An enjoyable plough thro' this thread throws up a couple of points I'd like to mention.
Having gone through a similar thought process to as jls, I am unusually eager to take out an interest only fixed rate mortgage for five years (on the flat I own) as the cost of capital is so small. I cannot see any valid objection to the idea of borrowing 50k at, say, 4.29% and then trading that capital very conservatively to net, say, a very safe 7% annual return.
Over five years this would net slightly less than 10k profit, at which point I pay back the mortgage company the original 50k and trouser the difference. Now 10k will be baby Jersey Royals to some of you I know, but I'm not one to sniff at virtually (risk) free money. Obviously some form of direct debit would have to be sorted out from my trading account to ensure a monthly stream of income to match the outgoing mortgage payments but otherwise the hassle seems very small.
I am fortunate enough to be able to avoid the self-certification interest rate hike as my girlfriend is in full time employment and so the mortgage can be in her name, though I imagine I'd have to alter the title deeds so she owns a half share of my flat. I have knocked up a fairly crude spreadsheet that takes account of the outgoing interest payments and the trading income and nothing seems to look awry. I am just wondering why more people who are in the agreeable position of owning their properties aren't keen on the idea as (barring an idiotic spell of losses that would reduce the projected 7% return- perhaps this is the reason?) it seems to me like the closest thing to a free lunch one can borrow. Or perhaps my sums are painfully misguided?
Regarding the tax / spreadbetting issue I have possibly helped to keep the taxman off my back by actually claiming back a little income tax from him each year, mainly from taxed interest on cash held on deposit, as my principal income is from spread betting and my other "official" income is well below my personal allowance. The annual ritual of the R40 rebate form keeps me in the system while not, I hope, arousing excessive suspicion, although one day I expect someone will wonder how a 29 year old manages to live on 3k a year!
PS Apologies for butchering a fine verse, but...
"You may say that by and large it is Skimble who's in charge
Of the zero sum Express.
From the swinger* and the scalper to the FirstWaves talking large
She will supervise them all, more or less."
Superlative factual tinternet burrowing and erudite (as ever) demolition of Mr. Elliot (the two ll-ed version, not the poem's author), skimbleshanks, if I may be so bold!
*Of course I innocently refer to position traders not the swinging devotees of Fever (who I imagine trade positions fairly often too!)