The Property Podcast

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, Andy... Asks Rob & Rob – What checks should you make when buying remotely? This is somewhat of a specialist subject for The Robs, as they both invest this way, and run companies which help people to invest with a completely hands-off method.  This is an important question and Rob B starts by saying you need to be very clear in what you want from the people you work with. Give them really clear guidelines so people know exactly what is an investment you would consider, and what you wouldn't touch in a million years. This will help preserve your working relationships and save you all a lot of time and avoid frustration. Give as much detail as possible.  Rob D agrees with the advice given but also says to clarify all information given - even if it's coming from a trusted partner. Get images, check market information, and do your research. This will give you complete clarity on your investment, and you wont feel like you really need to be there on the ground. This method is not for everyone, but for us it works really well.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Getting an offer accepted on a property is always a great moment – but this week we see that rather than being the finish line, it's actually just the firing of the starter's pistol. The process of doing the legals and getting your mortgage arranged can be a lengthy and arduous one, and it's your job to take control of all the people involved and keep things ticking along. In this episode we go step-by-step through everything you'll encounter, and provide tips for how to boost your chances of coming through unscathed. We discuss: The preparation you can do with your broker and solicitor in advance At what point you'll have to fork over money What your solicitor should be doing behind the scenes (and why you need to check that they are!) How to balance patience with keeping things moving The critical milestones in the process of getting your mortgage agreed What will happen in preparation for exchange And in case it's all a bit much to take in, we've got a resource of the week to help...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rob B issues a note of caution - beware those who tell you there is a way to do this that means you pay a little more now to get started as an investor. The truth is there is no real shortcut, and you probably should pay your debts off first. It's frustrating, and tempting to want to find a quicker alternative, but not the best move. Avoid the people making the big claims and the courses that say otherwise are a waste of money.  If it's a choice of paying off your debts or investing, you need to make a decision based entirely around return. So if your debt costs you 9% a month and you can comfortably pay this, but you can get a property that gives you an 8% return, then it's a no-brainer - pay off your debt. But start by paying down your most expensive debt first, get that paid off as soon as you can, and then maybe you will reach a point where you have some cheaper debt which you can accept whilst investing.  Rob D admits yes, it's not the fun approach but waiting is the right thing to do, but suggests you make a plan now. Work out when you are going to be ready to invest and use that time to get experience and learn, so that when you're financially ready, you are as educated as possible.  So don't feel disappointed that you can't start now, get a plan together and get excited about what you will be able to do in the future. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's no surprise that we're big believers in the long-term power of property...but we were surprised when the Bank of England's Chief Economist said he'd back property over a pension too. So in this week's episode we ask if property is really better than a pension. We cover: What the BoE's Andy Haldane said Whether property really has outperformed equities over the last 30 years The advantages of property as a long-term asset The advantages of pensions over property Why property isn't the right retirement choice for everyone Why you definitely shouldn't be relying on your main residence to fund your retirement ...and a bit of a rant about the disaster of pension provision (also listen to our pension crisis episode) It's far from being a whitewash – so take a listen, and see what you think.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a commonly asked question - basically 'how good is good enough'. The answer is different for everyone as Rob D points out, as everyone has a different approach and attitude to risk. Rob D does say that neither himself nor Rob B uses net yield as a measure, preferring to favour looking at ROI, this takes into account using a mortgage and tells us after factoring in that mortgage, how hard an investment is working. Rob D bases everything on ROI, occasionally looking at gross yield to compare different properties that have similar costs. Rob D (greedily) aims to get an ROI of 10% and in typical Rob D fashion, hasn't invested in a property that doesn't hit this measure, though definitely doesn't rule this out if the deal had the potential to make great capital growth or add value. Rob B has relaxed his approach slightly in recent time, having formally worked with a target of 10% as well. He will now accept 8% BUT only if this property needs zero work and is being handed over to Yellow Lettings to get let. That said,  he has done deals in excess of 14%, and deals at less than 6% because whilst he does check out this measure, he wont necessarily be put off entirely if the ROI isn't so high IF the deal is right in terms of capital growth.  Rob B adds a note of caution to remind us that ROI isn't all it's sometimes cracked up to be! If it is based on letting at the maximum market value, getting a great deal from your solicitor and the very best mortgage rate in the market then these things may well not happen!  Finally, Rob D suggests you don't compare ROI with other investors too frequently as you don't know what another person has allowed in the way of rent void periods, maintenance costs etc. So don't get too hung up comparing your figures against someone else's, just know that you are happy with them personally. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Depending on who you listen to, it's either the perfect time to invest in property or it's horrendously overvalued and ripe for a crash. This week, we look at the data behind the claims that UK property is unaffordable – and show how easy it is to cherry-pick one measure to support an agenda. We look at affordability through the lens of: Actual house prices (and see the shocking impact of inflation over the long-term) Prices after adjusting for inflation, to identify the specific extent of house price inflation The price of houses as a multiple of earnings, and whether this is historically high The ongoing affordability of housing, looking at the monthly cost of a mortgage as a percentage of income There are some fascinating stats – as well as some really important insights into how affordability varies across regions, and where value might be found.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, Charles... Asks Rob & Rob – What is the snowball effect? Rob B says that from a capital growth point of view, if you see your portfolio at the top of the hill, as the hill drops down that represents time, by the time your snowball has been pushed down the hill - it is bigger. The point being, if you do more work in the early stages (buying BMV), your 'snowball' will be bigger at the end. The first few properties are incredibly important and you need to make wise decisions.  Rob D adds that when he thinks about the snowball effect, he thinks of compounding rent. For example, if you want to buy a property every year worth around 80K, with a 75% mortgage and cash for the rest, you would need to save 20k+ (with fees) to buy that property which for most people is a very big ask. But once you have your first property and it's making you money, if you don't touch that rent, you need to save less to put the deposit down on your next property - and if you keep doing that, you reach a stage where you can keep buying through rental income alone. Saving for the first two or three properties is sometimes a slog, but it doesn't take too long for your 'snowball' to take effect and make life a lot easier.  ASK YOUR OWN QUESTION TO ROB & ROB! Don't be shy! All you need to do is leave a message with your name and whatever's on your mind. Just pick up the phone and call 013 808 00035 (normal UK call rates apply). Or if you prefer, click here to leave a recording via your computer instead. NEED MORE ANSWERS? The Property Hub Summit is the place to get all your questions personally answered by Rob & Rob, and build a network of other smart, motivated investors. Over the course of a full day at a swanky hotel we'll help you set your goals, form a plan to get you there, overcome your obstacles, and give you the support system you need to make sure nothing gets in your way. Just don't hang around - there are only four Summits each year, and just 16 places available at each! Interested? Click here to find out more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than any other type of property investment, the success of an HMO hinges on buying and setting it up right in the first place. We've talked recently about managing an HMO once it's up and running, but this week it's all about acquisition. We discuss: Where to buy, depending on your target market Two ways to find out where the "HMO areas" are Why you absolutely don't want to compromise on location The importance of understanding Article 4 The challenges involved in financing an HMO How lenders value HMOs (check out this episode of the Property Geek podcast for more on this) What you need to know about licensing The returns you can expect to earn The key components to setting yourself up for a high ROI  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rob B starts by reminding you that what may be right for one person, won't necessarily be right for another. There will be pros and cons to each approach and there's no absolutely 'right' answer for everyone. However, whilst there is definitely an advantage in being a 'local expert' it is unlikely that your local area will consistently be a smart place to invest, which is why Rob & Rob invest all over the UK in places they consider to have good fundamentals. Rob allocates a lot of his time to research, and considers it to be lower risk to invest in different locations.  Rob D agrees, it's definitely lower risk to invest in different areas IF you do good research to avoid making any mistakes. Rob D also adds a note of caution for this weeks caller, who had stated she had received lots of BMV deals and reminds everyone to check out these deals really thoroughly before going ahead, and be super diligent with your fact-checking.  ASK YOUR OWN QUESTION TO ROB & ROB! Don't be shy! All you need to do is leave a message with your name and whatever's on your mind. Just pick up the phone and call 013 808 00035 (normal UK call rates apply). Or if you prefer, click here to leave a recording via your computer instead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Quantitative Easing: hard to understand, even harder to say...and about to have a serious impact on your property investing plans. In this week's episode we explain what QE is, what effects it has, and how you can position yourself to take advantage of it. Useful links: A video from the Bank of England explaining the mechanism by which QE works A letter to the Chancellor warning of the risks A report from the New Economics Foundation assessing QE and proposing an alternative TPP024: Inflation – your worst enemy or your best friend? TPP168: The disappearing middle class (and what you can do about it) We also said we'd reproduce a table with some of the figures we discussed in the episode: Percentage changes in asset prices since 5 March 2009: Average mortgage rate: -31% UK house prices: 32% UK stock market: 87% UK stock market with divs reinvested: 138% Total return from average deposit account: 5% Total return from UK gilts: 47% UK inflation: 16% Pension annuity rates: -27% Gold (in dollar terms): 38%  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.