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Where we're investing and why

Find out where our focus is

We’re often asked why we do or don’t invest in particular areas. The answer is driven by our investment model: we target areas with strong fundamentals and room for significant near−term growth, while avoiding locations that have already peaked or are showing no indications of price increases yet.

To find those areas, we’re driven by the 18-year property cycle. Why? Because this is one of the most powerful concepts to be aware of when investing in property. It can help determine when you should invest in property and also where you should be focusing your attention.

Once you understand the property cycle, you’ll feel far more confident about taking action based on a proven concept rather than newspaper headlines.

And you’ll understand why prices generally follow an upward trend – we say “generally” because this doesn’t happen in one smooth line: there will be some bumps along the way.

It all boils down to supply and demand

Over time, supply and demand work hand-in-hand to keep prices stable. However, because the UK is an island and there’s only a certain amount of land to build on, we usually hit the ‘bust’ stage after the economy booms, demand rises, prices get pushed up and unaffordability kicks in.

This causes havoc with lenders who find themselves over-exposed and unwilling to lend any more and we see a plethora of businesses closing and a rise in unemployment rates due to the economic downturn.

But if you understand the cycle, you’ll know this is temporary and the whole process will return right back to the start – and more importantly, will pick up where the cycle left off. So you’re starting each cycle from a higher “bottom” than the last one – which is why we said earlier that prices tend to follow an upward (but bumpy) trend.

If you’re keen to understand the 18-year property cycle in more detail, we’ve produced a free course to help you learn more.

The great thing about the cycle is that is can help pinpoint great property investment areas because each location can follow its own individual cycle.

Why we’re investing in the North West

Not only is the North West where our HQ is based, it’s been a huge focus of our investment efforts too. Pockets of the North West have boomed in recent years, and for good reason. So where in the North West should you invest in?

Manchester

This vibrant city has the largest economy outside of London and the South East, and is home to the largest student population in Europe. There are more 25-29 year olds living here than anywhere else in the UK, bolstering the rental demand throughout the city and the wider areas.

A key driver in the Northern Powerhouse initiative, Manchester is a force to be reckoned with. Its booming economy and major public and private investment plans, coupled with the continual success of its large universities and the demand for housing, continues to put Manchester on the map for both property investors, residential buyers and tenants.

For example, average house prices in Manchester have risen 40% in the past 5 years, from £140,000 in 2014 to £175,000 in 2019 (Hometrack). Manchester is without a doubt the furthest ahead in the property cycle of any of the cities we target for investment deals.

That doesn’t mean to say that every deal in Manchester is a good one. There are some areas of Manchester where prices have peaked more than others, but Manchester is certainly a place that’s on our radar to invest in.

Liverpool

Liverpool is steeped in history and is a key Northern city that we’ve been focused on investing in for quite some time now. Between 1998 and 2016, its economy more than doubled and its population has grown by 5.5% in the last decade alone.

The £1 billion regeneration of the city centre was a game changer for Liverpool and the £87 million redevelopment of the Baltic Triangle has attracted property investors from far and wide due to the capital growth prospects. The addition of Liverpool Waters has also heightened demand from investors keen to replicate the growth they’ve seen in Manchester’s Salford Quays. Liverpool Waters is 2 million sqm of business, leisure and residential space orchestrated by Peel Group who were responsible for MediaCityUK – a development which has completely changed the face of Salford Quays.

Similar to Manchester, Liverpool is incredibly well connected by road, rail and air which are key fundamental boxes ticked from an investor’s perspective. This, along with Liverpool’s ever-growing business districts continues to attract many business HQs, enable job creation and therefore continues to drive a heavy influx of tenants to the city.

Why we’re investing in Yorkshire

Yorkshire is a beautiful part of the world and has fast become the place to enjoy the best of both worlds – vibrant city centres but with rolling countryside on the doorstep. Certain pockets of Yorkshire have piqued our interest for a while due to the ever-growing population here. But our reasonings go much deeper than that…

Leeds

With over £7 billion of development on the horizon, big things are happening in Leeds.

The South Bank regeneration plan has been huge news for investors keen to predict where the next capital growth hotspot is. This is set to transform the entire South Bank area and is being described as “the biggest change the city has seen in more than a hundred years”. The aim is to utilise 253 hectares to create living, working, and leisure space, and more than double the size of Leeds city centre. This alone is predicted to create over 35,000 jobs and 8,000 homes – that’s one heck of a regeneration plan!

Of course, the transport links in Leeds are already pretty good, but add a HS2 station into the mix and you have the recipe for an investment hotspot to firmly keep your eye on.

House prices in Leeds are still relatively low in comparison to cities like Manchester and Liverpool, but we don’t think this will be the case for long – hence the reason Leeds is on our radar of places to invest in property this year.

Sheffield

If you’re familiar with the “ripple effect”, you’ll know why we’re looking to invest in Sheffield right now.

The main reason is the price. Prices are incredibly low in comparison to the other cities on our list, and that’s because it’s probably the furthest behind in the property cycle of all the other locations we’ve looked at. This means you’ll find great immediate yields here, but it’ll be a bit longer before you see any significant capital growth.

But that’s fine – we’re in property for the long-term.

This is a chance to buy low and benefit from a strong yield while we wait for the growth to come. And it will come: A £480 million plan to improve The Moor shopping centre is underway, in addition to a £300 million extension of Meadowhall, a £40 million Boeing factory and HSBC investing £90 million in a new city centre office.

Growth lies ahead for Sheffield and it’s certainly a place we’re looking to invest right now so we’re perfectly positioned to benefit from it.

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So there you have it…

That’s a wrap on your insight into where we’re investing in buy to let property and why. There’s also a handy video on our top buy to let hotspots over on our YouTube channel.

It’s worth remembering that not every property in our top locations will make a good property investment deal. Due diligence is your best friend – so make sure you do your research.

Finding the right city is just the beginning. Finding the right property deal can be the difference between a good and a bad investment.

If you’ve read enough and are ready to invest in property, you can book a detailed strategy meeting with our team at Property Hub Invest.

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Property Hub Invest Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 07495608.  
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