Professional buy-to-let investors 'cleaning up'

Buy-to-let investors who own sizable property portfolios are benefiting hugely from the current state of the market, it has been suggested.

While the housing downturn has made it increasingly difficult for new investors to secure mortgages, the Times is claiming that more experienced investors face no such difficulties.

In sharp contrast, people with large portfolios will have built up enough equity through the property boom to easily afford the larger deposits now demanded by lenders - leaving them ideally placed to capitalise on the market.

Heenal Lakhani of Fenwold Properties insisted we are now in a buyers' market and investors can expect to snap up impressive deals by gazundering and relying on aggressive sales tactics.

"The savvy investors know that this is a good time to buy," he said. "In London there are lots of investors with cash who are happy to put down that [25 per cent] deposit."

Asked about which areas are most in-demand, Mr Lakhani explained that there were opportunities across the entire spectrum of London property, from Stratford estate agents to those in Chelsea.

"It can be anything from traditional Edwardian and Victorian buildings in Chelsea to new-builds in Stratford," he concluded.

News posted on 13th May, 2008