Investment Section

A property section with information about home investment, with suggestions on how to invest and improving your properties value.

Are you a UK resident wanting to invest in property? Perhaps on a dilapidated building in need of being modernised, only later to be sold for a profit. Or are you are a homeowner who wishes to invest in their home? Maybe performing home improvements which will later increase the market value of the property.
Then you may need property finance, and The Grabber is here to help.

Topics covered on this page are:

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Homeowner Loan Form | Re-mortgage Loan Form

The Grabber can help you apply online if you are interested in property investment but need to borrow the finance, we could save you hours trawling the internet or pounding pavements. Just spend two minutes completing one of our application forms and you will get a very competitive quote whatever your personal credit history and circumstance.

Property Investment

Investment in property is a complicated subject to cover because of the myriad of different ways to invest in property and because of the investors aims, that is what you want property investing to yield.
You may be looking at buying to let, this is buying a property with the purpose of letting it out. Perhaps property redevelopment interests you, this is buying a building in need of maintenance and modernising with the intention of selling it later to make a profit. Because of the stock markets recent sluggish performance you may be looking at other ways to use your finance, such as buying a second home or buying a holiday home. You may be a home owner looking at improving your properties value, performing work on the building could lead to an increase of thousands on its market value.

There are many ways of investing in property and at the Grabber we hope we have covered some common ways below, but ultimately you are limited only by the amount of finance available and by your imagination. As usual due to the large amounts involved in property investment you are encouraged to do your research and take whatever advise is available before agreeing and signing up to anything.

Buy to Let

Have you dreams of being a landlord responsible for your own property? Perhaps you admire the idea of taking a rundown building and making a profit with it? If so, then buying to let could be for you.
Buying to let is the term used for buying a building with the purpose of then renting it out to tenants. You use the rent to make the mortgage payments and any surplus becomes income. Buying to let is also a method used to invest capital in the property market. Due to the stock markets poor performance over recent years, more prosperous consumers are choosing to invest in the housing market and with rising house prices the gains that may be made on a property investment could be substantial.
If you are looking at buying to let as a way of investing in property there are several things to be aware of and prepare for. These are the finance, the property itself, advertising, tenants and the maintenance of the property. You should approach buying to let the same as setting up a new business and ensure you are aware of all the requirements needed and have a suitable business and action plan. This will enable you to approach investing in property logically and professionally and should minimise problems and any financial surprises.

If you don't have money readily available to invest in a buy to let, you may require a loan or mortgage to raise the finance required to purchase the property.
A secured loan or homeowner loan has less restrictions on how you use the finance it raises, since the lending of the loan is more dependent on your credit rating and personal circumstance, rather than your plan. However would a homeowner loan raise sufficient capitol for your needs? You may require a mortgage instead to buy property.
Mortgage lenders will require that a particular mortgage product is taken out if property is being purchased to then let out to tenants. This product takes the form of a buy to let mortgage and several factors will need to be covered and discussed with the lender after applying before the mortgage is granted. These factors include the buildings location, the business plan, the condition of the property, the target tenants, how much deposit is required and what other points need to be considered. The income from the rent will also have to be greater than the mortgage on the property before the mortgage will be granted.

Property Redevelopment

Property redevelopment is the term used to describe the process of buying and then altering a buildings current condition. You could be looking at modernising an old town house or even returning a property to its original built condition, this can include using any period fittings. The property can then be placed on the market for a resale which should make you a tidy profit on your original investment or maybe even fund your next project.
If you are looking at property development as a way of investing approach it the same has buying to let and ensure you are aware of all the requirements needed and have a suitable plan. This will enable you to approach developing property logically and professionally and should minimise any financial surprises.
What finance you use for the redevelopments capital is up to you. You may have sufficient savings already or you may need to lend to create the funds. You could choose a homeowner loan to raise the finance required but you may need to find additional partners for your project to ensure you have enough. Equity released from your home could be used as the finance, which you could receive from re-mortgaging. Or you could apply for a mortgage to raise the necessary capital to purchase and develop the chosen building.

Investing Capital

If you are looking to invest capital in the property market, redevelopment schemes could offer you the opportunity to do so. There are plenty of companies after members to invest in ongoing or up and coming projects. These companies buy and then develop old buildings such as abandoned factories and offices into residential complexes enhancing the local area. If you are interested in investing in this way you should search for reputable firms or specialists in this finance arena.

Second Homes

Do you dream of leaving at the end of the week to relax in a cottage in an idyllic location? Are you fed up with the daily commute to work and fancy getting a pad in town for use during the working week? If you answered yes you’re not alone, more and more households are buying second or holiday homes and not just because the economics of buying a second home have never been lower. With current low mortgage rates and council tax allowing reductions for second homes there's no reason why you can't have two homes.
How you finance the purchase of your second property is up to you. You could use the boom in property prices, if the value of your home has risen, you can re-mortgage and use the released equity. Buying outright if you have enough or you may use the money as a deposit and take out a second mortgage. Second mortgages generally require a larger deposit, meaning paying off two mortgages so a sufficient income would be required.
Or you could opt to sell your home and buy two smaller properties with the proceeds, a flat in town for work and a home in the country for the weekends. Because both properties are small the joint cost could mean paying about the same as for your original home.
There may have been a recent inheritance, which has left you wondering what to do with it. Buying a second home can be a way to invest the amount without being at the mercy of the stock market. Property prices have risen steadily over recent years making them a sound investment.
You could be thinking long term while owning two homes, many people at reaching retirement age are looking at releasing home equity to raise income. Selling one of your properties and moving to live in the remaining one will leave you with the proceeds of the sale.
And there is always the prospect of using your second home as a rental for holidays. During the summer months the property could be let as a retreat away from it all. Rent raised could be used as part of the finance required to buy.

However don't just get carried away with the romantic notions of a second home there are real life issues to consider and remember. With a second home you are making a considerable commitment, not just in terms of finance, but also with your leisure time if the property requires work or maintenance. Check to ensure good traffic connections, easy to reach and hopefully not to much congestion. Remember if your property is in a holiday hotspot, traffic will increase during schools and any annual holidays. The building will have to be secure and friendly relations with a neighbour essential if the property is empty at times. You will have to double up on all essential household equipment and keep gardens as low maintenance as possible. There will have to be a key holder for emergencies capable of contacting you if need be.

Home Improvement

Have you recently looked at selling your home but decided you were happier where you were? Were you after a larger property because of a growing family but didn't like the idea of the extra expense? Perhaps your current location is ideal for work or the children's schools and you didn't fancy the upheaval moving would bring. Well you don't have to put up with second best because the alternative is too awkward or inconvenient. With the boom in property prices there is a good chance you may have hidden equity in your home and if you release it you will have finance available to use on your current home for improvements. You could opt for a re-mortgage on your property to take advantage of any increase in its value. You may wish to apply for a secured loan to fund any desired changes which should be considerably cheaper than using credit facilities offered by any firms you use for the improvements.

With the released equity or finance raised elsewhere, and if you were after a larger home you could have an extension built, which will have the dual bonus of giving you extra room and space as well as adding further value to the property. Another couple of ways to gain this dual bonus is to have the loft in your home converted into a bedroom, or if you have one you could have the cellar converted into a kids playroom, an office or whatever takes your fancy.
A lot of people consider the garden to be an important factor of their home and spend a considerable amount of time working on it to get it into condition. Having landscaping done such as sunken gardens or decking and patios is a simple way of making your garden unique. And with so many gardens having lights of some description placed within them now it also could help with the security of your home.
Maybe home security is a area you have been thinking about improving, there are several things you could do which will increase the security of your property. You could choose good plastic windows and doors, which apart from being weatherproofed have the added bonus of improving security. Security lighting, perhaps on motion detectors, should make thief's think twice and will make the entering and leaving of your home safer and easier. Perhaps having a garage built for the motor appeals, garages create extra storage space, keep vehicles safe and form another barrier to intruders from having easy access to the rear of your home.
What home improvement you perform on your property will rely purely on your needs, your imagination or your resources.

Apply Online - Don't delay, fill in a form and Grab that Deal!

Homeowner Loan Form | Re-mortgage Loan Form

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