The B to D of why investors are choosing Bradford as their angel of the north in 2014

The B to D of why investors are choosing Bradford as their angel of the north in 2014

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom

Welcome to Bradford. This often-overlooked city in the heart of the UK is fast becoming a boomtown for investment.

Ray Withers, Chief Executive of multi award-winning property investment agency, Property Frontiers, shares his reasons behind launching an exclusive new buy-to-let opportunity in the city in the “B to D of Bradford”.

B is for Bradford Broadway
Development of a new Westfield retail centre in the heart of the city is set to enhance the area’s popularity as a shopping destination. The city serves a catchment population of 919,391 with a weighted annual spend potential of £623 million, forecast to grow by more than an additional £250 million on completion of the Broadway development. The 555,000 sq ft retail outlet will host 70+ units, including Marks & Spencer, Debenhams and Next.

R is for regeneration
£1.5 billion is being invested in Bradford’s regeneration, with government and the private sector joining forces in the Masterplan project. The city centre is set for an extensive makeover, with new public spaces, water features, improved transport links and restored historic architecture. Luxury city living apartments such as the new Aspire Citygate available exclusively through Property Frontiers are in development to meet the growing demand from people and businesses relocating to the area. A £35 million City Centre Growth Zone is also underway, designed to attract more business, expansion and investment in the area.

A is for affordable property.
Bradford offers a good, yet affordable standard of living and its migrating population has made the city one of the UK’s top residential property hotspots for 2014. Residents are attracted by Bradford’s cosmopolitan living, coupled with its location in the beautiful Yorkshire countryside. House prices in Bradford are, on average, one third less than London and half the price of the south east. However, the growing demand in the area is pushing up prices in the property market, making it an excellent location for capital growth investments.

D is for digital
Bradford’s Airedale Digital Corridor is home to a number of major digital, electronic and creative companies including Pace, Echostar Europe, Radio Design, Teledyne Defence and Bradford Technonogy Ltd. Bradford is also home to the National Media Museum and the world’s first UNESCO City of Film.

Digital connections are also set to speed up, as a £21.96 million contract between four West Yorkshire local authorities and BT has been agreed. The Superfast West Yorkshire project plans to extend high-speed fibre broadband to 97% of households and businesses across West Yorkshire by autumn 2015.

F is for fast connections
Another reason for Bradford’s popularity is excellent national and international travel connections. The Leeds Bradford International Airport (LBIA) is just 6 miles from the city centre and has thrice daily flights to Heathrow for London links. The airport underwent a major expansion in 2012 to include an exclusive business zone lounge to meet demand. The area is served by road links via the M1, M62 and A1 (M) motorways; with train links enabling travel to Leeds in 20 minutes, with London two hours by train and Manchester within the hour.

O is for opportunities for employment
With a variety of key business sectors, Bradford offers great opportunities for employment as well as business. The city is home to the renowned University School of Management and a number of corporate HQs, including Morrisons, Yorkshire Building Society, Santander and Hallmark Cards.

Bradford’s financial and business services generate over £13 billion pa, projected to grow circa 50% by 2022. There are over 250,000 people employed in the sector, with major employers including Provident Financial, Santander, Yorkshire Building Society, Congregational & General and Gordons LLP.

The city has the largest UK employment base in engineering and manufacturing, with 160,000 jobs in textiles, electronics, printing, medical equipment, automotive engineering, aerospace and energy components. A survey conducted by the Times Higher Education Authority revealed Bradford’s graduate employment was second only to Cambridge.

R is for rapid economic growth
A vibrant city with ambitious development plans, Bradford has the third largest economy in the Yorkshire and Humber region at £8.3 billion per year and this is projected to grow to more than £9.6 billion by 2016. Bradford is the fifth fastest growing area outside of London.

D is for diversity and contrasts
With a population over 524,000, Bradford is the fourth largest metropolitan district in England. Residents are attracted by Bradford’s cosmopolitan living and Victorian architecture, coupled with its location in the beautiful Yorkshire countryside. It is a culturally diverse city, with a flourishing arts scene, museums, galleries, traditional pubs serving locally brewed ale and Michelin star restaurants. Bradford was named England’s Curry Capital in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Ray Withers concludes,
“As we see property prices in London even out, it is to the regions where both capital growth and significant rental income can still be achieved that savvy investors are heading in 2014. The new Aspire Citygate development, a collection of modern 1 and 2 bedroom luxury apartments available off-plan from as little as £50,000, presents one of the most attractive buy-to-let opportunities I have seen for a long time. With the below market value pricing delivering instant equity and a 9% Return on Capital available, this is one angel investment of the north not to be missed!”

For more information get in touch with Property Frontiers today on +44 1865 202 700 or visit www.propertyfrontiers.com.

At a Glance: Eastern Cape drives demand for South African property

At a Glance: Eastern Cape drives demand for South African property

by Charlotte Ashton World
 The Eastern Cape is driving demand for South African property, according to TheMoveChannel.com´s latest research. The portal´s At a Glance infographic, which depicts activity on the site in 2013, shows that the Eastern Cape accounted for three quarters of enquiries into the country´s real estate.
  • Eastern Cape accounts for 74.1% of South African enquiries
  • Johannesburg most sought-after location, accounting for 1 in 10 searches
  • Buyer demand highest for coastal areas
The Eastern Cape received 74.1 per cent of enquiries into South African property between January and December 2013. The Western Cape was the second most popular area, accounting for one in five (19.3 per cent) of activity.
Despite that, buyers searching for South African property tended to look at the Western Cape first, with the region accounting for half of the top 10 most-searched destinations in the country. Cape Town was the second most sought-after location, featuring in one in 10 searches, behind only Johannesburg, which attracted 12 per cent of searches. The Gauteng province accounted for two out of the top 10 most-searched cities, including Pretoria. KwaZulu-Natal accounted for the same number, with Durban the subject of 8.5 per cent of searches.
The Eastern Cape, on the other hand, was home to just one of the top 10 most-searched places: Port Elizabeth. The popular tourist hotspot, though, located on the Garden Route, held enough appeal to convert searches into enquiries. Indeed, overseas buyers of South African property were primarily interested in coastal areas: provinces further inland, such as the Free State, North West, Northern Cape and Limpopo received no enquiries at all
The At a Glance infographic also charts search activity on Google related to buying South African real estate. Buyers tended to search for “property in South Africa” in general, while “houses for sale in South Africa” were the most popular type of property, followed by “land for sale in South Africa”.
Searches for the country´s real estate peaked in the third quarter of 2013. This trend is backed up by TheMoveChannel.com, where enquiries into South African property peaked in September, driven by an off-plan opportunity to invest in a resort in the Eastern Cape.
Editor Ivan Radford comments:
“South Africa´s real estate enjoyed a stronger 2013 than previous years, with demand increasing in the third quarter. But the At a Glance infographic confirms the emerging nature of the market, with the majority of interest directed towards tourist-friendly areas, such as Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, and many provinces receiving no attention. Buyers attracted to the area´s Mediterranean climate searched mostly for property in the Western Cape. The Garden Route´s mild temperatures, though, as well as September´s attractive off-plan listing, saw the majority of buyers hunt for real estate in the Eastern Cape instead. While properties near the coast tended to perform well, the country´s most popular listings in 2013 covered a wide range of off-plan developments, houses and even alternative assets, which indicates a variety of investors and buyers in the market – a positive indicator for the future.”
Click here to see the full infographic.
Notes to Editors 
Founded in 1999, TheMoveChannel.com is the leading independent website for international property, with than 400,000 listings in over 100 countries around the world, marketed on behalf of agents, developers and private owners.
TheMoveChannel.com is operated by lead generation company Lead Galaxy, which powers the largest online network of overseas property portals.
The website address is http://www.themovechannel.com and the office address is 24 Jack´s Place, Corbet Place, Spitalfields, London, E1 6NN. The website address of Lead Galaxy is http://www.leadgalaxy.com
Contact Dan Johnson on 0207 952 7650 for further information.
Family fun in the sun: longer life expectancy leads to increase in multi-generational holidays

Family fun in the sun: longer life expectancy leads to increase in multi-generational holidays

by Charlotte Ashton World , ,

It looks like 2014 is going to be all about family. As the world celebrates the 20th anniversary of the International Year of the Family, holiday destinations across the globe are emphasising their family-friendly features.

According to the TravelSupermarket Travel Trends Tracker 2013, 70% of respondents aimed to go on holiday with their partner last year, while 30% had planned to holiday with their children, 7% with their parents and 5% with their grandchildren. The reasons behind this multi-generational approach to holidays are particularly interesting.

Dr Ian Yeoman’s study, The Future of the UK Family Holiday: Social and Demography Trends, shows like expectancy in the UK as having achieved a ten year increase for both men and women since 1950, with men now at 78.4 years and women at 82.6 years. Simply translated, this means that grandparents have more time with their children and grandchildren than previously, leading to a rise in multigenerational family holidays.

It is a concept that resonates with Gil Summers, Co-founder of Sun Park Living, Lanzarote’s exclusive short and long-stay resort for the over 50s, where apartments can be booked for just €625 per four weeks. He comments,

“Here at Sun Park Living we’ve found that many of our guests enjoy having their children and grandchildren come out to spend time with them. As active retirees, our guests certainly enjoy spending time on their own in the resort, but they also look forward to quality time with the younger generations. As families generally have less time to relax and play together, quality time has become more of a luxury and we’ve noticed family tourism increase as a result.”

The observation regarding quality family time is backed by research from the Future Foundation, which found that half of the UK’s population claims to get all or most of their satisfaction as a result of family life. This satisfaction increases with age, as new generations are added to family life.

One consistently family-friendly holiday destination is Spain. In the recent survey of travel editors and writers by 101 Holidays, Spain came third in the list of countries with the best beaches. The finding is unsurprising, given the mass migration of families that flock to the Iberian country’s shores for a few days or weeks of glorious sunshine every year.

Award-winning developer Taylor Wimpey España has found that is Spanish properties are consistently popular with families, and the Costa Blanca’s Calpesol resort particularly so. The combination of the peaceful town of Calpe, the beautiful beach five minutes from the resort, landscaped gardens and communal swimming pool has proven a winning combination. With spacious houses available from just €168,000 + VAT, it is perhaps unsurprising that Spain is seen as the go-to option for many families looking to own a dream holiday home in the sun.

Italy also remains a firm favourite with family holiday home buyers, having been voted one of Lonely Planet’s best family travel destinations for 2014. According to the National Agency of Tourism (ENIT), 62% of international operators globally confirmed an increase in travel toward Italy over the festive season. It is a trend which looks set to continue, with Italian life proving a strong draw to British families looking to enjoy culture, food and wonderful scenery, as well as beach life, as part of their holidays.

At Appassionata, which refurbishes and manages luxury fractional ownership holiday homes in Italy’s Le Marche region, family is a key driver behind many of their owners’ decisions to purchase. Company founder and established interior designer Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs explains,

“Our fractional ownership properties not only provide an incredible standard of Italian holiday home for their owners, but also an inheritance that can be handed down through the generations. Many of our owners love to bring several generations of their family out to Italy with them and our two new properties in the delightful town of Petritoli will allow families to truly immerse themselves in day-to-day Italian living.”

The Petritoli properties – a three bedroom townhouse with fractions available from £55,000 and a five bedroom palazzo with fractions from £100,000 – were selected with family living in mind. Unusually, both feature outside areas large enough for family dining, which Dawn confirms was an essential part of her decision to renovate the two homes.

On the opposite side of the Adriatic, Albania is also emerging as one Europe’s leading family holiday destinations, with sun-drenched beach holidays attracting a growing number of visitors. Lalzit Bay Resort and Spa has been designed with a family focus firmly in mind. Recreational areas, sporting zones, boutique shops and extensive dining options provide enjoyment and convenience for the whole family. A stunning beach and purpose-built beach club further enhance the resort’s family feel.

Even the investment opportunities offered by Lalzit Bay are family-friendly – the resort’s apartments, villas and hotel rooms can be reserved for just €500, while lifestyle buyers can also choose to benefit from a free Fiat Punto when they complete on their purchase.

With so many family-focused options available, and pressure on families to make the most of their quality time together, holiday home developers and resorts will no doubt continue to celebrate their myriad family features, creating abundant choice for those looking to celebrate family life in the sunshine during 2014.

For more information on the properties detailed above, please contact:

Sun Park Living: call +44 161 408 3360 or visit www.sunparkliving.com

Taylor Wimpey España: +44 8000 121 020 or visit www.taylorwimpeyspain.com

Appassionata: call +39 073 465 8775 or visit www.appassionata.com

Lalzit Bay Resort and Spa: call +44 845 125 8600 or visit www.lalzitbay.com

Property Frontiers scores hat trick at the OPP Awards of Excellence 2013

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom

It was a bumper night for Oxford-based investment agency, Property Frontiers, as the team scooped not one but three 2013 OPP Gold Awards for Excellence.

Scoring a hat trick at the prestigious international property industry awards, held on Wednesday 27th November at the famous Natural History Museum in London, Property Frontiers received Gold accolades for Best Agency Europe, Best Property Investment Advisors and Best Global Agency.

Judged by industry leaders from around the world, the OPP Awards for Excellence celebrate the best developers, estate agents and associated companies working in the global cross-border residential property industry with Property Frontiers proudly retaining their 2012 accolades for Best Estate Agency Europe and Best Global Estate Agency.

Ray Withers, Property Frontiers’ Chief Executive, commented,

“I am delighted that the achievements of the Property Frontiers team have once again been acknowledged through these OPP Awards of Excellence. Now in our ninth year of trading, I am incredibly proud of the knowledge and expertise of our team and it’s satisfying to see that the first-class service which we pride ourselves on offering our clients has been recognised by those within the industry.”

Having pioneered a number of new asset classes including hotel room investments, retail space and alternative investments in 2013, Property Frontiers has broken boundaries and embraced new frontiers in keeping with the company’s ethos. Ray Withers comments,

“Once again we have worked hard to seek out new asset classes, markets and opportunities for investment over the last 12 months and are proud of the innovative products we have launched including retail units in the Mongolian capital, farmland investments in West Africa and hotel rooms in Germany. The team and I are committed to advancing and bettering this industry, as we say ‘property done properly’ and I believe this is what sets us apart from others.”

With this axiom in mind, Property Frontiers’ charity, the Frontiers Foundation, was once again welcomed back to the OPP Gala Dinner to hold its annual charity auction. Raising funds for the charity’s fourth project, A Night for Nepal, the evening saw the not-for-profit charity, of which Ray Withers is a Founder and Trustee, raise thousands of pounds for a range of school projects in the remote mountainous regions of Nepal.

Ray comments, “Thanks to organiser Xavier Wiggins and the OPPLive team, we were able to once again hold this superb charity auction for the Frontiers Foundation. A major fundraising event in our calendar, the auction did not disappoint with all donated lots selling for a high price enabling us to fulfil our promise of support to the schoolchildren of northern Nepal.”

For more information about Property Frontiers’ award-winning service, please contact them today on +44 1865 202 700 or visit www.propertyfrontiers.com. You can also Like the team on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

Hope on the Horizon for returning British troops as complex recovery process represented at 2014 RHS Chelsea Flower Show

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom

After 13 long years of participation in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, British troops will return home in 2014 with many wounded both physically and mentally and in need of recovery.

And it is just this type of support offered by charity Help for Heroes which has inspired Hope on the Horizon, a Show Garden designed by Matthew Keightley of Maidenhead-based Farr & Roberts Landscaping, for the auspicious RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2014.

Announced by the RHS last week on 11th November 2013, Remembrance Day, Hope on the Horizon is inspired by the Help for Heroes ethos – ‘inspire, enable, support’.

Commenting on his design, 29 year old landscape designer, Matthew Keightley, whose own brother has served four tours of duty in Afghanistan for the RAF regiment, explains:

“The garden is designed to represent the complex recovery process our service men and women go through on the road to recovery. Planting within the space represents the soldier’s mental being, reflective of their state of mind at various stages throughout the journey”.

Following the Chelsea Flower Show Hope on the Horizon will be incorporated into the second phase of Farr & Roberts’ landscaping works for Help for Heroes. Chavasse VC House is a Recovery Centre run by Help for Heroes in the Garrison town of Colchester, Essex which forms part of the Defence Recovery Capability. The Centre supports key parts of the recovery process by providing 360 degree holistic care to those who have suffered life changing injuries and illnesses as a result of their service for our country.

The project is being sponsored by entrepreneur and philanthropist David Brownlow through his charitable foundation The Havisham Trust. The Havisham Trust is committed to enhancing the lives and wellbeing of individuals and communities where there is an element of disadvantage, through personal development or the improvement and regeneration of their community.

For more information on the Hope on the Horizon garden please contact Farr & Roberts on 01628 623 097 or visit www.farr-roberts.com.

Since 1949, Farr & Roberts have taken great pride in delivering both residential and commercial projects of the highest quality, through an uncompromising attitude towards standards of service.

The company’s heritage and success is founded upon the principles of honesty and integrity. Through the fusion of innovative and bespoke design, alongside traditional and experienced craftsmanship, Farr & Roberts Landscaping offers a unique design and construction experience from the combination of our in–house teams.

About Matthew Keightley, Landscape Designer at Farr & Roberts

Matthew Keightley (29) began his landscape design career at the age of 17. His international experience includes garden consultations and designs in Paris and Cairo, as well as Perth, Australia.

From the modern, urban spaces of Chelsea and Kensington in London, to the expansive, traditional and Kent countryside and Henley-on-Thames riverbanks. This will be his first RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden.

My Online Estate Agent saves UK house sellers over £1 million in fees

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom

In a little over a year of their founding, market leading online estate agency, My Online Estate Agent, has saved UK house sellers over £1 million in traditional high street estate agency fees.

Challenging high-street estate agents by offering the same services without charging sellers any commission fees, My Online Estate Agent has sold 262 properties across the UK to date worth a total of £66,834,612 with total client savings of £1,002,519.

  • 292 properties sold in the UK worth a total of £66 million
  • Over 8,640 self-held viewings arranged in last 12 months
  • “Exceptional customer service…truly gigantic fee £££ savings!”

The client in question who saved the £1 millionth pound was Stephanie Jackson from Liverpool who has her 3 bedroom property now under offer. Stephanie only listed her home last week and after receiving a high level of interest and multiple offers, she accepted one significantly above the asking price of £199,950.

>Richard Patterson, Director of My Online Estate Agent, comments,
Since we founded My Online Estate Agent back in 2012, it always been the team’s goal to reach the magic £1 million in savings mark. Having sold numerous properties ourselves and balked at the thousands of pounds demanded by traditional high street estate agents for what always seemed very average service at best, we believed there must be a better way.

 

“With austerity measures still affecting many vendors, we have had a very high uptake of our commission-free online house selling service and in fact have reached the target £1 million mark quicker than anticipated which we believe reflects the way the UK property sales market is moving.”

 

One of the major distinguishing features between My Online Estate Agent and traditional high street estate agents is that vendors are encouraged to hold viewings with potential buyers themselves. Richard and the team at My Online Estate Agent believe this has many benefits to both buyer and seller alike and have arranged over 8,640 viewings in the last 12 months.

 

On average clients save £3,445 in selling fees by using My Online Estate Agent and customer satisfaction levels are high with numerous 5* reviews via Trustpilot, the latest, on 6th November 2013, commenting “Exceptional customer service…truly gigantic fee £££ savings!”

 

Over 350 properties for sale and 191 to rent across the UK are now live on the site and all major portals including Rightmove, Zoopla, Homes24 and Primelocation.  Seller packages start from £299 + VAT and include professional floor plan, portal listing, 12 months marketing, viewings arranged and feedback provided, all buyers financially vetted, assisted negotiations and telephone support.

 

For more information call My Online Estate Agent on 0845 257 1101 or visit www.myonlineestateagent.com.

 

At a Glance: Little Cayman is big property player

by Charlotte Ashton World

Little Cayman is the big property player for people investing in the Cayman Islands, according to TheMoveChannel.com’s latest At a Glance report. The infographic shows that when it comes to real estate in the Cayman Islands, Little Cayman attracts the largest attention, accounting for almost two-thirds of enquiries.

Little Cayman is the smallest of the three-island archipelago but it outshone its big sister Grand Cayman in the 12 months to October 2013, attracting 65.09 per cent of property enquiries. Cayman Brac received the second highest number of enquiries (33.36 per cent). On Grand Cayman, the only districts to receive enquiries were Bodden Town, George Town and West End, although neither accounted for more than 2 per cent of enquiries.

In terms of searches, though, Grand Cayman is still the most popular: the biggest of the islands accounted for almost half (43 per cent) of all searches for Cayman Islands property on TheMoveChannel.com. Cayman Brac was the second most sought-after, receiving just over one quarter (27.66%) of searches. Little Cayman was the target of just one in five (19.21%) searches.

Some house hunters were more specific, looking for real estate within certain areas of Grand Cayman: 4.32 per cent searched for property in George Town, while 2.94 per cent searched for property in West End and 1.56 per cent in Bodden Town. Almost 300 hundred buyers searched for property in the Cayman Islands in general, without naming a location.

The At a Glance infographic also charts the number of searches for real estate in the Cayman Islands on Google. In the year to October 2013, the majority of buyers tended to search generally for “Caymans Islands Property”. Over the 12 months, searches for “property for sale in Cayman Islands” and “Cayman islands property” have both declined slightly, while searches for “property in Cayman Islands” have increased 77 per cent in the three months to October 2013 compared to the three months to January 2013.

“Houses for sale” were the most popular property type, occurring in more searches than “land for sale”, despite the proliferation of land opportunities on TheMoveChannel.com. Indeed, land accounts for almost half (48 per cent) of Cayman Islands property listings currently on the site.

Editor Ivan Radford comments: “Demand for property in the Cayman Islands has grown significantly in the last year on TheMoveChannel.com, with the country appearing four times in the top 10 destinations on the site in 2013 so far. Land in the Cayman Islands is the investment of choice among buyers on the site, so it is surprising to see so few searches for it on Google. The Cayman Islands, though, seem to be full of small surprises – not least of all Little Cayman.“Little Cayman accounts for one quarter of TheMoveChannel.com’s Cayman Islands listings compared to Grand Cayman, which is home to 53 per cent. Despite that – and even with buyers actively searching for property on the largest island – the tinier of the two generated more enquiries in the past 12 months. Is that because there were better returns from Little Cayman for investors thanks to softer property prices, or a sign that even Grand Cayman’s traditional hotspot of the Seven-Mile Beach has a new rival for lifestyle appeal? Either way, as the cold nights set in and buyers dream of Caribbean sun, the rising popularity of the Cayman Islands could yet surprise us all.”

Click here for the full infographic.

Notes to Editors

Founded in 1999, TheMoveChannel.com is the leading independent website for international property, with than 400,000 listings in over 100 countries around the world, marketed on behalf of agents, developers and private owners.

The website address is http://www.themovechannel.com and the office address is 24 Jack’s Place, Corbet Place, Spitalfields, London, E1 6NN.

Map of the Cayman Islands courtesy of Wikimedia Commons under a Creative Commons licence.

Contact Dan Johnson on 0207 952 7650 for further information.

Get your glad rags on and chequebook ready; it’s the OPPLive Gala Dinner!

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom

In just 2 weeks time, the great and the good of the overseas property industry will be getting their glad rags on and making their way to the auspicious OPPLive 2013 Gala Dinner.

Held at the Natural History Museum, one of the finest buildings in Central London on Wednesday 27th November 2013, attendees of the OPPLive Gala Dinner will read as a “Who’s Who?” of the industry as developers, agents and international property professionals alike gather for an evening of celebration.

Marking the close of the first day of the OPPLive 2013 event, the Gala Dinner will also reveal the winners of the OPP Awards of Excellence 2013 and host, for the second year running the Frontiers Foundation charity auction.

Xavier Wiggins, Founder and Organiser of OPPLive, comments,

“In 2012 our prestigious social networking event, the OPP Gala Dinner, made a spectacular return after a three year break. As well as playing host to the annual OPP Awards for Excellence, the OPP Gala Dinner is an excellent opportunity to entertain existing and new partners and also to host your colleagues in an environment of fun and networking.

With over 400 guests already confirmed, superb food, drink and entertainment lined up, the 2013 OPP Gala Dinner is sure to be a glittering event not to be missed.

The evening will also host the Frontiers Foundation Charity Auction for the second year running. Following last years highly successful auction which raised £7,750 for a Kenyan orphanage, this year the Frontiers Foundation Trustees are raising the bar, aiming to reach a staggering £10,000 for a very worthwhile schools project in Nepal.

With well-known industry personality Paul Owen of Sales Talent Spotters as auctioneer and some superb lots available including fine dining vouchers courtesy of Gaucho, a Methuselah of champagne donated by Barton Wyatt, use of a London black cab from Rightmove, premiership football tickets from SmartCurrency Exchange and a weekend in Cyprus courtesy of Property Frontiers plus many more, guests are reminded to bring their chequebooks!

For more information and to purchase your OPP Gala Dinner 2013 tickets or indeed reserve a table, visit http://www.opp-connect.com/awards/index.php/opp-gala-dinner-tickets

Mongolia’s new investment law attracts foreign buyer interest from across the globe

by Charlotte Ashton Mongolia

One of the most significant events to happen in Mongolia in recent years is today’s introduction of the new investment law by the Mongolian parliament. As of Friday 1st November 2013, the new law will overturn two previous pieces of legislation, making the financial environment within Mongolia much more attractive to foreign investors.

In a nutshell, the new law means that the playing field has been levelled for domestic and foreign investors with the change tipped to boost investor confidence worldwide.

  • New law on investment in Mongolia takes effect today, 1st November 2013
  • Playing field levelled for domestic and foreign investors
  • International investor confidence should return to “Asian Wolf” economy

One of the most attractive features of the new investment law is that it sets stable tax periods based on the investment amount and the location within the country, with rates set for between 5 and 22.5 years. The rules are applied based on the day a contract is signed and are not subject to the changing legal environment during the lifetime of the deal.

Ray Withers, CEO of award-winning property investment experts, Property Frontiers, with a proven track record in Mongolia explains,

“Previously there have been concerns over how foreign investors are treated compared to domestic investors. Every 4 years, with a change of government, there were worries that the rules might be altered to the disadvantage of foreign investors but now, under this new piece of much-welcomed legislation, foreign investors know where they stand today and into the future.”

Indeed, as the managing director of Mongolian Investment Banking Group LLC, said “Tax stabilization measures and provisions that will help to prevent future changes to the legislation should provide investors with the confidence that they need to return to the market.”

And this investor confidence is set to spread to the Mongolian property sector. Previous foreign investors who purchased residential property in the capital Ulaanbaatar through Property Frontiers have seen average returns of 24% and up to 300% capital growth over the last 4 years with many keen to reinvest into the country’s lucrative commercial sector.

With the Mongolian capital witnessing real estate prices rise eightfold since 2001 and commercial rentals predicted to triple over the next 5 years as more international companies enter the market, now is the time to cash in on commercial property in Ulaanbaatar.

Property Frontiers’ latest offering in the Mongolian capital, The Village @ Nukht, presents a superb opportunity to purchase a luxury retail unit, on a freehold basis (rarely seen in Asia) from just USD 254,000.

A luxury shopping and leisure centre located in Ulaanbaatar’s “Billionaire Valley”, construction at The Village @ Nukht is well underway with completion due by the end of Q4 2013. Offering expected rental returns of 14.8% NET, an assured yield of 12% for 24 months and up to 20% capital appreciation per annum, this is one opportunity not to be missed.

For more information on The Village @ Nukht contact Property Frontiers today on +44 1865 202 700 or visit www.propertyfrontiers.com.

Tenant survey reveals the good (and bad) landlords

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom

As the government prepares to regulate the private rented sector more closely with a code of practice and a draft Tenant’s Charter, the UK’s largest online letting agent, Upad.co.uk publishes research into what tenants believe makes a good or bad landlord.

 

Upad asked 720 tenants what they thought made an ideal landlord and the answers highlight the qualities that tenant cherish most. Highly rated landlords are those who deal with problems quickly, give plenty of notice before entering a property, consult on when repairs will take place and keep in contact throughout the tenancy.

 

Some 95% of all tenants say landlords being easy to contact is ‘essential’ or ‘very important’ but not all are worried about other ‘minimum standards’ as one might assume. Only 88% believe it essential or very important that the property was property maintained and just 37% expect a landlord to give the correct notice before entering a property, which should be a minimum of 24 hours written notice. And 89% think it essential or very important that a landlord consult with them on the timing of repairs to a property.

 

Tenants were also asked what one piece of advice they would offer landlords and the answers reveal the less cordial aspects of the landlord/tenant relationship. This includes to ‘fix things when we say they are wrong – not if you think they are a danger’; ‘follow through on your words’; ‘respond to issues seriously – it´s someone´s home, albeit temporarily’ and ‘do jobs properly and not cut corners to save money’.

 

Other landlord behaviour that clearly annoys tenants includes those who moan about the cost of repairs, accidental landlords who are too precious about their former homes, landlords who charge excessive admin fees and those who rely too much on ‘cheap furniture from IKEA’. The most common comment on a more philosophical note is that tenants dislike being treated like an ‘income stream’ and not a ‘real person’.

 

James Davis, Founder of Upad.co.uk and a landlord of 15 years’ experience commented: “The results of the survey show that to be successful as a landlord the same rules apply as for any business: invest time listening to your customers’ needs and you’ll earn their loyalty and respect.”

 

 

Notes for Editors

 

Upad has taken the traditional high street lettings agent model and deconstructed it. Like the dating and travel categories before it, Upad empowers the customer with all the tools and support they need to self-manage their properties. 

 

Upad.co.uk offers immediate cost savings over using a traditional agent and offers landlords the largest online property distribution platform, ensuring extensive exposure for their properties – thereby maximising tenant leads. Tenants find a great choice of properties from professional landlords, and are treated openly and fairly throughout.

 

In September 2013, Upad reached its 6,000th transacted landlord and continues to grow exponentially every quarter as it drives true change in the lettings market.