Finding stability amongst instability
I think the public are slowly realising that property investment is the only long-term safe investment in an uncertain world.
According to the latest residential lettings survey from the research Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the residential property market in the UK is seeing rising yields on rental properties as result of the increased tenant demand and rising rents. This is fuelling a very buoyant and expanding lettings market that is expected to stay this way.
My love for property
My love for property started when I became an estate agent in Clapham, South London. I was showing a commercial property with flats above, to an investor. While walking downstairs from the residential part of the building, Lesley (the investor) said to me “you should buy something like this yourself Erroll and let it out?”
I was only 18 years old; I had not thought that I could do such a thing, my belief back then was that these sorts of deals were for big shot investors like Les. It was like I had muted Les's voice for a moment. I took a took a moment to imagine myself buying properties for investment, letting them out and enjoying the fruits of the rents I would receive.
That's where my love affair with property began, I have invested in buy-to-lets, renovated properties for resale and converted a 17th century barn, all within a space of 32 years.
My family (wife and kids) and I moved to the Balearic Islands, by the Mediterranean sea, which I now admit was more like a mini retirement, mixed with running our own business. We lived our dream life there before returning back to the UK.
After returning back to the UK, all I wanted to do was empower and educate new investors, I became a mentor and presenter for the property education company Property Mentor. I loved assisting Property Mentor delegates with their investment purchases, helping to evaluate their deals and the hand holding it entailed. I enjoy seeing people free themselves from the rat race knowing now that they can take control of their lives once more and not live in fear.
Now I have been appointed Sales Director of Gladfish by Brett Alegre-Wood. I am truly looking forward to helping the thousands of clients at Gladfish receive the best portfolio management and education from the largest company of its kind in this industry.
Why UK properties are a safe bet over the long term
Investing in property is the surest way to find stability in a very uncertain world. With all the shifting going on in our lives we need to have some stability with our finances.
Property investing in the UK has always proven to be a good bet over the long term, as property prices here have always recovered and this time will be no different. Since after World War II this trend has continued, which can be verified by reliable statistics.
If the public truly gets it, they will be able to take hold of their lives once more and begin to design the life they want as opposed to being driven by every new headline.
The UK Letting Market is the strongest it has ever been
For those of you ready to invest in London you'll be pleased to know that rents in London have picked up the fastest pace. Outside London rents have risen modestly. This is fuelled by the positive tenant demand across all UK regions, also backed up by the RICS Report.
So where should you be investing now?
2012 is the year that serious investors will take advantage of the UK market, to develop their property holdings. Looking at the statistics, we can safely say that investing in UK property for the long term is the most secure type of investment. Especially now with the uncertainty surrounding the Eurozone, cash-rich investors from the Far East are investing in the UK.
This is showing an increasing obvious demand for UK property which will naturally increase profit margins in the UK property market. And not to mention the inflation in the UK being at 5.2% and the bank base rate at 0.5%, those with cash in the bank are losing their wealth: I say be a smart investor and shift your money from the banks and invest it into UK property.
So we do have a choice as to how we live our lives even in these uncertain times. As Warren Buffett said “Be greedy when others are fearful and be fearful when others are greedy.”
While the uneducated investors continue to be fearful, be greedy and give our team a call on +44 (0)207 923 6100
