We have answered some of the most common questions that we get but if you have any other questions please get in touch
Can I buy a property in the UK whilst living overseas as an expat?
Yes. If you have a British passport it is pretty straightforward and we can guide you through the whole process, from start to finish. Property is a great investment with high rental yields and good capital appreciation which makes it the perfect hedge against inflation reducing the value of the cash in your bank
Can I get a mortgage or other lending in the UK whilst living overseas as an expat?
Yes. There are lenders who specialise in expat lending and will give you a mortgage assuming you meet their standard lending criteria. There may be a few more hoops to jump through but there are options. You will need an employment contract, payslips, bank statements, ID and proof of address via a bill.
How long does it take to buy a property in the UK whilst living overseas as an expat?
It depends on a lot of variables, such as the type of property, the speed of your lender and if there are any issues in the conveyancing process. We have seen it take anywhere between 1 and 9 months but this is large variance due to the many factors at play.
Do you invest in property yourselves?
Yes! We have multiple investment properties ranging across different strategies (BTL, HMOs & Serviced Accommodation) in various parts of the UK. We buy for the long term and try to maximise rental yields.
Is now the right time to buy?
We buy consistently throughout the year and hold for the medium to long-term, which means that most drops in property prices are corrected by the time we come to sell. However, if you are using a strategy like BRRR or Flips, these price variations are something that you should consider. This is something that we can help you to do through the strategy and sourcing process.
What strategy is best for me to use when investing in UK property?
The best strategy varies depending on your individual situation. This is why we emphasize discussing your situation and goals before even thinking about pushing a property your way. We help you find the best strategy for you and your situation, and then we guide you through the process of executing that strategy to meet your desired timelines.
What returns will property give me on an annual basis?
Again, this depends a lot on the strategy and the location you invest in but we typically aim for an ROI of at least 10%, and ideally higher than 15%. Some of our deals we are able to refinance for a higher value and this can really boost the ROI to 30-40% but they are of course not the easiest to find.
How will I manage tenants whilst living overseas on a different timezone?
You don't have to! We offer fully hands-off management of your property once rented out so you can sit back and not worry about tenant issues or maintenance problems waking you up at 2am. We charge an on-going fee for this that comes straight out of your monthly rent before being sent directly to your bank account so you don't need to mess around with paying us every month.
Why do people use your service?
For a wide variety of reasons ranging from not having enough time to invest so they want a fully hands-off investment service, all the way to not having the best knowledge on UK property investment so they like to rely on our expertise to guide them. Clients who have time and knowledge also work with us as we have a lot of exclusive deals and huge networks of deal sourcers in the UK which means we the properties that we invest in and not on the typical platforms like RightMove or Zoopla.
How will my tax status change in my residence country if I buy a UK investment property?
We recommend you to speak to an accountant in your residence country as well as the UK to discuss this as everyone’s situation is different and we are not qualified to advise on tax. There are ways to minimise the impact which a qualified accountant can take you through.
What makes Expat Property Investments different from other companies offering UK property investments to British Expats?
Our service is a bespoke fully hands-off service, tailored to each individual investor. Other companies helping expats typically have a large stock of generic off-plan units that they need to sell for commission, but these investments are not bespoke to the expats buying them and can result in expats being left with investments that will not get them to their true goals within the required timeline. We don't take commission so that you know the investment we put infront of you is there because we think its the best property for you without needing to worry about us trying to sell you a property where we take the highest commission. We specialise in non-off plan deals, meaning HMOs, refurbishment projects, adding value to a property & refinancing, single buy to lets and many more. These strategies give you a lot more freedom to maximise the income from your property. We listen to your needs and wants to craft you a bespoke strategy, and then we go to find the perfect property for this strategy. Importantly, we are expats. We understand the challenges that other expats face when buying UK property. We have been there many times and have the knowledge to smooth this process out.
Are you fully compliant to act as a property agent & consultant?
Yes, this is something we pride ourselves on. We are registered with the Property Redress Scheme (PRS), the ICO and also registered with the HMRC for Anti-Money-Laundering Supervision.
How much money do I need to get started?
Again, this really depends on the types of properties you want to invest in. You can buy a small single let property using a £40k cash pot but if you want to buy a decent sized HMO you will need at least £65/70k. Of course there are bigger properties for more and smaller properties for less. Another low cost option is Rent to Rent where you could get started for £12-15k but it can take time to find a good rent-to-rent deal and there is no equity sitting in these deals, so they are mainly used for cashflow.
What fees do you charge?
We charge a one-off fee for our service which varies by property due to varying complexity and time input. We pride ourselves on ensuring any fee that you pay to us is fully paid back to you via the successful investment ASAP. This may be in the form of us negotiating a lower price on the property, equal to or more than your fee, or ensuring we are getting the best tenants at the best rents to recoup your fee through cost savings and high rent. Either way, we aim to provide value more than, or equal to, the fee that we charge.