London Buy to Let is Alive and Well

“Buy-to-let is arguably the world’s second oldest profession and is certainly alive and kicking.

With the correct advice and an analytical, long terma pproach, good returns are there to be made.

Latest results from the Young Index of market sentiment show buy-to-let investors are in it for the long term”

Neil Young, CEO, Young Group

Young Index: Summary Results for Q3 2008

• 98% of investors intend to hold their residential property investments for the next 12 months (up from 91% in Q2). 34% intend to hold their assets for at least 10 years and more than 20% of buy-to-let investors aim to keep their property investments for the next 15 years or more.

• 32% intend to buy additional residential property investments within London within the next 12 months (compared to 36% in Q2 2008) whereas just 8% of investors intend to buy UK residential property outside London. (the same proportion as at Q2 2008).

• The outlook for London property prices is 4½ times higher than for the rest of the UK. 55% of investors believe that London prices will be at current levels or higher by this time next year, whereas just 12% expect the same to be true of UK property outside London.

• 82% believe that the Government’s housing initiatives alone (such as the stamp duty ‘holiday’) will have little or no impact in easing the property market.