Why buy with others?

Nationwide: House prices dip is healthy
The property market has stalled, according to Nationwide, with house prices falling 0.9% in August in what it calls a 'healthy correction' "Property

Home loan squeeze hurts self-employed
Self-employed workers could find themselves shut out of the property market as banks use lowest annual incomes to decide on affordability "House

House prices: What next?
We analyse house price news and predictions and investigate what is next for the UK property market "House

What next for mortgage rates?
Are mortgage rates about to rise or fall and should you take a fixed or tracker deal? Predictions, tips and the best mortgage rates "Mortgage"

How much extra we pay to live by the sea
A house near a beach attracts a bigger premium than any other feature that buyers could hope for, research reveals today "Chesil

Negative equity curse 'will last until 2014'
Tens of thousands of people who bought a home at the peak of the market will remain trapped in negative equity until 2014, a devastating report warns today

House prices double-dip 'on the cards'
A fresh warning has been sounded over a house prices double-dip, as Bank of England figures show the house price rally has run out of steam "For

'Pay residents to vote yes to new homes'
Housebuilders should be allowed to pay cash 'bribes' to residents who agree to new homes being built in their area, a think-tank says "New

How to earn from your property in a bleak market
Despite the prospect of a double-dip recession, homeowners are still finding ways to generate income from their homes "Stuart

Get set to fix mortgage if base rate soars
Some homeowners will be panicked into changing their mortgage after an economist's prediction that the base rate could rocket from 0.5% to 8% "Robert

£122k whip-round to beat off developers
Neighbours have clubbed together to buy a 13 acre field in the Peak District, to prevent the beauty spot from being snapped up by property developers "Cow

How bogus solicitors robbed us of £735k
One family has become the victim of brazen conmen, who sold them a house for £735,000 while it was in the process of being repossessed "Nick

1.1m stuck in homes they can't sell
Research has revealed that more than a million homeowners are trapped in a property that they cannot sell "Young

Is Suffolk the ultimate seaside retreat?
With its meadows and rustic coastline, Suffolk is rural bliss, as one of the least developed counties in England. But what can you get for your money? "Lighthouse"

Flat-sharing can save you £5,225 annually
The current economic climate has left thousands of people more willing to share their personal space than ever before, saving them a bundle in the process "Inside

Banks profiteering on fixed-rate mortgages
Millions of homeowners are paying hundreds of extra pounds on their mortgages as bank mark-ups on home loans reach record highs "Calculator

Villages will 'become theme parks' after cuts
Rural communities are at risk of turning into retirement villages and theme parks after the Government's spending cuts kick in, activists have claimed "Stroud"

250,000 of us now own a second home
Nearly 250,000 Britons own two properties and experts predict the second home boom will continue this year despite wobbles in the housing market "family

Can we repay mortgage in ten years?
We need a £60,000 mortgage to be repaid over ten years. Would you recommend a repayment or an interest-only loan, backed by saving in Isas? "House

Should I borrow from flexible mortgage?
I owe just £2,000 on my mortgage. It is a flexible loan, allowing me to borrow back at any time at a competitive rate of interest. Should I do this? "House

Is Nationwide's rate hike fair?
Nationwide is changing the terms of the mortgage we took out with the Portman before the societies merged. Can they do this?

Can I blacklist tenant who won't pay?
My tenant has stopped paying rent. How do I inform the credit reference agencies so that other landlords won't suffer the same fate?

Multiply your buying funds

Pooling your funds with other investors will give you a wider choice of property types and areas to invest, among other things.

Location, location, location

Joint ownership gives you a bigger pot of money to spend so you can now afford to live in a better location. It’s a smart way to afford a nicer place to live, therefore creating a better investment in the long run.

It’s size that matters

Bigger property, more space, room to move…. You will be able to afford additional features like a garden perhaps, a garage for the car, a spare room for storage / office and a place for a friend to stay over at weekends.

Split costs

All costs will be shared equally – solicitor fees, surveyors, valuations, mortgage fees and payments, maintenance, repairs, furniture, bills etc. This way you won’t have to pay for everything on your own, taking the pressure off both yourself and your co-investor/s.

Buy now, not later

Buying with another can help you buy today and not one day…why wait when you know you can climb on to the property ladder now and start making some money. Life’s far too short.

Not a risk taker?

Spread the risk - joint ownership means joint risk*. Buying with 1, 2 or 3 people will half, third or quarter your risk in the investment.

Be smarter

You’ve never bought a property before, don’t know the process, have not had a chance to do much research…well you won’t have to do it on your own. Co-buying with other investors is a great opportunity for you to make use of each other’s knowledge, divide jobs between yourselves and have support when you need it. A large number of people have the deposit saved but no way of securing an appropriate mortgage and are not sure how to move ahead – Propertyfriends is the solution.

Why buy at all?

Owning a property that belongs to you

A dream come true! Enjoying the benefits of finally owning your own home and for those who are not first-time buying, another property for your growing portfolio.

Peace of mind

Rent can increase at the owner’s discretion – as often as once or twice a year. If you buy your own home you could opt for a mortgage that has an interest rate that stays the same for a fixed number of years. You won’t have to move if your tenancy agreement is up, your Landlord won’t sell the place you’re living in…

Let your money grow!

Homes will usually increase in value over a period of time. If you own your own home this leaves you with ‘equity’ in the property. In the future you could use this equity towards your next step up the property ladder or perhaps to make some home improvements. If you rent it's your landlord who will benefit from any increased value!

Become the Landlord

When you buy your own home you are usually aiming to become mortgage free. You make monthly repayments to pay off what you have borrowed, building up equity as you go along. If you rent you'll have nothing to show for all those months or years of paying rent.