Tag Archives: middle-east
UK landlords fear more woe in UK Budget
Landlords in the UK are concerned that the forthcoming Budget speech by the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne could hold more bad news for their property investments. Some 66% feel there will be more bad news and a fifth are already planning to pull out of buy to let this year, according to new research by property crowd funding platform The House Crowd. It suggests that property investors feel increasingly under attack, with legislation such as the EU Mortgage Credit Directive and increase in stamp duty on buy to let properties coming into force. Over 70% of those surveyed believe that these changes will have a negative impact on their investments, with smaller investors set to be hit hardest by ever tightening profit margins. 43% feel that the government is trying to squeeze small investors out of the market altogether. Over half, 54%, of landlords indicated that they do, however, support tighter regulation from the Bank of England to clamp down on rogue landlords. Despite sentiment towards traditional buy to let turning sour, it appears that investors still view bricks and mortar as the best way to secure their futures. The UK wide survey found 33% still prefer to invest their money in property as it is a tangible asset. It also found that 38% think landlords need to be looking at smarter ways to invest while 57% think buy to let will remain a strong option as there is a continued housing shortage in the UK. ‘With house prices continuing to rise and the property market outperforming the FTSE, bricks and mortar presents a strong investment option,’ said Frazer Fearnhead, chief executive officer of The House Crowd. ‘Despite this, new legislation is making buy to let ever less accessible for the small landlords who want to invest in something sensible and tangible to secure their futures. As many of the landlords surveyed identified it's time for beleaguered investors to be looking at their options,’ he pointed out. ‘February was our strongest month yet, as investors turn to property crowdfunding to achieve the returns that property offers minus the stress and risk of being a landlord. Times are hard for the UK's small property investors but it's time to adapt, not despair,’ he added. Continue reading
Research suggests many UK buy to let landlords plan to sell up
The proportion of landlords in central London who intend to sell property has quadrupled since last year’s Budget, according to new research. Just 4% of landlords in central London had plans to sell property when surveyed before last year’s Budget but new figures from the National Landlords Association (NLA) show that has risen to 19%. The 15% increase in intention to sell property is the highest witnessed across the UK over the last six months. Landlords with property in the North East have seen the smallest increase compared to other regions of the UK, rising from 17% in June to 24% in January. According to the NLA the restriction to mortgage interest relief for individual residential landlords announced during last year’s Summer Budget will leave many landlords worse off, forcing some basic rate tax payers into a higher tax bracket and leaving higher and additional rate payers with considerably bigger tax bills. The NLA has labelled the changes the Turnover Tax, because landlords’ tax will be calculated on the rental income they earn, rather than their profits. ‘Local property markets vary greatly across the United Kingdom, but we are seeing a loss of confidence across the board as many landlords realise they won’t be able to remain in the market,’ said Richard Lambert, NLA chief executive officer. ‘If landlords follow through with their intentions over the coming months this could lead to a massive sale of property, as we have previously warned. However, this may not be a straightforward process, especially for those with stock in low demand areas,’ he pointed out. ‘We urge those considering selling up to think about when they will need to do so, and to plan ahead now in order to minimise the risk of losing money as a result of a failure to sell,’ he added. Separate research shows that 59% of landlords are shelving plans to make further investments in buy to let or even selling their existing properties with tougher mortgage rules, the stamp duty change and mortgage interest tax relief behind their thinking. The research by property crowdfunding platform Property Partner also found that 27% of landlords had little or no awareness of the changes which are likely to affect their financial circumstances. Some 41% of those questioned say they plan to continue buying properties for rent, 38% say they are switching strategies. Continue reading
UK buyers willing to pay more for an eco home, research suggests
A large number of would be home buyers in the UK want to purchase an environmentally friendly home, with the majority willing to pay more to do so. Some 63% want to go green and 82% would be more for a home that allows them to fulfil an ambition of greener living, according to research from leading UK house builder Redrow. The survey found that participants ranked lower energy bills as more important than a garden, parking space, amenities, external appeal/design of home, and fittings and appliances, when choosing a home and more than a quarter were willing to pay at least a 6% premium for a home with sustainable features. The research has challenged the long held claim that consumer demand for greener living is limited and 78% agreed the purchase of a sustainable home was likely to have a positive environmental impact and more than two thirds believed that 'significant others' in their lives would approve of the decision to opt for a greener home. ‘Our findings challenge the long claimed, but previously under researched, belief that there is limited customer demand for sustainable homes,’ said Redrow Homes' sustainability manager Nicola Johansen. ‘As a responsible business, reducing the carbon footprint of our developments is a priority. However, we also recognise it's important to listen to our customers so we can build the homes they really want to live in and help them to make a lifestyle change for the better. This research helps us to fully appreciate what purchasers are looking for from their home and their home builder,’ she added. With 60% of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing that they would be more likely to buy a new home from a company building sustainable homes, the evidence suggests that constructing more environmentally friendly properties, and promoting their credentials, could be a wise business choice for developers. The study also highlighted some areas where home builders can help their customers by providing more information about the eco credentials of properties that are already on the market. While the majority of home buyers, 65%, were confident an 'eco-home' would save them money and 65% that it would be a more comfortable home, a quarter indicated they thought it would be difficult or very difficult to buy such a home and almost half of respondents weren't confident of how sustainability features work. ‘This helps us build on our knowledge of what our customers are looking for from their home so we can provide them with the relevant information to inform their purchasing decisions,’ said Johansen. Redrow builds a wide variety of homes and designs take on issues such as being more airtight, making them 54% better at reducing heat loss than a typical 1970s' home. The firm says it’s homes also deliver improved energy efficiency through low energy lighting, appliances that are 'A rated' or above and energy efficient boilers to keep carbon emissions low. Redrow also offers customers solar panels as optional extras,… Continue reading
