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Over the past few years, Liverpool has been hailed as a buy-to-let property gold mine. It has low initial costs compared to other UK cities and a growing demand for rental accommodation. Considerable investments from both the private and public sector have been boosting the city’s economy.

Liverpool’s affordable property prices are a huge draw for potential investors. With house prices in Liverpool considerably less than the UK average, developers and investors have been making the most of opportunities in the city. The average UK house price is £215,000 with the cost in Liverpool only £117,000. These low house prices allow investors to get far more for their money compared to other areas like London and Cambridge. Investors have been discovering that for the price of an apartment in London, they could by a couple of comparable quality properties in Liverpool. Prices of property in Liverpool are also on the rise. These increasing house prices are an excellent indicator for investors whose property is worth far more than they paid.

Liverpool has been attracting investors from around the world. With its strong trading history, famous football clubs, and of course, the Beatles, it’s definitely on people’s radar. Investors from the USA, to China to Saudi Arabia are all looking to this northern city as a possible location to expand their portfolio. Developers from overseas are also purchasing land in Liverpool, and working with the city to create new properties. A citywide targeted development strategy has improved areas of Liverpool that were once derelict or underdeveloped. This increased investment has been creating lucrative new opportunities for investors.

Buying off plan is another popular option with investors. Guaranteed rental yields mean that investors see income as soon as the development completes, without having to deal with tenants themselves. Access to new off plan developments is highly sought after, with plans for modern skyscrapers, apartment buildings and purpose-built student accommodation pending. The city’s borders are expanding. Unused land is being snapped up by developers for new projects around the city.

Liverpool has a high average rental yield, with some properties offering returns of up to 8%. This assured income from property is highly beneficial for investors who are generating income while their investment increases in value. It also allows investors to hold on to property, with rental income paying for the investment in years. Properties by RW Invest have rental yields of 7-8% on stunning luxury apartments in the city. High quality, modern apartments with options for furniture and high-end fittings are perfect for buy-to-let investors. Developments like Azure residence, with apartments from £94,950 and Tobacco Wharf with flats from £84,995 both, offer a generous 7% yield.

A recent study showed that 13.8 tenants were trying to get each new rental that becomes available. With such a competitive environment and so much demand, tenants are sometimes willing to spend a little bit more for a city location or a beautiful apartment. With buying their first home still unattainable for many young people. It was recently reported that 44% of private tenants were not expecting to buy in the long term. Improving job prospects are attracting more and more people to live in Liverpool city centre. These are often looking for rental accommodation that is close to the city centre or excellent transport links.

The increasing demand for rental properties and the option of long-term tenants are all factors in Liverpool’s reputation as a buy to let hotspot. With low prices, a growing economy and new developments continually popping up, Liverpool is continuing to attract savvy buy-to-let investors.

Generally it is hard to upgrade from a 1 BHK apartment to a higher BHK apartment but these days due to availability of real estate portals and real estate agents you can easily look for a 2 BHK apartment. Upgrading takes up a lot of energy and gives lot of stress and tension. These types of situations only come up at certain times in life and people are totally clueless about it. Modifying your house ordinarily happens when your family is extended or when you need more room for your storage or simply when you have some extra money to splurge on yourself and your family. Going from a 1 BHK to a 2 BHK will mostly be double the expenditure than the first one. As we all can imagine by the name only that from 1 Bedroom to 2 bedrooms you will have more space to keep all your things but there will be a rise in the costs that will take to maintain the house or the additional room. If you are in the search for a 2 BHK flat for rent in Kolkata or any other city then you can easily look for one on the real estate portal.

Here are some of the things that will increase your cost if you upgrade from a 1 BHK to 2 BHK:

• Cost of the house: if you are buying a new house completely then that’s going to cost you double just because you are asking for an additional room. The rates for 2 BHK apartments are nearly touching the sky because of the high demand for them. Hence it extremely hard to find a good 2 BHK for rent in Kolkata or 2 BHK on rent in Mumbai. The other reason being that these cities come off as the prime cities and hence you will have difficulty finding apartments but if you keep a careful eye on the apartments and all the changes in the city then you are sure to succeed.

• Maintenance: it doesn’t matter if you have a servant who does all your house work or if you do it yourself, the efforts to maintain a 2 BHK house is going to be enormous and hence even if you don’t have a house servant you will eventually have one. The home servants/maids ask for more money when there are more rooms in the houses and hence the salary that you paid to your previous servant won’t be what you will be paying to your new one. Moreover doing a normal pest control of your house and other things will also cost you more.

• Security: now that you have 2 rooms the security of the second room will be an additional cost for you. If you believe in fitting CCTV cameras at your place or just normal safety measure then you will pay extra for that.

• Decorating the room: decorating the room and adding furniture to the room is sure to be an additional cost to you. Also looking after the extra room will be asking for some money.

Hence if you are planning to upgrade to a 2 BHK house then be sure that you know all this points and you take decision only after evaluating and thinking over each and every point. If the upgrading is done with lot of thought then you might be able to eliminate some cost. Hence purchasing a permanent house try living in a 2 BHK flat for rent in Kolkata.

Investing in property has always been considered a safe and good long term investment. Investors consider investing in property as a safe bet. With a little planning and research, buying an apartment off the plan usually turns out to be a good investment. But there are some pros and cons that you should be aware of before investing in this venture.

Benefits

Initial price:
You get the benefit of buying the apartment right of the drawing board. You pay the current price and not the price it’s expected to escalate to after completion. It’s very rare that an apartment bought of the plan does not increase in value.

Low capital outlay:
You just need to pay a maximum 10% of the agreed price to secure the apartment. This gives you enough time to plan your finances and arrange future payments.

Stamp duty saving:
Some state governments of Australia offer reduction in stamp duties and bonuses for buying off the plan. You can easily save thousands of dollars.

Choice of apartment:
Property developers give you a choice when buying off the plan. This means you get to choose an apartment with a garden, or one with the best view. You can also choose the interior, color of walls; fittings, etc.

Builders guarantee:
Brand new property in Australia has a 7 year builder’s guarantee. So you don’t have to worry about any structural or interior fault that might occur, as this will be fixed at no cost to the owner.

Increase in value:
Apartments tend to go up in value once they are completed and people start moving in. If the apartment building is in a good location, and well constructed the price is bound to increase. That’s when you can decide whether you want to hold on to it or put it up for sale.

Risks

Drop in property market:
Investing in any form always has a risk associated with it. The fear of a sudden drop in prices is one of the biggest fears that haunt investors.

Rising interest rates:
Interest rates might rise when the property is completed as the time lag between buying and the apartment being ready can vary between 6 months and 2 years.

Bankruptcy:
The developer may declare bankruptcy anywhere during the construction phase of the project. You must ensure that your risk is covered in case this happens. Get a solicitor to review the agreement to ensure that you are protected.

Not up to the mark:
What you envision and what you get can differ. This can happen if you are not very good at visualizing what to expect by looking at drawings. Or the developer fails to meet the standards of construction that you were expecting.

Before you sign the agreement

These are some steps that you must take before signing on the dotted line and handing over the check.

· Check out the developer’s reputation; financial position, and history.

· Scrutinize the plans; model, interior finishing, fittings, and fixtures.

· Visit the proposed site area and see if there are any other buildings coming up in the area.

· Research the property market in the area. Get to know current and future property trends of the area.

Moving out of an apartment and leaving it clean does not necessarily mean that a security deposit will be returned. A security deposit is taken as a means of repairing any damage that may have occurred in the apartment plus payment for post move out cleaning. Property owners are not allowed to charge for normal wear and tear. Following a few simple steps will help guarantee the return of a security deposit.

Document Damage:

The best way to guarantee return of a security deposit is to document damage prior to moving in. Before moving anything into the apartment, take a camera and notebook to the apartment. Closely look for any damaged areas. Take photos and document everything found in the notebook. Keep a copy for yourself and provide one to the landlord. This will offer proof later that any damage was already in existence. Include a photo of a current newspaper with the date prominent to verify the day the photos were taken. Take pictures again on the day you move out of the apartment.

Read The Lease:

Thoroughly read the lease agreement to discover exactly what is required to receive the security deposit back. Following all the steps in the lease will allow you to know what is expected when moving out.

Walk Through:

Have the landlord walk through the apartment prior to handing back the keys. Have them point out any deficient areas that warrant attention. This allows the opportunity to fix any problems.

Hire A Cleaning Company:

Hiring a professional cleaning company to come and thoroughly scrub the apartment from head to toe will help ensure a deposit is returned. Save the receipt for the cleaning and give a copy to the landlord. Save one copy for yourself. Hiring a cleaning company and providing a receipt for that service will show the landlord your desire to receive your security deposit back.

Ask For Deposit Receipt:

Turn in your keys to the landlord and ask for a receipt for your security deposit. Landlords are legally only allowed to keep funds from a deposit for repairs or cleaning. Landlords must document exactly what was fixed and how much the repairs cost. Security deposits are required by law to be returned in a certain time frame. Check this website to find the amount of time allowed by your state for return of a deposit.

Go To Court:

If a landlord refuses to return the security deposit, be prepared to take them to small claims court. If court becomes necessary, be prepared to back up all of your claims. Walk into small claims court with all receipts and pictures as proof for your claims. If the landlord is not able to prove the apartment was in the condition they stated, you will receive your security deposit in full.