Thursday 28 July 2016

Fantasic 2 bedroom/2 bathroom apartment in Broughton, with a healthy 6% yield


This is a great location right on the edge of Broughton, offering easy access to the M1 and Central Milton Keynes, and this first floor 2 bed apartment is very good value at just £190k.





Broughton has proved to be a commuter friendly area and has therefore become popular and attractive to the younger generation. This flat is sure to let over and over without difficulty and would look to achieve circa £950pcm, providing a healthy 6% yield. There is also no upper chain on the property sale!






If you are thinking of getting into the property rental market as a new investor and don't know where to start or what to look for locally, speak to us for impartial advice and guidance to get the best return on your investment. For more information about other potential investment properties that we could introduce you to, or to ask about our thoughts on your own investment choices, call us now on 01908 562582 or email us.


Tuesday 26 July 2016

Ideal apartment for professional tenants and with a potential 5.4% yield


If you want really good, professional tenants, you should consider buying in an area where they might also work, and our offering today is located on Walton, a very nice area within the MK7 postcode.
This well presented 1 bedroom apartment has everything that a modern professional tenant would want and is ready to go straight on to the rental market, at which point your new tenants will most likely work for one of the large international brands that are on the doorstep, such as Red Bull Racing, The Open University or Mercedes Benz Finance. The location and high quality new build development means that you can ask a premium for the rental, which would be around £750-775pcm here. With the asking price set at £170k, this would achieve a yield of around 5.4% gross yield, and it will always attract a higher quality tenant in the future, so don't worry about the property being looked after and kept in good order - have a look at the internal finish in the photos and you can see why this would be very attractive to a tenant, and why you should be giving this some serious thought.


If you struggling to find anything decent on the property market and need a little help finding potential bargains like the one above, speak to us about how we can keep you appraised of the latest opportunities before the rest of the pack. For more information about other potential investment properties that we could introduce you to (such as ready tenanted properties for sale by our existing landlords), or to ask about our thoughts on your own investment choices, call us now on 01908 562582 or send us an email.





Monday 25 July 2016

Achieve a healthy 5.5% with this top floor apartment in Redhouse Park


This is a really nice apartment located just towards the outskirts of Newport Pagnell, with easy access back to Milton Keynes or the M1 for the professional commuters.


Located on the top floor, this two bedroom apartment offer lots of light and features an absolutely superb kitchen with fitted & integrated white goods. The flat also has gas central heating already in place, leaving one less thing to do, before having a tenant move in.  For sale at around £199,950, such a property would go on the rental market today for at least £925pcm, and it would appeal to the young professional market due to its location and allocated parking. At this level of rent you would be looking to receive a healthy gross yield of just over 5.5%.


If you are thinking of getting into the property rental market and don't know where to start, speak to us for impartial advice and guidance to get the best return on your investment. For more information about other potential investment properties that we could introduce you to, or to ask about our thoughts on your own investment choices, call us now on 01908 562582 or pop along and speak to us in person at our offices in Stony Stratford.








Friday 22 July 2016

Stunning Newport Pagnell apartment with a long lease


Located within a mile of Newport Pagnell high street with its shops, bars & restaurants yet close enough for commuters to hit the M1 motorway or Central Milton Keynes this apartment comes with a lease of over 900 years, open plan living with wood effect flooring, a modern kitchen & bathroom and two allocated parking spaces this property will have young professional couples fighting over it to rent.  The property appears to be of a good quality and could be ready for new tenants to move into straightway, with little or no work to be done.






With a price tag of £154,950 and no upper chain there may be some room for negotiation but even at the full asking price with a potential rental per month of £725 this would attract a 5.6% gross yield and a healthy capital appreciation.  









If you are thinking of getting into the property rental market as a new investor and don't know where to start or what to look for locally, speak to us for impartial advice and guidance to get the best return on your investment. For more information about other potential investment properties that we could introduce you to, or to ask about our thoughts on your own investment choices, call us now on 01908 562582 or send us an email.










Thursday 21 July 2016

Newport Pagnell property sees 74% capital growth .............. A Case study


For over 20 years I have been advising and helping Landlords to source buy to let properties and increase their portfolio and I want to share with you how one of our portfolio landlords added a successful buy to let property to his portfolio.  The Landlord, a very busy London based businessman, approached me back in 2010 to say he wanted to increase his portfolio of buy to let properties from 3 to over 10, having secured a financing arrangement through his bank, he tasked me with finding him suitable properties which would give a gross yield of over 5.5%. Having identified several likely properties, one in Horn Lane popped up with an asking price of over £140,000 which was in need of a little work and refurbishment. The price was successfully negotiated down to £135,000 and after a couple of weeks the works were completed and a tenant secured at a rent of £750pcm giving a gross yield of 6.66%.  Just six years later similar properties are on the market for £235,000....... Giving the owner a potential 74% capital growth! That coupled with an increase in rental yield from 6.7% to a healthy 8.5% demonstrates that Buy to Let properties can still be an attractive long term investment.




Uncertainty in the housing market following the Brexit vote remains high and reports of a property crash one day are followed the next day by other reports telling us the housing market is in crisis and prices for both rents and purchase are going to continue to rise. There was similar uncertainty following the banking crisis in 2008 but as you can see from above a good return was still achieved.



Newport Pagnell has always been a popular area for lettings, with it being close to good senior & junior schools, a range of shops, restaurants and pubs within walking distance and good access to the M1 and Central Milton Keynes.  If you are considering a Buy to Let property, the following has an asking price of £235,000 (there might be some negotiation) and with a bit of work would attract a rental of about £1000pcm, giving an approximate yield of 5.1%.



If you are thinking of getting into the property rental market as a new investor and don't know where to start or what to look for locally, speak to us for impartial advice and guidance to get the best return on your investment. For more information about other potential investment properties that we could introduce you to, or to ask about our thoughts on your own investment choices, call us now on 01908 562582 or send us an email.



Tuesday 19 July 2016

BELVOIR PREDICTS A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR PROPERTY INVESTMENT………….




Little more than four weeks after the UK vote to leave the European Union the private rented sector is forecasting a brighter future of renewed property investment. And the promise of a more stable government is giving new hope for private sector tenants and landlords as well as the wider property market.  We are already seeing renewed interest in property investment and equally high demand from tenants, so the indications are that money invested in property will continue to work harder than in many other investment vehicles, where returns can be poor.

 


Following ‘Brexit’ there may still be unanswered questions, and potential nervousness. For instance: the need for more clarity on the future of EU nationals who have settled in the UK. Many such tenants and workers in the private sector are waiting anxiously for reassurance. 


But, in the meantime, the Bank of England has pegged the base interest rate and given landlords the hope that it will not increase in the immediate future indeed even hinting at a drop in interest rates.  And interest in tracker mortgages is soaring to a new level, too.  So the safer haven of ‘bricks and mortar’ looks set to continue as a much less volatile asset.




However no Brexit result is going to change the fact that we have a serious housing shortage in the UK. Although the property landscape varies from region to region, the fundamental problem is that we still don’t have enough homes to satisfy the extremely strong demand from tenants who prefer to rent and not enough new homes are being built.  This never more true than for Milton Keynes where the demand for homes is even greater than ever.
 

Theresa May has already said she will remain true to the government’s committed house building policy but the confidence of property investors in the last 12 months – from first-time buyers to experienced landlords – has been badly knocked. The previous administration’s cut in mortgage interest tax relief meant a bigger tax bill for landlords so the Chancellor’s future approach to property taxation is going to have an all-important impact on our future.
 

So far, since the referendum vote, the initial dark clouds of uncertainty are giving way to more favourable signs of government stability and a more promising future for the property market in general and the private rented sector in particular.

 

We can only hope to see a continuing boost to property sales, purchasing and investment that creates renewed confidence in homes that will increase, not decrease, in value.
 
However no Brexit result is going to change the fact that we have a serious housing shortage in the UK. Although the property landscape varies from region to region, the fundamental problem is that we still don’t have enough homes to satisfy the extremely strong demand from tenants who prefer to rent and not enough new homes are being built.  This never more true than for Milton Keynes where the demand for homes is even greater than ever.
 
Theresa May has already said she will remain true to the government’s committed house building policy but the confidence of property investors in the last 12 months – from first-time buyers to experienced landlords – has been badly knocked. The previous administration’s cut in mortgage interest tax relief meant a bigger tax bill for landlords so the Chancellor’s future approach to property taxation is going to have an all-important impact on our future.
 
So far, since the referendum vote, the initial dark clouds of uncertainty are giving way to more favourable signs of government stability and a more promising future for the property market in general and the private rented sector in particular.
 
We can only hope to see a continuing boost to property sales, purchasing and investment that creates renewed confidence in homes that will increase, not decrease, in value.

If you are thinking of getting into the property rental market as a new investor and don't know where to start or what to look for locally, speak to us for impartial advice and guidance to get the best return on your investment. For more information about other potential investment properties that we could introduce you to, or to ask about our thoughts on your own investment choices, call us now on 01908 562582 or send us an email.

 


 


Monday 18 July 2016

The basic rules of buy to let



Size and price are not always the main considerations when looking to buy an investment property - value for money, quality and location are more important. Investing in new-build flats, old houses or typical suburban terraces all have merit in different ways, it depends on your investment objectives, timeframes and budget. Before investing there are numerous things you need to research including – but not limited to – mortgages and rates, fixed costs (such as service charges in flats), potential repairs and improvements, furnishings, gross and net yields, plus likely returns on capital employed.










In my mind, the most important consideration to assess is demand - will the property you buy be in demand in the current market at the time you complete, and will it continue to be sought after throughout the duration of your ownership? Houses seem to be more popular than flats, larger bedrooms are better than singles, good nearby transport links are also useful and double-glazing is becoming a requirement for most tenants. Location of the property is also vitally important - the main drivers are access to train stations, good shops and amenities and in the case of growing families, good schools.






The condition of property should also be considered. Tenants want dry, structurally sound properties in good condition (cracked fittings, marked walls, damaged appliances, grubby or old fashioned kitchens and bathrooms are all a turn off). Think carefully about the size and layout of the accommodation too. Most tenants will dislike small living spaces, odd shaped rooms and bathrooms without natural light. And remember, tenants have a strong sense of rental values so the days of landlords setting the rent to cover their mortgage are gone and they must therefore buy wisely.

A BTL property should look good from the outside (kerb appeal). If the inside is immaculate but the outside isn’t, you will struggle to get people through the door. Ideally the property should be semi-detached and have gas central heating and a shower. Double-glazing is another benefit.







Think about the age of the property. The younger the property, the less maintenance you will have. If you purchase a Victorian property it is likely you will have to rewire the property, and I would strongly suggest that BTL landlords have the gas and electric checks done on the property before Exchange of Contracts. If problems are found the cost of rectifying the issues could potentially come off the agreed sale price.

2 and 3 beds are the most popular (with 2 beds usually giving a better return on an investment), but it is essential that you understand the BTL market and complete all your homework before purchase. I would urge all BTL landlords to carry out a cost analysis before committing and have sufficient funds set aside for potential void periods and major repairs (a new boiler could cost around £1500, if you cannot afford to replace it then don’t buy the property).


If you would like some advice about buying to let, whether you are a landlord with an existing portfolio or someone thinking of investing in the Milton Keynes rental market for the first time, please email us, call us on 01908 562582 or pop into our office on London Road in Stony Stratford for free advice and guidance.








Tuesday 12 July 2016

Stylish modern two bedroom apartments attracting professional couples are always popular and this is no exception.......





Offered exclusively through Belvoir this very stylish apartment is located to the south of Milton Keynes and within a mile of shops, bars & restaurants yet close enough for commuters to hit the M1 motorway or Central Milton Keynes and rail links to London. This apartment comes with a lease of about 115 years remaining, open plan living with a modern kitchen & bathroom and two secure allocated parking spaces this property will have young professional couples fighting over it to rent.  The property appears to be decorated and presented to a good standard and could be ready for new tenants to move into straightway, with little or no work to be done.
 
 
 
With a guide price of £200,00 and no upper chain there may be some room for negotiation but even at the full asking price with a potential rental per month of £875 this would attract a 5.2% gross yield and a healthy capital appreciation.  


If you are thinking of getting into the property rental market as a new investor and don't know where to start or what to look for locally, speak to us for impartial advice and guidance to get the best return on your investment. For more information about other potential investment properties that we could introduce you to, or to ask about our thoughts on your own investment choices, call us now on 01908 562582 or send us an email..