All posts by Mark Alexander
Buy to let losers can sue valuers for their losses.
Buy to let investors who lost money because properties failed to achieve prices and rents advised by valuers have had the right to sue them for compensation upheld.
House building slips to lowest level for a decade.
Buy to let is likely to ride high for several years to come as the government reports house building in England is at the lowest level for a decade after falling nearly 23% in just 12 months.
Landlord wins ‘unfair’ fees case against letting agent.
A buy to let landlord with just one investment property beat a claim for failing to pay renewal commission under consumer protection law.
Landlords to pay more tax as HMO loophole closes.
New guidelines for shared house owners have put a stop to most claims from property investors for capital allowances that can considerably slash income tax.
Children suffer most if parents have no will.
More than 30 million people in the UK do not have a will – even though nine out of 10 have a good idea who should inherit their wealth when they die.
Inheritance Tax FAQ.
The 30 million people in the UK who do not have a will are letting the government grab a large chunk of their wealth when they die, when some effective financial and tax planning could mean financial security...
Taxing decisions to make when inheriting a home.
Inheriting a property means making some important decisions that have lifestyle, tax and other financial consequences.
Record demand for rental homes as supply dries up.
The mortgage squeeze is a double-edged sword for buy to let landlords as rentals surge but borrowing restrictions mean they cannot buy more homes to rent out.
A simple guide on how to calculate maximum loan based on lenders...
By Neil Patterson, Partner of The Money Centre.
Most mortgage lenders use credit scoring to determine whether an applicant is “good for credit”. However, unlike personal mortgage lending, which...
How many lenders are really open for buy to let business?
So few lenders are actually handing over cash to borrowers that the Council of Mortgage Lenders has had trouble finding enough firms to fill the slots in a top 30 lender’s table.
Florida Property Market Update – part three.
By Mark Alexander.
On Thursday this week I am meeting the Vice President of Lake Buena Vista Resort to learn more about their EB5 visa scheme. This is a $500,000 investment into property which comes with...
Time to look at the brighter side of life.
Most property investors think they have never had it so bad as spending cuts, lack of finance, and the prospect of tumbling house prices loom.
Brits have an insular grin-and-bear-it tendency that tends...
Buy to let rents surge to record high.
Buy to let rents are surging to record highs as a shortage of properties and mortgage restrictions puts a brake on home sales.
Average rents are now £698 per month, after straight months of rises that...
Taxman won’t take estate planning on trust. Property investors...
Wealthy families with complicated inheritance tax (IHT) avoidance schemes are the likely targets of tax ‘hit squads’.
Property investors with portfolios with values exceeding the IHT single/married...
Professional landlords snap up more homes to let. Buy to let...
Experienced landlords are still expanding their buy to let portfolios and accounted for nearly 10% of all mortgage broker business in the three months ending September 30.
Soaring numbers of enquiries...
Claiming property business expenses as a landlord. Here are some...
Buy to let property investors pay too much tax because they do not know how to claim property business expenses.
The sad fact is many accountants and tax advisers are little or no help because they do...
University cities are running out of student digs...
Many of Britain’s leading university cities are running out of accommodation for students, according to a report by a leading property consultant.
Demand far outstrips supply in many cities, says...
Guide to keeping financial records for a property business...
As the deadlines for filing rental accounts fast approach, here’s a quick guide to how the taxman expects property investors to keep financial records.
Keeping records for a rental business means:...
The History of Buy to Let Sale and Rent Back...
By Mark Alexander.
I closed my first Sale and Rent Back, “SARB”, deal in 1990. It wasn’t for me personally though and it wasn’t a property deal either. I had just set up a commercial...
Making sure a selling price adds up for capital gains. Property...
House sellers need to do their sums before accepting an offer on a property investment to make sure the figures add up to pay any tax and settle the mortgage.
Property investors must know the break-even...
Don’t let house price surveys build up your hopes. Deciding...
House price surveys are nonsense – and do not offer anything other than an indication of the value of a non-existent ‘average’ home.
Deciding which survey to trust is easy – none...