Investing is always a good move but with the price of everything going up it may be hard for you to find real estate you can afford within the country. This doesn’t mean that you can’t invest in anything but just means you need to widen your scope.
The biggest problem facing the UK lettings market is the low level of stock. More specifically, it is a problem if you are a tenant wishing to move, but it’s also proving to be a financial blessing for landlords for a number of reasons.
We all know our government thinks we are stupid – that almost goes without saying, but the recent quietly released and not-talked-about figures from the Land Registry bear closer inspection than the government press release farms (newspapers) have given. Quite honestly – how any one makes an informed decision based on the misinformation and garbage being spouted is beyond me.
An interesting release from General Growth Properties suggests the shake up in the property investment sector may be getting even shakier – it that was possible. It is really becoming difficult to sift through the dross and mis-information being touted, but this is a substantial move and may well see a shift in the Chicago investment properties market. But – we have given up guessing the future until things settle down. Any time now……
Interesting story out of Louisiana regarding a Chinese drywall manufacturer. The repercussions for property investors in the US are interesting to say the least. Maybe, just maybe a ruling in favor of the little guy will make a difference. Press release: The Louisiana court issues second major win for homeowners in less than a month; 25,000 homes nationwide contain defective Chinese wallboard that can emit toxic sulfur fumes, corroding plumbing, wiring; verdict covers full repair of home built after Hurricane Katrina; faulty drywall called “poltergeist” by trial attorney.
More on Federal Judge Awards New Orleans Family $164,000 in Damages
Mixed sentiments and news snippets at the moment are causing uncertainty in most markets.
The United Kingdom
British Banker’s Association mortgage approvals increased once again in November rising a further 5.1% to 44,713 units from an upwardly revised 42,552 in October (originally reported as 42,238). At this level approvals are up 152% year on year from the cycle low last November of 17,738. More significantly at these levels they are 0.7% above the November 2007 level when re-mortgaging was rife, as opposed to almost non-existent today. This is at best a recovery based on the stamp duty holiday and we will probably see another fall in January.
More on UK Property Investment – What is going on in the market?
I don’t usually print other people’s articles, but as we all start looking towards the future (hopefully having learned something from the past) I thought it appropriate to do so. This is a letter by Prudential’s COO Bernard Winograd and worth reading. I will be seeking out other opinions in the future to republish.
More on Property Investment – The Credit Crisis and – The Future Part One
Whatever happened to getting a loan to buy an investment property with? They went out of the window with the world’s financial health when Lehman brothers bit the dust, that is what. The continuing devaluation of real estate around the world is continuing to put pressure on the loan markets and the credit crunch is still affecting property investment markets. The banks are well aware of the likely losses in the commercial property sector that are – as we speak – being announced. So, they are hoarding their money for the time when they must announce more losses and write off more outstanding debts.
Property investors are continuing to take a bath in Dubai as rents fell once again in August. According to a survey by the Khajeel Times and property management firm Asteco. Some of the more upmarket developments are beginning to stabilize, but with the outflux of ex-pats during the summer, falling property prices and a serious over-supply in most markets, rental prices continued their decline, and in many instances, renters are simply choosing to walk away from a new lease. The requirements in Dubai are a little different in that Islamic law does not allow for credit and renters are often required to pay a full years rent in the form of 4 post-dated cheques. This is an excerpt from the report.
French property prices have come down to earth with a bang, according a number of professional bodies, including the French National Federation of Real Estate Agents (Fédération Nationale de l’Immobilier or FNAIM)
More on Property Prices in France – No Soft Landing says FNAIM
