Experts launch new guide to small-scale property development

A new book has been released to offer insight to landlords and investors on small-scale property development.

The ‘Guide to Small-Scale Property Development – and the Rise of the Landlord Developer’ was launched on Monday (June 27) by development experts Ian Child and Ritchie Clapson CEng MIStructE of propertyCEO.

The book claims that existing and would-be landlords looking to generate wealth from property could benefit from a small-scale property development strategy.

Property investment has undergone many changes in recent years, and during that time the traditional strategy of buy-to-let investing has been hit hard by tax hikes and increased regulation.

Many people suggest that the easy money has now gone, and that power has shifted to the educated investor who knows how best to sweat their assets to maximise returns.

But Child and Clapson aim to help investors and landlords combine development with buy-to-let investing to supercharge their wealth through small-scale property development – taking on small, lower-risk and quicker development projects to create significant results.

The book provides a complete overview of this strategy, detailing not only its advantages but also explaining the pitfalls that could befall unsuspecting developers.

The guide aims to help investors:

• Discover the strategy that savvy property investors and landlords are turning to, to supercharge their profits

• Understand the system enabling first-time developers to tackle development projects without any previous property or development experience

• Find out how to recruit experienced professionals to deliver your project, giving you immense leverage

• Learn the secrets to obtaining commercial finance and private investment for almost any property development project, without having to self-fund

• Get the surprising lowdown on exactly how little money you need to invest personally to develop property

• Become credible as a new developer from day one without having to build a development track record first, and discover how these projects can be done in your spare time

• Discover the risks and common pitfalls of development that you will want to avoid

Child comments: “Not so long ago, buy-to-let was seen as an assured route to long-term equity growth and short-term income. But tax hikes and increased regulation have made this strategy more challenging.”

“It has left would-be property investors and existing landlords wondering what's the best way to make money from property in today's market.”

Child says ‘savvy’ investors and landlords are adopting the small-scale property development strategy as a means to maximise their returns.

“Sweeping new Permitted Development Rights have made it easier to convert small commercial buildings, generating substantial six-figure profits in short timescales, working in one's spare time and with no prior development experience. And for existing landlords, the results can be truly transformational, particularly when combined with a robust buy-to-let strategy.”

Clapson adds: “In this book, we reveal how anyone looking to generate wealth through property can take on these relatively small, lower-risk developments.”

“And with the level of personal investment required being far lower than other property investment models, it makes small-scale property development the perfect strategy for both new and experienced property investors.”

‘The Guide to Small-Scale Property Development’ is available from Amazon, where you can get a sneak peek.