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Hey guys Charlie B here. So a bit of back story. Like most people on here (I assume) I have been dreaming of creating a property portfolio since my late teens. In all honesty I thought I would have at least started by now (33) but hey ho. So where I am at. As of right now I have 2 year's before I can access the equity in my own private home without being charged a hefty amount. I plan on using this time to gain knowledge, up skill and hopefully build some good connections. I have read Rob D's property investment for beginners and am now reading the follow up book. I've came to realise to need for a solid plan instead of the vague idea I've always had in my head. Thanks to anyone and everyone who takes the time read and or comment on this post I really appreciate it. Any advice or direction would be greatly appreciated. Especially when it comes to laying out a solid plan on paper!! I've really no idea where to start!.

Hi All, New to Property Hub and Prop Investing in general, just posted an intro within the relevant forum if you'd like to say hi! There's a burning question which has been on my mind since I dipped my toe into property investment (and probably should have sought an answer to before taking the plunge).... The 'Breakeven Point' - How long should it take? Recently i've purchased my first BTL (£68k 2 bed). So as not to bore you, I won't give exact financial specifics, but to summarise: £2k Stamp £5.5k fees (includes sourcing fee) £5k refurb Total initial outlay therefore = £12.5k Assuming zero capital growth and assuming I receive the rental income I expect to receive, and deducting expenses (including a 10% allowance for repairs, Thanks Rob) i'll net circa £240 per month. This means it'll take 52 months to hit breakeven. Nearly 5 years!? Overall this just seems unviable. It seems too long to be waiting to reap the rewards of a significant financial investment that frankly could be put to work elsewhere (ie Stock market) and also, once I do hit month 53, the market may well be in decline (ie recession) and I wont even have chance to enjoy the passive income, or at least not as much as I might have hoped. I'm hoping that somebody may be able to reassure me and tell me that I am looking at this completely wrongly, ie not as an investor should? Maybe 'Breakeven' isn't something that is even considered in property investing, as I did struggle to find a forum that addressed it. Or is this just the nature of the beast, and patience is key in this game? Any honest and frank responses absolutely welcomed! Thanks Dan

Hi Hubbers, I'm Matt and taking first proper steps on the property 'journey'. I wanted to make a move back in 2013 but learning from the Rob's and Pete Matthew, I took a step back to build my finances and a safe base. That's now done and realigning my efforts. Based in Stourbridge West Midlands, I'm planning to create a BTL company, forcing appreciation through refurbs then refinancing. The goal is to create enough passive income to quit my job. Stretch target is 45, but at least by 50. I'm a professionally qualified Civil Engineer with construction, site management and design experience. I've recently joined a large private developer in the regional technical department to build my own knowledge and to transfer my existing skills into this sector. Looking forward to being involved.