Originally Posted by
fungus pudding
Read that. I can't see any price gain in the next few years being anywhere near sufficient to make today's purchase profitable. If there is no gain in capital they are a terrible 'investment'. The only possibility at the moment is to seek out properties encumbered by a lease where there are inexperienced landlords who can't handle their new role. Some got caught jp in thr hype and thought property investment mreant buying a house and banking the money. A few skipped teneants, trashed houses, inevitable plumbers, electricians' bills etc and they want out. If thers is a long lease they have reduced options. I found a few like that, admittedly 40 odd years ago when I was playing with res. stuff, but the scene now is similar, so there's a possibility. More-so now because they may have had an encounter with those gangsters known as the Tenancy Tribunal. Who knows really? But on the available evidence, and with so many better options - why bother? Work out the net return on a property currently for sale. Make realistic allowances for mangement, 100% borrowing (even if you don't borrow at all you must factor in opportunity cost) and the one most investors ignore - repairs and maintenance and the figures are just dreadful.