Most buy to let mortgage deals run for 2/3,  years at the end of which time, you can re-mortgage if you are looking for a better deal or to release funds that you can use as a deposit to purchase other properties. The restriction here is that you are locked into a lender for normally at least two years, and if you want to get out in the interim you will be paying an early redemption penalty.

There are one or two schemes that will allow you to have a plan that does not have any early redemption penalties, but the interest rates are higher and the loan to value maybe 5--10% less than standard schemes.

This is where a portfolio scheme has the advantage over standard schemes in that all of your properties are under one roof, normally up to ten with one lender, and the increase in equity each year in a normal market would allow you to use that equity to purchase further property. The total rental income from the properties would be averaged across the whole of the portfolio and in most cases allow you as the client to borrow more than taking each property as an individual case and testing the rental income against the mortgage interest payments by a given margin.

A portfolio scheme will allow you to grow your property portfolio far quicker and with much less fuss and expense that having your properties with various lenders and having to re-mortgage each one to enable you to release funds.

The choice of lender is critical if you want to maximize your growth potential, and seeking the right advice from a commercial mortgage broker or an Independent Financial Adviser who can guide you to the right lender and plan would be a very wise move.

For many investors who start out with one property and having seen that property increase its capital value and the rental income covering the mortgage interest by a margin, then begin to feel that they want to spread their wings.