Thursday, March 5, 2009

Genious Ways Of Making Money With Buy To Let Mortgages

By Chris Channing

A buy to let mortgage is a type of mortgage that allows a borrower to buy a piece of property. With this property, the borrower will be able to lease it out to tenants in exchange for monthly profits. In turn, the profits are used to pay off the mortgage. The key to making profit from the situation is to weigh costs and minimize them by maximizing profits.

Buy to let mortgages will continually cost the borrower money, whether or not the borrower has a tenant that is paying money on the property. To ensure longer periods of payment are had, it's always a good idea to make a lease of 12 months a mandatory agreement with the tenant. In the event that a lease is broken, most landlords include special fees that are applied, or even demand full payment for the rest of the term.

Unfortunately, the housing market may fluctuate and may prove to be unprofitable in certain areas. Before obtaining a buy to let mortgage, always investigate current market trends, availability of housing for all age groups, and act appropriately. If buying from a current landlord, inquire about his or her expenditures and profits for the previous year.

The costs that go into a buy to let mortgage are great, meaning there is a small margin of error when calculating costs and profits. It should be the goal of the borrower to make costs as minimal as possible, while still taking in as much income as possible from tenants. There are several ways to ask for a higher starting price, such as furnishing the apartment or weather-proofing it to make it energy friendly. Such things bring higher market value due to less cost to the tenant.

There are some other tactics that can help raise profits as well, although it is important not to exploit them for personal gain. One such method is to buy a few pieces of property in a specific location, so that prices can be changed at will. By controlling a large radius of residential investments, the competition is reduced to near nothing. Because this is somewhat of a monopoly, it allows an investor to charge market value with ease.

From this point on, be prepared to do a lot of research. If you are like most who obtain the buy to let mortgage, even one slip will result in financial disaster. After conducting market research and going through the specifics of the loan, a whole new universe must be learned: being a landlord.

Final Thoughts

Buy to let mortgages may be a risky endeavor, but their payout is great if handled correctly. Try talking to others who have made use of them for more guidance in making a profit from them. - 15790