When it comes to investing in a buy to let property, location is everything. You need to ensure that you are investing your money in an area which is appealing to tenants, in order to optimise your chances of long and successful tenancies and minimise the risk of void periods. If you are a property investor in search of a suitable property in London, but you are looking to extend your search outside the central areas, Kingston Upon Thames could be an excellent place to make your next investment. Continue reading →

A recent review of central London’s prime lettings market by lettings specialist E J Harris has revealed international tenants to be dominating the top end of the market. The firm has used information from its own client database, local market intelligence and wider industry figures to produce a detailed and informative guide on tenant profiles, popular addresses and typical property sizes for varied rental price brands found across the sector. Continue reading →

Living space in London is limited, and developers have had to come up with cutting edge property designs to get around this problem. One trend that has arisen over recent years is for owners to have huge basements excavated below their homes. This kind of project can boost the amount of living space in a home substantially and add a lot of value in the process. Continue reading →

We all know that many areas of London have experienced dramatic improvements in recent years, leading to rapid developments in the property market in many parts of the capital. As various areas of London undergo regeneration and the Crossrail development continues, property prices have risen in certain pockets of the capitals, leading to small clusters of prime property in areas which were previously better known for lower-value properties. Continue reading →

Many people believe that the London property market is reserved purely for the wealthy and those with access to substantial funding. The press usually only report on the London property market when a major, multi-million pound deal has been brokered. It is not accurate, however, to assume that all London property deals feature huge sums. Continue reading →

Rents in London continue to rise at a rapid rate, offering many benefits for investors looking to earn big returns on their money. According to Homelet, in the months leading up to October this year rental rates had risen by 7.5%, taking the average monthly price for a property to £1,560. Both of these figures are impressive when viewed alongside the averages for the whole of the UK in the same period; 3.5% and £749 respectively. Continue reading →

Continual change in London’s property market has led to an increasing number of residents renting privately. The last 12 months alone have seen the addition of 150,000 households to the private rental sector. The combination of ongoing capital appreciation and rising numbers of renters have raised the value of the private rental market, and strong returns have encouraged further investment into the sector to support the growth. Continue reading →

New research by Which? Mortgage Advisors has revealed that a large proportion of potential property buyers are prepared to haggle on price, and in many cases are saving money as a result. The survey asked many people who had purchased property in the past five years about the details of their transaction, including the initial offer they made, whether or not they negotiated and the figure they eventually paid. Continue reading →

For many years in the UK, there was a general view that people lived in rented accommodation because they had to. Phrases such as “rent is just dead money” were widely used, and renting seemed to be reserved for young people who were not ready to commit to property investment and undecided about where they wanted to permanently live. Continue reading →

There are currently nine million private renters in the UK, and as the market continues to expand we are continuously seeing new developments that aim to improve sector standards and ensure greater transparency. The latest trend to become popular is the build-to-rent concept that originated in the United States. The project has the potential to completely transform the private rental sector into a booming service industry. Continue reading →