Friday, 11 November 2016

Rutland's Housing Crisis... Only 2.5% of Homes For Sale


Our local property market continues to disregard the end of the world prophecies of a post-Brexit fallout with a return to ‘business as usual’ feel after the summer break.

The challenge every property buyer has faced over the last few years is a lack of choice… there simply hasn't been much to choose from when buying (be it for investment purposes or owner occupation). 


Numbers are still well down on what would be considered healthy levels from earlier on in this decade, as there remains a substantial demand/supply imbalance.  Until we start to see consistent and steady increases in properties coming on to the market, the market is likely to see upward pressure on property values continue.

For example, in the last few months, LE15 has seen an average of 112 new properties coming onto the market, not bad when you consider for some months last year the average was in the mid 60’s.  According to my research, with the average Oakham property value hitting a record high at almost £326,450, the shortage of properties on the market over the last 2 years has contributed to this ‘fuller' average property figure.

As I write this article, 2.53% of Oakham properties are on the market for sale.  In terms of actual chimney pots, that equates to 99 properties on the market in Oakham (within 1 mile of the centre of Oakham), which, when compared to only a year ago when that figure stood at 123, is a slight decrease in the number of properties available to buy.  However, split that down into the type of property, it makes for even more fascinating reading...
  • Detached Properties in Oakham: 48 on the market a year ago, compared to 35 on the market now – a  decrease of 27%
  • Semi-Detached Properties in Oakham: 18 on the market a year ago, compared to 28 on the market now - an increase of 56%
  • Terraced Properties in Oakham: 27 on the market a year ago, compared to 19 on the market now – a decrease of 30%
  • Flats / Apartments Properties in Oakham: 18 on the market a year ago, compared to 11 on the market now – a decrease of 39%

This is evidence of strength in the housing market that many didn't expect.  Some commentators believed that the property market wasn't going to be strong enough post-Brexit, as what was considered a ‘sellers' market’ before the Brexit vote and a ‘buyers' market’ in the early months after it, may now be somewhere in-between and the property market might just be coming back into balance.

However, all this will mean property values won't continue to grow at the same extent they have been over the last 12 to 18 months, and in some months (especially on the run up to Christmas and early in the New Year), values might dip slightly.  This won't be down to Brexit but a re-balancing of the property market – which is good news for everyone.

I like to keep a close eye on the local property market on a daily basis because it enables me to give the best advice and opinion.  If you want to learn more about the Rutland and Stamford property market, feel free to pop in for a coffee at our office for a chat with me.

We are here to help you buy, sell, rent and manage your homes and property investments.


David Crooke
Owner


 
UPP PROPERTY - SALES & LETTING AGENTS
Understanding People & Property


Email: david@upp-property.co.uk

Stamford: 01780 484 554      Oakham: 01572 725 825

 

 

Monday, 7 November 2016

The 3 Best Buy-To-Lets on this week's Rutland & Stamford Property Market

Property 1:
2 Bedroom Semi-Detached House For Sale.   £180,000
Byron Way, Stamford.  Marketed by Moores.
 
This is a wonderful investment for anyone looking to invest their capital.  First time landlords often look for low maintenance properties and the more modern they are, the less money will be needed to keep them maintained. This 2 bed property on Byron Way would bring in a rental figure of £695 - £725pcm which would be a minimum yield of 4.7%.

Price: £180,000
Rent: Approx. £695-£725pcm
Yield: c4.7%
Click this link for more details on this property:


Property 2:
3 Bedroom Town House For Sale.  Guide Price £180,000
Mallard Court, Oakham.  Marketed by Moores.


Another Buy-To-Let investment gem found in the last 7 days is this property located within a very short walk of Oakham train station and offering 3 bedrooms.  This genre of property is highly sought after by tenants and we’d expect to have a property like this let with little to no void time.  Rent return in the region of £695pcm- £725pcm and a yield of c4.7+%.

Guide Price: £180,000
Rent: Approx. £695pcm - £725pcm
Yield: c.4.7%
Click this link for more details on this property:
 
 
Property 3:
2 Bedroom Barn Conversion For Sale.  Guide Price £225,000
Barlow Road, Oakham.  Marketed by UPP Property Agents.
 

Unexpectedly back to the sales market, this magnificent barn conversion is located within a short stroll of the town centre and local train station.  Built and presented to a very high spec', this unique property would command a return of £750pcm, generating a 4% yield. The benefit of this property is the wonderful idea of living in it yourself when the time comes to downsize, whilst in the meantime commanding a good return on the rent.
 
 
Guide Price: £225,000
Rent: Approx. £750pcm
Yield: c4%
Click this link for more details on this property:
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-60751709.html


If you would like to discuss any of these properties in more detail, or if you are considering investing in a different property, please do get in touch with me.  I am here to help and will be glad to discuss any property with you.

David Crooke, Owner

UPP PROPERTY AGENTS - Sales & Lettings

Understanding People and Property



Email: david@upp-property.co.uk

Stamford: 01780 484 554      Oakham: 01572 725 825
 
 

Friday, 4 November 2016

Stamford's Private Rental Market Set To Grow By 600 Households By 2025

I was having a most interesting chat the other day with a Stamford landlord when we were looking at a property.  As I am sure you are aware, I am always happy to cast my eye over any potential buy-to-let purchase, be that you emailing me a Rightmove link, a brochure in the post or even treading the carpet and seeing it together.  I don't charge for my advice, and you don't even need to be a client of mine.

We got talking about the Stamford property market and this landlord brought up the subject of a report he had read from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) that stated almost 1.8m new rental homes are needed by 2025 to keep up with current demand from tenants.  He wanted to know what this meant for Stamford.

Last winter, some commentators said that buy-to-let was in decline, what with the new stamp duty changes and how mortgage tax relief will be calculated.  Others even said 500,000 rental properties would flood the market nationally in the 12 months after the new stamp duty rules came into force on the 1st April 2016, as landlords left the rental market.  Well, I wish the landlords of those 500,000 properties would hurry up and put them on the market – because I have plenty of other potential landlords desperate to buy them!

Back to the matter in hand.  If the RICS and PwC are indeed correct, what does this mean for Stamford?  The fact is, as a country, we are facing a precarious rental shortage and need to get Stamford building in a way that benefits a cross-section of Stamford society, not just the fortunate few.  I call on the Prime Minister to drop the higher stamp duty tax on buy-to-let purchases to ease the pressure on the rental market.

Of the 9,000 households in Stamford, currently 3,000 tenants live in 1,500 private rented properties.  If we apportion those 1.8m households equally around the country, that means in nine years’ time, the number of rental properties in Stamford needs to rise by 600 (i.e. 42.8%), taking the total number of rented properties in the town to 2,100.



Therefore, Stamford landlords need to buy around 70 properties annually between now and 2025 to meet that demand, because according to my calculations, an additional 1,300 people will want to live in all those 'additional' Stamford rental properties.  So, why is the government penalising landlords?

Thankfully the new housing minister Gavin Barwell detached Teresa May's new administration from the Cameron/Osborne ‘laser-like’ focus of just home ownership to solve our housing issues, saying "we need to build more homes for every single type of person needing a home and not focus on one single tenure".

The private rented sector became a stooge under David Cameron's watch and still, with increasingly unaffordable Stamford house prices, the majority of new Stamford households will be relying on the rental sector in the future to house them.  I can only say Westminster must put in place the measures that will allow the rental sector to flourish.  Any restrictions on the supply of rental property will push up rents (bad news for tenants), thus side-lining those members of Stamford society who are already struggling.

Let's hope this new government continues to see the contribution landlords give to the country as a whole.

 
I like to keep a close eye on the local property market on a daily basis because it enables me to give the best advice and opinion. If you want to learn more about the Rutland and Stamford property market, feel free to pop in for a coffee at our office for a chat with me.

For professional advice on buying, selling, renting and managing your homes and property investments.



David Crooke
Owner


 

UPP PROPERTY - SALES & LETTING AGENTS
Understanding People & Property


Email: david@upp-property.co.uk

Stamford: 01780 484 554      Oakham: 01572 725 825

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, 31 October 2016

My pick of the 3 Best Buy-to-let deals on the market in Stamford & Rutland this week...

Property 1:
3 Bed End of Terraced House For Sale  £159,995
Charles Road, Stamford.  On the market with Rosedale's
 

I would suggest a small budget for updating and modernising this great 3 bed property.  It could be let out in its current condition but, to be able to attract the long term young families, I would suggest spending a moderate amount bringing the décor up to modern standards and tenants' expectations.  I would expect a rental return of £750pcm in good condition, with a yield of c5.6% based on its asking price.

Price: £159,995
Rent: Approx. £750pcm
Yield: c.5.6%
Click this link for more details on this property:



Property 2:
2 Bed Terraced House For Sale  £180,000
Radcliffe Road, Stamford.  On the market with Knight Partnership.


This property is sought after, and could be let by the time you finish reading this!   At present, 2 bed terrace properties close to Stamford town centre are probably the most 'in demand rental investment'.  This particular property looks to be in very good condition and would be ready to go!  Rental income of £650pcm and based on asking price, the yield would be c4.3%.

Price: £180,000
Rent: Approx. £650pcm
Yield: c.4.3%
Click this link for more details on this property:


Property 3
3 Bedroom Terraced House For Sale.  Guide Price £199,950
Hornbeam Lane, Uppingham.  Marketed by UPP Property Agents.


Uppingham is a good property market in to invest in, if you are looking for a sensible first time let.  We have lots of investors that own property in the town, as they look at the property as a long term home for themselves, as well as a good rental income in the meantime.
 
Expect a rental income of around £725pcm, which is a yield of 4.4%, making this an all round excellent purchase.
 
 
 
Guide Price: £199,950
Rent: Approx. £725pcm
Yield: c4.4%
Click on this link for more details on this property:
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-44227128.html



If you would like to discuss any of these in more detail, or if you are considering investing in a different property, please do get in touch with me.  I am here to help and will be glad to discuss any property with you.

David Crooke, Owner

UPP PROPERTY AGENTS - Sales & Lettings

Understanding People and Property



Email: david@upp-property.co.uk

Stamford: 01780 484 554      Oakham: 01572 725 825

 

Friday, 28 October 2016

Rutland House Prices Rise By More Than 6% In The Last 18 Months


 

 

Over the last month, the Rutland property market has seen some interesting movement in house prices, as property values in the Rutland County Council area rose by 2.3%, to leave annual price growth at 9%.  

 

 
 
 
These compare well to the national figures where property prices across the UK saw a monthly uplift of 0.42%, meaning the annual property values across the country are 8.3% higher, this is all despite the constraining factors of Stamp Duty changes in the spring and more recently Brexit.

Surprisingly, when one looks at the figures for the last 18 months, house prices are 6.1% higher.  Again, thought provoking when compared to the national average figure of 13.6% higher.

However, it gets more remarkable when we look at how the different sectors of the Rutland property market are performing.  Over the last 18 months, in the Rutland County Council area, the best performing type of property was the detached, which outperformed the area average by 0.42% whilst the worst performing type was the apartment, which under-performed the area average by 1.4%.

Now the difference doesn’t sound that much, but remember two things, this is only over 18 months and the gap of 1.8% (the difference between the detached at +0.42% and apartments at -1.4%) converts into a few thousand pounds disparity, when you consider the average price paid for a detached property in Rutland itself over the last 12 months was £364,300 and the average price paid for a Rutland apartment was £153,000 over the same time frame.

I know all Rutlanders, be they homeowners or landlords, will want to know how each of the property types have performed, so this is what has happened to property prices over the last 18 months in the area...
 
·         Overall Average          +6.1%

·         Detached                     +6.6%

·         Semi Detached            +6.5%

·         Terraced                     +5.3%

·         Apartments                 +4.6%

 



So what does all this mean to homeowners and landlords and what does the future hold? 

When I looked at the month-by-month figures for the area, you can quite clearly see there is a slight tempering of the Rutland property market over these last few months.  I have mentioned in previous articles that the number of properties on the market in Rutland has increased this summer, something that hasn’t happened since 2008.
 
Greater choice for buyers means, using simple supply and demand economics, that top prices won’t be achieved on every Rutland property.  You see, some of that growth in Rutland property values throughout early 2016 may have come about because of a surge in house purchase activity, an indirect result of the increase in stamp duty on second homes from April, thus providing a temporary boost to prices.

However, it may be possible the recent pattern of robust employment growth, growing real earnings and low borrowing costs will tilt the demand/supply seesaw in favour of sellers and exert upward pressure on prices once again in the quarters ahead.

So what of property values?  Assuming that everything goes well with Brexit, I believe in 12 months’ time we should see values in the order of 4% to 8% higher.


I like to keep a close eye on the local property market on a daily basis because it enables me to give the best advice and opinion. If you want to learn more about the Rutland and Stamford property market, feel free to pop in for a coffee at our office for a chat with me.

For professional advice on buying, selling, renting and managing your homes and property investments.



David Crooke
Owner & Managing Director


 

UPP PROPERTY - SALES & LETTING AGENTS
Understanding People & Property


Email: david@upp-property.co.uk

Stamford: 01780 484 554      Oakham: 01572 725 825

 

Monday, 24 October 2016

This week's 3 Best Buy-To-Let Deals on the Rutland & Stamford Property Market

Property 1:
2 Bedroom Terraced House For Sale.  OIRO £170,000
Mount Pleasant, Uppingham Road, Oakham.  Marketed by Spencers Estate Agents

A wonderful cottage located within striking distance of Oakham town and offered in what appears to be excellent decorative order.  Properties similar to this one are always in demand, no matter how the local housing market is reacting.  With a monthly return of approximately £650pcm, this will bring in a yield of close to 4.6%. What stands this property out above many others is it's fantastic location, along with close access to the very popular Rutland Water.

Price: Offers In The Region Of  (OIRO) £170,000
Rent: Approx. £650pcm
Yield: c4.6%

Click this link for more details on the property:



Property 2:
2 Bedroom Terraced House For Sale.  £175,000
New Cross Road, Stamford.  Marketed by Newton Fallowell

Properties to let on New Cross Road in Stamford are so highly sought after you would be in an enviable position of being able to pick your preferred tenant out of what would be a handful of applications.  With an expected return of £650pcm and a yield of 4.5% this property would almost certainly give you capital growth along with longevity with your tenant.  An excellent investment if you are considering your first investment property.


Price: £175,000
Rent: £650pcm
Yield: c4.5%

Click this link for more details on the property:

 
Property 3:
2 Bedroom Flat For Sale.  Guide Price £129,950
The Sidings, Oakham.  Marketed by UPP Property Agents
 
With a selection of 2 bedroom apartments available within this popular development, this property sets itself out above most because of its enviable position being located on the top floor.  Bringing in an expected return of £575pcm and with an opportunity to purchase this property at a respectable figure of £125,000 your yield return would come in at just over 5.5%.  We let and manage half a dozen properties within this development and would recommend these properties to anyone looking to expand their portfolio.
 
Guide Price: £129,950
Rent: Approx. £595pcm
Yield: c5.5%

Click this link for more details on the property:
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-44992230.html 


If you would like to discuss any of these in more detail, or if you are considering another property, please do get in touch with me.  I am here to help and will be glad to discuss any property with you.

David Crooke, Owner and Managing Director

UPP PROPERTY AGENTS
Understanding People and Property

We are here to help you buy, sell, rent and manage your homes and property investments.

Email: david@upp-property.co.uk

Stamford: 01780 484 554      Oakham: 01572 725 825