Investing in Property
An increasing number of landlords either already are, or are thinking of becoming, investment landlords. Previously, private landlords rarely had more than one property and often were only renting out their home while they worked away. In 1997 very few mortgage companies offered a buy-to-let service, whereas by 2005 - less than ten years later - there were literally hundreds of different mortgages on offer.With the worry over pensions, many people have chosen to invest in property as a form of additional provision for their retirement. The Buy-to-Let "explosion" has led to uncertainty over house prices and investors are beginning to understand that, as with shares, their investment can go down as well as up. Investment Landlords are aware that they need to take a long term view. These landlords tend to refurbish their properties every five or six years, with the result that these well-maintained properties are rarely empty. The rental market has changed over recent years. Rents are currently relatively high, with tenants demanding equally high living standards. The days of "it's good enough for rental" have, we are pleased to say, long gone.
Today's workforce is much more mobile and, while people are working hard, away from their permanent homes, they expect a high quality lifestyle to compensate. Our view is that we will provide "High Quality Homes for High Quality Tenants". Investment landlords need to be constantly aware of the level of quality which the market is now demanding. With our help and guidance, you as a landlord can respond to market trends - and reduce the risk of void periods eating into your income.