Posts about Property

I Need to Sell My House Fast

February 13th, 2010

If you need to sell a house quickly contact www.WeBuyAllHomesCash.com.

They can buy your house in 7 days or less, save you thousands on realtor commission, save your credit, help you avoid foreclosure, and allow you to move on with life!

They understand that in this economy homeowners are finding themselves in all kinds of financial trouble due to: relocation, job loss, divorce, home repairs, bad tenants, estate sale, vacant house, for sale, making two house payments on house for sale, facing foreclosure, 100% financed, behind on payments and can’t sell a house for sale.

Nobody is safe from the financial problems and it is becoming all too common. What can you do about those problems? Pay lots of money and spend time getting prepared to sell your house, list it with a realtor, and deal with the inconvenience and stress of viewings. If there isn’t much equity in your house for sale, you most likely will have to bring a large check to the closing table when you do finally sell your house. If you don’t do research or know better, you would think you are out of options. You don‘t have to feel lost, stressed and hopeless though.

YOU AREN’T OUT OF OPTIONS-Turn your life around today by selling your house to WeBuyAllHomescash.com. We buy houses for sale from homeowners in all situations, in any area, as is condition and in any price range.

Their specialty is finding creative solutions to real estate and financial problems that others can’t help you with. We can buy your house in 7 days, buy your house for cash, buy your house by taking over payments, and many other options that can help you immediately!

We make the process easy for you and fast because we know that is what homeowners need. We’ll handle the paperwork, arrange the closing to fit your schedule and allow you to relax after you sell your house.

Within a few days you can be stress free because you no longer have a house for sale, no more mortgage payments, and you can move on with life!

Better your life and sell your house fast by visiting www.webuyallhomescash.com before it is too late.

Get the best from Property Viewings

January 26th, 2010

With the start of the New Year sparking renewed vigour to find that perfect pad, award-winning London based estate agency Young London (www.younglondon.co.uk) offers its top tips to get the best out of a property viewing.

Neil Young, CEO of Young London explains; “January has seen house-hunters hitting the streets in record numbers as the rental market becomes increasingly competitive with more tenants than ever chasing fewer available properties.  Young London is currently receiving four times the number of tenant enquiries than in January 2009.  So those looking to secure themselves the perfect property need to be focused and well organised.”

These are Young London’s top tips for successful viewings:

  • Arrive Early
  • Take someone with you
  • Prepare a checklist of questions
  • Question occupiers
  • Take a camera
  • Look past furnishing
  • Visit at different times of day
  • Visit in daylight hours
  • Look around communal areas
  • Investigate parking options
  • Research transport links
  • Check tenancy deposit scheme
  • Research the letting agent

Arrive early

Get there early to explore the area around the property, allowing yourself plenty of time to get a feel for your potential new neighbourhood, its character, what transport links are available and any amenities it has to offer.

Take someone with you

Be safe and take somebody along with you; not only will your viewing buddy be able to offer an impartial second opinion, they could also notice something about the property, or ask that vital question you might have missed.

Prepare a checklist of questions

Don’t be afraid to ask questions; be organised and make a checklist of all questions to ask and keep notes listing the property’s features, fixtures and fittings, any further expenses, characteristics of the surroundings and your immediate impressions. This will prove extremely useful when weighing up its pros and cons, and provide a benchmark for other viewings you might have.

Question occupiers

If possible, talk to the current occupiers who will be able to tell you first hand about the property and answer any questions you have about the local area. It is also worth asking how long they have lived there, why they are leaving and what the neighbours are like; depending on their response, you might just find out if it’s to get away from a neighbourly dispute or even the property itself!


Take a camera

Memory can be unreliable but the camera never lies! It tends to be either the very good or bad points that stick in the mind; taking a camera with you will help you to have a clear, objective aide to remember the property by.

Look past furnishing

Don’t let the existing occupant’s furnishing put you off and try to see past any current clutter and focus on the size and layout of the rooms. Make sure you know what furniture is included in the agreement and if you are taking your own furniture, have the measurements with you to give yourself an idea of how it might fit.

Visit at different times of day

Even the dream home can change significantly at certain times of day; try to go back for a second viewing at different time, bearing in mind that the seemingly quiet street could turn into the local rat run at rush hour, or that the inviting local could eject noisy revellers on your door step come closing time.

Visit in daylight hours

Places can look significantly different in natural light, and a visit during day light hours is recommended; any interior problems will be made more obvious and you will be able to gauge how much light the property gets.

Look around communal areas

Don’t forget to have a good look around any communal areas; if you are viewing a property in a development, it is worth taking note of their appearance, how well maintained any grounds are and how regularly rubbish is collected, for example. This will give you a good idea of how well the block is managed.

Investigate parking options

Investigate what the parking situation is like; it may be the case that a space is included in the rental, although in large towns and cities, it is more likely that a permit scheme will be in operation and possible that you will be able to buy a residential parking permit from the council.

Research transport links

Look into all transport links and work out the distance and best possible route from the property to your place of work; a trial run in peak times could be a helpful exercise to determine whether the commute would be practical or more of a daily grind.

Check tenancy deposit and inventory provision

For rental properties, ask the landlord / agent about what they have in place in terms of a tenancy deposit scheme; it is essential from the start that a clear agreement is made on protecting your deposit and noting the condition of the property to avoid any potential disputes.

Research the agent

It is important to make sure you are dealing with a reputable estate agency; looking at their website is a good start to see if they members of any professional associations, if they have won any awards and whether their information is accurate and up to date.  Question the agent to see if they are knowledgeable about the property and market in general.  If you’re looking at a rental property, ask whether the agent will be managing and if they aren’t it is worth finding out who will be.

How do “We Buy Houses” companies buy your house fast in St. Louis MO and why would I want to sell my house in St. Louis MO to them?

January 24th, 2010

St. Louis, MO : Homeowners that need to sell their house fast in St. Louis usually ask friends and family how “We Buy Houses” companies and real estate investors can buy their home for cash within the week.

The most common question we hear from homeowners that need to sell their house in St. Louis MO fast is “Has anyone ever answered the “We Buy Houses” ads that say “We will buy your house”? How does that work, why would I want to sell my house to them and are they trying to buy my house for cheap?”

Here is how they can buy your house fast in St. Louis MO and why real estate investors and “We Buy Houses” companies want to buy your house in St. Louis, in laymen’s terms.

“We Buy Houses” companies and real estate investors CAN buy your home fast in St. Louis Mo with a number of creative solutions to end your financial stress. If you need to sell your house fast in St. Louis MO and you need cash for your home or you need money for your home fast (meaning within the week) you will likely get a little less money in a quicker time frame.

If you could sell your home using traditional means, such as a realtor or FSBO (for sale by owner) signs, you could do so but it could take years. The “We Buy Houses” company or real state investor will buy your house fast but expects to get a discounted price for your house for sale in St. Louis MO in exchange for making it a quick smooth process, taking on the inconvenience and risk of buying your house fast.

Another possible solution if you can’t sell for a discounted price is, if the home for sale in St. Louis is not marketable (a distressed property) and/or if you need to sell your house for full market value and are willing to get a partial payment up front and the rest later or in equity payments.

You might be going through financial hardship and need cash for your house fast, selling your house to an investor with flexible terms might be in your best interest.

“We Buy Houses” companies and professional real estate investors are investors, and buying houses is a business. Investors want to buy your house, put money into the property by doing repairs and marketing the house and in the end make a small profit.

Hopefully this simple explanation clears up the misconception that investors are trying to rip homeowners off. It is important to mention that not all investors are created equal. Homeowners should only do business with an honest, reputable company such as www.WeBuyAllHomesCash.com.

Just like any other transaction you have to pay for convenience. For example you can ship something for less money if you don’t care when it arrives to the destination, but if you need it to arrive within 24 hours there is going to be a convenience charge.

This is not to say that selling your house to a real estate investor costs more, because it doesn’t. The discount is just up front, instead of the traditional way of selling your house for $200,000 then paying closing costs of a few thousand, realtor commission of $12,000, not to mention the house payments and taxes you had to pay while waiting for a buyer and the closing. The sale price of $200,000 is meaningless, the actual money you have after paying all of aforementioned costs is what matters.

If you are contemplating selling your house in St. Louis MO to an investor versus selling your house in St. Louis MO with a realtor or For Sale By Owner be sure to compare apples to apples and contact http://www.webuyallhomescash.com for more info.

Real Estate Investors Buy Houses Fast for Cash – They Help Homeowners See Light at the End of the Tunnel by Buying Their Houses Quickly

January 8th, 2010

WeBuyAllHomesCash.com is a nationwide home buying machine. This company has purchased thousands of residential homes all over the US helping troubled homeowners that need to sell their house avoid foreclosure by selling their houses fast. http://www.WeBuyAllHomesCash.com specialty is connecting those that need to sell a house fast with ethical and professional local investors.

After our conversation I learned that the CEO of www.WeBuyAllHomesCash.com is empathetic to people suffering from adversity and financial problems and understands that they need help fast and need to sell their house fast too. He said “I am proud that my company has the resources to buy houses quickly to help financially troubled people move on from their situation and have a fresh start”.

He specifically designed his company to be able to help those in unforeseen circumstances such as divorce, illness, unemployment, and financial difficulty to sell their house fast. “Too much debt and not enough income is a scary sinking ship, homeowners need a team like mine to buy their house for cash fast and relieve their stress,” he said.

The cofounder and CEO is especially proud, “that my company buys houses from people in any condition, any price range and just about any area. We can help almost anyone in any situation by buying their house and even close within 7 days if that is what the homeowner needs”.

From the sounds of it www.WeBuyAllHomesCash.com is exactly what this economy needs right now, a little light at the end of the tunnel from an honest reputable company. For more information on how they can buy your house fast visit their website at www.WeBuyAllHomesCash.com

Get more info on: buy houses and house for sale

Transport Disruption Drives Commuters Closer to the Office

January 7th, 2010

As the UK braces itself for more adverse weather this week it seems that commuters have had enough…

Estate agency Young London has been inundated with requests for central London rental property as commuters become increasingly fed up with transport disruptions.

Neil Young, CEO of Young Group, noted; “Whether it’s snow on the tracks in winter, the yearly autumnal issue of ‘leaves on the line’ or overheated points from our annual summer ‘heatwave’, commuters seem to have had enough.  More and more often our tenants are pointing to problems with their commute as a factor in their decision to move as close to their central London workplace as they can.

“In the past few days as weather warnings have increased, Young London’s enquiry rate has more than doubled.  We even had a call this morning from a prospective tenant stuck on a snowed in train to London from Uxbridge; fed up with the disruption and unreliability of the journey, she was Googling while stuck on the train, actively looking for a rental property much closer to work.”

Not everyone will be able to buy a place in the centre of London, but rental prices are much more affordable.

The Landmark at Canary Wharf is a mere 500 metre walk from the heart of the financial district and brand new rental apartments are now becoming available with long term rental apartments priced from £300 per week.  Similarly convenient developments available through Young London include, Devonshire Street in the heart of Mayfair (from £250 per week), myBASE1 in Southwark – a short stroll across the River Thames from the City (from £325 per week), Ability Place in E14 (from £265 per week) and Kings Quarter in Kings Cross (from £265 per week).

Young London
Phone:                                                   +44 (0)20 7593 3300
Online:                                                   www.younglondon.co.uk
Twitter:                                  www.twitter.com/younglondon

Property Owners Predict Small Base Rate Rise of 0.6% Through 2010

January 6th, 2010

It’s not only economists and industry commentators who expect little change to the base rate through the course of 2010.  Property owners also believe that there will be only a slight rise in the cost of borrowing over the next 12 months as the Government battles to get the economy back on track.

Results are from the latest Young Index (for Q4 2009) of market sentiment from Property Portfolio Managers, Young Group.  They show that although 76% of respondents expect the Bank of England base rate to be higher than the current all time low of 0.5% by the end of 2010, only 6% of respondents believe that it will have risen to more than 2.0%, well below the long term average of 5.0%.

According to latest Young Index results, the average base rate expectation for Q4 2010 1.1%, a rise of only 0.6% from the current level.

Neil Young, CEO of Young Group, commented; “Certainly in the short term, the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee is unlikely to make any significant change to the base rate.  Despite beginning its programme of quantitative easing back in March 2009, the full impact is still yet to be assessed.  The MPC is likely to hold off announcing further changes until it has access to next month’s quarterly inflation report which will provide a full update on the state of the economy.”

Young Index: Headline Results for Q4 2009

  • 99% of landlords intend to hold their residential property investments for the next 12 months.  49% intend to hold their assets for at least 10 years (up from 44% in Q3 2009) and 22% of private residential property investors intend to retain their property investments for the next 20 years or more.
  • On average, residential property investors now expect to hold their property investment assets for the next 12 years, two years longer than this time last year.
  • 59% of landlords are considering purchasing additional residential property assets within London over the next 12 months, compared to 43% who are looking at opportunities in the UK outside of the capital.  This compares to 33% and 8%, respectively, in Q4 2008 and is a continuation of last quarter’s upward trend.
  • The outlook for London property prices remains stable and is stronger than for the rest of the UK.  76% of investors believe that London prices will be at current levels or higher by this time next year (up from a low of 36% this time last year).
  • An increasingly large proportion of respondents (60% in Q4 2009, compared to 51% in the previous quarter) believe that UK property prices outside of the capital will rise within the next 12 months.
  • The expectation for the pace of property price recovery remains conservative.  Landlords predict that average property prices across London will stand 0.7% higher by the end of 2010 – but that outside the capital, the UK will see a fall of 1.0% over the same period.
  • Perhaps unsurprisingly, 76% of respondents expect the Bank of England base rate to be higher than the current all time low of 0.5% by the end of 2010.  But only 6% of respondents believe that it will have risen to more than 2.0% by the end of 2010, well below the long term average of 5.0%.
  • According to latest Young Index results, the average base rate expectation for Q4 2010 1.1%.
  • Despite reports of mortgage finance becoming more widely available of late, 39% of respondents cite a lack of appropriate mortgage finance as their current main concern, compared to just 28% this time last year.
  • Pointing to an increasingly positive outlook towards property prices, currently only 16% of landlords are hoping to see greater house price stability in the New Year, a marked swing from the 36% who hoped for increasing stability in Q4 2008.

Property Owners Predict Near Stable Prices for 2010

December 19th, 2009

Results from the latest Young Index show that homeowners forecast 2010 to be a year of consolidation and stability in the residential property market.

Far from the large property price changes foretold at either extreme of the wide ranging predictions made by agents, lenders and economists, the man in the street expects UK house prices to fall by a modest 1.0% during the course of 2010.  London, on the other hand, is predicted to perform slightly stronger than the national average by charting a growth of 0.7%.

Forecaster (annual price change, 2010) UK London
Young Index1 -1.0% +0.7%
Knight Frank2 -3.0% +3.0%
Cluttons3 -1.5% +2.6%
Savills4 -6.6% -1.0%
Jones Lang LaSalle5 -7.0% -6.0%
Rightmove* -10.0%

n/a

DTZ* +2.5%

n/a

Nationwide* -10.0%

n/a

CEBR* +4%

n/a

Citigroup* +5 to10%

n/a

Sources:

  1. Young Index sentiment survey, Q4 2009 (December 2009)
  2. Residential Market Forecast (October 2009)
  3. Residential Property Forecasts (November 2009)
  4. Residential Property Focus (November 2009)
  5. UK Residential Market Forecasts (November 2009)

*      Press Report

Neil Young, CEO of Young Group, comments, “Young Index directly polls the opinions of property owners – people who own their own homes and also investment properties – and it’s clear that they remain cautiously optimistic, expecting prices to remain relatively unchanged during 2010.  Interestingly, Young Index reveals that London is expected to out-perform the rest of the UK and is set to lead the market recovery.”

The consolidation indicated by average price expectations is also reflected by the fact that 59% of those questioned are considering purchasing additional residential property assets to rent out within London over the next 12 months, compared to 43% who are looking at opportunities in the UK outside of the capital.  This compares to 33% and 8%, respectively, in Q4 2008 and is a continuation of last quarter’s upward trend.

However, the lack of buy-to-let mortgages is of increasing concern to UK residential landlords, more so than any other aspect of the rental sector. When asked what improvement they would most like to see in 2010, 39% indicated that they long for more buy-to-let finance options. This is a significant increase on the fourth quarter of last year, when 28% picked the lack of buy-to-let mortgages loans as their major concern.

Young Index: Headline Results for Q4 2009

  • 99% of investors intend to hold their residential property investments for the next 12 months.  49% intend to hold their assets for at least 10 years (up from 44% in Q3 2009) and 22% of private residential property investors intend to retain their property investments for the next 20 years or more.
  • On average, residential property investors now expect to hold their property investment assets for the next 12 years, two years longer than this time last year.
  • 59% of investors are considering purchasing additional residential property assets within London over the next 12 months, compared to 43% who are looking at opportunities in the UK outside of the capital.  This compares to 33% and 8%, respectively, in Q4 2008 and is a continuation of last quarter’s upward trend.
  • The outlook for London property prices remains stable and is stronger than for the rest of the UK.  76% of investors believe that London prices will be at current levels or higher by this time next year (up from a low of 36% this time last year).
  • An increasingly large proportion of respondents (60% in Q4 2009, compared to 51% in the previous quarter) believe that UK property prices outside of the capital will rise within the next 12 months.
  • The expectation for the pace of property price recovery remains conservative.  Landlords predict that average property prices across London will stand 0.7% higher by the end of 2010 – but that outside the capital, the UK will see a fall of 1.0% over the same period.
  • Perhaps unsurprisingly, 76% of respondents expect the Bank of England base rate to be higher than the current all time low of 0.5% by the end of 2010.  But only 6% of respondents believe that it will have risen to more than 2.0% by the end of 2010, well below the long term average of 5.0%.
  • According to latest Young Index results, the average base rate expectation for Q4 2010 1.1%.
  • Despite reports of mortgage finance becoming more widely available of late, 39% of respondents cite a lack of appropriate mortgage finance as their current main concern, compared to just 28% this time last year.
  • Pointing to an increasingly positive outlook towards property prices, currently only 16% of landlords are hoping to see greater house price stability in the New Year, a marked swing from the 36% who hoped for increasing stability in Q4 2008.

UK landlords are becoming more confident

December 17th, 2009

Over half (58 percent) of the UK’s landlords are feeling more confident about the buy-to-let market in December 2009, than they did last month, according to the latest poll[1] from Upad.co.uk.

Comments made by those respondents feeling more confident included:

  • The market at the lower end is buoyant, but the high end is very slow to let.
  • Where I am (the North West), the rental market seems to be holding up fine.

For the 42 percent who are feeling less confident, statements included:

  • This recession began in Autumn 2007, and it isn’t going to end next year…
  • I am less confident purely because I have two empty premises on my hands at the moment.
  • There is too much red tape being invented to protect tenants and no protection for landlords.

Commenting on Upad’s Rental Confidence Index findings, James Davis, company founder and CEO, said: “It’s positive to see that landlords are – for the main part – feeling more confident about the buy-to-let market.

“2009 was a challenging year for the private rental sector – mortgages became scarce, and the shortfalls of amateur landlords were exposed.

“This is our first Rental Confidence Index, and we intend to run them on a monthly basis – polling more than 10,000 landlords. Through them, we can gauge an overview of market optimism. And, I firmly believe that confidence levels will continue to increase throughout 2010.”

Upad.co.uk launched in October 2008, enabling landlords to advertise each property for a one-off cost of £59.  The service then became available to the 1.5 million landlords across the UK in May 2009.

-Ends-

Notes to editors

About Upad.co.uk:

Upad.co.uk (http://www.upad.co.uk) is the UK’s largest online lettings agent, with more than 250,000 rental properties.

The site provides landlords with the largest online property distribution platform, ensuring extensive exposure for their properties. And, it maximises tenant leads for landlords, minimising unnecessary void periods by offering a comprehensive tenant-find service. Landlords pay a one-off fee of £59 per listing.

Upad.co.uk is free for renters to use, and helps them find their ideal property quickly and easily. It enables online searches that are interactive and intuitive, to produce relevant properties.

Launched in October 2008 under the banner ‘reinventing renting’, the company’s innovative approach is aimed at filling a gap in the property rental market.

Read the Upad.co.uk blog at http://www.upad.co.uk/blog/, or follow upad on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jamesATupad, and the Upad.co.uk Rental Surgery on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/UPAD/16196042214?ref=share.

In September 2009, Upad.co.uk was shortlisted in the UK 2009 Tech Media Invest Top 100 list http://www.guardian.co.uk/tech-media-invest-100/top-100.


[1] Upad’s Rental Confidence Index. 233 UK landlords questioned: Are you more confident or less confident about the buy-to-let market than you were last month?

Top of Landlords’ Christmas List: Wider Mortgage Choice

December 17th, 2009

Results from the latest Young Index show that ‘wider choice of mortgage finance’ is top of our residential Landlords’ Christmas Wish List.

This quarter’s finding from Young Group’s market sentiment survey indicates that despite a small increase in the volume of mortgage products on the market, increasingly, all landlords want for Christmas is a wider choice of appropriate mortgage finance.

It was the top choice of landlords, with 39% putting it top of their wish list (compared to 28% in Q4 2008).  Perhaps in response to recent housing price data, which has seen stabilisation and small rises, ‘house price stability’ was knocked from last year’s number one position by ‘wider mortgage choice’.

Also more important to landlords this year was their own ‘job security’ indicating that there is still uncertainty over employment in the minds of residential property investors. Those choosing ‘job security’ as the most desirable option rose by 6% to 27% in the past 12 months, and shifted up from third to second place on the Young Index Landlords’ Christmas Wish List.

It seems that the landlords questioned are yet to get behind the 1808 Coalition’s push for stamp duty reform.  It languishes at the bottom of the Landlords’ Christmas Wish List with just 4% picking it as their first choice.

Landlords were also relatively uninterested in ‘further reductions in base rate’ with only 7% putting an interest rate cut at the top of their list; unsurprising with base rate remaining at an all time low of 0.5%.

Neil Young, CEO of Young Group, summed up, “Our annual Landlords’ Christmas Wish List is a fun but insightful snapshot into the state of the property market and the wider economy, as seen through landlords’ eyes.”

Young Index: Headline Results for Q4 2009

  • 99% of investors intend to hold their residential property investments for the next 12 months.  49% intend to hold their assets for at least 10 years (up from 44% in Q3 2009) and 22% of private residential property investors intend to retain their property investments for the next 20 years or more.
  • On average, residential property investors now expect to hold their property investment assets for the next 12 years, two years longer than this time last year.
  • 59% of investors are considering purchasing additional residential property assets within London over the next 12 months, compared to 43% who are looking at opportunities in the UK outside of the capital.  This compares to 33% and 8%, respectively, in Q4 2008 and is a continuation of last quarter’s upward trend.
  • The outlook for London property prices remains stable and is stronger than for the rest of the UK.  76% of investors believe that London prices will be at current levels or higher by this time next year (up from a low of 36% this time last year).
  • An increasingly large proportion of respondents (60% in Q4 2009, compared to 51% in the previous quarter) believe that UK property prices outside of the capital will rise within the next 12 months.
  • The expectation for the pace of property price recovery remains conservative.  Landlords predict that average property prices across London will stand 0.7% higher by the end of 2010 – but that outside the capital, the UK will see a fall of 1.0% over the same period.
  • Perhaps unsurprisingly, 76% of respondents expect the Bank of England base rate to be higher than the current all time low of 0.5% by the end of 2010.  But only 6% of respondents believe that it will have risen to more than 2.0% by the end of 2010, well below the long term average of 5.0%.
  • According to latest Young Index results, the average base rate expectation for Q4 2010 1.1%.
  • Despite reports of mortgage finance becoming more widely available of late, 39% of respondents cite a lack of appropriate mortgage finance as their current main concern, compared to just 28% this time last year.
  • Pointing to an increasingly positive outlook towards property prices, currently only 16% of landlords are hoping to see greater house price stability in the New Year, a marked swing from the 36% who hoped for increasing stability in Q4 2008.

Young London Scoops Gold Award at the 2009 Estate Agency of the Year Awards

November 27th, 2009

Young Group’s estate agency business, Young London, has scooped Gold as the Best Small Lettings agent in the UK at the Estate Agency of the Year Awards, sponsored by The Sunday Times.

Competition was stiff this year with a record number of entrants and more than 4,000 UK Estate Agent branches represented at the awards luncheon hosted by Penny Smith.

The Best Small Letting Agency Award – for letting agents with three branch offices or fewer – saw eight letting agencies shortlisted and Young London walk away with the top accolade.

Neil Young, CEO of Young Group, was delighted to receive the award; “The Young London team’s professional approach and commitments to providing the best possible service to landlords and tenants has paid dividends!  We’re thrilled to have achieved Gold and were particularly pleased by the judges’ comments that praised our analytical approach, research focus and innovative use of marketing.”

The Sunday Times Awards’ judging panel was impressed with Young London’s attention to detail and excellent standards of service, noting that it sets us apart from many of our competitors.

They also praised the fact that the Directors are extremely hands-on; recognising that landlords and tenants have a choice of agents and striving to deliver exceptional levels of service.  Young London’s authority on developments within the property industry and local knowledge, along with our monthly market report LONDON UPDATE, were regarded as “extremely impressive”.

A special mention was made of the welcome pack that tenants receive, which includes a Molton Brown gift selection and a copy of Young Group’s hardback book ‘The London Companion’.

Summing up, the judges commented: “The professionalism of each member of Young London forms the backbone of their business; they have an analytical approach to evaluating the market and investment opportunities, reaping well deserved rewards.”

The event, now in its sixth year, was this year supported for the first time by The Sunday Times and is widely recognised as the most important in the industry calendar.

Following their initial submissions, each of the winners has been subjected to rigorous scrutiny by a panel of independent industry experts and the whole judging process was overseen by the Property Ombudsman, Christopher Hamer.

In addition to title sponsor, The Sunday Times, the 2009 awards sponsors included: My Home Move, Mortgage Talk, ARPM, Globrix, Rightmove, Moneypenny, Dove & Hawk, The Academy, Phoenix, Reapit and leading developer, Banner Homes.  Once again the Awards were also supported by the Property Ombudsman and leading professional bodies the NAEA and ARLA.

The special achievement award for 2009 was presented to the Property Ombudsman Chairman, Bill McClintock in recognition of his exceptional and continuing contribution to the industry.

Peter Knight, Chairman of the event organisers Estate Agency Events was delighted with the 2009 awards, “I hope that our record number of entries this year and the very little time it took for the event to sell out is an indicator that we may have reached the bottom of the slump.  There is no doubt that 2010 will still be a challenging year for our industry and the absolute commitment to excellence that all our winners have demonstrated will be vital for the industry to return to growth and thrive in the future. I cannot commend the examples set by Gibbs Gillespie and the other winners highly enough. The award winners and the participants in the accompanying Leadership Summit and Future Estate Agency and Lettings Live Seminars are shining examples whom I would urge all others to aspire to.

“I would also like to add my grateful thanks particularly to the team at The Sunday Times whose support has helped make the 2009 Awards even the biggest and best event yet.”

The chosen charity for the 2009 Awards was Help for Heroes and the event was addressed by the charity’s Mark Elliott who explained how money raised will go to help the charity’s Launchpad to Life and Combat Stress initiatives which help ex-service people who cannot return to active service and need help re-adjusting to civilian life due to physical or mental breakdowns or injury. Donations on the day raised £5,000 which will be donated to Help for Heroes via the Estate Agency Foundation, an umbrella charity through which agents’ donations go to existing charities that help combat the causes of homelessness.

Southern Plains Land Co. recognizes shift in Investment Property interests

November 20th, 2009

Texas & Oklahoma Land Brokerage Company, Southern Plains Land sees new interest in Investment Property, primarily Farm Lease-backs, from investors who are typically not agribusiness minded, but have lost trust in the stock market, bank CDs, net-leased retail and similar commercial property.

“We are receiving more and more interest from investors in ranches and farms for sale, rather than actual ranchers and farmers, mainly because of the lease potential, especially in crop farms. It is not uncommon to see a return of 5% – 6% net return offered on a 5-year lease-back when shopping farms for sale in the Southern Plains states.”, says Rancher, Farmer and co-owner of Southern Plains Land Co., Kalin Flournoy.

“A decent net return can be obtained from some cattle ranches for sale, only if a very experienced hands-on land brokerage and a good cattle operator structure the deal. The lease value of cattle ranches is typically more consistent and longer term than farm leases, as cattle futures have been more stable in the last few years than grain futures; however, cattle ranches cannot compete in net returns for a buyer in today’s market like crop farms”, Flournoy said.

Typically, when investing into land for sale, especially agribusiness investments, the aggregate value of a buyer’s initial investment is much safer than retail commercial property. The purchase value is typically vested in the land for sale and not so dependant on the strength of the tenant and lease portion of the sale, as it is in most commercial properties. Vacancies are not an issue with ranch or farm leases, as ranchers and farmers will actually compete for leases, according to Flournoy.

To know more about SouthernPlainsLand, Visithttp://www.southernplainsland.com/

Dubai investing

November 12th, 2009

Do you think it is possible to prevent property credit crunch and invest in property market? Simply buy in Dubai. You can discover a lot of facts related to capital in UAE. A lot of shots of amazing, top official property are in newspapers and internet.

Properties there are best specification in amazing surroundings. Many people appears interested on Dubai Property. I think I understand them everyone would like to live or spent holiday in own property.If property is located in Dubai the property is more likely amazing. Pleasent, turquoise water, marine life, sunbathing all the time just few benefits of having a good property in Dubai.

Of course not all people see only advantages. A lot of people moving to Dubai simply because is a lot attractive, good payable jobs around and people will need own place own property. Also it is much better have own home, even if it is for a few years. These individuals, they can always resell the property in Dubai. It is likely they will have good benefit from selling.

Some of properties in Dubai are being sold but it is still a lot ofbargain properties in Dubai to buy, with very good views and in good area. Plenty of people from the whole world are investing in properties in Dubai. So visit Dubai Property for more reports.

Base Rate Held at 0.5% but Property Investors Predict Base Rate of 1.2% by Q3 2010

October 9th, 2009

As widely expected, the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) elected to hold the base rate at its current level of 0.5% during October, but property investors are preparing themselves for a rise.

Neil Young, CEO of Young Group, commented; “Today’s announcement comes as no surprise.  Base rate is unlikely to change until the Bank of England’s  Quantitative Easing policy has ceased and, as expected, the Monetary Policy Committee has delayed making any decision regarding changes to its Quantitative Easing programme until after next month’s quarterly inflation report.”

However, residential property investors are mindful that rates will not remain at the current historic low forever.  Results from Young Group’s latest Young Index investor sentiment survey show that residential property investors expect the base rate to rise over the coming year to stand at just over 1% by Q3 2010.

Neil Young continues; “Our Young Index results show that investors expect to see an upward movement in base rate from the current historic low of 0.5%, but that the uplift will be gradual, as you would perhaps expect when emerging from an economic downturn.”

-ends-

Young Index: Headline Results for Q3 2009

  • 98% of investors intend to hold their residential property investments for the next 12 months.  44% intend to hold their assets for at least 10 years (up from 41% in Q2 2009) and 27% of private residential property investors intend to retain their property investments for the next 20 years or more (up from 25% last quarter).
  • On average, residential property investors now intend to hold their investment assets for the next 12 years, two years more than this time last year.
  • 53% of investors are considering purchasing additional residential property assets within London during the next 12 months, compared to 26% who are looking at opportunities in the UK outside of the capital.
  • The outlook for London property prices is stronger than for the rest of the UK.  77% of investors believe that London prices will be at current levels or higher by this time next year (up from a low of 36% in Q4 2008).
  • The expectation for the pace of property price recovery is conservative.  Landlords forecast an average property price rise of 0.73% for London property – and a fall of 1.62% for UK property outside the capital.
  • 51% expect UK property prices outside of the capital to be at current levels or higher within 12 months; the first time since the start of the credit crunch that the majority of respondents point to a UK-wide positive price sentiment.
  • 22% of respondents expect the Bank of England base rate to be at the current all time low of 0.5% in 12 months time and 98% believe that it will remain below 2.0%, well below the long term average of 5.0%.  According to latest Young Index results, the average 12 month base rate outlook is 1.2%.
  • 57% of respondents cite a lack of lending in the mortgage market as the principal barrier to investment property acquisitions.

Latest 12 Month Base Rate Forecast is 1.2%

October 7th, 2009

Results from Young Group’s latest Young Index investor sentiment survey shows that residential property investors expect the base rate to rise slightly over the next 12 months to just over 1%, but to remain well below the long term average throughout 2010.

In line with the survey respondents’ forecasts Neil Young, CEO of Young Group, does not expect the base rate to change when the Monetary Policy Committee announces the decision of this month’s deliberations.  He comments; “The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee is widely expected to delay making any decision regarding changes to its programme of Quantitative Easing until after it has had a chance to evaluate November’s quarterly inflation report.  Base rate is unlikely to change until the Quantitative Easing policy has ceased.

“Our Young Index results show that investors expect to see an upward movement in base rate from the current historic low of 0.5%, but that the uplift will be gradual, as you would perhaps expect when emerging from an economic downturn.”

-ends-

Young Index: Headline Results for Q3 2009

  • 98% of investors intend to hold their residential property investments for the next 12 months.  44% intend to hold their assets for at least 10 years (up from 41% in Q2 2009) and 27% of private residential property investors intend to retain their property investments for the next 20 years or more (up from 25% last quarter).
  • On average, residential property investors now intend to hold their investment assets for the next 12 years, two years more than this time last year.
  • 53% of investors are considering purchasing additional residential property assets within London during the next 12 months, compared to 26% who are looking at opportunities in the UK outside of the capital.
  • The outlook for London property prices is stronger than for the rest of the UK.  77% of investors believe that London prices will be at current levels or higher by this time next year (up from a low of 36% in Q4 2008).
  • The expectation for the pace of property price recovery is conservative.  Landlords forecast an average property price rise of 0.73% for London property – and a fall of 1.62% for UK property outside the capital.
  • 51% expect UK property prices outside of the capital to be at current levels or higher within 12 months; the first time since the start of the credit crunch that the majority of respondents point to a UK-wide positive price sentiment.
  • 22% of respondents expect the Bank of England base rate to be at the current all time low of 0.5% in 12 months time and 98% believe that it will remain below 2.0%, well below the long term average of 5.0%.  According to latest Young Index results, the average 12 month base rate outlook is 1.2%.
  • 57% of respondents cite a lack of lending in the mortgage market as the principal barrier to investment property acquisitions.

Buy-to-Let landlords remain jaded by the mortgage market and sit tight on their property investments

October 2nd, 2009

Young Index results for Q3 2009 from Young Group show that buy-to-let investors are no longer reviewing the mortgage market on a regular basis and intend to hold onto their assets for the long term.

Results for Q3 2009 from the Group’s Young Index survey of investor market sentiment show that fewer than 1 in 3 residential property landlords are tracking their mortgage options on a regular basis and only 11% are assessing the market as regularly as every three months.

This is the second consecutive quarter to see such a low proportion of investors tracking their options (Q2 2009 results was 12%) and represents a sea change from the situation in Q2 2008 when 65% of respondents were evaluating the market on a quarterly basis.

Only 29% of respondents now evaluate their mortgages at least every 6 months, compared to 82% of investors who were actively tracking new deals in Q2 2008.  Worryingly, at the end of Q3 2009, 27% of investors admitted to evaluating their mortgages less frequently than once a year.

The Young Index data for Q3 2009 points to investors sitting tight; the average length of time that respondents expected to retain individual property assets stood at 12 years, up from an average of 10 years in Q3 2008.

Neil Young, CEO of Young Group, commented; “Young Group’s research suggests that investors are fully aware of the constricted conditions in the mortgage market; 57% cited difficulties in obtaining mortgage funds as the principal barrier to investment property acquisitions.  It seems they may be jaded by current lending conditions and have taken their eye off the ball when it comes to tracking the mortgage market.”

There may also be a general assumption that with base rate currently at an all time low, dropping onto a lender’s Standard Variable Rate at the end of a deal is the best option, but this may not automatically be the case.

Neil Young, summed up; “Just because there are fewer mortgage products available, investors shouldn’t take their eye off the ball.  Arguably, now is the time to be paying MORE attention to the mortgage market to avoid the risk of losing out when base rate inevitably rises in the future.”

Young Index: Headline Results for Q3 2009

  • 98% of investors intend to hold their residential property investments for the next 12 months.  44% intend to hold their assets for at least 10 years (up from 41% in Q2 2009) and 27% of private residential property investors intend to retain their property investments for the next 20 years or more (up from 25% last quarter).
  • On average, residential property investors now intend to hold their investment assets for the next 12 years, two years more than this time last year.
  • 53% of investors are considering purchasing additional residential property assets within London during the next 12 months, compared to 26% who are looking at opportunities in the UK outside of the capital.
  • The outlook for London property prices is stronger than for the rest of the UK.  77% of investors believe that London prices will be at current levels or higher by this time next year (up from a low of 36% in Q4 2008).
  • The expectation for the pace of property price recovery is conservative.  Landlords forecast an average property price rise of 0.73% for London property – and a fall of 1.62% for UK property outside the capital.
  • 51% expect UK property prices outside of the capital to be at current levels or higher within 12 months; the first time since the start of the credit crunch that the majority of respondents point to a UK-wide positive price sentiment.
  • 22% of respondents expect the Bank of England base rate to be at the current all time low of 0.5% in 12 months time and 98% believe that it will remain below 2.0%, well below the long term average of 5.0%.  According to Young Index Q3 2009, the average interest rate outlook for Q3 2010 is 1.16%.
  • 57% of respondents cite a lack of lending in the mortgage market as the principal barrier to investment property acquisitions.

Sixth Anniversary for Affinity Properties in Austin, Texas

September 24th, 2009

Austin, Texas (Quality PressRelease ) September 24, 2009  – Affinity Properties continues its record of success in the Austin, Texas real estate market, celebrating six years of excellence and commitment to putting the customer first.

As a Realtor, Doris adds her own unique perspective, working with clients to ensure the security of their property and protecting their interests before, during, and after the sale; her knowledge of real estate and home security are invaluable assets to buyers and sellers alike, and are especially important in the commercial real estate market.

Peggy Galina provides twenty-five years of experience in real estate administration and support for the Affinity Properties team. Her customer service skills are unmatched, and her years of experience in real estate ensure that every real estate transaction is handled with expertise and finesse. Peggy’s organizational skills ensure that no detail is overlooked, providing clients with a smooth, streamlined experience.

The past few years have been challenging ones for the real estate industry, both in Austin and nationwide. Affinity Properties has stepped up to the challenge, providing world-class service to its clients, backed by the knowledge and expertise to help home buyers and sellers navigate the current real estate market. Affinity Properties has always been committed to delivering the best customer service in the real estate business; today, more than ever, this commitment shines through.

Providing real estate services throughout Austin, including Cedar Park, Pflugerville and Round Rock, Affinity Properties now celebrates six years of excellence in real estate. Combining experience and in-depth knowledge of both the residential and commercial real estate market, Affinity Properties is uniquely qualified to serve all aspects of the Austin real estate community. The company’s slogan says it best: Excellence isn’t expensive. It’s priceless.

About Affinity Properties

Further information on Joe Cline’s team and the Austin real estate market is available at our west Austin real estate site or our Austin real estate site, including informative blogs on recent developments in real estate in Austin and the surrounding areas and helpful hints when buying or selling properties. Once again, Joe Cline and his team of realty professionals are putting the customer first by providing cutting-edge services for the modern real estate world.

About RE/MAX International, Inc.

RE/MAX was co-founded by Dave and Gail Liniger in 1973. From a single office in Denver, Colorado, RE/MAX has grown to be a global network of nearly 100,000 Sales Associates in more than 70 countries. No one in the world sells more real estate than RE/MAX. Today, all U.S. home listings in thousands of cities and towns can be found at www.remax.com.

###

Landlords Increasingly Positive about Property Prices

September 24th, 2009

Latest results from Young Group’s Young Index show the continuation of a rising trend; increasingly positive sentiment among buy-to-let landlords that property prices will stabilise and rise over the next 12 months.

77% of investors believe that London property prices will be at current levels or higher by this time next year (an increase from 57% in the previous quarter and up from a low of 36% in Q4 2008) and 51% of landlords expect the same to be true of UK property outside the capital (up from 42% in Q2 2009 and just 12% a year ago).  But despite this increasingly positive 12 month outlook, the expected pace of market recovery remains fragile.  Landlords forecast an average property price rise of less than 1% for London property and a fall of 1.62% for UK property outside the capital.

London remains the preferred location for investors; 53% are considering buying additional property in the capital within the next 12 months (a similar level to the previous quarter although still down from the peak of 64% in Q1 2008).  This compares to 26% of investors who are considering adding UK property outside of the capital to their rental portfolios.

However, the results from the Q3 2009 survey of investor market sentiment show that the percentage of investors who expect to acquire additional properties over the forthcoming 12 months is stabilising.

Neil Young, CEO of Young Group, points out: “Our Young Index results for Q3 show that landlords are increasingly positive about the property market; a rising proportion believe that capital values are set to increase over the next 12 month, albeit by a very small percentage.  From a practical point of view, it appears that landlords are fully aware of the current difficulties in securing buy-to-let mortgage funding to acquire additional rental property and the proportion of those who expect to add to their property portfolios is levelling off.”

57% of landlords cited a lack of access to appropriate mortgage finance as the main barrier to additional property acquisitions, comments included:

  • “Buy to let mortgages must be available for the market to pick up”

  • “I see property for sale at good prices and want to snap up good investment stock, but just can’t get mortgages at appropriate LTV ratios”

  • “Buy-to-let won’t swell again until mortgages are more freely available”

The prevailing scarcity of mortgage funding has been highlighted by Paragon Mortgages who report that at the end of August 2009 there were 196 buy-to-let mortgage products available, a fall from 218 in May 2009 and a staggering 94% reduction from August 2007 when the credit crunch began.

Neil Young comments; “To some extent the number of available buy-to-let mortgage products is irrelevant, what’s needed is a sensible approach to lending with appropriate products, stability, consistency and certainty.

“No one is suggesting that buy-to-let lending should return to the days of excessive credit and lax due diligence, and it would be hugely irresponsible to do so.  But investors are increasingly frustrated that even when taking a conservative approach to investment purchases there is still a high degree of uncertainty, and little consistency, over whether a mortgage offer will be advanced.”

Rental Market Bolstered

Young Group’s estate agency business, Young London, highlights the effect of reduced mortgage finance in bolstering the rental market.  Despite press reports of an overabundance of property offered for rent from ‘reluctant landlords’ who are unable to sell, ‘reluctant tenants’ [those who are renting property until they are able to secure a residential mortgage] are bolstering the rental market.  Young London’s letting team has seen tenant enquiries rise by 24% over the past quarter alone and the occupancy rate for property let through Young London is currently higher than 99%.

Neil Young sums up, “Landlords with the right property in the right location who are realistic about their rental expectations are benefiting from the current market conditions, seeing positive cashflow as a result of low interest rates and rental income that has not significantly reduced, despite the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) reporting last month that available rental stock was 48% higher than a year ago.  Many landlords are eager to grow their portfolios but are unable to do so due to the current lack of available mortgage funding.  Instead, landlords are sitting tight; the average period that they expect to hold their property investments has risen to 12 years.”

Young Index: Headline Results for Q3 2009

  • 98% of investors intend to hold their residential property investments for the next 12 months.  44% intend to hold their assets for at least 10 years (up from 41% in Q2 2009) and 27% of private residential property investors intend to retain their property investments for the next 20 years or more (up from 25% last quarter).
  • On average, residential property investors now intend to hold their investment assets for the next 12 years, two years more than this time last year.
  • 53% of investors are considering purchasing additional residential property assets within London during the next 12 months, compared to 26% who are looking at opportunities in the UK outside of the capital.
  • The outlook for London property prices is stronger than for the rest of the UK.  77% of investors believe that London prices will be at current levels or higher by this time next year (up from a low of 36% in Q4 2008).
  • The expectation for the pace of property price recovery is conservative.  Landlords forecast an average property price rise of 0.73% for London property – and a fall of 1.62% for UK property outside the capital.
  • 51% expect UK property prices outside of the capital to be at current levels or higher within 12 months; the first time since the start of the credit crunch that the majority of respondents point to a UK-wide positive price sentiment.
  • 22% of respondents expect the Bank of England base rate to be at the current all time low of 0.5% in 12 months time and 98% believe that it will remain below 2.0%, well below the long term average of 5.0%.  According to Young Index Q3 2009, the average interest rate outlook for Q3 2010 is 1.16%.
  • 57% of respondents cite a lack of lending in the mortgage market as the principal barrier to investment property acquisitions.

Young London Dishes ‘The LowDowN’ by Inviting Readers to Tweet their Best of the Capital

August 4th, 2009

Estate agency, Young London, is making use of Twitter, not only to inform house-hunters about new properties, but also to encourage readers to share their London favourites in a newly launched online e-zine, LowDowN.

Readers are invited to Tweet their own London favourites to www.twitter.com/younglondon (whether they be pubs, parks, cafes, bars, restaurants, galleries, boutique retailers etc) and share their insights with the world!

www.younglondon.co.uk/lowdown

The LowDowN crowdsourced e-zine brings another layer of interaction to Young London’s website; LowDowN is less about property and more about lifestyle.  Neil Young, CEO of Young Group, explains; “Understandably, when people are looking to move to a new part of town, they want to know as much as possible about the neighbourhood.  By encouraging readers who are already in the know to share their favourites, people can get a real feel for new areas.”

But LowDowN aims to be of interest and relevance to potential tenants and purchasers at any time, not just during their property search, with diverse content and regular features including ‘Know London?’, ‘Can’t Live Without’ and ‘Snapshots’ into different London postcodes.

Austin Real Estate Broker Kenn Renner Signs National Book Deal With Intermedia Publishing Group

July 29th, 2009

Austin, Texas ( PressReelaseRoom ) July 29, 2009 – Top Austin real estate broker Kenn Renner recently signed a publishing and distribution deal to promote his first book with Intermedia Publishing Group out of Phoenix, AZ. The book is entitled: “First Time Home Buying Secrets Revealed.” Intermedia will be publishing and distributing the book in bookstores such as Barnes & Nobles and Borders as well as Internet portals such as Amazon.com and Target.Com. The e-book version will also be available at the same time the book is released in print. “The book is very timely,” mentions Larry Davis, CEO of Intermedia. “We look forward to working with Kenn on this book and the series of books he plans on writing in the future,” Davis adds.

Kenn has self-published many books and booklets regarding a myriad of topics including real estate and personal achievement. His popular seminars have attracted thousands over the years where he breaks down complicated subjects into easy to understand presentations that inspires and motivates attendees. “The first seminar I ever produced was a first time home buying seminar in 1994,” Renner explains. “I went on to produce many other seminars, but it all started with the first time home buying seminar.”

Kenn’s book will cover topics that are crucial to a successful home buying experience. His book will uncover industry trade secrets that can help a savvy home buyer save thousands of dollars on the purchase of a home. “Some of the secrets I will reveal may be somewhat common, but many of the secrets uncover will be big ‘Ah-Haa’s!’ to many homebuyers.” According to the National Association of Realtors, 53% of the current home buying market is comprised of first time homebuyers. “First time home buyers are key to helping pull this economy out of the doldrums,” Renner further explains.

Among the subjects revealed in “First Time Home Buying Secrets” will be:

1. Who to Trust?
2. Ten steps to buying your first home
3. Ten secrets real estate agents don’t want you to know
4. Ten secrets home builders don’t want you to know
5. Ten secrets mortgage lenders don’t want you to know
6. Credit repair secrets – revealed!
7. The truth about the $8000 federal tax credit

Renner adds, “I have spent 25 years in the real estate and mortgage industry and I am very excited about the revelation that this book will provide homebuyers around the nation.” He will be releasing several chapters as he writes them and they can be downloaded at his website, http://www.FirstTimeHomeBuyingSecrets.com.

About Kenn Renner:

Kenn gained national exposure from his numerous appearances on HGTV’s #1 rated show “House Hunters” and as a guest expert on business talk radio. He is a broker associate with Keller Williams Realty – Lake Travis in Lakeway, Texas, an affluent suburb just West of Austin. He has sold and financed over $200 Million in real estate since 1983. “Although I sell a lot of medium to high end priced homes, I still get a real thrill working with first timers – after being in the business for 25 years I am now helping my past client’s children purchase their first homes – what an honor!”

Contact Information:

Kenn Renner
Company: First Time Homebuying Secrets
Title: Broker/Speaker Keller Williams
1921 Lohman’s Crossing
Lakeway, Texas
United States 78634
Voice: 512-423-5626
http://www.FirstTimeHomeBuyingSecrets.com
email: Pressreleaser@bestonlineresults.com

###

UAE properties

July 21st, 2009

Is it likely to bypass property squeeze and investing in building market Simply buy in Dubai. We can find plenty of facts related to possessions in and around Dubai. Hundreds of photos of amazing, top approved buildings are in internet and newspapers.

Constructions in Dubai are top specification and amazing surroundings. A lot of people seems interested on properties in Dubai . I think I understand them everyone would like to live or spent holiday in own property.If its Dubai it mean is marvellous. Hot,blue water, reefs and sun bathing this is the benefit of havingamazing property in Dubai.

People rarely can find some disadvantages. A lot of people moving to Dubai because its plenty interesting, good vacancies around and they will need own place and own property. Also it is much better have own home also if it is just for a several years. These people they can always sell the property in Dubai. I belive they will have good profit from their investment

Plenty of properties in Dubai are being sold but it is still a lot ofproperties in Dubai and UAE to buy with excellent views and neighbourhood. Plenty of people from the entire world are buying properties in Dubai. Simply because its generate good profits. Just visit DUBAI PROPERTY for further informations.

Young Group Market Report

June 11th, 2009

Built on Firm Foundations

key facts and figures supporting long term
residential property investment

Following last year’s Rugg Report and the launch of the Homes and Communities Agency’s (HCA) much anticipated initiative to drive institutional investment in the Private Rented Sector (PRS), the sector is coming under greater scrutiny than ever before.

As a residential property portfolio manager, Young Group has long championed residential property as an asset class and in its market report ‘Built on Firm Foundations’ presents a summary of the latest pertinent data.

Headline statistics demonstrate continued population growth, which shows no signs of abating, increasing the demand for homes throughout the UK – most notably in London and the South East. The impact of the current constrained mortgage market is creating pent up demand from would-be purchasers who are buoying the rental market.

Coupled with this increasing demand, supply of homes continues to fall far short of the Government’s own housebuilding targets. New home starts and completions have dropped below the level of the early 1990s caused, in part, by developers’ reticence to build for the traditionally highly speculative residential market and the lack of readily available development finance.

The UK is a late adopter of institutional residential investment and has one of Europe’s smallest PRSs. Past performance of residential property assets has been extremely robust, outperforming equities, gilts and commercial property over the medium and long term. These gains have traditionally been shared by a large number of small scale private landlords in what, at least currently, is a highly fragmented sector.

However, Neil Young, CEO of Young Group point out that things are changing. “The HCA’s PRSI is actively engaged in overcoming barriers to entry into the PRS, through facilitating seed funding and encouraging a professional residential asset management sector.

“With the sector’s strong fundamentals, the PRSI has the ability to build on already firm foundations and change the face of the private rented sector beyond all measure.”

A copy of the report can be downloaded from www.younggroup.co.uk/research.

-ends-


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

Young Group specialises in delivering Property Portfolio Management services to private and institutional investors.

The Group’s activity spans the entire investment cycle from identifying opportunities and financing their acquisition, through to managing the asset (furnishing through Young Furnishingwww.youngfurnishing.co.uk; tenanting through Young Londonwww.younglondon.co.uk; refinancing through Young Financewww.youngfinance.co.uk), regularly reviewing the performance of the property holdings and advising on strategic direction, through to realising returns in the most tax efficient manner. This process also includes sale of property through Young London.

Young Group Asset Management – At a Glance:

· All assets successfully tenanted with no rent arrears disputes

· Currently managing 300-400 units across London

· Accredited by the National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS)

· Highly experienced in marketing the entirety of new apartment blocks, e.g. My Base1, Southwark (85 units – phased occupation); The Interchange, Dalston (30 units – fully tenanted in 8 weeks); The Retreat, Earlsfield (22 units – fully tenanted in 6 weeks)

· Average void across the portfolio: 8 days

· Performance Example: Young London managed assets in Southwark outperformed the market by 50% over the past 12 months. [Based on FindaProperty rental index for Southwark compared to Young London rental income performance]

· The lettings business was shortlisted for National Estate Agent of the Year Awards in its first year of operation

· 5,000 unique visits per week to website viewing 1.5m pages per year, 300%+ more than the Google benchmark for similar sized estate agents; an in-house increase of 60% since the beginning of 2009

· In 2008, Young Furnishing provided furnishing on behalf of our landlords to accommodate 272 Young London tenants

Neil Young, CEO – Young Group

A qualified accountant, Neil has more than 10 years experience in global corporate finance having worked with companies such as Thomson Holidays and British Airways. In 2000 he was appointed European Chief Financial Officer at Highland Partners, before leaving to found Young Group.

Neil works closely with his management team to ensure that Young Group operates effectively to manage clients’ investment assets and to ensure that all Group companies remain focused on delivering excellent service in all areas, whether it is in the realm of financial advice (Young Finance), investment opportunities, property management (Young London) or furnishing (Young Furnishing).

Visit www.younggroup.co.uk to learn more.

Young London Stands up to Rogue Agents

May 19th, 2009

Young London is the latest agency to join up to the National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS), accreditation set up to provide a much needed industry benchmark to protect landlords and tenants from the perils of ‘cowboy’ agents.

 

Under the strict accreditation guidelines, NALS members must comply with defined service standards, have in place a customer complaints procedure that offers independent redress through the Ombudsman for Estate Agents Scheme, have suitable Professional Indemnity insurance and protection for client monies as well as access to appropriate Tenancy Deposit Protection.

 

Young London currently has more than 300 properties under management and Neil Young, CEO of Young Group, is confident that NALS accreditation along with the company’s recent decision to join the voluntary Ombudsman for Estate Agents Scheme demonstrates Young London’s commitment to providing clients with exceptional service: “When choosing a new home to rent or making the decision to let your property, people need to have confidence in their appointed agent and be provided with peace of mind that the process will be dealt with professionally and as smoothly as possible.

 

“In adopting the UK-wide framework that NALS has established we make it clear to tenants and landlords that, in addition to our own strict professional code of practice, we now adhere to a set of standards put in place by an independent Government-supported scheme with the primary aim of raising standards in the private rented sector.”

 

The Scheme is supported by some of the most powerful voices in the property industry; The British Property Federation (BPF), National Landlords Association (NLA), the National Union of Students (NUS) and the Guild of Letting and Management are all Directors of the Scheme.  Shelter, National Federation of Property Professionals (NFOPP) and RICS endorse NALS and recognise the benefit to the sector in having a single industry kitemark for the assurance of good customer service.

 

NALS Operations Director Isobel Thomson is delighted that Young London has joined the scheme and comments: “NALS service standards are the consumer’s benchmark against which to judge the performance of letting and management agents operating in the private rented sector and we are delighted to welcome Young London into the Scheme.

 

“Agents such as Young London are in the vanguard of a drive to establish uniform service standards in the industry.  Those agents who are not prepared to meet the standards required by NALS and, most importantly, the public, will not survive for long.”

 

More information on The National Approved Letting Scheme and details of how to contact a local NALS agent can be obtained by calling NALS on +44 (0)1242 581712, visiting the website www.nalscheme.co.uk or by emailing info@nalscheme.co.uk.

 

For more information about Young London, visit www.younglondon.co.uk, email info@younglondon.co.uk or call +44 (0)845 356 1000.

 

-ends-

 

About Young London (www.younglondon.co.uk)

 

Young London is a lettings, sales and management agency, specialising in newly built property across London.  Young London is a Young Group company (a wealth manager that has transacted on more than £700 million of London property since 2003).

 

As part of an organisation that prides itself on delivering outstanding levels of customer service, Young London is proud to ensure that clients are treated with the utmost respect and that their expectations are always exceeded.

 

Young London currently has more than 300 properties under management and has found homes for more than 500 tenants in the last year alone.

 

Young London was shortlisted for the national Estate Agent and Letting Agent Awards, 2009, just six months after opening its first high street agency office.

 

 

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

 

Young Group specialises in providing Property Portfolio Management services to private investors, offering the best 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).

 

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 business, Young Finance.

 

·         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, was named Property Woman of the Year, 2008 for London.

·         Young London (www.younglondon.co.uk) was shortlisted as a finalist in the national Estate Agent and Letting Agent Awards, 2009.

 

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.

 

Young Group at a Glance

 

  • 255 The number of apartments that Young Group clients have successfully completed on in 2008
  • 67% The percentage of new business generated through referral and by repeat investors
  • £700 million The value of property that Young Group has transacted since it formed in 2003
  • 1,700 The number of apartments that Young Group has transacted since 2003
  • 15 The number of developments offered to Young Group’s clients
  • 300 The number of assets currently under management by Young London – our lettings business
  • £35 million The value of mortgages written by Young Finance in 2008
  • 272 The number of tenants who will sleep soundly in beds provided by Young Furnishing
  • 99% The proportion of investors who will hold their property assets for at least the next 12 months.

Firm Foundations for Crossrail Boost

May 15th, 2009

Commenting on the laying of foundations for the new Isle of Dogs Crossrail station at Canary Wharf, Neil Young, CEO of property portfolio managers Young Group, welcomes the boost to property market confidence that the project will bring.

Neil Young, Young Group’s CEO comments, “The impact of infrastructure improvements on the property market is well documented and Crossrail is a prime example of a project which will provide a much needed boost to confidence in the local markets close to the new route’s stations as localised demand for property increases.”

Young Group points out that historically, new stations have resulted in property prices seeing a benefit of around 10% – over and above the prevailing market movement – with the impact concentrated on station location as the epicentre, with the effect diminishing by c. 1.5% every 1km further away you are from the new station.

 

The statistics have been researched by the London School of Economics and use sample data from the impact on property prices brought by the Jubilee Line Extension and the Docklands Light Railway (DLR).

 

Neil Young continues; “The support that property prices receive from infrastructure projects is demonstrated by the new East London line extension that’s currently under construction. Within 18 months of the project announcement, prices in Dalston at Young Group’s development, The Interchange, increased by around 9 per cent over and above the average for London during that period.

 

“Even small scale transportation enhancements can have a positive local impact.  For instance, within six weeks of the new pier opening at Woolwich Arsenal for riverboat services, we saw rental renewal prices increase at the Royal Arsenal development by around 10%, at a time when the market as a whole was softening.”

 

 

-ends-

 

Neil Young, CEO – Young Group, is available for interview

 

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

Young Group specialises in providing Property Portfolio Management services to private and institutional investors, offering asset management, acquisition and disposal off residential property investments.

 

At a Glance:

·         255: The number of apartments that Young Group clients have successfully completed on in 2008

·         67%: The percentage of new business generated through referral and by repeat investors

·         £700 million: The value of property that Young Group has transacted since it formed in 2003

·         1,700: The number of apartments that Young Group has transacted since 2003

·         15: The number of developments offered to Young Group’s client base of global private investors

·         300: The number of assets currently under management by Young London – our lettings business

·         £35 million: The value of mortgages written by Young Finance in 2008

·         272: The number of tenants who will sleep soundly in beds provided by Young Furnishing

·         99%: The proportion of investors who will hold their property assets for at least the next 12 months.

 

Young Group manages the entire investment process from sourcing 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 is the principal in the majority of transactions and also retains a number of units for its own portfolio.  As the principal, 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 London (www.younglondon.co.uk) is a finalist in the national Estate Agent and Letting Agent Awards, 2009.

 

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.

 

Neil Young, CEO – Young Group, is available for interview/further comment

Mind the Gap in the HCA’s Private Rented Sector Plans

May 15th, 2009

-Property Portfolio Manager, Young Group, warns that a lack of robust residential asset management expertise is set to hamper efforts to boost the scale of institutional investment in the Private Rented Sector (PRS).

Whilst welcoming the Homes and Communities Agency’s (HCA) Private Rented Sector Initiative (PRSI) to facilitate greater institutional investment and applauding the steps proposed to support greater entry into the market, Neil Young, Young Group’s CEO, is concerned that there is a lack of appropriate expertise in managing portfolios of residential property assets.

“Arguably, the UK has one of the world’s most highly developed asset management markets.  However, almost all of that experience is skewed towards the commercial sector.” points out Young.

“A commercial asset management approach cannot simply be applied to residential property; they are completely different asset classes. One of the greatest hurdles to growing institutional involvement in the PRS is in managing the large portfolios of residential assets appropriately.”

As an asset class, residential property is management intensive and the sector has traditionally focused upon delivering property management to individual owners or landlords with small fragmented portfolios.   

Young maintains, “Our proven experience in providing residential asset management as an integral part of Young Group’s portfolio consultancy has taken years to cultivate and remains scarce in the industry.

“A new wave of asset managers is required that understands the commerciality of residential property, can actively drive income generation and operate at a larger scale, generating economies that can be factored into asset management costs and returns.”

For residential investment to be an attractive proposition to institutions, residential asset managers must step up and offer a robust and cost effective service.  The onus is upon them to provide a coherent strategy to support institutions in acquiring, holding and ultimately disposing of residential property and in driving income generation from assets that are held.   

Residential Property is Management Intensive in Nature:

•   Increased uncertainty of income compared to commercial leases from shorter tenancies and softer covenants.

•   Commonly let on assured shorthold tenancies which limit tenants obligations to repair and insure the assets, whereas commercial lets are full repairing and insuring leases.

•   Increased tax burden.  There’s an inability to claim VAT on the cost of repairs and purchases are liable to Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).

•   Residential holdings tend to be fragmented.  Tenants can be spread across numerous developments and locations.

•   Average lot size of residential property is a fraction of that for commercial making economies of scale harder to generate.

•   Fund Manager experience is focused upon commercial property rather than residential.  Outsourcing tends to be to managing agents providing reactive property management rather than to asset managers who can drive income generation and maximisation.

-ends-

About Young Group (www.younggroup.co.uk)
Young Group specialises in providing Property Portfolio Management services to private and institutional investors, offering asset management, acquisition and disposal off residential property investments.

At a Glance:
•   255: The number of apartments that Young Group clients have successfully completed on in 2008
•   67%: The percentage of new business generated through referral and by repeat investors
•   £700 million: The value of property that Young Group has transacted since it formed in 2003
•   1,700: The number of apartments that Young Group has transacted since 2003
•   15: The number of developments offered to Young Group’s client base of global private investors
•   300: The number of assets currently under management by Young London – our lettings business
•   £35 million: The value of mortgages written by Young Finance in 2008
•   272: The number of tenants who will sleep soundly in beds provided by Young Furnishing
•   99%: The proportion of investors who will hold their property assets for at least the next 12 months.

Young Group manages the entire investment process from sourcing 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 is the principal in the majority of transactions and also retains a number of units for its own portfolio.  As the principal, 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 London (www.younglondon.co.uk) is a finalist in the national Estate Agent and Letting Agent Awards, 2009.

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.

If your Tenant Can’t Pay; Don’t Panic

April 29th, 2009

Take these steps from Young London (www.younglondon.co.uk)
to make the best of a difficult situation

In the current economic climate, unemployment has become an unexpected reality for many.  Hopefully it will never happen to one of your tenants but if it does and they can’t pay the rent, what are your options as a landlord?

Maintain a good relationship with your tenant

If the worse does happen and your tenant loses their job, you need to know about it!  If you’re approachable then they’re more likely to let you know what’s happened.  At the same time it makes sense to keep an eye on your tenant; make sure the rent is being paid on time and if isn’t, ask why sooner rather than later.  If they have been made unemployed then paying their rent may not be high up on their list of priorities when faced with credit card bills and other debts.  Make sure they understand early on how important it is to pay the rent.

Look at taking out insurance cover

Insurance cover is available to guarantee your rental income and legal expenses.  For a regular monthly premium, these policies can be taken out when signing up a new tenant.

Find out if Local Housing Allowance is an option

Your tenant may be eligible for Local Housing Allowance.  Landlords should speak to their local council to see if it’s an applicable option for the tenancy – and ensure they familiarise themselves with the additional responsibilities it may entail.  This may seem like a lot of effort but it could mean you keep the tenant until the end of the tenancy agreement.

Allow your tenant to break their tenancy agreement

If the rent isn’t being paid and your local letting market is fairly buoyant it may be worth allowing your tenant to leave so that you can let the property to a paying tenant.  That might mean writing off any rental arrears but in the long run could mean you waste less time and money, and could avoid a costly legal bill.

Take legal action

Legal action can be expensive, time consuming and should always only be the last resort.  However, you need to be prepared for all eventualities.

 

As soon as your tenant goes into arrears (14 days after the due date) make sure you speak to your local landlords’ association or seek specialist legal advice to explore all the options available.

They’ll be able to explain the legal processes involved in recovering rental arrears and eventual eviction.  But bear in mind that any costs you incur will be out of your own pocket and can’t be recovered from the tenants.

www.younglondon.co.uk

-ends-

 

About Young London (www.younglondon.co.uk)

 

Young London is a lettings, sales and management agency, specialising in newly built property across London.  Young London is a Young Group company (a wealth manager that has transacted on more than £700 million of London property since 2003).

 

As part of an organisation that prides itself on delivering outstanding levels of customer service, Young London is proud to ensure that clients are treated with the utmost respect and that their expectations are always exceeded.

 

Young London currently has more than 300 properties under management and has found homes for more than 500 tenants in the last year alone.

 

Young London was shortlisted for the national Estate Agent and Letting Agent Awards, 2009, just six months after opening its first high street agency office.

 

 

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

 

Young Group specialises in providing Property Portfolio Management services to private investors, offering the best 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).

 

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 business, Young Finance.

 

·         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, was named Property Woman of the Year, 2008 for London.

 

·         Young London (www.younglondon.co.uk) was shortlisted as a finalist in the national Estate Agent and Letting Agent Awards, 2009.

 

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.

 

 

Young Group at a Glance

 

  • 255 The number of apartments that Young Group clients have successfully completed on in 2008
  • 67% The percentage of new business generated through referral and by repeat investors
  • £700 million The value of property that Young Group has transacted since it formed in 2003
  • 1,700 The number of apartments that Young Group has transacted since 2003
  • 15 The number of developments offered to Young Group’s clients
  • 300 The number of assets currently under management by Young London – our lettings business
  • £35 million The value of mortgages written by Young Finance in 2008
  • 272 The number of tenants who will sleep soundly in beds provided by Young Furnishing
  • 99% The proportion of investors who will hold their property assets for at least the next 12 months.

 

www.younggroup.co.uk