If you are in the fortunate position of having money burning a hole in your pocket, don’t blow it on fast cars, good nights out and meaningless status symbols. Consider investing in property with your hard earned cash. Once you’ve already purchased your own little patch of bricks and mortar to live in, you may think that your foray into the housing realm is over. You’d be wrong. One of the most safe and secure avenues to have a meander down is property. You could be a landlord by the time you hit the big 3 – 0. Take a look at this guide to navigating your way around property investments.

Where? What? How?

The questions that will be racing around your head when thinking about investing in property can cause you to be tempted to forget the whole thing. Don’t. If you have a healthy deposit and you’re willing to hold onto a property for a good few years and let it out so that your rental income covers your mortgage repayments, you’ll be quids in. First of all, you need to consider the type of property you’d like to invest in.

One of the safest bets is to choose a flat or an apartment in a desirable area of a city close to good transport links. This way you’ll attract wealthier young professionals who are willing to pay a premium for the best properties. Ensure that you select an area that isn’t run down, has a fair amount of cafe culture and is already established as a base for city workers. You must always do your sums and ensure that any potential rental yield will cover your projected mortgage repayments. This way, you can allow your let property to tick along, increasing in value as you go about your daily business.

Alternatives

If the long term commitment of investing in property doesn’t appeal to you, why not think about the more lucrative holiday market. Companies like the Waterfront Group sell properties that are more appealing to the vacationer. You could pick up an Alpine-esque lodge by the lake or a more remote log cabin at the foot of a mountain range. Letting your property out on a weekly basis means that you’ll have a greater rental yield but that your property may not be let for the entire year. You’ll need to ensure that you can manage financially if you have a couple of months with an empty lodge and no money coming in.

Managing Landlord Responsibilities

You could relish the opportunity of being a hands-on landlord. If the washing machine in your rental pad breaks down, you might want to whip out your tool belt and attempt to fix it. On the other hand, if you don’t know your pipes from your plugs, you might want to relinquish your landlord responsibilities and hand them over to a management company. For a small fee, they will maintain your property, deal with rental disputes and collect your rent payments.

Make Investing In Property Your Next Move

If you fancy seeing your money working for you in a more lucrative and effective way, consider ditching the savings account and putting your money into property for a more buoyant financial future.