The importance of an exit strategy.

Recently I was chatting to one of my landlords who has property in a number of towns across Surrey and Middlesex. The three he has in Twickenham, he told me, will be sold in 2017 and 2018. This was interesting, because the guy had genuinely planned to the ‘nth’ degree how he was going to exit the investment property market. How many of my other landlords, myself included, could honestly say they had thought this far ahead?

Well I hadn’t, but of course I knew I should. I asked a couple of other people I happened to speak to in the next 48 hours when they would exit the rental market, and got the sort of answers I expected – “in a few years when prices are higher” or “never, I want the income instead of a pension”. Some will get lucky and earn a few pounds in the process, while others will make less than they should have. The ones that make the most when they sell, will be the ones that have done proper research, made proper plans, and tied their property portfolio in with the rest of their financial affairs. Things they will look at include:

• What will it cost me to sell my portfolio?
• Will I incur loss of rent during the sale process?
• What are the mortgage implications (redemption penalties etc)?
• Are there leasehold implications (will I need to renew the lease before I sell)?
• What are the capital gains tax implications?
• Could there be an inheritance tax issue?
• What will happen to the proceeds of sale?
• Is it beneficial to move the house into joint names prior to the sale?
• How does this fit with other financial issues such as maturing investments, pensions, etc.

These are probably areas in which it’s not good to dabble! When you buy an investment property in Teddington or wherever, you talk to ‘experts’ regarding what is or isn’t worth considering. When you sell a property it should be no different - If you exit the market in a planned manner, you’re likely to be far more successful than if you exit quickly because ‘something has come up and I need the cash’!  Advice can be sought from Financial Advisors or Wealth Managers – I have good contacts in these areas if you don’t know people yourself. It’s another area that will separate the professional landlord from the novice.

Rebecca Smith