The Property Speculator

Resources

Books

How to Find and Buy a Building Plot is the first and only comprehensive book specifically about buying land on which to build a house. It gives you all the essential information you need to locate, assess and purchase a plot. With over 65 illustrations, tables and examples, this book is the first and only one to deal with this key subject head on. Although written in unequivocally clear and accessible style, it is of as much benefit to professionals as it is to the tens of thousands of families who begin land-searching each year.

I like this book because it enables readers to gain a good idea of how much land they need for their purpose.

Click on the image to purchase this book through Amazon UK.

“Landlord and Tenant Law” is an easily accessible introductory text. The clear, concise style allows the authors to cover the subject in admirable breadth and depth. Summaries, exercises and workshops concluding each chapter help the reader to make sense of a complex area of Law. This is an extensively revised fifth edition of this popular text, particularly in terms of its coverage of the effects of covenants in leases and also in an expanded section on business tenancies which deals fully with the important changes to the security of tenure of business tenants that took effect in 2004.

I bought a copy of this book around 10 years ago and have used it at least once a week since then. It really is invaluable if you need to know the ins-and-outs of Landlord & Tenant. Click on the image to purchase the book through Amazon UK.

The Readers Digest DIY Manual has been a vital component to all the work I’ve ever carried out to a house (well, most of it anyway). It’s full of invaluable advice for anyone fixing, extending, decorating, renovating or building their home and garden. Whether you want to know how to rewire a house or build a deck, repair a faulty ball valve or mend a hole in plasterboard, wallpaper a stairwell or unblock a downpipe, it’s all here. In common with the first 2 books, click on the image to purchase through Amazon UK.

Property Development Appraisal & Finance.

From initial consideration to final marketing, this book provides a complete overview of the essential steps in the property development process making it a must-have resource for students and professionals in property finance and development, planning, surveying and construction.

Covering site-finding, valuation, funding and construction, the book examines each step of the process in the context of property development, avoiding overly technical jargon and explaining concepts clearly.

This second edition has been revised and updated throughout, taking into account the effects of the credit crunch on development activity and funding. The authors also discuss changes in policy, thinking and practice which have stemmed from a desire by all stakeholders in the development process to foster more sustainable property developments.

I have found this book to be very well written, it covers all aspects of development very well without being too ‘dry’.

Usable Guides

How to Price Development Land

As far as I have researched, there is no decent, quick guides to Assessing Land Values, Residual Appraisals or Gross Development Value available on the internet…..until now! I have compiled a thorough guide to Assessing the value of Development Land or property. It includes a fully operational Excel-based template/example with full instructions on how to use it.

It’s available in MS Word format (works best on later versions of Word/Excel) and is 3,000 words/9 pages in length. Follow the link to my ‘Guide to Assessing Land Value‘ page.

The Fundamentals of Property Speculation

Of course you understand that investing in property is a shrewd move, but where do you start? It’s surprising the amount of people who don’t know.

Why should you invest in property? What are the risks? How would you manage these risks? This guide provides the answers to all the questions you should be asking (but most novice speculators don’t).

The information contained within this guide, is compiled from working alongside Professional Property Developers and Investors. These people are not interested in ‘learning as they go’. They pay good money for people like Solicitors and Surveyors to guide them. Follow the link to my Fundamentals of Property Speculation page.