With data from Experian revealing that the number of £500,000 homes available for sale has risen by almost 20%, leading online estate agency My Online Estate Agent reveals what half a million pounds will buy you across the UK. 

Richard Patterson, Director of My Online Estate Agent comments on the recent lift in number of £500,000 houses on the market:

“Back in May this year we saw the average asking price for a home in London reaching the £500,000 marker (Rightmove) and whilst this might not come as a surprise for the Capital, readily heralded as a top global city, the significant rise in the number of half million pound homes coming onto the market across other parts of the UK was an interesting trend especially given the increase to 4% in stamp duty at this level.

“Here at My Online Estate Agentwe have certainly seen the number of half million pound homes listed for sale rise over the last quarter with properties from all four corners of the country represented.”

On the market for c. £500,000:

Tredean Cottagein Chepstowbacks onto open fields and hills with truly magnificent views to the rear of the property. The house is perfectly situated being only 9 miles from Monmouth and 6 miles from Chepstow. Although a cottage in name, all of the rooms are of a well sized with high ceilings and the property has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Priced at £480,000.

This luxury four bedroom house in St Albans was built only 2 years ago by developers Martin Grant Home.  A high specification property which is set in a private cul-de-sac in the much sought after area of Chiswell Green on the south side of St Albans.  Designed for easy family living the house has a big open plan area on the ground floor and a delightful garden with inbuilt seating.  This house is likely to sell fast at just £530,000.

This character smallholding with around 4 acres of land in Monmouthshire comprises a large barn conversion, newly built 2012, as well as separate holiday cottage which sleeps 6, ideal for those wishing additional income or for dual family occupation.  There are also outbuildings and a hay barn plus another small stone barn which could be converted. The main dwelling has a very large kitchen/dining /family room which is partly vaulted to the roof as well as 3 bedrooms, a bathroom and shower room. Priced at £499,950.

As featured in the forthcoming movie “A Life in August“, this substantial detached 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom property in Ashfield, Carnbo in Scotland combines the charm of a traditional country home with all the comfort and efficiency of 21^st century living. Traditional in appearance with Welsh Slate roof, exterior stone detailing, timber windows and natural hard floor coverings it was recently completed in 2012 to an exceptional build standard with a highly efficient eco heating system, providing underfloor heating, and an independent eco hot water system. Cat 6 and Digital Coax installed throughout the home. Guide price of £499,000.

For more information please contact My Online Estate Agent on 0845 257 1101 or visit MyOnlineEstateAgent. 

If this was a wildlife documentary then you might expect to hear Sir David Attenborough explaining in his distinctive tone, that far from being threatened by extinction, population numbers of landlords are thriving in the UK.

According to new research by the Strategy Society Centre (SSC), the number of landlords, as a proportion of the UK population, has more than doubled over the past 20 years with HMRC figures showing some 1.9 million private landlords operate on our shores.

• 1.9 million private landlords operate in the UK (HMRC)
• They are wealthier, better educated and more likely to have grown-up in an owner-occupied home (SSC)
• Landlords earn £1,000 per month more than tenants (SSC)

Indeed with the 2011 England & Wales census revealing that more of us than ever before are renting, in excess of 3.6 million people, and that the private rented sector is worth an estimated £893 billion, being a landlord is an attractive prospect for many but who are they? Could you spot a landlord out in the wild?

The SSC, using data on 40,000 people from the UK Wealth and Assets Survey, took on the challenge of tracking down the increasingly prolific UK landlord looking at demographic, socioeconomic, financial and letting characteristics.

In short, the survey revealed that landlords were wealthier with higher incomes, better educated and more likely to have grown-up in an owner-occupied home. A somewhat predictable result one may think but the survey also revealed some interesting trends.

Firstly, due to the rise of Generation Rent, landlords and tenants sit within a similar age bracket, 48 and 32 years old respectively. Renting is no longer only a young person’s game, more and more families are renting for life with many savvy landlords tapping into this lucrative market sector.

For those landlords who haven’t made it their full time career and remain in employment elsewhere, they typically earn about £1,000 per month more than tenants highlighting the financial disparity between the two groups. On one side of the coin, the mean financial wealth of private landlords is £75,103 according to the SSC report compared to the other with a mean of £9,506 for tenants. Landlords are so markedly more affluent in fact that two thirds said that they could permanently cope, without any difficulty, with a 25% income reduction.

Commenting on the findings, Richard Patterson, Director of leading online estate agency, MyOnlineEstateAgent.com and himself a hands-on landlord for 7 years, says,

“When I was younger, I never dreamt that I would be a landlord. It was always something that other, older people did but having worked hard early in my career I wanted to make my money work equally hard and felt that property was the best way to do that. I purchased my first property, a 2 bedroom apartment in Harrow back in 2008 and never looked back.

”What has surprised me though is how many of my friends, family and colleagues have done the same. Some have one or two buy to let properties, mainly to top up their monthly income and as a pension pot but others have gone on to become career landlords but if I look at them, their ages, level of income and owner-occupier background, I should have seen it coming.”

The rapid growth in the private rented sector is a trend also seen by MyOnlineEstateAgent.com with the number of new properties listed each month for rent on the site doubling from January to June this year.

So if you are a UK landlord looking to purchase your next buy to let property or indeed find a tenant or a tenant looking to find your perfect next home, then visit MyOnlineEstateAgent.com or call 0845 257 1101 for more information.

10 years ago when AB Property Marketing’s (ABPM) MD, Charlotte Ashton, began her career in propertymarketing, the world was a different place. Properties were bought and sold using traditional methods; by appointing the local high street estate agent, putting a For Sale board outside and maybe some print adverts in the local paper.