Latest Young Index results from Young Group have, perhaps unsurprisingly, identified that house price stability and wider mortgage choice are top of this Christmas’ wish lists.

This quarter’s findings from the Young Index market sentiment survey indicates that house price stability was top of the agenda for property investors (36% of respondents) and wider mortgage choice was second on their wish lists (28%).

Only 12% expressed a desire for further reductions in base rate, perhaps reflecting lender’s lack of enthusiasm in passing rates onto borrowers.

Further action by way of additional VAT cuts or stamp duty incentives were bottom of the pile, both wanted by only 2% of investors.

Young Index: Summary Results for Q4 2008

• 96% of investors intend to hold their residential property investments for the next 12 months. 37% intend to hold their assets for at least 10 years and more than 20% of buy-to-let investors aim to keep their property investments for the next 15 years or more.

• 33% intend to buy additional residential property investments within London within the next 12 months, whereas just 8% of investors intend to buy UK residential property outside of the capital.

• The outlook for London property prices is 3 times higher than for the rest of the UK. 36% of investors believe that London prices will be at current levels or higher by this time next year, whereas just 10% expect the same to be true of UK property outside London.

• Investors are focusing on mortgage finance; 50% now review their mortgage every 3-6 months and almost 1 in 4 are reviewing their finance options more than once a quarter.

• 69% of respondents expect the Bank of England base rate to be at or below the current level of 2.0% at the end of 2009, and most predict it to stand at 1.0% at that time.

About Young Index

Young Index is a quarterly gauge of market sentiment within the buy-to-let sector, polling Young Group’s client base of around 500 active investors who hold UK investment property.

About Young Group (www.younggroup.co.uk)

Young Group specialises in providing Property Portfolio Management services to private investors, offering the best off-plan direct investment opportunities in London.

Young Group manages the entire investment process from sourcing the opportunities through to financing (Young Finance: www.youngfinance.co.uk), furnishing (Young Furnishing: www.youngfurnishing.co.uk) and letting (Young London: www.younglondon.co.uk). Young Group owns all the property that it sells, and also retains a number of units in each development for its own portfolio. As the principal in every transaction, Young Group does not realise any profits until completion and has transacted in excess of 1,700 apartments, with a retail value of more than £700 million. The majority of our units are bought by clients for their private portfolios.  The Group’s portfolio managers liaise with the Young London estate agency team in advance of completion to let investors’ apartments to quality tenants, often through corporate lets.

Young Group clients have access to all available finance products via Young Group’s FSA regulated mortgage desk, Young Finance. Young Finance is an appointed representative of Thinc Assured Network, one of the UK’s largest financial advisory firms and is not tied to any group of lenders, nor does it charge commission or transaction fees.

· Young Group’s iconic Canary Wharf development, The Landmark (www.TheLandmarkE14.com), has been awarded two Daily Mail Property Awards in the categories of best high rise development and best high rise architecture.  The Landmark East Tower rises to a height of 459 ft, making it one of the tallest residential properties in Europe.

· Young Group’s COO, Sylvana Young, has been named Bradford and Bingley’s Property Woman of the Year, 2008 for London.

Young Group supports NORWOOD and CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA, two charities particularly close to our heart, donating £50 per property exchange and providing additional support throughout the year. Visit www.younggroup.co.uk to learn more.

Related posts:

1. Top of Landlords’ Christmas List: Wider Mortgage Choice
2. Buy-to-Let landlords remain jaded by the mortgage market and sit tight on their property investments
3. Base Rate Held at 0.5% but Property Investors Predict Base Rate of 1.2% by Q3 2010
4. Latest 12 Month Base Rate Forecast is 1.2%
5. Property Owners Predict Small Base Rate Rise of 0.6% Through 2010