Statisticians all over the world relish in what and what is most expensive, glamorous, large, and what have you; little wonder the Guinness Book of World Records is such a big hit for many – including me! Be that as it may, data covering the most expensive street in the UK is not a one-way ticket, the fluctuation in the real estate market and lifestyle of the occupants generally determines which part of UK is crowned champion.

According to research, St Hilary in the Vale of Glamorgan in Wales has an average house price of £789,000. Just a few miles west of Cardiff and a mile east of Cowbridge, this is one very quiet and fantastic area to raise kids and lead a peaceful and enjoyable life.
The second most expensive street in Wales is Gannock Park – with an average of £677,000 – in Deganwy, Conwy. Streets in Cardiff come next on the list, with Druidstone Road, £651,000, in the Old St Mellons area, Lake Road West, £644,000, and Westminster Crescent, £582,000, most expensive. Continue reading →

After 64 years the greatest sporting events in the world comes back to London; having hosted the 1904 and 1948 games with great successes, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has seen London fit again to host these memorable games. I just can’t wait to get the games going!

The internet has been buzzing with Olympic ticket applications for a few days now, and would be till 26th of April, 2010. These sport loving “army” from all parts of the world are not just buying up the tickets they are also making serious arrangements on where to lodge during the one month sporting fiesta. Continue reading →

Today’s article completes the 3-part series on important checklists to consider before buying any property. Now you know what to do before any purchase. Good luck! Continue reading →

This is the second part of a 3-part series on vital things to look out for before buying any property. I really do hope people would put these tips to good use. Continue reading →

The sheer excitement of metamorphosing from a tenant to a landlord is enough to make most people lose sight of little, yet very important details to watch out for before signing on the dotted lines. I have, over many years in this industry seen many people end up with court cases and endless litigations after purchasing their choice property – residential or commercial.

Below is a list of important facts you MUST CHECK OUT before parting with your hard earned income. Because of the utmost important of this piece, I have decided to make it a 3-part serial so you can get the best out of it. Knowing these facts would save you from a lot of heartaches and help sustain your portfolio.

1. See the City planning office future projections. It is a very common phenomenon to see people sell their property when they realize it was all the while located on a government projected right-of-way such as pipeline, rail line, roads, airports, etc.  Also check whether there are any rights-of-way (e.g. for a neighbour) over the land and, if so, whether these are permanent or renewable. If you don’t have current knowledge of the city’s plans, you may fall victim during purchase; and guess what, your property would be demolished sooner or later causing you to lose thousands of pounds due to your lack of elaborateness – or naivety.

2. Confirm legal status. Make sure that the property you are purchasing is not on a list of collaterals for a previously awarded loan to the seller(s), or previously owned by a bankrupt company; ensure that the liquidator won’t reverse the sale and claim it for the creditors.

3. See tax records. Find out from the Council tax offices if there are any unpaid taxes such as property tax or other charges outstanding against your choice property.

.…to be continued!

Investors all over the world have, over many centuries, understood the power of divesting their capital into different sectors. But as far as I can remember (from history books, religious books, etc.), land has been the most steady and consistent investment option you can think of; even gold and other such commodities cannot compete here.

I always feel a thrill whenever I read of some of the greatest investors of our time; Donald Trump, George Soros, Robert Kiyosaki, Howard Hughes, and many others. These people have made a fortune buying land, developing them, and making billions out of rent and sales.

Investing in available properties is quite profitable, but buying land and developing the property is even more profitable with low risks and very high return on investment over a few years time. Land in the UK is very abundant as is every other part of the world; but buying in a commercial area like London or Liverpool can earn you a fortune in a short period in view.

The growing population in UK is a fantastic incentive for land owners and would-be investors in the acreage business. There is a lot of demand for residential and commercial property in the UK at the moment and statistics show that this would not change anytime soon.

Land organizations also give investors the opportunity to turn their bought properties into funds by giving them “buy back options”. This means that they can liquidate and bank their cash rapidly. So, the dangers are reduced even a lot more and boosts the chances of investors to get their capital back and make bumper profits.

Land can also be used as collateral for bank loans and other sundry loans. Indeed the benefits of investing in UK landed property are just enormous. So if you have some cash to invest and are in doubt of other investment portfolios, land might just be your best bet.

Date: Friday, April 29th, Venue: Westminster Abbey, Occasion: Wedding of the Year.

Where would you be on this historic day when Prince William says ‘I do’ to the lovely Miss Kate? Reports show that the last royal wedding before now recorded a historic 750 million viewers worldwide and brought in thousands to see the “royalness” of England; observers say this time would be bigger.

Enough talk, how do you plan to take advantage of this “massive opportunity” to make some cash from your property? Of the £100 million or thereabout up for grabs, how much do you intend to scoop? Crashpadder.com, the website that helps global travellers find spare rooms to rent, report a ‘massive spike in demand’ for a London bed over the wedding weekend.

Let me whet your appetite a bit: period townhouses in prime locations can command as much as £4,000 for the week (people from all over the world are booking already); some landlords are charging top hotel rates of £300-plus. Some are offering a bed space for between £30 and £150 per night for the period – and I bet you, there would be somebody willing to rent. You can cash in on this too.

All you need do is offer a spare room in your flat up for rent; you can place classified ads in the papers or better still take advantage of the internet. There are several sites dedicated to this type of “adventure”, one good site is Crashpadder.com.

For those with prime property or flats close to Westminster Abbey, Buckingham palace, or other tourist attractive sites not too far away from the venues, this is a golden chance. Findaproperty.com also reports that one in four Londoners are already contemplating “biting from this cake;” so it’s time to brace up and claim your share from “the wedding of the year”

Paying for mortgage in the UK has been a major headache for homeowners for quite some time now – at least the past ten years. 2011 brings great relief for this category of people who also hope that the good times would continue into the future.
I am quite delighted at this news because it would for once put things in order; imagine the ripple effect a low mortgage budget would have on a family; better meals, more investment in education for their kids, a little extra to save from the take home pay, and much more.

As a keen follower of the trend in the housing industry, my first reaction to the recent report released by Barclays was ‘hurray!’ the report is a culmination of a poll on 1,000 homeowners which shows that about 80% of the respondents are comfortable with the low interest rate and the amount of mortgage to be paid.

The trend, attributed largely to the low interest rate environment, is despite the average house price having increased by 68% over the same period and the average salary increasing by just 37%. These are indeed happy times; increased salary, low interest rates, and a low mortgage period.

Barclays warns however, that homeowners should brace up for a possible increase in interest rates in the near future. The implication of the trend since late 2010 indicates that homeowners would operate in a more relaxed atmosphere while planning ahead for any major change. Of the 1,000 polled, 71% say they have plans in place to take care of this possible shift.

It’s not all heartbreaking news in the housing industry after all; I sincerely do hope that these good times would last long and help homeowners plan their lives better.

Since the end of the Second World War, the UK seems to have carved a niche for itself as a place of peace stability, and continuous economic growth. Little wonder people all over the world are coming in droves to find jobs, go to school, or just start over. I can go on and on about the reasons why there so many foreigners in the UK.

Recently however, I have begun to notice a slight change in the order of things. These supposedly “migrating hoard” do not just come to “kiss the Queen’s hands”, snap a few photos, and take the next British Airways flight back to their base, they come with loads of cash to spend.

The UK real estate market has proven to be very attractive to people of all colours and nationalities. I can confidently say that these set of people are gradually taking over and purchasing choice UK properties. Last time I checked, there is barely any country leader that does not have one or two of such properties in the UK.

From Thaksin Shinawatra of Thailand to the Saudi King; most African heads of state can be counted here too. The recent surge in the economic fortunes of Asia has also helped the UK properties market with more business men and women coming in with their cash.
A recent Super Prime London Survey I came across shows that the 10 nationalities most likely to grow their share of purchases in the central London market over the next 12 months were Russian, Chinese, Indian, United Arab Emirates, Middle East, Egyptian, Italian, Lebanese, Turkish and Brazilian.

In the top 15 of the list are also Uzbekistan, Australia, Nigeria, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Taiwan. This is a really good indicator showing political stability and a very strong real estate market in the UK. How long this would continue to be; only time can tell.

The UK real estate market is very vibrant no doubt, and with near accurate data being churned out by different bodies monthly, I can hardly put down my pen – or get my hands off the keyboard before something big occurs. News just reaching me says “tenant demand for privately rented property hit a two-year high during the fourth quarter of 2010.” Sounds nice, doesn’t it?

OK. So what does this have to do with anything? As an expert in the UK real estate market, my immediate interpretation is very simple: there is something stopping the potential home buyer from buying, instead he rents. The former news may seem great for landlords, but juxtaposing that with my simple analysis shows that the development is not good for the economy at large.

Consumer concerns over the economy, job security and possible interest rate rises are several of many factors that have ensured that the market remains broadly flat, despite historically low stock levels. New home prices continue to fluctuate monthly around the £215,000 mark indicating large scale uncertainty as to the direction of the market – and economy.

This is certainly not good enough because consumer confidence is central to the forward movement – or otherwise of any economy; and now that it has also hit the real estate market, no one can tell what would happen next. The prospect of an increased mortgage debt and the imminent rise in interest rates are critical factors making new home buyers play the “watch and see” game.

Although there seem to be some steps being taken by developers and mortgage institutions, how fast this is addressed will greatly influence consumer confidence.