Have you ever asked ‘When is the best time to invest in property?’
Is it the right time in the property cycle? When should I invest in property?
Are property prices too high? Will mortgage rates rise? Will property prices keep increasing?
If you have asked these questions then you’d be like any other property investor, new or experienced.
But most people are waiting for a perfect storm, for all the above to be just right, before they decide when to invest in property.
The years pre-recession/property crash offered one of the greatest opportunities for buy-to-let landlords. Low prices (rising), high yields (cash flow) and big discounts (if you got in early) were a winning formula to invest in property UK.
Plus, the banks would give you any money you wanted.
Astute investors grabbed the bull by the horns and cashed in on this buying frenzy.
Today, post-property crash, on the upward recovery part of the cycle, the property market is telling a different story. Sellers are becoming savvy and know that they can get a good offer quite quickly in some areas, especially London & ‘mini’ London-type cities.
More buyers are coming back into the property market because confidence is back and demand is high.
But what is true in the wider picture is, prices are rising, back above pre-crash levels in most areas now.
The answer to the question of ‘when to invest in property?’ is becoming ‘now’ for new property investors & ‘yesterday/now’ for more experienced property investors or landlords.
Follow these property investing rules to make cashflow
1. Add value to the property
Look for properties where you can add 15% or more. Prices have been corrected so discounts, though possible with the right training, are less widespread.
Source dirty, dilapidated single lets which need cosmetic work (nothing structural).
A new kitchen, bathroom, and a lick of paint should do the trick. Look for old pubs, nursing homes, and empty offices and ‘change the use’ to add sometimes 5x value converting commercial into residential.
2. Solve property issues others can’t
Look for leasehold properties with short or defective leases, absent freeholders, properties valued below £50k (or are incorrectly priced), commercial to residential conversion opportunities, planning consents/properties with incorrect applications, minor dry or wet Japanese knotweed, vendor debt or divorce, etc.
(Note: not for newbies; you must get educated).
These improvements will add value and give you the uplift without having to lowball Estate Agents & upset your local community.
The reality is, there is nothing wrong with paying ‘market value’ for a property if it makes sense to do so and the value added far more outweighs the cost to fix the problem because the market is changing and you need to adapt.
3. Use non-bank finance
We have a separate article on this topic. You can download our report below which will help you decide when to invest in the property market.
So when is the best time to invest in property?
If you look at the Times Rich List, the answer is always ‘now.’
The question is, ‘What strategy do I use for the part of the property cycle we’re in?’
Learn more about when to invest in property
In the video below, Kevin McDonnell explains everything you need to know about whether 2023 is a good time to invest in property:
