It has been said often enough in recent times that buy-to-let has two notable characteristics at present. One of these is that there is a determination on the part of most investors to make their investment a long-term one, eschewing the notion of making a quick profit and seeking instead to enjoy the long-term gains the industry can bring.Secondly, there is perhaps a shorter-term aspect where demand for letting and the increase in rents have...more
The news earlier this week from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) that the number of buy-to-let mortgages taken out last year was higher in the credit-crunch blighted second half than the roaring first six months may have surprised many. But it appears this has not been the only news indicating that the continued strength of buy-to-let is only too real.Commenting after the release of this news, Nick Clark, the managing director of the...more
Portugal has always been a popular destination for Britons wishing to purchase a holiday home abroad or to buy a place in the sun for their retirement. Pure investment purposes have also been behind such foreign property transactions, but according to one expert, it is the quality of life that is making Portuguese property investment such a lucrative option. Rhiannon Williamson of ShelterOffshore.com suggested "lifestyle buyers" are flocking to the country, lured away from the UK - or other property investment destinations - in search of improved quality of life. "Portugal is more popular with those seeking a home, second home or Portugal retirement property abroad rather than those simply looking for real estate assets for investment purposes," Ms Williamson claimed. Citing the recent survey by NatWest International Personal Banking (NatWest IPB) and the Centre for Future Studies thinktank, Ms Williamson noted that Portugal is among the top three most attractive countries in terms of quality of life. She noted that what expats are looking for is a way of life that is more affordable and of a higher quality than what they would have in the UK. "Naturally, this means there is a...more
Buy-to-let investment in the UK is set to go from strength to strength in 2008, it has been suggested by one industry commentator.Malcolm Harrison from the Association of Residential Letting Agents (Arla) has claimed that this year could be yet another healthy one in terms of returns for landlords. He highlighted two "important factors" that lead...more
Those who believe the Spanish market is past its best may be barking up the wrong tree. Not because there hasn't been a property market correction, not because there isn't a global credit crisis and not because many investors looking for new hotspots are looking away from the crowded, overdeveloped, been-there-done-that costas, but for another...more
If the talk of the property industry in the last year has been Cape Verde, the issue of how much property can be crammed onto those little volcanic islands in the sun may become an issue before too long.Or perhaps it won't. According to Simon Walker, sales director for real estate website Off Plan Property, this is exactly what will not happen to the Atlantic archipelago.He suggested that the sort of countries that were involved in developments there would ensure that the situation was well managed and that lessons were learned from places where overdevelopment had occurred, such as areas of the Spanish costas. Moreover, he suggested, building could be "filtered" out as investors started to spread out to other nearby destinations.As well as this, Mr Walker argued, the environmental concerns which may have been absent when too many tower blocks began to litter the costas were in evidence now: "I don't think it will be oversubscribed. There are limitations there And with the green side of everything they [developers] don't want to be seen as destroying such countries."Such news should be welcome enough to investors, who would hate to see the beauty and variety of the islands...more
Those looking at property investment in France will soon be aware that there are many possibilities, as the country is large and offers different attractions to suit numerous tastes. With Alpine ski property, the winelands, the glamour of Paris, the...more
In times of economic gloom, it often seems to be the north which suffers most, with recessions seeing many people in grim northern towns kicking their heels as the factories shut. Stereotyped as this image may be, it contained a kernel of truth, for...more
The property market in Spain has been a vexed area for investors recently. The end of the boom years, the credit crunch and recent demolitions of homes that breached planning regulations are all major hits from which some markets might not...more
The last week has brought back a little ambiguity to the property market among those looking for hard evidence of trends. First there were the figures from property portal Hometrack, which found that this month's house prices were down by 0.2 per...more
For those looking for evidence that the worldwide credit crunch is not quite so worldwide as some might think, the best place to look, it appears, may be across the channel, which, as a major hotspot for Britons looking at buying investment property,...more
One of the most notable features of Britain's strong economic performance has been the revitalisation of its regional cities. Not only have their economies improved, but so too have their appearances, with many prestigious new buildings being...more