As property prices continue to rise, the barrier to entry for new investors is getting steadily higher. The solution for many is to join together with other investors and pool resources in order to achieve the 'critical mass' necessary to get started in the increasingly competitive UK property market.

But how exactly do you pool your resources together? Some form of 'Special Purpose Vehicle' (aka "SPV") is often the answer.

In this article, we will take a look at some of the legal and tax implications of a few of the more popular forms of 'SPV' currently in use.

Sometimes these days it seems like the World has gone ‘Top Ten’ crazy. Everywhere you look, there’s a ‘top ten this’ and a ‘top ten that’.

Not to be outdone, I present here my ‘Top Ten Tax Deductions for Property Investors’. I must admit that there is no statistical basis for my chart rankings but this list is based on many years’ experience of dealing with property businesses of all shapes and sizes:

1) Interest

Whether your interest is tax deductible or not generally depends on the use to which the money is put. It does not, as many people seem to think, depend on which property the loan is secured on.

If Robert borrows £25,000 by re-mortgaging his home and uses the money as a deposit on a buy-to-let flat he can claim the interest because it has been used for business purposes.

And here’s an interesting tax tip. If you intend to put your former home into your property letting business, consider re-mortgaging it before you do. The whole amount of any interest should be tax deductible.

For example, let’s say Robert’s brother Vincent has a property worth £500,000 and an outstanding mortgage of £200,000. He remortgages the property and raises £250,000 which he uses to buy a new home.

He now starts to rent out his £500,000 property. The entire interest payable on the whole of Vincent’s £450,000 mortgage will be allowable as a tax deduction.

You probably know this already, at least in the back of your mind, but did you know:

- More of us than ever before (and probably all property investors)  are liable to give up almost half (40%) of our estate to the tax man when we die?

- Your home is at risk? Even if you give your home away before death, you can still end up giving almost half of your estate to the tax man.

- The Government pulls in a staggering £3 billion a year from Inheritance Tax?

How do you avoid property tax ?

Want to maximise your property profits ? Well don't give too much away to the tax man, you will be surprised how much extra profit you can keep in your pocket with the right property tax knowledge !

Tax, Capital Gains (CGT), Income Tax and Inheritance Tax ... it's not quite child's play, but if you own property you have to face it... sooner or later and  the longer you leave it, the more seriously your delay can affect your (post tax) wealth!