cheap mortgage - buy to let mortgage

Investing in property has boomed in popularity in recent years, and with good reason. Returns are looking attractive compared to the stock market, and property values have continued to rise and rise.

In fact, average property prices went up by around 25 per cent in 2002. That rate was simply unsustainable and we anticipate lower rates of growth this year - but growth it will be, all the same. Property will continue to increase in value in many places, making it a good medium-to long-term investment.

Most people (though not all) who wish to buy property to rent out will have a mortgage on their own residence. So most will not be total novices in the world of mortgages. But there are some differences to buy-to-let mortgages that we explain. We take you through the whole process step by step, look at who this type of investment is suitable for, and suggest ways to make the most of your money.

We explain your legal obligations, the costs you can expect to incur and the role of the letting agent, should you choose to use one. You may be interested in our statistics section, which gives you a snapshot of the buy-to-let market last year, investment returns, popular types of rental property and more. And the property prices section tells you what any property you might buy could be worth in five years' time.

Finally, there is a Charts section which lists all the buy-to-let mortgage deals on the market at the time of going to press. We hope this guide helps your transition to landlord go as quickly and profitably as possible.