Certainty in an uncertain world – post-Brexit investors turn to commercial property and fixed returns

Certainty in an uncertain world – post-Brexit investors turn to commercial property and fixed returns

by Eleanor United Kingdom
  • 20% increase in commercial property enquiries since EU referendum (Properties of the World)
  • Residential buy-to-let yields averaging just 5% (Zoopla)
  • Commercial property offering everything from 10% returns (Caer Rhun Hall) to fixed returns for up to 25 years (Wagons Way)

Visionary property investment consultancy, Properties of the World, has reported a marked increase in enquiries regarding commercial property investments, following the UK’s decision to leave the EU.

Investors are searching for certainty in a newly uncertain world and for many the answers lie in the fixed rate returns offered by UK commercial investment opportunities such as care homes and student accommodation schemes.

Jean Liggett, Founder and Managing Director of Properties of the World, explains,

“In simple terms, fixed returns mean certainty, and that is precisely what an increasing number of investors are looking for right now. We’ve received a 20% uptick in enquiries for commercial property investments since the UK’s Brexit vote.

“Buyers like the fact that hotels, student accommodation and care homes offer fixed returns over five or more years. The fact that the return is considerably higher than residential buy-to-lets further adds to the appeal. This is a proven market experiencing increasingly strong demand.”

Investors in Wagons Way care home in Washington, North East England, for example, can look forward to fixed rate rental income of 8% per annum for up to 25 years. With a purchase price of £58,500, the 58 bed facility offers ROI of up to 225%. With bank savings generating returns of up to 1%, it’s easy to see why many people are choosing to use their savings to buy commercial property, which offers far greater, fixed rate returns.

Fixed rate returns provide peace of mind and mitigate risk. The world as we know it may be experiencing major upheaval, but that only serves to make fixed rate investments more appealing.

Properties of the World’s Jean Liggett continues,

“With fixed rate commercial investments, investors know that they will get an 8% return (for example) year in year out. With residential buy-to-lets the returns aren’t fixed and many buyers are afraid that they could end up out of pocket, particularly with so many unknown economic and political factors coming in to play over the next two years as the UK disentangles itself from the EU.”

Jean cites Dye Works in Bradford as an example. The contemporary student accommodation scheme offers a three year fixed annual income return of 8%, with a 6% coupon during the construction period. A limited number of single rooms are available for investment from £65,000.

The other attraction of commercial property investment is the fact that it is fully managed and doesn’t incur extra costs. Buy-to-let landlords run the risk of tenants damaging their properties, void periods and repair bills when something goes wrong, as well as having to stump up for the cost of insurance. A hotel investment mitigates all of these risks, ensuring that the buyer is not suddenly out of pocket due to redecoration costs or a lack of tenants.

At Caer Rhun Hall in North Wales, investors can enjoy sitting back and making money while having nothing to do with the management of the hotel. Their £50,000 investment generates 10% returns per annum, far surpassing average buy-to-let yields, which stood at an average of 5% across the UK for the period from 01/01/2015 to 18/02/2016, according to Zoopla. Plus, investors in Caer Rhun Hall can enjoy the added bonus of two weeks’ usage of their hotel room every year.

Properties of the World’s Jean Liggett concludes,

“The uncertainty caused by the Brexit referendum isn’t going to go away anytime soon, so it follows that commercial property investment is going to enjoy a sustained surge over the next couple of years as buyers seek out certainty in an uncertain time”

For further details visit www.propertiesoftheworld.co.uk, email info@propertiesoftheworld.co.uk or call the team on +44 (0)20 7624 5555.

Buyers shun city centres for country villas when it comes to lifestyle investment in Iberia

Buyers shun city centres for country villas when it comes to lifestyle investment in Iberia

by Eleanor Portugal Spain
  • Portugal offers 3rd highest non-urban yields in Europe (World First)
  • Spain is most sought after European destination in 2016 (TheMoveChannel.com)
  • Iberia flagged up as the perfect lifestyle investment choice (Ideal Homes International)

Europe’s capitals make for exciting holidays and interesting property investments, but when it comes to yields it’s worth looking beyond the big smoke and considering the countryside.

Chris White, Founding Director of boutique Algarve estate agency Ideal Homes International, explains,

“Areas like Portugal’s Algarve show the value of looking beyond urban boundaries when it comes to investing. While city breaks are popular and apartments there can be great for personal use as well as for short and long-term rentals, country and coastal properties also have excellent potential.”

Indeed, the recent World First report showed that Portugal is one of the top countries in Europe when it comes to yields for properties outside cities, with yields of 6.57% (only the Netherlands and Turkey could compete, offering 6.78% and 6.65% respectively).

Such attractive yields have led many buyers to turn to Portugal as a means of buying their dream holiday home and making an investment at the same time. The Algarve’s fabulous climate, stunning coastline, world-renowned golf courses and laid back lifestyle has made it a popular holiday destination for decades and many buyers choose to rent out their holiday home while not using it themselves.

“With such attractive yields available, it certainly makes financial sense to consider the Algarve as an investment destination,” continues Ideal Homes International’s Chris White. “It’s a great location for a lifestyle investment, particularly given it’s less than a three hour flight from most parts of the UK.”

A country villa with its own pool and sea views in the pretty area of Boliqueime offers buyers a taste of the luxury rural Portuguese lifestyle, just 20 minutes from Faro airport. The three bedroom home (two of which come with private sun terraces) is on the market for €395,000.

Spain is another popular investment destination with it comes to holiday home buyers who also want to use their property. According to TheMoveChannel.com, Spain has received more enquiries than any other European destination thus far in 2016, followed by Portugal in second place.

Like Portugal, Spain offers some stunning countryside properties, often at excellent prices compared with other European destinations. Super luxurious properties costing well under €1 million are offered in abundance, such as this three bedroom villa with panoramic views of the rolling countryside in Mijas, available for €790,000. The home boasts several terraces, some covered for comfortable al fresco dining, even in the height of summer, as well as a generously proportioned pool.

Investment properties such as these are ideal for buyers looking not just to generate income from their second home but also to use it to escape the stresses and strains of modern life. Plentiful sunshine and your own swimming pool certainly help with that, as does the knowledge that when you leave the property can earn money in your absence!

For further details call Ideal Homes International on 0800 133 7644 or +351 289 513 434, email info@idealhomesinternational.co.uk or visit www.idealhomesinternational.co.uk.

 

UK tourism sector already reaping the benefits of Brexit

UK tourism sector already reaping the benefits of Brexit

by Eleanor United Kingdom
  • Sterling could drop as low as $1.15 (HSBC)
  • US searches for UK holidays up 54% (Kayak)
  • Overnight domestic trips hit record levels, up 23% in 1 year (VisitEngland)
  • Hotel investments set to benefit from Brexit (Properties of the World)

The UK hospitality sector is looking forward to a bumper summer, as sterling’s drop in value following the Brexit vote is set to create a two-fold increase in tourism for UK destinations.

The pound plummeted after Britain’s ‘leave’ vote, dropping to a 30-year low of US$1.3236. Nor is that the lowest it’s likely to go: Standard Bank Group Ltd has predicted we’ve only seen half the decline that we’re likely to see this year. Prior to the referendum, HSBC projected a drop to as little as $1.15.

While that might not be great news in many respects, it’s a fantastic situation for the UK’s hospitality industry. UK tourists looking to avoid overseas holidays this year, due to their increased cost, are expected to opt for domestic travel for their summer breaks. Meanwhile, visitors are predicted to pour in from overseas, as holidays in the UK just got a whole lot cheaper for those paying in other currencies.

Since the Brexit decision, overseas travel sites have reported a significant jump in enquiries for UK holidays. Kayak noted a 54% increase in US searches for fares to Britain, Travelzoo reported a 35% rise and young people’s travel booking site StudentUniverse reported that flights had doubled from a year ago. Meanwhile Ctrip.com International reported that Chinese searches for UK holidays had “skyrocketed” since the vote, while British Airways owners IAG SA has stated that it is expecting the weaker pound to boost tourist flows to the UK.

Edouard Meylan, chief executive officer of Swiss watchmaker H. Moser & Cie, comments,

“I wouldn’t be surprised to see Chinese and Middle Eastern tourists flocking to the UK as their purchasing value has increased. People are ready to travel to get a 5 to 10 to 20 percent discount.”

The expected boom for the UK tourism industry follows a record-breaking first quarter to 2016. VisitEngland reported the amount spent on overnight domestic holiday trips in England during Q1 2016 rose to a peak of £1.8 billion, up 23% compared with Q1 2015. Domestic overnight holiday trip numbers (as reported in the Great British Tourism Survey) also hit record levels, at 7.3 million visits, up 10% compared to a year earlier. Meanwhile VisitBritain has reported a 46% surge in Chinese visitor numbers during 2015, which is excellent news for the UK’s luxury goods market, as well as its hospitality sector.

Colliers International concurs, observing that the hospitality industry enjoyed a 5% rise in visitor numbers to the UK in the year to April 2016.

Being outside of the EU may also bring other benefits. Kurt Janson, director of the Tourism Alliance, has observed that the UK will now have the opportunity to shape its tourism industry to be more competitive than its European counterparts, as it will be free up to address significant issues like the Package Travel Directive and the Tour Operators Margin Scheme in new ways.

The expected rise in domestic tourism, with more families opting for staycations due to the weaker pound, should also give the industry a boost. Nick Varney, chairman of the British Hospitality Association, concludes,

“I think that a weaker currency, particularly the pound versus the euro, is good news for tourism in this country.”

Nor is it just tourism that will benefit. Jean Liggett, Managing Director of visionary property investment consultancy, Properties of the World, comments,

“We’re likely to see a noticeable rise in investment from overseas when it comes to hotel and resort investments in the UK. Not only is demand for UK holidays expected to rise this summer, but for buyers abroad, investment in the UK is now cheaper thanks to sterling’s fall. UK investors are also likely to flock to the hotel industry, as it is set to offer more stability over the coming months than things like commodities, which are expected to endure some pretty turbulent times as the Brexit process takes shape.”

Caer Rhun Hall in the beautiful North Wales countryside is the perfect example. Its sumptuous rooms are available from £50,000, with returns of 10% per annum, a 125% assured buy-back option and full management. Investors can also enjoy two weeks’ usage per year at no cost, which is ideal in light of the current trend for UK-based staycations.

Leaving the EU is likely to be a difficult process in many respects for the UK, but as far as the tourism sector is concerned, business is booming and the future is bright.

For further details visit www.propertiesoftheworld.co.uk, email info@propertiesoftheworld.co.uk or call the team on +44 (0)20 7624 5555.

From property prices to petiscos, the Algarve is the place to be this summer

From property prices to petiscos, the Algarve is the place to be this summer

by Eleanor Portugal
  • Algarve property prices increase for first time since 2008 (Knight Frank)
  • Investor interest in Algarve increasing (Ideal Homes Portugal)
  • Gourmet ‘Rota do Petisco’ tapas trail sees well over 100 restaurants take part in 2016

Whether it’s good news about property prices or the perfect place to indulge your love of gourmet food, the Algarve is the place to be this summer.

According to Knight Frank’s Inside View Portugal 2016 report, the Algarve recorded its first annual increase in prime prices since 2008 in 2015. Buyers have been enticed back to the area by a combination of its ongoing infrastructure improvements (the main A22 motorway, which runs the length of the Algarve, and the €32m expansion of Faro Airport) and its plentiful tourist attractions (stunning weather, 37 pristine golf courses and well over 100 fabulous beaches – 88 of them with Blue Flags – to name just a few).

Nearly 50 airlines now serve Faro Airport, with passenger numbers jumping by 35% in the decade to 2015. While the area is traditionally popular with British, Irish and German buyers, the pool of those interested in buying property in the Algarve has been widening for several years. Data from Knight Frank shows an increase from buyers of 128 nationalities searching for Algarve property in 2012, to buyers of 147 nationalities searching in 2015.

Despite its increasing property prices, the Algarve remains the best value destination in the world, according to the 2016 Post Office Travel Money World Holiday Costs Barometer. The low cost of food and drink were key factors in Portugal topping the chart. An ice-cold beer usually costs €1 in the less touristy eastern end of the Algarve and excellent wines are available in the supermarket for €4 or €5 per bottle, costing around double that in restaurants. Super strong, delicious coffee costs from €0.70.

Interestingly, given the low prices, Portugal has a rapidly growing reputation for the quality of its food. Already known for its hearty seafood stews and rice dishes, the area is now enjoying a booming reputation as the place to indulge in ‘petiscos’ – the Portuguese equivalent of tapas. This summer will see the Rota do Petisco (Tapas Route) run from May until September, with over 100 restaurants taking part. Visitors can purchase a route passport for €1 (profits go to local charities), then access a huge range of petiscos in participating restaurants along the Algarve. The snacks, which include everything from octopus cakes to yoghurt ice cream with almond sigh and cherry syrup, are available for €3 including a drink. Desserts with liqueur are available for €2.

“The Algarve’s culinary offering has really changed over the last few years,” comments local businessman Chris White, Founding Director of boutique estate agency Ideal Homes Portugal. “What’s great is that the food has remained true to its roots, with strong influences of seafood, black pork, tomato, onion and coriander. But recently there has been a push to elevate Algarvian cuisine from its peasant food origins into something more refined and the results have been outstanding. The Rota do Petisco is perfect for highlighting that.”

Ideal Homes Portugal has observed an increase in those looking for investment property in the Algarve recently, with rising prices adding to the attraction of owning a rental property there. This two bedroom ground floor apartment in Lagos (a town firmly on the Rota do Petisco map) is close to the beach and enjoys its own private garden with built in barbecue as well as a high spec kitchen, Jacuzzi bath, built in sound system and central vacuum. The development also includes a communal swimming pool and Jacuzzi. On the market for €255,000, the property comes with an “excellent rental history” thanks to its superior features, condition and location.

Investors looking for a villa with excellent rental potential towards the eastern end of the Algarve would do well to consider this stunning linked villa in Castro Marim. Just 30 minutes from Faro Airport and less than 10 minutes from Spain, Castro Marim is known for its two beautiful castles, fabulous golf courses and lively mid-summer Medieval festival. Available for €400,000, the front line property is surrounded by a combination of golf course, ocean, nature reserve and the pretty Guardiana river. The villa comes complete with three bedrooms, three bathrooms, two private terraces and pool. The master bedroom benefits from under-floor heating, Jacuzzi bath, dressing room and upper level terrace.

For further details call Ideal Homes International on 0800 133 7644 or +351 289 513 434, email info@idealhomesinternational.co.uk or visit www.idealhomesinternational.co.uk.

Holidaymakers and investors both spellbound by the beauty of North Wales

Holidaymakers and investors both spellbound by the beauty of North Wales

by Eleanor United Kingdom
  • Wales one of 2016’s Top 10 Countries (Rough Guide)
  • Visitor numbers set to boom in 2017 thanks to Year of Legends (Welsh Government)
  • Hotel room investment in stunning countryside retreat available from £50k (Properties of the World)

When it comes to enjoying the best that outdoor Great British life has to offer, Wales is undoubtedly the place to be. With soaring mountains, stunning coastline and a whole load of adventure activities to set pulses racing, Wales is the ideal holiday destination for visitors from the UK and overseas.

Jean Liggett, Managing Director of visionary property investment consultancy, Properties of the World, comments:

“Wales offers the perfect blend of natural, unspoilt countryside, old world charm and super contemporary adventure. Whether you’re travelling alone, with young children or with easily bored teenagers, Wales makes a great destination that will charm and entertain all those who visit.”

Liggett knows Wales well through her company, which is offering hotel room investments at the stunning Caer Rhun Hall. The hotel is located in the heart of the Conwy Valley, set in 20 acres of breathtaking grounds, with beautiful countryside stretching for miles around. Built by General Hugh Gough in 1892, the three story mansion is a traditional countryside delight, featuring crow-stepped gables over the bays, a slate roof with heavily ornamented roofline, towering chimneys and thin columnar finials topped with stone balls.

The market town of Conwy is just 7km away, with its pretty beach, majestic castle, ancient walls with 22 towers and the smallest house in Great Britain offering a delightful range of sights and family activities. Further afield, the surrounding Llandudno countryside is awash with everything from classic seaside pursuits at Blue Flag beaches (think piers, Punch and Judy and small tots balanced on donkeys) to art exhibitions and theatres. The whole of the Snowdonia National Park is also easily accessible, offering some of the most picturesque scenery in Great Britain, as well as the opportunity to scale one of the UK’s most famous mountains.

Such a wealth of activities makes hotel investment in northern Wales an attractive prospect. Investment at Caer Rhun Hall is from £50,000, with a range of luxurious rooms and villas to choose from. Investors can benefit from a hands-off, fully managed investment with 10% returns per annum, 125% assured buy-back option and even two weeks’ personal usage per year.

Conwy and the surrounding countryside, where Caer Rhun Hall is located, will be one of the regions to benefit from the projected boost in tourism that Wales is set to enjoy in 2017, which has been designated the ‘Year of Legends’ by the Welsh Government. Deputy Minister for Culture Sport and Tourism, Ken Skates, explains:

“The Year of Legends 2017 presents an opportunity to build on the truly distinctive identity Wales has on the world stage, by allowing us to capitalise on Wales’s rich culture and heritage to stand-apart from our competitors. In doing so, we want to reinforce positive perceptions of our country, and position Wales as a high-quality, relevant and contemporary 21st century destination.”

Wales is already enjoying a booming reputation as an international tourism destination. The country was included in the Rough Guide’s Top 10 Countries 2016, which promised that, “culture vultures, foodies, festival junkies, adventurers, hikers and extreme sports enthusiasts will be spellbound here.” Now, with investments like Caer Rhun Hall offering a low entry point and excellent returns, investors in Wales can be spellbound too!

For further details visit www.propertiesoftheworld.co.uk, email info@propertiesoftheworld.co.uk or call the team on +44 (0)20 7624 5555.

England wins Euro 2016 real estate cup

England wins Euro 2016 real estate cup

by Eleanor France Spain Turkey United Kingdom
  • Turkey tops house price growth in Europe
  • Spain leads foreign buyer demand
  • Spain, England, Turkey and France go through to semi-finals
  • England beats France thanks to rising property values

They may not be the favourites to win Euro 2016, but when it comes to real estate, this is England’s year. Property portal TheMoveChannel.com pitted the housing markets of the 24 countries against each other in a property tournament to end all property tournaments.

The site compared each country across three key categories: house price growth in the 12 months to Q1 2016, using Knight Frank’s Global House Price Index, the number of properties listed for sale on the international site, and demand from investors, measured by the number of enquiries from buyers on TheMoveChannel.com in the 12 months to June 2016.

Combined, the factors give a rounded portrait of a country’s property market, from overall health to investment potential.

Click here to see the full infographic.

Turkey tops house price table

In terms of house prices, Turkey’s property market is number one in Europe. According to Knight Frank’s Global House Price Index, the country has seen property values soar 15.3 per cent in the year to Q1 2016, ahead of Sweden (12.9 per cent) and Austria (7.6 per cent).

Turkey has enjoyed the strongest house price growth in the world for the last three quarters in a row, fuelled by the country’s rapidly growing population, ongoing infrastructure development and high demand.

Spain leads foreign investment league

Spain is the most popular destination in Europe for foreign buyers, attracting the highest number of enquiries on TheMoveChannel.com in the year to 2016. It is followed by investor favourites Portugal, France, Turkey and Italy. Italy is also the country with the most properties for sale on the site as of June 2016, ahead of England, Spain, France and Portugal.

Quarter-Finals: Battle of the holiday home hotspots

Following the format of the Euro 2016 tournament, the categories were used to determine the top performers from each group, before progressing through the knockout stages of the competition.

In the quarter-finals, Spain slipped past Switzerland through sheer force of buyer demand; England advanced over Portugal due to stronger price growth and a higher inventory of homes for sale; Turkey triumphed over Germany, thanks to its unbeatable house price growth; and France flew past Austria, boosted by its lifestyle appeal.

Semi-Finals: Familiar favourites triumph

While Spain is the most popular destination in Europe on TheMoveChannel.com, England edged past its continental cousin, powered by its stronger house price growth (5.3 per cent versus 2.4 per cent) and a higher number of properties for sale, making it easier for investors to find an opportunity.

France’s house price growth may be low compared to Turkey’s (0.5 per cent versus 15.3 per cent), but with French mortgage rates at record lows, demand for the country’s real estate is hard to match, with France receiving 27 per cent more enquiries in the year to June 2016.

Final: England knocks out France

England’s housing market puts 50 years of hurt to rest with a victory over the Euro 2016 hosts. Due to a chronic lack of supply, England’s property values have been accelerating for some time. In the 12 months to June 2016, prices have risen 5.3 per cent, according to Knight Frank, compared to France’s 0.5 per cent. England also has more properties for sale. France, however, scores a consolation goal with a higher level of buyer interest, primarily because of people searching for property in the UK in general, instead of specifically in England.

 

Notes to Editors

About Lead Galaxy and TheMoveChannel.com

Founded in 1999, www.TheMoveChannel.com is the leading independent website for international property, with more than 1.4 million listings in over 100 countries around the world, marketed on behalf of agents, developers and private owners.

TheMoveChannel.com is one of more than a dozen international property sites operated under the Lead Galaxy brand. Lead Galaxy provides online marketing solutions to thousands of property companies worldwide, focusing on portal listings, email marketing, qualified leads, paid search and social media advertising.

The business is headquartered at 24 Jack’s Place, Corbet Place, Shoreditch, London, E1 6NN.

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Tipi – taking the pain out of renting in London

by Eleanor United Kingdom
  • 60% of Londoners will rent their homes within 10 years (PwC)
  • Simple leasing process with no agency fees attracting attention at Wembley Park (Tipi)
  • Tipi apartments available from £1,550 with utilities and broadband included

Once upon a time, renting a new home used to be a stressful process. Endless phone calls, time wasted waiting around for agents to turn up for viewings, endless paperwork and spiralling agency costs were just a few of the hassles that made up the process. But now, thankfully, there is another way.

Michael Allen, Head of PRS at Tipi, the lifestyle-focused rental operator at Wembley Park, North West London, explains,

“In the year 2000, 60% of Londoners owned their own home, but according to PwC’s research, 60% of the capital’s population will be renting by 2025. We feel that it’s time those renters got a better deal, so that’s precisely what we’ve done at Tipi. From the quality of the apartment to the superb, hotel-inspired amenities and services, Tipi is all about taking renting to the next level for Londoners.”

Tipi’s rental process itself exemplifies this new approach. Interested customers book a viewing with the on-site Tipi team, enjoy a one-to-one tour and then select the apartment they love the most. A flexible range of lease terms is available, designed to suit the differing needs of individual tenants rather than force a ‘one size fits all’ approach on renters.

Reservations can be made with the Tipi team or online and references are checked by a friendly online agency. Documents can be signed online and payment transferred electronically. Then all the renter has to do is turn up and collect their keys.

The simple leasing process will be seen as a breath of fresh air for many of those who rent in the capital, particularly when they discover that the agency fees for the process come to the grand total of £0.

This simplicity is carried through to other areas of the Tipi development. Utility and broadband bills for the one, two and three bedroom apartments are included in the rent, thus reducing tenants’ life admin. Superfast broadband is instantly available throughout the building – so new tenants don’t have to waste time finding a provider, arranging installation and setting up a new account.

The online My Tipi service makes things even easier. Tipi customers can use it to take care of everything from ordering cleaning services to arranging to have their washing or dry cleaning done.

Apartments at Tipi are priced from £1,550 pcm. Not only does that include a stylish home, utility bills and broadband bills, but there’s also a hotel-style concierge service and the Deckhouse and Nest shared lounges, which include comfy seating, Sky Sports, a pool table, kitchenette and more. There’s even an outside terrace off the Deckhouse, as well as the acre of beautifully landscaped water gardens surrounding the building.

By providing Londoners with an all-inclusive, hotel-inspired rental service of this nature, Tipi has raised the bar when it comes to renting, turning the fairytale dream of a happy, painless rental process in London into an everyday reality.

For more information or to book a viewing with the Tipi team, visit www.tipi.london or call 020 3151 1927.

 

Notes to Editors

About Tipi @TipiLondon

Tipi is a subsidiary of Quintain, the London focussed property development specialist and the team behind Wembley Park. Tipi is a ‘Build to Rent’ or Private Rental Sector (PRS) management company which builds, manages and leases contemporary apartments to customers without charging agents’ fees. Unique to Tipi is that Quintain owns and operates the wider Wembley Park estate which ensures the environment surrounding the apartments is safe, controlled, clean and well connected.

Tipi’s first PRS buildings, Montana & Dakota offer brand new 1, 2 & 3 bedroom apartments with rents inclusive of all utility bills and superfast broadband. Most apartments boast a balcony and all benefit from access to an acre of private gardens. 24 hour concierge and night security meet customers’ everyday needs and additional services can be added to tenancy agreements such as secure underground parking, cleaning, laundry and dry cleaning services.

Two lounges are available for Montana & Dakota residents to use and include superfast 100 Mb/s broadband, Sky TV and Sky Sports and later this year a gym and cinema room will open within the building.

About Wembley Park @WembleyPark

Wembley Park is the development by Quintain which is transforming the 85 acre area around Wembley Stadium and The SSE Arena, bringing together new shopping at London Designer Outlet, leisure facilities, new homes and beautiful public spaces to create a major new destination and residential neighbourhood for London.

Wembley Park will be home to thousands of high-quality homes and a vibrant new community who will enjoy everything Wembley Park has to offer including tree-lined boulevards, regular outdoor market programmes and more.

The SSE Arena and Wembley Stadium continue to attract the best names in sport, music and entertainment.

Wembley Park is extremely well connected with two overland train stations (nine minutes to Marylebone), two tube stations (19 minutes to the West End), over 3000 parking spaces and excellent road links to motorways including the M1, M40 and M25.

Why are investors checking out of UK buy-to-let and checking in to hotel investment?

Why are investors checking out of UK buy-to-let and checking in to hotel investment?

by Eleanor United Kingdom
  • Hotel investment up by 50% globally in 2015 (JLL)
  • UK hotel investment at 9 year high of £8.1 billion (Savills)
  • Low price point, 10% returns, no stamp duty and no hassle are prime attractions (Properties of the World)

The 3% stamp duty increase that came into effect in April 2016 has made many investors more cautious about the potential of buy-to-let property in the UK. Instead, many have been turning to hotel investment, as Jean Liggett, Managing Director of visionary property investment consultancy, Properties of the World, explains:

“Hotel investment offers a number of advantages over residential buy-to-let. Hotel rooms tend to have a lower entry point, offer higher returns and don’t have any of the management hassle that is associated with becoming a landlord. While there’s been a lot of talk about buy-to-let investment in the press, the hotel investment sector has been quietly booming. It’s the place to be for those looking for healthy returns without having to worry about extra stamp duty fees.”

The Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL) Hotel Investment Outlook 2016 confirms the size of that boom. Hotel deal volumes increased by a staggering 50% in 2015, to a global value of $85 billion. There were a number of ‘trophy sales’ during the year, with a record proportion of single asset transactions and cross-border capital. Altogether, just 30 cities around the world account for roughly 66% of global value when it comes to the hotel market.

2015 was also an excellent year for hotel investment within the UK. Savills reported a nine year high of £8.1 billion worth of transaction volumes, up 31.6% over 2014’s £6.1 billion.

With fewer trophy sales expected, 2016 should be a more measured year for the hotel investment sector, with secondary markets grabbing the headlines and providing the most fertile investment market over the course of the year, according to JLL.

Certainly in the UK the figures stack up favorably when compared with buy-to-let investment. The country’s highest yielding market (Manchester, according to HSBC), offers returns of 7.98% gross. However, hotel investments such as Caer Rhun Hall in North Wales offer returns of 10% per annum.

The low price point is also an attraction. Luxurious hotel rooms in the stunning, Grade II listed, Elizabethan-style Caer Rhun redevelopment are available from £50,000. Investors would be hard pressed indeed to find a decent buy-to-let property in the UK for that amount!

Steady returns and no worries about maintenance make hotel room investments even more attractive to many. Properties of the World’s Jean Liggett continues:

“The lack of maintenance requirements is a big plus for many investors. As a buy-to-let landlord, if something breaks in your rental property it’s going to impact on your time and your finances until it’s fixed. With a hotel investment, the management company will take care of such issues plus more. It’s a much more hands-off investment. Hotel investments can also offer additional lifestyle benefits with several including free usage each year – just one of the many advantages over buy-to-let.”

Caer Rhun Hall does just that: investors get to use their room for two weeks every year, free of charge, enjoying the delightful, walled Welsh market town of Conwy, with its stunning countryside surroundings and of course, the truly iconic Conwy castle.

2016 looks to be a promising year for hotel investment in Wales. The most recent tourism figures (for the year of 2014) show that the country received 10 million overnight visitors from Great Britain during the year. Wales attracted an additional 932,000 international visitors during the same period bringing in £368 million. Visitors came from around the world, with the greatest concentration from the Republic of Ireland (148,000 visitors), France (111,000), Germany (92,000) and the USA (90,000). Interim 2015 figures indicated growth over the 2014 numbers.

The Welsh government is pushing for further growth each year, with annual campaigns designed to show the breadth of excitement available to those who visit Wales: 2016 has been marketed as the Year of Adventure and 2017, the Year of Legends.

However it’s dressed up, Wales is enjoying significant interest in its tourism offering and it’s an offering that has caught the attention of many would-be and former buy-to-let investors. As Properties of the World’s Jean Liggett concludes,

“At the end of the day, investors vote with their feet, and right now we’re seeing increasing numbers of them walking away from the buy-to-let sector in favour of hotel investment. Hotels generate greater returns per square meter, come with less hassle and don’t present any additional charges like stamp duty or buildings insurance. That’s why investments like Caer Rhun Hall are being snapped up so fast.”

For further details visit www.propertiesoftheworld.co.uk, email info@propertiesoftheworld.co.uk or call the team on +44 (0)20 7624 5555.

 

Interview: Nakheel discusses the changing face of Dubai property

Interview: Nakheel discusses the changing face of Dubai property

by Eleanor Dubai

Dubai has long been associated with luxury developments and extravagant architecture, but the emirate’s property market continues to grow and mature – and it’s a change that is welcomed by developer Nakheel.

The company behind the iconic Palm Jumeirah was in London at The Dubai Property Show this month. In an exclusive interview with TheMoveChannel.com, Chief Commercial Officer Aqil Kazim discussed the changing face of the Dubai real estate.

Here are seven insights from inside Dubai’s property market:

1. Speculators are being replaced by end users

“We’re seeing a shift from speculator market to a more end user market, which is what Dubai was looking to do anyway. It’s very healthy. Today, we sell to end users more than speculators and this is what we’re all about. Reasons to invest are perhaps rental yield, perhaps the lifestyle of Dubai, perhaps you have family and friends there, perhaps you want a second home.”

“The situation in Dubai was… the speed at which capital appreciation was happening was just too fast and a lot of people wanted to jump on that opportunity, which is not wrong, but it’s not something that we encourage. We would like some speculation, but not the entire thing based on speculation.”

2. Cooling prices are not a concern

Dubai’s prices cooled last year, but the mood is positive in the real estate industry.

“I call that a correction more than anything else. There are a few factors causing that – overall, there’s a global effect. Interestingly, rentals haven’t dropped as fast as prices have dropped, so the yields are actually increasing – again, it’s becoming more and more attractive for people who are looking into buying and investing and leasing or even choosing it as a home because they’re getting better prices. As far as Nakheel is concerned, we have projects in both high end categories as well as investment categories, so we have a variety of options.”

3. Brits: Nakheel’s third largest group of investors outside the Middle East

British investment in Dubai has been there for many years, says Kazim.

“The relationship between the two cities of London and Dubai has been a close relationship. There are a lot of similarities. Both are central hubs for trade, finance. The reasons to select Dubai are the sunshine throughout the year, the cultural scene is very compatible for what British investors look for – we have more than 170 nationalities in Dubai. A simple example I keep giving is the education sector: we have a lot of boutique syllabuses. If I were from Japan and I wanted my son to go to a Japanese school, that option is available. Korean schools. The number of British curriculum A Levels, GCSEs, all of them are available.”

4. The Expo 2020 boost is starting now

Dubai is hosting the World Expo in 2020, something that is widely expected to give a boost to Dubai’s property market.

“I think now’s the time for it to start,” comments Kazim. “We’re in 2016, the event’s in 2020, and it’s a large scale project. We sell plots of land to third party developers. Those developers who bought land from us in the past have started to construct projects, purely because they’ve seen demand rising out of projects like Expo.”

5. Tourism: There’s a clear demand for 3-star hotels

Dubai is associated with high-end homes and luxury hotels, but there is growing demand for 3-star hotels in the emirate.

“As far as hospitality is concerned, there’s a clear demand for 3-star hotels. Not to say that 5-star is not in demand, but Dubai’s target is to achieve 20 million annual visitors and tourists by the year 2020. We’re still quite far off – we’re at 14.5 million right now – so the number of rooms has got to increase.”

6. Oversupply is not an issue

Despite some media reports, Nakheel is not concerned about the possibility of oversupply in the market.

“We deliver projects on a feasibility basis and it has got to be able to fulfil some kind of demand for us to launch it. There are reports out there talking about oversupply. I don’t know, I’m probably an optimist, but you’re looking at a city that has ambitious growth plans in term of resident population. Even if that growth was half achieved, we would be in short supply, not oversupply. We wouldn’t be building projects if it wouldn’t be fulfilling a certain demand.”

7. On the growing number of tall buildings around the world…

“Competition is always good! Dubai is not a very old city – it’s been around for 50 years or so,” he adds. “We want to be competitive. And a lot of these [landmarks] are value propositions – having the tallest tower attracts tourists, having the biggest mall attracts a certain type of clientele. You will notice that the architecture of Dubai focuses a little bit on the vanity side, you’re quite right. It’s important to attract tourists on a repetitive basis – as a tourist, I want to be able to see something new every year.”

Read the full interview at TheMoveChannel.com.

— ENDS —

 

Notes to Editors

About Lead Galaxy and TheMoveChannel.com

Founded in 1999, www.TheMoveChannel.com is the leading independent website for international property, with more than 1.4 million listings in over 100 countries around the world, marketed on behalf of agents, developers and private owners.

TheMoveChannel.com is one of more than a dozen international property sites operated under the Lead Galaxy brand. Lead Galaxy provides online marketing solutions to thousands of property companies worldwide, focusing on portal listings, email marketing, qualified leads, paid search and social media advertising.

The business is headquartered at 24 Jack’s Place, Corbet Place, Shoreditch, London, E1 6NN.

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Overseas Property Show comes to Cheshire for the first time this June!

Overseas Property Show comes to Cheshire for the first time this June!

by Eleanor Portugal United Kingdom ,

The organisers of the hugely successful Overseas Property Show are delighted to announce that the event will visit Cheshire for the first time as part of its 2016 UK tour.

The free to attend show will be held at the Mere Golf Resort & Spa, Knutsford on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th June 2016 from 10 am until 6 pm, bringing the dream of second home ownership one step closer to becoming a reality for those who attend by talking to property experts from around the world at a convenient local venue.

Chris White, Founding Director of boutique real estate agency Ideal Homes Portugal, which exhibited at every show during 2015 and plans to do so again in 2016, comments,

“The Overseas Property Show is a great way to connect with people looking to purchase property overseas. Some are after a second home, others are looking for an investment property and others want to take the plunge and start a new life abroad.

“Whatever the motive, it’s always a really useful experience for them to have access to experts in overseas property ownership. We’re also on hand to answer lifestyle questions too – anything from the price of milk to local customs!”

The 2016 Overseas Property Show will focus largely on properties from Portugal, Spain and Florida, with a handful of opportunities in countries like Italy and Cyprus thrown in for good measure.

2015’s shows were hugely successful welcoming thousands of visitors through the doors over the course of the year. For many of those visitors, it was the start of their holiday home dreams coming true. Many went on to book inspection trips and ultimately to purchase a sun-kissed second home overseas. The 2016 tour will build on the previous year’s success, adding new venues like Cheshire in order to reach out to even more would-be holiday home owners across the UK.

Portugal is one of the most sought-after destinations for those visiting the shows. The housing market there offers excellent value for money when compared with the UK. Prices have been increasing for some time and the March 2016 Portuguese Housing Market Survey from RICS/Ci confirms that overall market confidence remains solid. The survey observes that price expectations point to steady gains over the course of the coming year, with house price inflation expected to be around 2.5% nationally, 2.9% in Lisbon and 2.7% in the Algarve (the country’s most popular region with British buyers).

Ideal Homes Portugal is at the forefront of connecting UK buyers with fantastic Portuguese properties. Founder and Algarve resident Chris White observes,

“The whole Brexit debate doesn’t seem to be affecting interest in Portuguese property. There’s still strong demand for holiday homes there from those based in the UK. Whether you want a stunning golf residence, a remote mountain villa or a laid back beach apartment we’ve got the perfect place.”

If it’s advice, guidance, a second home or a celebrity-style super home that you’re after, the Overseas Property Show is the place to be! Tickets are FREE and full details can be found at www.theoverseaspropertyshow.com.

For further details visit www.theoverseaspropertyshow.com, call (0800) 133 7644 / +351 289 513 434 or email info@theoverseaspropertyshow.com.