What’s currently available for the buy-to-let investor in the new homes market? Johnny Turner takes a look at some good prospects.
An investor with any kind of experience will tell you that there is no such thing as a sure thing. However, some of the traditional vehicles for making profit out of capital are showing themselves to be more effective than others. While these days the stock market is not thought of as the safe pair of hands it once was, bricks and mortar has shown that, while its return is by its very nature variable, it provides long-term upward movement. Even with this year’s price stagnation, a home is seen as a smart place to put money.
Newly built property is a popular investment choice, as it tends to require little of the owner in the way of maintenance. Also, canny investors often buy off-plan, or before there is even a tangible home to inhabit or rent out, as developers tend to test the market with comparatively low prices at that stage. Investors tend to favour apartments but there is currently a wide range of home types on the market in London and the South East that would appeal to buy-to-let purchasers.
Laing Homes is offering Jerome Walk in Enfield, a very popular place to live. This well located development has an attractive mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments and spacious three-bedroom houses. The homes have Bosch integrated kitchens and superb bathrooms – and selected homes offer double shower en suites.
Located close to local amenities and with good transport links – and priced from just £157,500 – these properties are ideal for first-time buyers. Jerome Walk is also perfect for investors; prospective tenants will be impressed by the easy commuter options, with Brimsdown station and the bus terminus just two minutes’ walk away. From there London Liverpool Street is just 26 minutes away, making it the perfect location for busy commuters.
Purchasers have the option to influence the design of the home with Laing Homes’ unique Homestyle service. This allows buyers to upgrade and design their property to meet either their own or those of prospective tenants. Those interested in finding out more about Jerome Walk should call 020 8804 1036.
One area where landlords are unlikely to have trouble finding good-quality tenants is Islington. This is the area of choice for many young professionals who, drawn by the exciting lifestyle the area offers, are looking to rent a home there. The stunning apartments at Tilfen Land’s 101 Islington on Pentonville Road are just the type of properties that the rental market requires.
The location is fabulous for all aspects of the London lifestyle, from travelling to shopping, dining to drinking, arts to parks.
The choice of ways to travel, whether across town or out of town, is very wide indeed. Not only is Angel tube just a few minutes’ walk away, but the same applies to King’s Cross station, which offers access to more Underground lines than any other, not to mention quick and convenient trains to the North. Staying in the area is a wise choice as well, with nearby Upper Street’s selection of literally hundreds of restaurants, bars, cafés and shops, as well as music venue and two cinemas, providing everything the modern lifestyle needs.
The apartments at 101 Islington, crafted from the former offices of the British Standards Institute, have been designed for low-maintenance, contemporary living to a specification unusual in the Islington area. All apartments have underfloor heating, while the contemporary Manhattan kitchens feature Caesar Stone quartz worktops and stainless steel Neff integrated appliances including an American-style double-height fridge/freezer. Bathrooms, including en suites, come furnished with white Ideal Standard by David Chipperfield sanitaryware, full-height mirrors and Vola chrome fittings.
High-tech features include Cat-5e cabling, TV/FM/satellite and BT points are standard throughout. Or there is the option of a ‘plug and play’ IT package which provides a range of options including lighting and curtain automation, surround sound system and home cinema. Along with the entertainment possibilities, this makes working from home simple.
For further information about price and availability contact DTZ Residential on 020 7837 7272.
Docklands is another popular London area where smart investment buyers have been snapping up property. An example of the style and ease offered near the newer Jubilee Line stations is Water Gardens, located on the Rotherhithe peninsula. This stylish new waterside mixed-use scheme provides one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments as well as live/work units – all designed around a central water garden piazza.
The water garden will be the focal point between the six apartment buildings, providing one of the most stylish and attractive new landscaped areas in Docklands, with its reflection pools, lawns, walkways and seating area. Rhododendron bushes, green spire and acer trees, along with a range of other attractive plants and features, will make this a tranquil, green oasis.
Apartments will range in size from 581 to 1,395 sq ft, while live/work units will be between 890 and 1,858 sq ft. Many provide views on to the water of the central garden. All apartments will have bright and airy reception rooms bordered by large picture windows, most opening on to private balconies.
There is direct access from the apartments to a secure car park by lift or stairs. Canada Water tube station is less than five minutes away by foot, giving access to both the Jubilee and East London Lines, while Surrey Quays Shopping Centre is also within walking distance.
Guide prices start at £265,000 for one-bedroom apartments, while two-bedrooms start at £350,000 and three-bedroom apartments with London skyline views are priced from £650,000. For further information call 0845 606 6929 or visit thewatergardens.co.uk.
George Wimpey’s newly built homes are ideally suited to the investor market – the sizes, types locations and specifications Wimpey offers are very attractive to would-be tenants and therefore tempt the buy-to-let crowd. A good example of this investor-friendliness can be seen in its Apex and Avantgarde developments, in Kingston and West Molesey respectively. First, the location of each of these is ideal for the shopping haven that is Kingston, not to mention their proximity to the River Thames and a number of smart restaurants, plus beautiful countryside and a distinctly out-of-London feel.
At Apex, the spaciousness is a serious draw. Not only are the bedrooms generously sized but the kitchen/diner in some of the two-bedroom apartments measure a massive 24’7 x 12’7. Also the two-bedroom apartments have an en suite to the master bedroom – a great asset to a rental property.
In fact, George Wimpey is so confident that the apartments at Apex represent excellent buy-to-let investments that the developer is guaranteeing a seven per cent rental return over a three-year period. So for a £225,995 one-bedroom apartment the guaranteed rental return is £750 per calendar month. At Avantgarde, meanwhile, the developer is offering a five per cent rental return. Prices start at £204,995.
As with all George Wimpey homes, the interiors in both of these developments is stylish, comfortable and relaxed in both developments. And depending on the stage of construction at reservation, items such as carpets, lighting, white goods and many more can be chosen by the purchaser; this gives the investor the chance to style the apartment individually, making it even more appealing to tenants.
Find out more about Apex by calling the sales team on 020 8549 6830. For more information on Avantgarde call 020 8979 8950.
Also from George Wimpey is Aura, a beautifully designed collection of apartments at Peckham Rye. The location, just across from one of London’s most attractive parks, is one of its main draws. With good transport connections to both the City and West End, it will appeal to a wide range of prospective tenants.
This select range of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments offers modern design and high specification. And the proximity to both ever-improving Peckham and the welcoming bars and restaurants of East Dulwich puts a high-quality London lifestyle within reach.
The show home at Aura is now open. Call 0845 676 0153 for more information. For information on any of George Wimpey’s developments visit georgewimpey.co.uk.
In Ilford, transport is convenient and countryside is also very nearby. The choice of town or country is one of the area’s most appealing qualities. Now with Charles Church’s Valentines Walk, prospective property investors will see a range of possibilities for off-plan buying in a very welcoming area.
Valentines Walk is situated in an established residential area, and the collection of two-bedroom apartments and two- and three-bedroom homes incorporate the highest levels of specification – not surprising to those who are aware of Charles Church.
Buyers have the opportunity to personalise their new home through Select, a range of distinctive options such as granite worktops in the kitchen.
Gants Hill tube is just a few minutes’ walk away, and the Dartford Crossing to the south allows access by road to Kent and the Channel ports for travel further afield. Prices for two-bedroom apartments start at £198,995, ranging to £312,995 for a three-bedroom home. Call Hetherington’s Countrywide on 020 8530 7156 or visit charleschurch.com for more information.
Millgate Homes is selling Hawks Hill, which is comprised of 16 spacious two-bedroom apartments set in three-and-a-half acres of carefully landscaped grounds.
The exacting internal spec includes granite worktops complementing fully equipped kitchens, as well as bespoke fitted bathroom furniture with stone surfaces. The apartments occupy an elevated position and enjoy far-reaching views over rolling countryside to the rear. Another plus is the convenient placement near Leatherhead town centre, ensuring that the bucolic lushness of the immediate surroundings is balanced by proximity to good road and rail connections as well as retail and entertainment possibilities.
This is a prestigious address in the heart of the upmarket stockbroker belt, offering the best of town and country. The show apartment is now open. Contact Patrick Gardner & Co on 01372 360078.
Linden’s Cassio Metro is a natural when it comes to providing high-quality apartments to investors. Its location, in well-connected Watford, is ideal for London commuters; it is a five-minute walk from Watford tube, from where the Metropolitan Line will get you into King’s Cross in just over three-quarters of an hour.
The two-bedroom apartments at the development are a natural choice for the buy-to-let purchaser. The specification is high and the finish very top-quality. Good-quality tenants will be wowed by all the extras that life at Cassio Metro provides: there is the luxury of a private leisure club with swimming pool, spa, sauna and fully equipped gym, as well as a dance and fitness studio and treatment rooms.
Prices for the two-bedroom apartments at Cassio Mansions start at £249,950. There are also apartments remaining at The Penthouses, a stunning collection of two-bedroom duplex apartments with balconies or terraces, where prices start at £340,000. Find out more by calling the show home on 01923 229229 or visiting the website lindenhomes.co.uk.