Richard Blanco

The private rented sector now stands at 18% of housing stock and is projected by some to grow to 25% by 2025.  Lenders are key to this growth.  Many landlords have proved we are a pretty safe bet when it comes to lending with repossessions in the buy to let sector standing  at just 0.13%.  I make  presentations on financing your portfolio from the landlord’s perspective and I often hear frustrations from colleagues.  I’ve summarised here some of the ways that lenders could be more […]

I was interviewed for a feature in the Mail on Sunday this week about whether now is a good time to invest in property.  They interviewed a number of landlords and I was the one who struck a note of caution.  I was amazed that Richard Dyson, the deputy finance editor actually quoted me saying that property is not an easy win and that providing homes for people is a serious responsibility.  I’ve always been uncomfortable with terms like ‘property investor’ as […]

I had a surprisingly fun sunny Saturday afternoon looking at auction properties this weekend.  Subsidence cracks has been the theme of the week.  You know what they say, if it’s gone to auction “there must be trouble.”
The first property I saw was a two bed terrace whose garden wall backed onto a cemetery.  A young couple and their two children who were living there kindly let me in to have look around.   It was extraordinary opening the bathroom window at the rear of the […]

Some lenders are adopting draconian attitudes towards interest only mortgages.  Last month, Santander announced that it was cutting the maximum loan to value it will lend on an interest only basis from 75% to 50%.  This week, Nationwide and Coventry Building Societies have followed suit, cutting their interest only limits to 50%.  New FSA guidance will require greater scrutiny of repayment vehicles such as ISAs and endowments where an interest only mortgage is in place.   It is thought […]