portfolio investment.
Residential buy-to-let properties have made up the bulk of these investments but there is a strong move towards 2nd properties for holiday and short-term lets. Commercial properties have followed a similar suit and appear to be propping up the pack in terms of investment yields in recent years.
Property business investment loans are now available and support the fact that property has perhaps been the most consistent of all asset classes over recent years in terms of inflation busting returns.
However property can be regarded as a finite asset which can also be a problem given its popularity with investors – therefore it is vital to find decent properties and finance that will enable a portfolio to continue to grow in value. Supporting this notion, on one side investors should attractive properties that are not over-valued and with good quality tenants. On another side the returns should support the investment outlay and where possible not leave the investor under-water in terms of annual outgoings.
There are an increasing numbers of lenders who have mortgages tailored specifically for the buy-to-let market those which provide essentially property business investment loans.
Property business investment loans (Buy-to-let loans) are often no higher than between 75% and 85% of the value of the property considered. This is calculation is known as the loan-to-value ratio. So if you are considering the best loans and choice aim to put down a deposit of around 25%. Even the best landlords experience periods when they have no tenants. It is therefore prudent not to over-stretch your finances. Ideally rental income should ideally be at least 130% more than your mortgage payments.
The rate of interest for property investment loans
Although there is a lot of competition for your business, interest rates are usually slightly higher for buy-to-let loans and maybe higher for business investment loans. Expect to pay around 0.5% – 1% above a normal standard variable rate for the privilege of buy-to-let finance. Having a bigger chunk of deposit will improve the chances of getting a lower rate which is a useful consideration if you plan to pay off the property earlier.
The best type of mortgage for property investment loans
Carefully shop around for the best mortgage deal and consider the type of loan that will work best for you. Your choice between a repayment or interest-only mortgage will reflect your expectation of what you want to paying off the loan at the end of the term.
Many property investors like the security of fixed rates so that they know exactly what their monthly payments will be and this enables them to plan ahead. A flexible mortgage may also be popular, as it has the ability to overpay when the property is let and take payment holidays or make smaller payments when it is not. As with standard domestic mortgages and good property investor should always be prepared to move the mortgage or property investment loan when an advantageous financial incentive of mortgage offer runs out.