Property Investment 2012 Property Secrets en-uk http://www.propertysecrets.net Property Investment Information You Profit From http://www.propertysecrets.net/images/pslogolarge.png http://www.propertysecrets.net 100 72 http://www.propertysecrets.net/article/three_homes_are_where_the_heart_is/2898.html Article a2898 1328609676 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:14:36 +0000 An Insights Into What Makes A 'Main Residence' A recent case heard by the Tax Tribunal (AJ Clarke v HMRC) has shed more light on what it takes to make a property your 'main residence' and thus exempt from capital gains tax (CGT). http://www.propertysecrets.net/article/uk_property_sales_remain_firm/2897.html Article a2897 1328100011 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:40:11 +0000 Gem Invest Reports: Sales activity remained relatively firm during December and an increasing amount of new stock came onto the housing market, the latest RICS UK Housing Market survey has found. http://www.propertysecrets.net/article/periodic_tenancies_an_explanation/2896.html Article a2896 1327926181 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:23:01 +0000 People often get confused by this and don't understand how fixed term and periodic tenancies work. So here is an explanation. A periodic tenancy is a tenancy which runs from month to month, or sometimes from week to week. Some run from quarter to quarter or even year to year, but the vast majority run from month to month. http://www.propertysecrets.net/article/uk_hotspots_latest_mortgage_news_where_to_invest_overseas/2895.html Article a2895 1327418345 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 3:19:05 +0000 UK Hotspots Where's the UK's hottest BTL hotspot? According to Haart, it's Peterborough! The research suggests that a one-bedroom apartment in Peterborough yields 8.7 per cent per annum whilst a two-bedroom apartment yields 9.0 per cent per annum. Looking at the regions where Haart operates, the East of England offers the best rental yields followed by the East Midlands and South Yorkshire. Property developer David Barnett names Croydon in south London as the place to be soon. 'In the next 10 years, Croydon will thrive but you have to play the long game. Croydon is just 15 minutes away from Victoria and now it's on the East London line too - it just takes one big thing like Westfield (the shopping centre) and the rest will follow.' Hamptons International is drawing attention to Oxford where they say that 40 per cent of high-end properties are being bought by the overseas market, with half being from Russia. Why? 'What we are seeing is prices increasing in London and buyers looking further afield where there are still sustainable prices. Oxford has that. Over the last 12 months there has been a significant increase in international buyers.' BTL Mortgage News Platform has a new range of BTL mortgage products. 'The Premier buy to let range increases the maximum loan size to £500,000. The new two-year fixed rate and tracker rate products are available up to a maximum LTV of 65 per cent and come with a 1 per cent arrangement fee. The range also includes products available on a let to buy basis, available to customers who are purchasing a new home but who do not want to sell their existing property.' More BTL mortgage developments! Yorkshire Building Society entered the buy-to-let market recently via Accord Mortgages with products in London and the South East. It is now planning to roll out into more regions. Other changes include 'reducing the minimum required property value from £150,000 to £100,000, reducing the minimum income, from £35,000 to £20,000, and reducing the minimum age from 30 to 25.' More to come as we are looking to put together a weekly BTL mortgage update. Overseas Property Hotspots Joining the European Union has long been regarded as a trigger for the property market to prosper. If you are an overseas off-plan investor looking for capital growth, you may be interested to note that Croatia has just voted to join the EU in 2013. 66 per cent voted in favour ad there was a 40 per cent turnout. The official report reads, 'The European Union is now reconsidering its position regarding further admissions to the Union. Croatia has therefore managed, although with considerable effort, to get through the door just in time. Croatia is set to join the EU in July 2013.' http://www.propertysecrets.net/article/how_to_buy_up_north/2894.html Article a2894 1327335041 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 4:10:41 +0000 I've made reference before in this publication about how there are some 'property experts' who still write off the North as a wasteland for investors. Comments like "Any property with a yield over 10% is unsellable!" or, "With a double-figure yield it'll be in a street of boarded-up properties!" are put forward as fact. Those who know no better continue to search the London and south-east estate agents with a feeling of quiet desperation. In my opinion, they miss out on some excellent investment opportunities. http://www.propertysecrets.net/article/the_new_tenancy_deposit_rules/2893.html Article a2893 1326359955 Thu, 12 Jan 2012 9:19:15 +0000 As many of you will be aware, the tenancy deposit regulations which came into force in 2007 turned out to be a bit of a mess, after the Court of Appeal had finished with them. http://www.propertysecrets.net/article/what_next_for_europe/2892.html Article a2892 1326278041 Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:34:01 +0000 Enjoying Christmas this year in Paris, which was delightful, I read my comment-of-the-month as printed in an Austrian newspaper, of all places: "Large-scale money printing would be a gross betrayal of the citizens of the former Deutschmark block (northern European states that tied their currencies to the mark). They assumed the euro would also be a hard currency. No Austrian or German of sound mind would have signed up had there been any prospect of the European Central Bank behaving like the central bank of Zimbabwe." http://www.propertysecrets.net/article/how_to_convert_commercial_property_into_residential_lets/2891.html Article a2891 1326109296 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:41:36 +0000 Those looking for a buy-to-let investment could do worse than look for a conversion opportunity above a shop or other commercial premises. The availability of a tax break for such conversions makes this an attractive proposition. http://www.propertysecrets.net/article/are_you_ready_for_2012/2890.html Article a2890 1325074202 Wed, 28 Dec 2011 12:10:02 +0000 Every year people make resolutions and set themselves new targets but have you done this yet for 2012? We at Property Secrets believe in planning ahead and focusing on achieving our own personal targets so if you have some attractive goals to aim for by this time next year, why not follow our proven format to help you achieve what you want to - especially if investments are high on the agenda. http://www.propertysecrets.net/article/cgt_planning_basic_steps/2889.html Article a2889 1324383188 Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:13:08 +0000 Capital gains tax (CGT) is normally paid when an item is either sold or given away. It is usually paid on profits made by selling various types of assets including properties (but generally not a main residence), stocks and shares, paintings, and other works of art, but it may also be payable in certain circumstances when a gift is made. http://www.propertysecrets.net/blogs/psonproperty/huge_external_interest_in_london_and_the_south_east/post-750.html Blog b750 1328781570 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 9:59:30 +0000 “I was desperate to start 2012 off with a bang – and secure a deal in the South East.  Over 30% of our enquiries are for properties in the South East of England – and it is by far the most competitive market in the UK.  Getting significant discounts on properties that fit for buy to let is pretty much unheard of in the South East of England – and we have been working hard in the background building up our list of sourcers.  We now have 2 deals – freehold houses in Kent giving up to 7% yields, and an excellent discount, an incredible 36% below 2008 values – but sadly we only have five – and some tenanted apartments in Woolwich, SE18 – with strong discounts, and excellent cashflow!” http://www.propertysecrets.net/blogs/brazil_investment_guide/brazil_real_estate_affordability_examined/post-748.html Blog b748 1328613518 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:18:38 +0000 Perhaps more so over the last year, it has become increasingly acknowledged and accepted by all involved in the Brazilian property sector that a period of cooling off is impending – whether this would be via the early 2012 statements of the country´s leading developers slowing down their launch / operational plans; the inefficiencies of the Minha Casa, Minha Vida programme; issues related to the contraction of labour or a number of other contributory factors. Whilst the question as to if Brazil´s bubble burst will be as impactful as what occurred in Europe and the USA is another debate, it is worth looking a few of latest circulating arguments related to housing accessibility in order to understand the realities. http://www.propertysecrets.net/blogs/currency_solutions/sterling_pushes_up_as_data_suggests_uk_may_avoid_return_to_recession/post-747.html Blog b747 1328524094 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:28:14 +0000 If you have been hoping that the Pound will strengthen for any upcoming property investments, this week’s blog brings good news. Sterling starts this week back above 1.20 on the Euro at a mid-market rate 1.205 having climbed by 1.01percent over the past week. It has also grown overall by 0.55 percent on the US Dollar to a mid-market rate of 1.581. http://www.propertysecrets.net/blogs/czech_point/reaping_rewards_by_comprehending_the_czech_property_cycle/post-744.html Blog b744 1328091659 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:20:59 +0000 Over 200+ years of documenting real estate has shown that real estate prices go in cycles. Knowing how the cycles work can help property investors not to work in tandem with the masses who get the timing wrong. http://www.propertysecrets.net/blogs/fez_ta_pronto/jakarta_bottom_of_the_pyramid_housing_analysis/post-742.html Blog b742 1327923972 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:46:12 +0000 As one of the largest metropolitan regions in the world, Jakarta is often referred to as a prime example of the impending dangers of urban sprawl and global insecurity with up to 50 percent of the population, according to UN-Habitat, residing in extremely vulnerable kampungs (urban shanties).  Yet – at the same time – in a city that has not only widely overlooked the initial effects of the global financial crisis but also witnessed one of the highest paces of growth in the Asia-Pacific region, how is the development of the base of the pyramid housing sector bearing up? http://www.propertysecrets.net/blogs/currency_solutions/sterling_hits_five_week_high_on_us_dollar_whilst_falling_on_euro/post-741.html Blog b741 1327921088 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:58:08 +0000 Those looking to purchase property in Europe will be disappointed to hear that the Pound has fallen back below the 1.20 level on the Euro to a mid-market exchange rate of 1.190. This occurred as news spread last week that that progress was being made in Greek debt-swap talks and a deal is soon to be struck to help prevent a Greek default, boosting confidence in the single currency. Sterling’s fall of 1.23 percent on the Euro throughout the week was also fuelled by the fact that the UK was revealed as being on the brink of recession when GDP figures revealed that the UK economy contracted by 0.2 percent in the last quarter of 2011 rather than showing any signs of growth. http://www.propertysecrets.net/blogs/brazil_investment_guide/rapid_rental_figure_growth_in_so_paulo/post-738.html Blog b738 1327579717 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:08:37 +0000 The Regional Council of Real Estate Agents in São Paulo (Creci-SP) has recently pointed out that rising rental figures are having a proportionate effect on the number of contracts not being renewed.  According to José Augusto Viana from Creci-SP speaking to the Diário Comércio Industria: “when contracts expire, owners are asking for absurd prices which are beyond the means of the renter.” http://www.propertysecrets.net/blogs/currency_solutions/sterling_hangs_on_to_120_against_the_euro/post-736.html Blog b736 1327396423 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 9:13:43 +0000 Sterling has now held at above the key 1.20 level against the Euro for three weeks which is good news for those of you needing a Sterling to Euro transfer. Sterling is only just hanging on by the skin of its teeth however, as we start this week with the currency at the 1.203 level on the Euro having fallen by 0.31 percent overall throughout the week. http://www.propertysecrets.net/blogs/fez_ta_pronto/is_impact_investment_in_housing_possible/post-734.html Blog b734 1327326688 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 1:51:28 +0000 An article I wrote below for Alliance philanthropy and social investment magazine Back in November 2010, the JP Morgan-produced report on impact investment was widely viewed as a refreshing mainstream examination of the growing potential of an asset class that works in line with the essential principles of philanthropy (such as social and environmental good) whilst also bringing the added benefit of healthy returns on capital applied. http://www.propertysecrets.net/blogs/currency_solutions/pound_pushes_up_past_120_on_the_euro/post-731.html Blog b731 1326188372 Tue, 10 Jan 2012 9:39:32 +0000 At last! Sterling has pushed up through the key area of resistance of 1.20 on the Euro to a sixteen month high. I reported in my last two blogs that Sterling was heading towards 1.20 so it’s great news for all of you needing a Sterling to Euro transfer that we’ve gone through this key level. We start the week with Sterling at a midmarket rate of 1.214 on the Euro so if you do have any transfers to make now is a good time to think about whether you want to book them – or fix the current rate for a future transfer.