First opportunistic fund launched by Property Partner

A leading property investment platform recently announced that it is launching an opportunistic fund.

Property Partner, which was launched in January 2015 by Daniel Gandesha, said that the current political and economic uncertainty is causing the UK property market to slow, with sellers who need to sell coming under significant pressure as a result. These conditions, the platform argues, offer an ideal opportunity for experienced investors who can move at speed. Continue reading

Majority of landlords choosing five year fix rates, research shows

An increasing number of landlords are choosing five-year fixed rate products, according to Mortgages for Business’ Buy-to-Let Index.

In fact, 84% of landlords opted for these mortgages in Q4 2018, up from 70% in the previous quarter. In total, 97% now choose a fixed rate. Continue reading

Which property types produce the best yields?

Online buy-to-let agency yieldit recently revealed the property types which produce the greatest yields, offering a key insight for landlords who are looking to invest – or expand their existing portfolio – in the UK’s residential property market.

The data, taken from the agency’s currently available properties, found that three out of the top five highest-yielding properties were houses with three bedrooms or more, producing net yields of up to 11%. Continue reading

Scotland dominates list of UK property hotspots in 2018

Glasgow and Edinburgh have seen house prices rise faster than any other major UK town or city in 2018, according to Housesimple.com.

Using the latest HM Land Registry data, the online estate agents looked at average house price growth in more than 100 major UK towns and cities since the start of 2018 to September 2018. Continue reading

Millennials exiting London fuels rental growth in Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds

Rents in other UK cities are growing faster than both London and the UK average as workers relocate from the capital amid rising living costs.

That’s according to the third edition of the National Rent Review by buy-to-let lender Landbay, supported by rental analytics from MIAC.

The national picture

UK rents rose by 0.03% in November 2018 which, although the lowest monthly rise since the beginning of the study, adds to the growth of 0.97% in the year and is 0.04% higher than the
same period in 2017. This is mostly down to London’s improved performance – a growth of 0.58% this year. The average monthly UK rent currently sits at £1,212, a rise of £10 since the start of the
year. Excluding London, rents sit at £769 since the beginning of 2018. Continue reading

Property in the UK takes on average 102 days to sell

It now takes, on average, 102 days to sell a property in the UK, according to Post Office Money.

Its latest ‘City Rate of Sale’ report, developed with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), looked at the average time it takes for a property to sell in 35 major UK cities. Overall, the average seller had to wait one week more before receiving an offer – increasing from 96 days in 2017. Continue reading

New build property values are now exceeding value of existing properties

The value of new-build properties is beginning to outstrip the value of existing properties, according to a study by DJ Alexander Ltd.

The property management firm found that over the last year the average value of new build properties in the UK has increased by 8.5% at a time when existing property values only rose by 2.9%.
This was most prominent in Wales, where the value of new builds increased by 10.2% over the last year, while Northern Ireland was the lowest at 4.8%. The greatest increase in average value for existing properties occurred in Scotland, where prices rose by 4.4%, while England was the lowest at 2.8%. Continue reading

Uncertainty over Brexit leads to many British expats returning home

The number of British expats living in Spain has dropped by 40%, according to Spanish newspaper El Pais.

What’s more, between 2012 and 2017, the number of Britons leaving Spain outstripped those who arrived. This exodus is being blamed on the uncertainty caused by Brexit and worries over what will happen once the UK has officially left the European Union, as well as the price of sterling falling against the euro, which has made living overseas more expensive than ever. Continue reading

Decision to scrap Severn Bridge toll leads to property price boom in South Wales

There has been a dramatic rise in property prices in south east Wales since last year’s announcement that the Severn Bridge toll would be scrapped, research by online estate agents Housesimple.com has revealed.

Figures from Land Registry examined by Housesimple.com show that average sold house prices across the three Welsh local authorities closest to the Severn Bridge – Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen – have increased by 13.2% since the decision on the toll bridge was made in the summer of 2017. This equates to over four times more than the rise in average prices across the UK over the same time period. Continue reading

Ireland still Europe’s number one buy-to-let hotspot

Ireland has retained its position as Europe’s most attractive destination for buy-to-let investors for the third year in a row, according to research by WorldFirst.

In the third annual European Buy-To-Let League Table from the international payments firm, Ireland was top of the pile in Europe for investors looking to maximise rental returns. An average rental return of 7.69%, continued economic growth, consistent demand for rental properties, the stability of the euro and reasonable property prices has all helped to keep Ireland top of the table.

Cyprus, meanwhile, was the biggest climber – rising from 9th to 2nd place – while Belgium slid down the table from 6th to 12th. Sweden, which had finished bottom for the last two years, rose one place, with France replacing it at the foot of the table. Continue reading