What is SIPPS? What is A-Day? How could it affect you? Do you have investment property or want to invest in property? These are all questions, that you will want to find answers to.

Referred to as A-Day, April 6th 2006 will be an historical date for pensions in the UK and will mark the beginning of one of the most radical changes in pension legislation for decades. It is because of this, that estate agents, developers, and any landlords looking to sell any suitable investment properties are encouraged to advertise their properties for sale now in the run up to this exciting day.

It will be the first time that a pension saver will be given ability to purchase residential buy to let property inside a SIPP (self-invested personal pension) and many industry experts are predicting a massive amount of interest from private individuals and pension fund managers that will want to be part of this potentially huge market. For those looking to be kept up to date on SIPPS, investment property for sale and other issues relating to buy to let, they can find out more by clicking here

For those looking to take their first step on to the buy to let ladder but not sure about all the technicalties surrounding SIPPS, it may be worth spending the next few months doing a bit of homework and looking at your current pension provisions. It may also be worth getting a simple buy to let guide
to get a basic understanding and also looking at some of the different buy to let mortgage products available. As investors get more experienced and learn more about SIPPS and how they can benefit from it as a landlord, they can then decide at which point to take things further. Once A-Day arrives in the UK, and the activity starts for newcomers to the buy to let market, it is anticipated that this may generate another boom for UK investment property. Most importantly landlords will see this as another ideal opportunity to snap up good quality one and two bedroom first time buyer property especially if it falls below the stamp duty threshold price bracket.

For those not yet committed to the buy to let market, this will be an ideal opportunity to purchase a ‘ready made’ buy to let with the advantage of earning income from day one if they purchase a property with tenants already in situ. For any landlords looking to sell their investment property, this media coverage surrounding SIPPS and A-Day, could create an ideal window of opportunity to sell their buy to lets as the demand is likely to increase for suitable investment property for sale. It may also be worth considering trying to sell investment properties with tenants in situ as investors will be keen to see properties knowing how they are already performing.

As a property investor concerned about cashflow and profit, the opportunity of selling an investment property with tenants in situ is that it can result in considerable savings during the sale process, not to mention that the landlord would retain the rental income whilst the property is being marketed. Plus, if the buy to let is sold to another property investor, they are less likely to be involved in a property chain and many experienced landlords have good relationships with buy to let mortgage lenders resulting in fast turnaround times for mortgage offers. The other benefits of selling your investment property with tenants in situ, is that it gives the newcomers to buy to let, the chance to purchase a ‘ready made’ investment property without the normal set up costs associated with sourcing tenants, tenancy agreements, credit checks etc. If the property is managed through a letting agent, and the landlord sold the property to another landlord, the letting agent will be grateful to maintain the property under their management. Therefore, the new owner hasn’t had the expense of souring new tenants, and paying the usual set up fees associated with letting a property. The letting agents retains responsibility for the property, the seller hasn’t lost any income and finally, the tenants haven’t had to find alternative accommodation whilst the property is for sale. It’s a win win situation.

If the new buyer decides to transfer the property into a SIPP at a later stage, then it is likely that there will be costs involved but a good SIPPS provider will assist in securing the right product for the investor.

Jennifer Tweed is the founder of buytolet4sale.com, one of the UK’s first property portals dedicated to all types of investment property for sale and everything you should need for your sale and purchase. Learn more about buy to let
.

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Most of us don’t talk about money, finances, credit, debt….Young people especially go into the real world blind about these issues. They have had it easy or difficult growing up financially. Some kids use their parents credit cards or are even issued one. Some don’t have anything above the necessities. Then some “EARN” an allowance and are taught to spend conservatively. I think all of us have a responsibility to steer them in the right direction.

It is necessary to establish credit. Choose, for example a reputable credit card company. Often this can be obtained through the credit union or bank where an account has been active. Carefully read all of the disclosure. Pay close attention to the interest, grace periods and penalties. Most importantly, spend the way you always have and absolutely no more. Charge one or two of the usual expenses and be sure to pay the bill on time. This creates the needed credit and good score to buy bigger things.

Credit is a good thing in some ways. But as we all know it is more often a problem. One problem is people lose control of spending. I think there’s something psychological that makes it easier to sign a piece of paper than to write a check or whip out the cash. One is your money, the other doesn’t seem to be. The worst part of being up to your eyeballs in debt is that it snowballs quickly and usually hopelessly. There are debt reduction programs and free consultation services and unfortunately bancruptcy. But it’s easier not to get there. Another problem is bad credit on the report that’s incorrect. Amazingly this happens very often and consumers aren’t usually aware of it until they apply for something. It pays to check about once a year. If something is in error it’s usually not difficult to get it corrected.

I had a young man (19) come to see me yesterday. He said he wanted to buy a house and no one would pay attention to him. What a sad statement. He has belonged to his credit union for years. He has rented a house for a year and paid the utilities. He’s a certified mechanic who took first place in the state. He has worked in the same field for several years. That’s more stability than I’ve seen in some forty year old people. John went to the credit union and spoke to someone in the mortgage department. I’m fairly confident it went well and I will find him a good property and a good deal because I know him and I’m proud of him. I think he was hesitant to talk to me because his mom and I are best friends. I wish the other people had treated him with the respect this young man deserves.

Suzie is a certified residential appraiser, licensed real estate broker and an expert author with twenty years experience in the business. Other professionals in the field have contributed as well. http://www.freewebs.com/realestatenews

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Boosting Credit Scores isn’t always an overnight process. Although, with some focused effort it shouldn’t take too long.

In this article, you will discover a few secrets that you can implement immediately to begin helping your credit score move up.

TIP #1- One of the fastest ways to see your scores go up is to pay down your credit balances.

Most credit scores look at whether or not your credit is “maxed out.” People are scored higher when they use a smaller percentage of their available credit.

It is advised to never use more than 50 percent of your limit on any card. In other words, it is better to have 4 credit cards with a limit of $5,000 on each card, and only owe a balance of $2,500 on each, than to have 2 credit cards “maxed out” at $5,000 a piece.

TIP #2- Paying your bills on time is obviously going to have a huge impact on your score, because is accounts for the largest part of your score.

So, Pay your bills on time! Even 6-12 months of good on-time payments, will have a positive impact.

On the other hand, missing payments, or only paying the minimum payment due each month on your accounts, will typically lower your score.

TIP #3 - Take care of your collections. “Un-paid” or “active” collections are worse than “paid” or “settled” collections.

In many cases you should be able to negotiate a “pay-off settlement” at fraction of your total collection owed. In addition, as you pay them off, you should always ask for all of your “bad” remarks to be removed from the report, or at least that they will report them as paid in full.

TIP #4- Stop asking for more credit. You need to be cautious of having too much recent credit activity on your report at any given time.

When you are applying for more credit, whether you actually get the credit or not, your scores tend to slide down. This is because lenders see it as “risky” when you are searching out more credit.

So, just say no to credit card offers. Don’t accept the application at the retail store when they ask you to apply for their in store account. Don’t cosign for anyone. Just sit still.

TIP #5- Don’t just use one card for all of your credit activities.

Using a couple of cards casually is far better than only using one of your cards for everything and having another card which gets no use or activity at all.

Furthermore, make sure you have several types of accounts. Having some diversity is good here. Car loans, a mortgage payment, credit cards, or even installment plans show the lenders your ability to handle different “types” of accounts, equally as well.

TIP #6- Add stability to your credit file

Longevity is the key. You need to be consistent and you need to continue to use your credit and pay your bills responsibly.

It won’t do you any good to pay off all your debts, settle all of your accounts, and just start paying cash for everything in life.

If you do that, then the lenders won’t have anything to base a score on and you will find yourself not-financable there too.

You NEED some positive and consistent activity on your report in order for it to be scored, and in order that your score will continue shooting upward as time goes on.

BONUS TIP - What about Fixing mistakes that might be on your report:

This is a detailed topic that is covered in great depth in other reports I have authored, so by no means is this a thorough conversation here. But lets touch on a couple of quick tips here and get you started.

There are specific procedures for you to get rid of mistakes on your credit report. Under the “Fair Credit Reporting Act”, a credit bureau MUST resolve your dispute or problem, typically within 30 days of receiving your notice.

STEP ONE - Examine your reports carefully. You are looking for what is accurate and what is not accurate.

If the negative information in your report is accurate, then obviously it belongs there. It will remain there until time and good habits eventually erase the mistakes you have made.

In this case, while you can’t delete the “bad-but-accurate” stuff, you can submit a 100-word statement that explains the reasons or the situation causing the “bad stuff” on your report. This won’t affect your score plus or minus, but it will let the lenders read your point of view as they look at your negative data.

STEP TWO - When you do find a mistake, you will need to fill out a form that should come with the report. You are now going to “Dispute The Mistake”.

Clearly identify each mistake in your report and explain clearly why it’s not accurately being reported. Be sure to include your full name, your middle name, address, date of birth and Social Security number. Make certain to identify whether you are a junior or senior (Jr./Sr.).

It is best to send photo copies of any documents, paperwork, or pictures which support or validate your case.

Document EVERYTHING!

In fact, I would recommend that you have your mail sent with a “certified return receipt” for verification that the package has been delivered and received.

The credit bureau MUST investigate any relevant dispute within 30 days of receiving your letter. Any item that is not verified as accurate by a creditor is then removed.

Boosting your credit scores needs to be an essential part of your financial plan, so, be patient. Seek out professional council if needed. Stick with it and don’t give up. And ultimately, Prosper With Excellent Credit Scores.

Bio -
Dan Ostler is the owner of LeaseOptionHomeBuying.com. Dan is an author, speaker, business owner, investor, and one of the nations leading Lease Option Consultants. He has been offering housing solutions and consulting advice to families with credit issues in all parts of the country for the past 8 years, and welcomes all visitors to his website for tons of **FREE** Information.

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