Buy to let properties or rental properties are financial assets which would provide dividends and a good capital growth. Most people view them as homes, but they are only financial assets, and not homes. Because, when you are buying an apartment to rent out, you should study the market demand and buy an apartment accordingly, and not according to your personal taste.

With the launch of the buy to let initiative, the strength and importance of the rental properties market has been underlined with a flourish. Once again, rental properties are fully understood to be such a key element in the housing market by the private investor sector. The average rental return on buy to let is as high as up to 12% with a good capital growth.

Before buying the buy to let property, the potential investor must consider it as a medium to long term investment, and should ignore personal tastes and considerations. You can avoid property with potential maintenance problems such as a lot of woodwork or a large garden. These will add nothing to the rental value but cost a lot to keep up.

Even when prospecting in an area that is well known, you must view it through different eyes and take into account the common things needed for tenants such as property, location, amenities and facilities. You have to look at every property for its letting potential, knowing how it will fit into the pattern of demand. A lot of questions have to be raised like what type of property is in short supply on the local letting market? Is there demand for flats or for houses, with two, three or five bedrooms? How many bathrooms should there be per bedroom? Are patios, terraces or small gardens popular, and do they add to the rental value? Are most tenants commuters? Do they tend to travel by bus, train or car? If you get satisfying answers to all these questions, then you can go ahead and buy the property.