Richard Butler Creagh Tips in Property Investment

Welcome to the Richard Butler Creagh property blog.  Here we share golden tips to consider before taking the plunge into property investment. Richard Butler Creagh is the founder of Henley Finance which was established in 2013 and it is a short-term bridging finance company specializing in loans between three months to a year, of between £100,000 to £1,000,000 for the professional property developer. Read on to find more tips before buying that first rental property.

As a property investor it is important to decide on whether to invest time to build houses or flats. In recent years the market in London has changed. There is more demand for flats than houses in London and in fact, is often harder to sell a residential house than a flat. There is a misconception that flats on long leases are to be handed over to after it expires, yet years spent in industry has shown that it is extremely easy to renew the lease with the landlord. Thus, theoretically, the temporary purchase can be permanent in practice.

In densely populated areas flats are more economically viable options. Often old houses which predominately are large have been converted to flats due to profitability associated with it. Large houses are popular among investors due to the ability of conversion into flats. Conversion of a 5 bedroom house into 2/3 flats often yields a substantial return on the investment. This is the main reason why some of the houses become expensive and also in limited quantities.

The sociological factors of changing today’s society are the main cause of the change in housing habits. Houses today are not passed from one generation to the next. Those are more like accommodation for the family which changes on a remortgage. Further, only one or two generations live together i.e. parents and their children. Big houses are not needed to accommodate today’s average family and flats are better suited for this purpose.

The cheaper prices when buying flats mean that the potential investor can build the portfolio quicker. However, the financial instruments tend to require a lower Loan to Value (LTV) due to complications with the types of flats. The leasehold creates time constraints, especially if a mortgage will be 25 years. The LTV will be calculated by deducting the length of the mortgage from the leasehold.

Another limitation of flats is that the flats subject to the consent of the freeholder. This can prolong any work that needs to be carried out and create unnecessary hurdles for investment. Further, issues arise when the flats are part of a large block of flats the neighbors disapprove of the works. Houses enable freedom of investment and most importantly it is one of cost without having to increase the lease before it runs out at a significant cost.

Ultimately an investor is going to look at the yield compared with the investment. The cheaper flats are often attractive to new investors because of the low entry level however an inexperienced investor may fall into may legal traps. There is no perfect answer, however, it is good practice to consider the area and the potential mortgage costs as it may differ from leasehold to freehold.

Richard Butler Creagh is a financial consultant and founded Henley Finance in 2013. After a successful career in property development, he understood the needs of the professional and their requirements in short-term bridging finance and devised a way that they could be better met in Henley Finance. Find out more about property financing on the Richard Butler Creagh official website. Follow Richard Butler Creagh on his official Twitter page here and read Richard Butler Creagh news and updates here.

Richard Butler Creagh on Property Loan 

Welcome to the Richard Butler property blog. Here we share with you information on how to maximize your chances on how to get your loan approved. Richard Butler Creagh is the founder of Henley Finance and has been in the bridging lending business for many years. Learn more about the factors to consider when picking a mortgage loan below.

Looking for a property to purchase is an exciting time. Choices regarding location, size, number of rooms and local amenities often see house hunters carried away in a deluge of daydreams and anticipation. But, before you get carried away, it’s important to check off the essentials.

First and foremost you need to determine if you’re eligible to borrow money from a lender. Your ability to repay the loan will need to be assessed – you don’t what to find out after you’ve made an offer that your credit history or deposit is not up to scratch.


Arranging finance before finding the perfect property will put you in a good position when it comes time to make an offer. When you do find the house you have always wanted, you can present to the seller and estate agent as a prepared applicant who is serious and reliable. It shows you mean business, and gives them peace of mind that your financing will not fall through.

Sellers are most interested in completing their sale fuss-free and with steadfast funding, and showing that you are capable of both will help put you at the top of a potentially competitive list of applicants. For instance that you find and secure the purchase of a home without having your loan pre-approved by a lender, there are a few pitfalls that you risk running into.

If you don’t have financing to pay for your property, you run the risk of forfeiting your initial 10 percent non-refundable deposit you need to put down to secure the property. This may differ depending on what state you live in, but the point is it always pays to be organized and have pre-approval in place. Saving home loan applications to the last minute also leaves less time to find the most suitable loan and have it approved ahead of settlement.

Arranging to finance as an afterthought also adds immense pressure to the process of shopping around for the right loan and gathering the paperwork to prove you can service the loan. You don’t want to rush this process.

Richard Butler Creagh has been in the bridging lending business for many years. He became involved with this sector through his experiences in buying and selling his own properties. He soon realized that the most important part of this process was to be able to have the availability of good financing. Read more about Richard Butler Creagh in this news article here.  Follow Richard Butler Creagh on Twitter here.

Richard Butler Creagh on  London Property Market Trends You Should Know 

Welcome to the Richard Butler Creagh blog. London has experienced a heavily disrupted 10-year property cycle. Prices in the capital capped out in July 2017 and have been declining slowly ever since. But healthy economic growth along with an insulated lettings sector suggests the market may not depress for much longer.
London property prices decreased for the sixth month in a row taking more than £15,600 off the value of the average home since the market peaked 18 months ago. Vendors are also holding back, hoping to achieve a higher price later in the year after political uncertainty has subsided. Despite this, the same report highlights a 5% increase in home-hunting, showing prospective buyer interest.

 Richard Butler Creagh Talks about the market challenges facing property developers heading into 2019.

This year has been difficult for many developers. From falling GDVs to the shadow cast by a looming Brexit, 2018 has not been without its challenges. This 2019, I wanted to share my insight into the often-overwhelming pressure on SME housebuilders and the market challenges that 2019 presents.
The main challenges

Land values
Finding the right opportunities at the right value has been one of the biggest themes of the year. Landowners simply haven’t aligned their expectations with falling GDVs. The result has been narrowing profit margins that have meant some developments are impossible to do and increased competition for sites where the numbers do stack up.

Richard Butler Creagh's  Tips on Buying a Property Minus the Hassle