Residential Investor
Our experts on residential property investment and development share their thoughts on what’s happening in the sector
Latest Article
Kent: the right track for investors
17th October 2018
With stamp duty rates crippling the London residential market, many investors have naturally been looking to areas further afield. A lot of articles in the press have focused on regional opportunities as investors seek cheaper areas to expand their portfolios, often enticed by the attractive yields on offer.
I have recently read about the positives of both Burnley and Middlesbrough and towns like these, after several years of stagnating or falling prices, are certainly benefiting from recent... Read More >
Recent Articles:
Broken Estate Agency Market There are simply too many agents fishing in a pond that isn’t growing 19th September 2018
Who will be the winners in the “broken estate agency” market?
We know that the current and foreseeable UK macro property market position lacks stability with Brexit, affordability, supply and demand imbalance, knee jerk and short term Read More >
Trends in UK Commercial Real Estate Investment Non Resident Investors - Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) 11th September 2018
UK real estate transactions being undertaken by GCC investors which we commonly hear about include the acquisition of high end residential property (Chelsea and Knightsbridge) and trophy assets (such as Harrods and the Shard).
There is another Read More >
Searchlight Seeking the truth behind the headlines and casting a cynical eye over the market 11th September 2018
What the journals are saying
Knowledge is power, or so the cliché goes. But knowledge is much more than that, it is influence, it is authority, it is credibility. Property journals are a great source of information, by having the latest Read More >
Why building on the Green Belt will not solve the housing crisis… Allowing developers to continue building outwards can leave derelict wasted spaces to blight our city centres 7th September 2018
In August, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) published its latest in a line of reports documenting the continued rise in threat to our Green Belts.
Our research shows that the threat to England’s Green Belt land has never been Read More >
A place at the top Table Housing needs a separate and discrete focus at the highest level of government 4th September 2018
In my last article, I suggested it was difficult for Housing policy to be considered in any coherent fashion when there had been 16 Housing Ministers in the last 20 years, an average tenure of a little over a year. Within 48 hours of submitting Read More >
Index for Prime Central London Owners, buyers, lenders and commentators need indices to make sense of what is going on in a market 3rd September 2018
When asked by a journalist why she had a mirror above her bed, Mae West answered, ‘to see how I’m doing.’ The same applies to property indices: owners, buyers, lenders and commentators need indices to make sense of what is going on in a Read More >
PLC Property Indices Buyers like buying into a rising market and a ‘falling market’ is a good reason to sit on your hands 6th August 2018
When asked by a journalist why she had a mirror above her bed, Mae West answered, ‘to see how I’m doing.’ The same applies to property indices: owners, buyers, lenders and commentators need indices to make sense of what is going on in a Read More >
Tax on immoveable property in the UK – five key questions on the recent Government announcements Alternative structures (such as REITS) will be on the agenda of many firms 1st August 2018
1. What does the draft Finance Bill 2018/19 say about the treatment of UK property held by non-UK residents?
From April 2019, gains subsequently arising on any UK property, including commercial and residential property, will be chargeable to Read More >
How to fix the burning injustice that is Britain’s housing market For too long, infrastructure funding in the UK has been the preserve of central government 15th May 2018
Affordable housing is one of the key policy challenges of our time. But as with so many other major policy problems, we face a continued lack of imagination that leads many to think that the housing crisis can be solved with more of what worked Read More >
Where is PCL market? Charlie Ellingworth shares his prediction for the commercial and residential sectors 8th May 2018
We are now in the longest downturn in the prime London market since the 1988 - 1992 recession. The Savills index showed a decline then of 28% for flats and 16% for houses compared with a fall of 15% for flats and 13% for houses from 2014 until Read More >
Obsessing over empty homes is no way to solve the housing crisis The UK actually has far fewer empty homes than Germany or France 7th May 2018
Using the long arm of the law to force-fill empty homes is getting very vogueish. From the far left to the Tory back benches everyone seems to be getting on board with the idea.
The Government is legislating to permit greater tax surcharges on Read More >
Leasehold Ownership Leasehold properties are one of the principal forms of property ownership in the UK 1st May 2018
Along with knotted hankies, buttered crumpets and queueing, the concept of leasehold is a quaintly English phenomenon. If in any other circumstance I offered you the opportunity to pay £1 million for something which would decline in value until Read More >
Confiscating rogue landlords’ property: illiberal and futile The specific proposal is that local authorities should have the power to confiscate properties from those landlords. 27th April 2018
A Commons Committee has – quite seriously – argued that an Englishman’s home should no longer be his castle. You could also describe their proposal as a return of the Star Chamber – where doing something the powers that be didn’t like Read More >
Britain’s housing crisis just isn’t that complicated Homes cost more than they need to. Why not do something about it? 28th March 2018
How can we end the housing crisis? Would a better planning system ensure more well-designed homes with local support where they are most wanted, over time making homes more affordable than they would otherwise be?
Of course it would. When it Read More >
The power of emotion Why satisfying the sub-conscious is one of the most important considerations with any development 13th February 2018
Looking at the current market there are two key challenges - the first is high Stamp Duty and the second is Brexit.
This is important to make clear because I believe that these movements have caused the mentality of the buyer to shift. Read More >
The UK’s strongest performing property sector Why investors should pay attention to purpose-built student accommodation 19th January 2018
Purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) differs from the student accommodation many of us remember. Today’s students are shunning the traditional house shares and out-of-date halls of residence as they’re perceived to be below par, with Read More >
London’s property market in 2018 Camilla Dell of Black Brick looks at the trends projected for prime London property in 2018 18th January 2018
Last year was interesting in London’s property market, to say the least. It was challenging, with flat or falling prices in many market segments, limited stock, and high transaction costs, dampening activity and making it a true buyer’s Read More >
Are service charges a curse or a blessing? A commonly overlooked part of residential maintenance - and why investors should pay attention 17th January 2018
Someone far more erudite than me once described service charges as being like batteries – no-one likes paying for them, but when you don’t, things cease to function quite quickly. A common source of angst between landlord and leaseholder, Read More >
The outlook for the UK property markets in 2018 Charlie Ellingworth shares his predictions for the commercial and residential sectors 3rd January 2018
Though Donald Rumsfeld was much mocked for his ‘known unknowns’ speech, he was right. It’s the ‘unknown unknowns’ that get you when you try to predict the future because, of course, they are unknown. The only thing you can do is look at Read More >
What’s in the residential investment crystal ball? Three tips for success when choosing a long-term residential property investment 2nd January 2018
The approach of a new year is always the time when people start to gaze into their crystal balls, highlighting future trends for the year ahead. I have decided to cast the net a considerable bit further and see what trends we should look out for Read More >
Should investors be cautious about prime central London property? The present state of the prime London property market - and what challenges it may face 11th December 2017
Prime central London property has long been seen as an asset class in its own right, rather than simply a costlier version of UK real estate in general. It responds to a separate set of economic and financial developments, services a distinct Read More >
How to make the most of your leasehold property Blake Morgan's specialist in leasehold enfranchisement explains the complexities of the Section 42 Notice 24th October 2017
When it comes to selling a property, everyone wants to make the most of what they own, whether it is by giving it a fresh lick of paint or sprucing up the garden. However, for residential tenants of long leases, there may be one further step they Read More >
On forecasting and market insight Savills' Director of Residential Research explains what the team are considering currently 19th October 2017
Just over ten and a half years ago I was working as a land agent specialising complex tax valuations, when I received a call from one of Savills’ head honchos asking me if I would like to go to his house on a Sunday morning for a cup of coffee Read More >
Five golden rules for investing in a successful buy-to-let purchase Residential investment specialist Ben Keating shares his top tips 5th October 2017
Further to last month’s article I am following this with specific local factors to look out for when investing in residential property.
Once you’ve done your homework on the precise area you are targeting and the amount you can invest, Read More >
Be careful what you wish for: the unintended consequences of political intervention in the ground rent market Paul Winstanley explains the dilemma the government is currently facing 12th September 2017
I, like most people, detest seeing people get ripped off, especially so in the residential property industry. While I am proud to be part of an industry who, through organisations such as the BPF and ULI, genuinely wants to raise standards, Read More >
Developers should consider style as well as substance How can developers appeal to buyers who don’t want just another new build? 4th September 2017
Should you buy new or used? A mattress – always new. Appliances – new if you can afford it. Furniture – new unless it is a nice antique piece. A home?
Who wouldn’t want the brand new, well-proportioned, well-insulated two-bedroom Read More >
Location, gentrification, population The key factors you need to consider when buying a property to let 21st August 2017
As I touched upon in my last article, long term out-performance is the principal aim for a residential investor in our era of lower returns.
Residential investment is a completely different mindset from choosing your own home to live in. It is Read More >
Which property makes the best investment? Ben Keating explores good decision-making now the 'easy money' days of residential investment are over 13th July 2017
In my next few articles, my aim is to guide readers through typical investment decisions and options, hopefully shedding some light on interesting angles and ways to increase your returns.
The buy-to-let market is currently a difficult place. Read More >
Build to Rent: right time, right product? Our resident(ial) investor Ben Keating looks at a new trend in property investment 7th June 2017
Ben is a highly regarded residential property investment and development expert. He has a reputation for creating superior investment returns with a considered approach, borne out by the success of his own property portfolio.
In this column he Read More >
