Having selected a suitable location for your first rental property and after getting your offer approved by the seller, the next step is how to manage the transferring process, the conveyancing. It means the legal transfer of ownership from your seller to you. This process will guide you on how to become a landlord of an income-generating source.
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Who should be the conveyancer?
Only a professional and trustworthy conveyancer can accomplish this task to your satisfaction. So, be very much vigilant when deciding about a conveyancer. Your solicitor may prove a good conveyancer as well. You yourself may also attempt to be a conveyancer as long as you are not dealing with a mortgage. Just to guide you, an online conveyancer proves cheaper than a local branch. Being a landlord, it is you who will decide the conveyancer.
The first step about conveyancing: formation of a draft contract
Once you have decided who your conveyancer will be, there will be formed a draft contract mentioning the charges and the required deposits. It will also include the terms of engagement with you. A copy of this very draft contract will be asked by your solicitor from your seller’s counterpart along with the property title, the standard forms, and other information.
The second step: the examining of the contract and the filled forms
Having examined the draft contract and the other supporting documents, your solicitor will raise questions and inquiries from the seller’s solicitor. You will also support this process by closely examining the forms filled by the seller and letting your solicitor know if you have some confusion in this regard. The most important point in this regard is to check whether the proposed property is leasehold or freehold. Be careful about the tenure if it is leasehold and check the things yourself for sure. Leases less than 80 years are hard to extend whereas those under 60 should be best avoided.
The third step: a number of searches from the conveyancer
Your solicitor will advise a number of searches are done apart from those which your conveyancer will do by himself. The overall searches in this respect are:
Verification of the title name and the title plan at the land registry.
Search for the local authority plans.
Search for the water authority.
Checking the flood risk.
Noticing for the chancel repairs.
Search with respect to the environment.
Location specific searches like noise abatement zones, public paths, pipelines, common land, etc.
The cost for all these searches is definitely charged as extras and must be taken into consideration while deciding about the conveyancing fees.
The fourth step: verifications required before signing the contract
Your solicitor will check or verify whether:
All the objections and queries have been satisfied.
All fittings and fixtures are intact as per your expectations.
Both the parties have agreed upon a completion date.
The fifth step: exchanging the contracts
Once the contracts get ready after the thorough examination and verification, you and your seller will agree on a date to exchange the contracts through your solicitors. On the completion of this step, both the parties are legally bound to fulfill the commitment. Otherwise:
You will lose your deposit or even more if it is less than 10% if you do not complete the purchase.
The seller is bound not to accept another offer.
The seller will have to sell it to you or you are entitled to file a case against him.
The sixth step: lodging an application to the land registry
Before the completion day, your solicitor will lodge an application showing interest in the property so that all deeds on that property may be frozen for the next 30 working days. These days will allow you to pay your seller and lodge another application from your side to transfer all the deeds into your name. You should also pay your balance towards your solicitor at least one day before the completion process.
The seventh step: the completion day
This is the day when you and the seller complete the deal. Before this day, your seller will confirm that he has received the full payment. After the completion process is over, the seller is supposed to drop the keys at the real estate agents. It means that you are now free to collect the keys and move to your new property. Your solicitor will send all the documents to the Land Registry and you will receive your legal documents almost twenty days after the completion.
Even your small amount matters now. Feel proud of being a passive investor through real estate crowdfunding. But, be vigilant if you have decided to take the step, for every coin always has two sides.
What is real estate crowdfunding actually?
It is a joint venture of a number of great or small accredited or non-accredited or both the investors to purchase high-level real estate projects which they could never have done on their own. Over the years, it has shown consistent performance and now is a paradise for passive investment across the globe.
This new world of flourishing investment opened to the US-based investors after the activation of the JOBS ACT (Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act) in 2012. Though haunted with a lot of risks as well, crowdfunding does let small-time investors fund huge projects, ensuring thereby capital and opportunity for all the participants.
Some Fast Facts about Crowdfunding in Real Estate
1. Scope of the crowdfunding Industry
As per facts and figures collected worldwide through some reliable surveys, the crowdfunding industry is expected to grow to over $300 billion by 2025.
2. Real estate crowdfunding involves two parties:
A sponsor whose job is to scout the property and raise the funds required to purchase it and manage its daily operations and maintenance. He does not participate in a big share of the required investment, just 5—20 % of the whole investment.
The investors who are mostly non-accredited and manage to provide usually around 80 — 95% of the financial equity.
It is the sponsor who is responsible to distribute the rent or the profit earned in any form among the investors monthly or quarterly or as per agreement. Provided the market remains stable, the investors usually earn appreciable rents or profits.
3. Crowdfunding has proved itself
one of the best sources of income for the starters, for you can start even with as low as $500 and groom fast.
4. Crowdfunding has two types of investment:
Equity investments are made by investors to purchase commercial or residential properties. The investors, in return, get an equity stake in the property and share in a portion of the rent generated or the profit earned when the property is sold in the open market. This kind of investment brings great profits but is riskier in that the investors have to hold the property for a longer period. So, that it may get appreciated to a certain expectation. If there hits a recession meanwhile, the whole profit may turn into the worst loss.
Debt investments where the investors invest in the mortgage loans taken against some specific property. When the loan is repaid, the investors get their share from the interest. This is comparatively a much safer investment, but brings in low profits, as the investors have nothing to do with any additional income being generated from the said property. Moreover, the profitability of debt investment is always limited. But unlike equity investments, the investors receive their share quarterly, half-annually or annually.
Some Clicking Benefits of Crowdfunding
Before crowdfunding, almost no small investor could even dream of investing his meager amount in the real estate business and earning a reasonable profit thereby. The beginner often left with the tension as to how to manage funds for some start-up. With the advent of crowdfunding, you can now invest as less as $500 in the form of crowdfunding and earn a reasonable profit.
With the introduction of crowdfunding platforms on the internet, an investor has easy access to a network of trustworthy and like-minded partners with common goals. Without the online approach, it was really hard to find conformable investors with limited connections. They can buy the shares of a profitable deal with their combined amount which was otherwise impossible with their small individual amounts.
Online crowdfunding has made informed decision-making quite easy by providing a wealth of timely information about every great and profitable deal.
Owing to the possibility of investing the minimum amount as well, the number of investors in crowdfunding has ever been increasing.
With online access, the information about the various projects is quite frequent, thus increasing the transparency of the deal a lot.
The diversification of the portfolio has become quite possible due to the all-time-ready information about a number of real estate investments. Now, investors have multiple choices to choose from.
Tax benefits are also there for the real estate investors joining in through online crowdfunding. These investors may also avail of certain tax breaks like depreciation.
Deciding the Best Real Estate Crowdfunding Platform Online
Out of so many options available, selecting the best crowdfunding platform is not as easy as it appears outwardly. One has to be pretty careful in this regard. The following practical tips will guide you a lot in this respect.
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a) Be very much keen and careful
All the platforms are neither useful nor useless for you; a lot depends upon how they fit for your goals. You will have to make a critical analysis of each and every platform, keeping in view all of its pros and cons. The most critical areas of an online platform are the length of its operation. Moreover, the number of deals, track record, management credentials, return performance, company funding, etc. These must be taken into account when you are about to decide.
b) Be inclined to the comprehensive deals
What do you think is better for you? Analyzing a sponsor’s offer and plan on your own or having a corporate vigilant team taking care of your investments? To us, a platform that vets investments and protects the investors through underwriting, evaluating and structuring. Their investments are far better than other platforms which only work as a matchmaker and never follow the same route. So, you must incline and partial towards vetted deals.
c) Prefer the sites attached with registered broker-dealers
Such sites are really more official and keep a vigilant eye on all the transactions taking place in the market. In this way, they are always in the best position to guide you regarding the balanced and fair material available in the market.
d) Ensure you get aligned interests
Always be watchful about the structure of investments of a platform, for some do offer to promote interest which means that the sponsors will get greater returns only when their investors get their base amount.
Likewise, sponsors tend to push up their business plans once they put in their finances into a deal. That is why some platforms design their investment plans to encourage the sponsors to shell out more and more money along with the investors. So, make sure that interests are aligned.
e) Better review your investment plan
All the platforms or companies are not financial advisors. They leave it up to you to decide your investment plan after presenting a wealth of information about each property. It is always you who is to decide, for not all the companies do vet deals before making their offers to the investors.
f) Liquidity must be under your kind consideration
Always be careful about the liquidity schedule and the unique return profile of the proposed deal, for both time and profit matter you a lot. Before you make any decision, try to know how long you are going to be locked.
g) Also, work out the risks involved
No platform is risk-free, but the important point is to trace out as to which one is the least risky. You must consider the diversified risks associated with investing your diversified holdings to find out which of the two kinds of investments is better for you.
How to Invest in Real Estate Crowdfunding safely and effectively?
By now, crowdfunding in the real estate business has become an established and trustworthy trend across the globe. This is verified by the statistics collected worldwide and beyond all doubts. It will keep on flourishing efficiently with more pace every year.
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Having finalized your investment, you must market it through a group of investors via an investment page. This page carries an overall view of the whole project including a financial summary of the project along with the details of the complete business plan. Moreover, this page also includes legal structures, the status of the local market and an analysis of fees, potential future cash flows and sponsor descriptions.
Once you have reviewed the whole page thoroughly, undertake the following actual investment transactions in true letter and spirits.
Select your favorite most investment and e-sign the legal document.
Then you will get your finance debited from your bank account.
The investment funds of all the investors will then combine.
The investment will declare ‘closed’ on the collection of the required funds.
If all goes well, you will soon start receiving distribution payments.
Here, it is worth mentioning that the returns on the real estate crowdfunding investments, like all others as well, are always risky and delayed. This is because of many factors like the failure of a business plan on the part of the sponsor, the unfortunate mistiming issue with the local market, etc. Consequently, the worst form of this may be the loss of the whole capital or a portion of it.
The best way to cover all this is to avoid investing what you can never afford to lose. To know the quality of the opportunity before making an investment in the real estate crowdfunding. We have worked out for you a few very crucial points you must know:
The Most Efficient Real Estate Crowdfunding Platforms
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1. DiversyFund
One of the newest and best-rated crowdfunding platforms with no account fees at all is DiversyFund. Through this platform, you may start investing in real estate with as minimum as $500.
In addition to offering the best rates and returns, DiversyFund provides the best ever customer service. Answering the queries from their customers instantly has boosted up this platform to the heights of the trust of its users.
Talking about their investment strategy, DiversyFund is leading the rest here too. The least risky type of commercial real estate, multifamily housing, is their sole target and, more securely, they look for the following as well.
The property must be cash flow positive
It must be in an area with a high growth rate
It must preferably need some renovation work
With the help of their latest technology, they are well able to scan the country to see which areas contain the most fitting targets. Once visited and approved, these properties begin to upgrade rapidly.
Having improved the said property, DiversyFund increases its rent for the new tenants and those with expiring leases. This way, it increases the market value of the property and the investors earn more rents and more profit when they sell this property.
2. RealityMogul
Founded in 2013 and, hence, one of the oldest, RealityMogul facilitates all types of investors with as low as $1000 investment policy. Having raised $10.1 million from 1500 active users across 240 properties since its launch, RealityMogul deals in all types of properties, ranging from small-sized mobile homes to the multifamily big houses.
The investment period may last from 6—12 months while the returns may begin to come by after a few weeks of the investment.
3. Fundraise
With the best technology available, this platform launched in 2012 in Washington DC to offer investors various types of real estate projects to invest in for as little as $5000. This platform, a proven leader so far, deals with a wide range of projects including a single-family home, a multifamily condominium, a mixed-purpose manufacturing building, etc.
“The idea behind Fundraise is straightforward. Technology allows us to dramatically reduce costs and provide our investors with better returns while allowing us to cast a much wider net,” says Ben Miller, CEO of FundRise. “We are able to find the needles in the haystack that others can’t because of the sheer volume of opportunities we see.”
Owing to its strict approval parameters, only 5% of the total 250 new deal proposals every week get their final shape. fundraise always pre-funds all of its deals upfront so its users start gaining their share of the interest as soon as their investment gets settled.
4. CrowdStreet
First meant only for the accredited investors, CrowdStreet confers its investors with commercial real estate (CRE) opportunities. Equally available now for the non accredited investors since August 2017, this wonderful website focuses mainly on commercial projects like multi-family condo buildings, retail, office buildings, etc.
You may avail of all the real estate online tools designed by this website to decide the best investment opportunity, viewing all the active offerings, projected returns and other related documents. Once decided, you just have to e-sign the required document before sending your investment.
Using this website, you may invest as minimum as $5000 and the highest starting from $50000 onward.
5. Alpha Investing
Exclusively reserved for the accredited investors alone, Alpha Investing is unique in that it provides concierge service where you have direct access to the manager or the principal of the firm.
You can discuss any of your issues or the required clarifications regarding your proposed investment directly with these principals or managers. Once satisfied, you can apply for investment.
Be sure about the fact that this platform requires a phone interview from the willing investor before he can invest. And, there is no surety that every interviewee will pass. So, be vigilant that you meet all the requirements before you sign up for the interview.
6. Roofstock
Launched in 2014, Roofstock has by now accumulated $1 billion against its completed transactions. The platform is right in its claim to be the first online market place for the investors looking for single-family rental homes.
Having fully realized the complications in the real estate investments, Roofstock has specially focussed on the simplicity of the overall online process. They are also successful in this regard as even the first-time real estate investor feels quite comfortable with them.
7. PeerStreet
A platform with a special focus on residential debt, PeerStreet is ideal for those joining the real estate investment for the first time. Through this platform, you can primarily invest in single-family homes or storefronts, though you may also get other projects like multifamily condo homes occasionally.
Holding a really high place in the market for its impressive transparency and superb management, PeerStreet partners with the great lenders and provide a platform to collect the funding. With a minimum of $1000 investment, the platform offers a typically 6—36 month-duration loan with 6—9 % returns.
8. AlphaFlow
The only platform which blesses you with multiple real estate investment offerings is AlphaFlow. It never means that you will have to invest in multiple offers yourself. Instead, you will make only one investment and AlphaFlow will do the rest of the possible investments for you. We can say that AlphaFlow plays the role of your personal investor for real estate investments.
With a really solid track record, AlphaFlow manages to invest your money across at least 75 offerings around the web, ensuring maximum returns against reduced risks. Just to quote evidence from this summer, the platform has by now made 700 investments across 31 US states. The website offers a net return of 8.4 % which is always great keeping in mind you are investing in multiple real estate crowdfunding offerings simultaneously.
So, you are moving to a new house? Well, congratulations! But, are you done with packing, hiring movers after comparing removal quotes, and all the other preparations needed for moving? If this is your first time then you need to stay very calm during the entire process in order to make things go smoothly without tiring and stressing yourself. While moving, you will also have to take important decisions on which the entire moving would depend. As the first-timer, you are likely to do some mistakes which can put you in trouble. The do’s and don’ts of moving that you should know are.
Do’s of Moving to New House
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1. Pack with Care
Your belongings need the most care during moving so, make sure that you pack them carefully so that they don’t get damaged during the move. If you are unsure about your packing then you can ask for an additional service of packing from moving companies.
2. Declutter As You Pack
Packing all the things in your house is not an easy task and there are many things that you discard and don’t wish to see in your new home. So, in order to keep your house clean, declutter all the unnecessary stuff and throw it away as you pack your things.
3. Pack One Room Per Day
To make things much easier, pack one room per day so that you have adequate time and can pack carefully.
4. Label the Boxes
Don’t forget to label the boxes as you pack as it makes unpacking much easier in your new home.
5. Hire the Right Movers
Do good research, visit several house removals, know their services and quotes then hire the best one having great experience and insurance policies.
Don’ts of Moving to New House
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1. Don’t Hire the Movers at the 11th Hour
Professional movers need to be hired at least 3-4 weeks prior to the move so that they can schedule their team and confirm their availability or else you will suffer great trouble in terms of availability and removal costs. So, search for movers and pick the best one weeks before the move.
2. Don’t Do Last-Minute Packing
This could be one of the biggest mistakes because, at the last minute packing, you will be panicking a lot and can forget the important things to pack or not pack the items carefully. Furthermore, if the movers would be at your place and your packing won’t be finished, it can add the cost in the total bill.
3. Don’t Procrastinate
Moving is a long process for which you should start preparations months before so that nothing is left for the last minute. Make a checklist as soon as your moving confirms and start winding up a few things on a daily basis.
4. Don’t Keep Your Valuables in the Moving Truck
All your precious items like jewellery, money or any item that is an expensive one should never be packed in boxes or bags that will be loaded in the moving truck. Keep such stuff in a bag and carry it with yourself to your new house.
These days, property developments can be found in every area of the country. With so much choice, it can often be difficult settling on where to live, as different locations will all have their own pros and cons.
If you are torn between country life and the hustle and bustle of the city. Here are the good and bad points to keep in mind when choosing which one is right for you.
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Advantages of City Life
One of the biggest advantages of city life is the fact that the city never sleeps. No matter what time it is, day or night, you can find something to do, somewhere to go, and something to eat.
City life also puts you in the centre of the job market, as this is where the majority of employers will be. This means that there is plenty of choice for those with in-demand roles. Moreover, giving you the pick of the bunch when choosing your next place of work.
Then there are the amenities to think of. From food shopping to clothes shopping and leisure pursuits, living in the city puts you in close proximity to all of these facilities. Whereas living in the country you would have far less choice, and even something as trivial as going to see a movie could take some serious planning.
For those that don’t drive, there is also the matter of transport to consider. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a proper public transport infrastructure anywhere in the countryside with most people relying on their cars to get around. Of course, by staying in the city you’ll be able to benefit from every mode of transport on offer, allowing you to easily get around even without a car.
Disadvantages of City Life
Of course, living in the city has some downsides too, which is why you may decide that country life is better suited to your needs. The reason which causes most people to move to the country is the cost of living. From rent to food shopping and even joining the gym, the cost of nearly everything is bigger in the city, and even the suburbs, than it is in the country.
Then there is the pollution to consider, the congestion, and the increased crime rate. All of these factors make city life unappealing to a wide range of people. Those starting a family will be particularly bothered about clean air and living in a safe area, in which case country life will easily win out over city-centre living.
Advantages of Country Life
There’s really no two ways about it. The biggest advantage of moving to the country is the gorgeous views that you will wake up to, day after day. If you are a nature lover then living in the country will be the right choice for you. Although, enjoying the sights that city dwellers often drive hours to enjoy.
Along with that gorgeous views comes the peace and quiet that many escapes to the countryside for. You can often go hours without hearing or seeing a single car drive past, allowing to enjoy the gentle sounds of nature. The lack of cars in the county also means far less pollution and plenty of crisp, clean air for you to breathe.
Disadvantages of Country Life
As with city living, country life also has some downsides. So it is worth keeping this in mind when deciding where you would prefer to live. One of the biggest hassles you will face is getting anything delivered. Mail often comes more sporadically than in urban areas, and you can wave goodbye to takeaways as you’re unlikely to find somewhere that delivers in the country.
Living in the country also means that modern amenities like a superfast fibre broadband connection become a thing of the past, with even mobile phone signals struggling in some of the more remote areas. So if you are a keen video streamer or someone who likes to stay connected at all time. You may find country life difficult to adjust to.
The continuing growth of the global economy and the technology that is making the world ever smaller each year. It means that every aspect of our financial world is becoming more internationally focused. This applies particularly to the area of investment. Investment in International Real Estate can be profitable in long terms.
The Urge of International Real Estate
The traditional view of investing as being an option only for wealthy individuals or investment banks has long since been superseded by the modern investment sector. In which technology and regulatory changes make it possible for all of us to get involved in a wide range of investment methods. From day-trading stocks and shares to funding exciting new start-ups.
The same transformation applies to the world of real estate investment, which is becoming ever more global. While most people who invest in real estate will opt to focus on their own country or region, for an increasing number of investors. Overseas real estate is becoming a realistic option. How they choose to go about it, however, varies according to their experience and aims.
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The Hands-On Approach
For many international real estate investors, the only way to go about it is to head to the country yourself and start work in a hands-on way. You should research the country you are thinking of investing in thoroughly, assessing the current state of both the business and commercial property market in that territory and considering growth potential, as well as the range of local factors that can determine the success or failure of an international real estate investment.
But once you’ve decided on the country you intend to invest in, the next step is to travel there in person and get to work. There is a lot to consider. You will need to become accustomed to the local way of doing business, make important contacts and get to grips with the rules and regulations governing real estate investment in that country. In areas of the world that operate in a significantly different way to the UK, such as the Middle East. It can often be a good idea to delegate.
Al Masah Capital is one example of an investment company that helps overseas investors do business in the Middle Eastern market. This local expertise can be enormously beneficial, helping you to avoid many of the pitfalls associated with doing business in a foreign economy and culture. Securing the help of an investment company, who can also act as an asset management coordinator or property manager. This is a particularly good idea for those new to overseas investment.
Real Estate Investment Trusts
Of course, travelling to other countries to arrange real estate investments directly is not always an option for many investors. But there are alternatives to enable you to get involved in international real estate investment in a less hands-on fashion.
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), enable investors to benefit from the potential profits of real estate investment. Moreover, without the significant cost and risks associated with direct overseas real estate investing. The concept of the REIT has its origin in the US. But REITs are now commonplace throughout the financial world and are increasingly used by UK property investors.
A REIT is a fund that purchases and manages real estate, often in other countries. A typical REIT will have a wide variety of property in its portfolio. And most of the main REITs are publicly traded on the UK stock exchanges, making it easy for private investors to get involved.
And REITs have proven particularly popular for real estate investors. There is a number of reasons why it wants to involve in overseas property investment. A typical REIT will often benefit from tax advantages, which enables them to provide a higher dividend to their investors. When you invest in a REIT you will be taking advantage of the expertise of skilled property and asset managers. Moreover, you will also be diversifying your portfolio, which offers a degree of insurance against economic downturns or property market crises that can wipe out the value of the real estate in any particular country.
Do Your Research
There are no short-cuts to profit from any form of investment. And as always, the key is to do your homework. Work out which form of overseas real estate investment is best suited to your capital, your lifestyle and your goals. Moreover, remember that you can never be too well-informed about the subject. For those who are ready to do the work and to call on the advice of experts where required. Therefore, overseas real estate investment can be a profitable way to invest.
If you’re moving home this summer, you might be thinking about whether its a good time of year to be relocating. It’s important to remember that moving home at any time of year is not easy, and each season brings with it unique advantages and challenges, so it’s good to be prepared. Here are some things to think about if your moving date falls within the warmer months of the year.
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Pros
The weather is less likely to damage your items
In the summer months, it’s less likely that your suede sofa is going to get rained on between lifting it from the moving van through your front door. That said, make sure you have an eye on the weather forecast in case there’s anything unexpected heading your way.
It’s a great time for painting
The warmer months are perfect for redecorating. If you’re doing any painting, you’ll find that paint dries much faster in warmer temperatures, so you can get your redecorating sorted more quickly at this time of year. Make sure you check drying times depending on the type of paint so you’re not caught out, and check the recommended number of coats you’ll need for your desired colour.
Car boot/yard sales galore!
A lot of people like to do some decluttering before their move. As you’ll be going through all of your belongings whilst packing anyway, it’s a great opportunity to get rid of things you no longer need or want. Not only will it mean you’ll have less to pack (and in some cases, it’ll cost you less to move if you have a smaller number of boxes), but you might also be able to make some money, too. In the summer, outdoor sales are far more commonplace, and you might want to get involved in a car boot or yard sale to make your extra cash.
Cons
What to do with the kids?
One issue that you could have to find a solution for is that your children might be out of school. An advantage of other times of year is that you can potentially do all of the hardest parts of the move while the children are in school, so they leave one house in the morning and arrive in a new one after school.
If you do find yourself wondering what to do about childcare, see if you can arrange for them to stay at a family or friend’s place for the duration of the move so they are kept out of harm’s way and leaving you free to get on with the job in hand.
Will it be too hot?
As much as it’s nice to have sunny days, very hot weather could make a physically demanding day even more difficult than it would normally be. Make sure you have a moving day bag packed with essentials you can grab when needed and pack with plenty of water and snacks, and perhaps even a change of clothes to prevent you having to rummage through suitcases before officially unpacking your clothing.
Everyone’s on holiday!
Summer might be a more difficult time for friends and family to help as they are more likely to be on holiday. If this is the case, try Shiply – you put in the date and basic details of your move and moving companies will send you quotes. You don’t pay anything until you’ve accepted your favourite quote.
Are you moving home this summer? Let us know your experience compared to moving at other times of the year.
