Is It A Good Time For Property Investment

Is Now A Good Time To Invest In Property

In todays economic conditions the word investment is not used as freely as it was a year ago. Combine this with the word property or house and its even fewer.

So why does property investment seem such as scary proportion at this point in time.

All investment opportunities in all industries have ideal conditions. When prices are low - this is the time buy.

The problem with the property and housing market is that the residential home buyer is obviously connected to this market.

Property sales involving ordinary home buyers in the UK has fallen by 53% in the past year, according to the latest government figures.

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In September nearly 60,000 homes were sold, over twice as many were sold the same month last year.

That was also a 62% fall from the recent peak in sales, of 154,000, seen in December 2006.

Currently the credit crunch has plunged the housing market into its sharpest slowdown for many years.

Housing Market Decline

Despite a recent cut in interest rates, attempts by the government to assist the banking system, and a reduction in the burden of stamp duty, there is no sign yet of the property market coming out of its worrying decline.

Providers of mortgage products such as the Halifax and Nationwide have reported that prices are still in decline around a tenth of what they were this time last last year.

A recent survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) found that estate agents were having problems trying to sell a property a week.

In addition, the best leading indicator of future activity - the number of new mortgages approved for house purchase but not yet lent - is down by 70% on a year ago. This indicates that prices still have not reached a low point.

Lack Of Money

The key factor in the sales slump has been the lack of funds in the past year available to banks and building societies to lend to borrowers, especially first-time buyers.

With house prices falling, lenders have been demanding that borrowers put down deposits that are much larger than normal, to protect themselves if someone becomes unemployed and the home is subsequently repossessed and sold at auction.

At the start of the year, mortgages worth 100% or even more of a property’s value disappeared. Now even the traditional 95% mortgage is in danger of disappearing.

Many lenders now ask borrowers to put down at least 10% of the purchase price of a new home. The most favourable deals, at the lowest interest rates, are generally available only to those who can put down 25%, or sometimes even 40%, of their purchase price.

“There are some signals that housing market activity could be close to hitting a floor but there is a danger that a sharp rise in unemployment could precipitate a further round of fear on the part of buyers,” said Simon Rubinsohn, chief economist at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics).

Is Now A good Time To Invest In the Housing Market

Despite the unhealthy conditions if property were any other commodity - the time for investing is fast approaching.

Once the market is on the floor the only way is inevitably up.

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Property Investment In London

London Property Investment

There are certain areas in and around the London region that are hot spots for property investment and property investors. At time of writing the property market is unstable with even the most courageous investors holding back on new investment projects and opportunities.

Investing in property across the UK has always paid dividend provided the investor understands the market conditions and focuses on either profiting from monthly rental earnings or the more longer term equity increase.

The London property market, traditionally has always been the premier or prime target for a majority of investors as London is the business capital of the UK and even in times of economic downturn tends to suffer less in terms of wide scale profit.

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The obvious area of interest at the moment is Stratford - with plans to regenerate the area into the third most important part of London in time for the Olympic Games in 2012. Read more about Property in Stratford

What Areas Of London Are Best For Property Investment

Non specifically, the best areas in and around London are those that currently have good road, rail and tube links. These areas will more likely sprawl in time.

The current market value of properties in London with good transport links are usually highly priced - but in today’s market bargains are there to be had if you know where to look.

Looking forward, if an area is just out of your budget follow the tube stops in directions heading out of Central London until you find and area that is within realistic budget.

As an example if Stratford is an area for potential investment but not affordable follow the tube stations north - this brings Leyton and Leytonstone into the equation.

Which Areas of London Are Most Popular For Property Investment

Currently the most desirable and popular London property investment targets are:

Hampstead	Limehouse	East Dulwich
Walthamstow	Shoreditch	Chingford
Maida Vale	Finchley	Brockley
Finsbury Park	Palmers Green	Norwood
Battersea	Leyton	Balham
Ealing	Peckham	Rotherhithe
Cricklewood	Lewisham	Willesden Green

These areas are in no particular order and some of the obvious candidates have been omitted such as Mayfair and Cheslea.

5 Reasons Why Houses Prices Are Falling

Why Are House Prices Falling

The housing market in the UK is in freefall currently, in stark contrast to the buoyant property market scene of just a few years ago. But why are house prices falling and are you concerned about the negative equity that your home presents you with.

Throughout the nineties and midway through the 21st century the UK property market enjoyed its biggest ever boom. Our homes it would seem were our biggest asset. This though was a false sense of economy as most would never realise the equity in our homes as to move would negate the profit gained.

1. House Prices Are Unaffordable To First Time Buyers - First time buyers are finding it increasingly difficult to get onto the first step of the property ladder as the average house price to earning ratio are now poles apart.
2. Mortgage Lenders Are Not Approving Finance - The phrase Credit Crunch applies to the mortgage industry more than any other. Applications for mortgages are fewer and more mortgage applications are being rejected.
3. Interest Rates Increasing - Interest rates are increasing with velocity, the average monthy mortgage repayment has risen by 30%. This effects first buyers and low wage earners who are now in danger of repossession.
4. Unstable Economy - Any rumour of an unstable economy and one of first industries to be hit is residential property market.
5. What Goes Up Must Come Down - the last decade of phenomenal growth had to slowdown sometime, an initial slowdown is viewed as a negative - the knock on effect is panic, reduction in consumer spend and eventually a credit crunch situtaion.

Is Now A Good Time To Invest In Property

If you intend to move house or buy a property for the first time for the sole purpose to live in it may be wise decision to not do anything yet. House prices will probably continue to fall for the forseeable future - then recovery is expected.

For the property investor now is the perfect time to invest in property both residential and commercial. The Buy To Let market will increase dramatically as tenants will outnumber available property.

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Buy To Let On The Increase

Buy To Let Property Is A Good Investment

As housing prices continue to tumble the buy to let or lettings market is sharply on the increase - this is according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

As mortgage lenders are becoming more choosy as to who they grant mortgages to - the buy to let market is benefitting from the current market conditions.

Would be borrowers who are struggling to obtain a mortgage, are now forced into the property rental market - a real boon for anyone who has bought property to play in the property investment game.

Demand in the rental or buy to let market is outstripping demand in all areas of the UK - massively.

Buy To Let Markets Biggest Increase In 10 Years

The buy to let market has enjoyed its biggest and fastest growth rate in 10 years with no sign of a slow down over the coming month. If you are thing of buying a property as an investment - now is the time do it

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London is traditionally the busiest and most successful of the UK regions for the buy to let market but quite remarkably it is the North that has enjoyed the highest and fastest growth rate.

Scotland has experienced the slowest growth rate and the most stable market conditions.

House Prices Fall, Rental Prices Rise

Despite the media negativity towards the housing and property market in general, it’s the residential property market that’s suffering the most; and in particular the residential property owner who’s sole purpose is to live in his or her property.

The state of the buy-to-let market means that landlords can now charge more for their rent and so balance out the fall they’ve experienced in the equity of their investment.

All in all the landlord is not suffering. The wise property investor is buying more properties or preparing to invest, as house prices will soon reach a low point where there the next fluctuation will be generally up.

Have you got ambition to get into the property investment market? The property investment market is a very profitable one provided you invest wisely.

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Is Buy To Let Still A Good Investment

Buy To Let Investments In The UK

With interest rates rising, inflation going through the roof and mortgage lenders becomming fussier by the day is buying to let still a good investment?

The UK property market is under pressure and the media tells us our are homes are under threat throughout this latest period of economic doom - the Credit Crunch is truly taking a hold.

So what of the entrepreneurial spirited who either has one or more buy to let properties and one or more buy to let mortgages is it time to press the panic button and bale out - if they can.

Most of the buy to let ‘ers we have spoken to remain relatively calm it is not as if they have lost the lot on one spin of the roulette wheel.

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Any invetsor will tell you the high’s and low’s are part and parcel of the property investment game. “It would have been good to sell some properties at the start of the decline but hindsight is a luxury we do not have.” says David Forster a home based property investor. “I got into the property investmarket at the beginning at 2003 when mortgage lenders where literally throwing money at investors - times have changed now but experts predict the good times will be back. It is just a case a riding the strom. While house prices are in decline, now is good time to buy again”

The Future Of The Buy To Let Property Market

At the time of writing the buy to let market is becomming one where only the strongest or smartest will survive.

Mortgage lenders are removing buy to let products at an alarming rate - it is estimated that only 25% of buy to let products are still available in comparison with this mid 2007 many mortgage companies have now withrawn products and lenders are asking for much higher deposits.

The one man band type property investor working alone will suffer with the experienced multi property owners will still able to keep thier heads above water - but only just.

With house prices expected to hit rock bottom sometime soon the only way is up. The smart investors are ready to pounce.

When Will House Prices Rise Again

When Will Property Prices Start To Rise Again

As UK homeowners watch in anguish as the equity in their properties starts to fall almost monthly there is at least some better news hopefully just around the corner.

Some property experts say the housing market has reduced in activity by as much as 50% over the last 12 months. Worse still the insider experts predict further falls and more negative equity.

It is not all doom and gloom as simple economics points to a recovery but for a few years yet. Whilst the property market is being strangled new house building projects are being postponed by house builders. This will aid the property market in the coming years.

Soon, demand will outstrip supply and this will force house prices up again. The property market has and always will be prone to peaks and troughs. At the time of writing we are most definately in a trough - whther the hosuing market has reached its lowest point time will tell.

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One fact is certain the smart property investor is relishing this particular trough as very soon the savvy investor will be making a purchase or two to benefit from an under valued property that is sure to rise in the coming years.

The worst areas effected by the fall in property prices is London and the South East - this is traditionally the area where house prices are highest and potential profit is greatest. Predictions indicate that house prices will match 2007 in London and the South East by 2012 and a decade on a further 80% increase is expected.

Where any kind of investment is to be made the highs and lows have to be experienced - the smart property investors are about to get on again … are you going to join them.