Featured post

www.OxfordPropertyBlog.co.uk is hosting a Landlord seminar

On 2 March 2017, we will host a seminar featuring expert speakers from Martin & Co, Hedges Law, Critchleys Chartered Accountants and...

Wednesday 25 June 2014

Villages to the east of Oxford. Are they good for Buy to Let investments?


A landlord asked me whether the rental market to the east of Oxford is a good place to invest in so we did a little research with a focus on the villages of Horspath and Wheatley.

There are some great properties available to rent for a tenant, from a lovely three bedroomed semi-detached bungalow at £1150 per month, to a beautiful one bedroom character house at £850 per month. Quite interestingly there are not many properties that are offered in the privately rented market in this area. It is heavily weighted to owner-occupier Vs privately rented with 79% of this area being homeowners and only 8% are privately rented.


Some people have the perception that village properties are difficult to let, as the tenants have to own a car and afford the fuel and maintenance that goes with it. Putting aside the large stone country properties with land and stables, which usually let well, as long as you have a property that is not above the £2500 per calendar month mark, there should be a decent demand for it. In addition, local schools can play a hugely significant role in the demand of an area. Wheatley and Horspath primary schools are very popular with parents and the demand to be in the catchment area can have a veryu positive impact on properties offered for rental in these areas.

If you would like some advice on what could make a good property investment in these locations, or villages in general, please get in touch.

Best regards

Richard

Friday 20 June 2014

Another Oxford Investment Bargain!

Southfield Road, Cowley
I'm at it again peeps!

Now this one may not look like much from the outside and you'd probably be forgiven for saying so but hold that thought. External appearance can be decieving (after all look what the christians said about the colesium!)

This little beauty, currently on the market with Chancellors needs a little bit of love inside to modernise it somewhat but with this considered it will acheive a rent of £800 which to you is a yield of 6.4%. Wow!

Phone in your hand yet??


Best

Richard

Thursday 12 June 2014

Oxford Deal of The Day (Be Quick!)




Reliance Way, Cowley


Two bed first floor apartment just come on the market yesterday with Oxford Apartments at £280,000. An absolute shoe in for investment.

You can expect to acheive a rent of £1175 - £1195 (see for yourself online. It is a hugely popular development). Depending what you buy her for, a yield of 5.1% to 5.5% a year is very good.

Now where is my train spotter handbook?!!





Tuesday 10 June 2014

A History Of Oxford's Property Values

I was speaking to a landlord of mine on Tuesday, when the subject of Oxford's property values came up. Not those of recent years alone, but those of over the decades.
I found that the average value of a property in Oxford was £805 in 1930, which then dropped to £703 in 1934. The average value jumped to £2390 in the late 1940s and in the 1950s the average value was £3290. 
   
In the late 1960s, the average value had risen dramatically to £6334. This was followed by a big jump in average values between 1978 and 1980, with an increase of 65% from £21,186 to £32,209.

The late 1980s saw a rise in average value to £74,865. At the millennium, average values had managed to rise to £138,616. Today, even following the crash of 2008, Oxford's average property value is £343,480.    

If you would like to come and discuss property in the area, you are welcome to visit our office on Woodins Way, Paradise Street.

And that's just the houses. Next week, Oxford's apartments/flats.........................

Best regards

Richard

Tuesday 3 June 2014

Do Semi Detached Properties Make Good Investments?

I was talking to someone who lives in a detached house on Staunton Road, Headington. He wants to
purchase his first buy-to-let property and has noticed our previous articles, so was interested in getting to know the industry a little bit more.
   
Having lived in Headington for over 8 years he felt comfortable investing in the area as he knew it well, so we started to discuss the property market in this location.
    
Firstly we looked at yields on a couple of properties.  A 3 bedroom property in Franklin Road, Headington was purchased for £330,000 and went on to achieve a rent of £1550 per calendar month. This gave a 5.4%  gross yield return for this investment. In the sought-after area of Staunton Road, Headington, a 3 bed semi-detached house sold for £495,000 and achieved a rent of £1650, giving it a yield return of 4%. Slightly under the yield expectancy for investment.
   
Yield does of course only tell half the story. Property values in Oxford have risen on average by around 58% over the last 15 years. Going even further back to 1983, the average price for a semi-detached property in OX3 was £52,583 compared with today's average at £337,173. An 89% increase!
   
Yield is a big factor when purchasing for investment but capital growth is not to be forgotten. There is little doubt property still leads the way when looking to make a sound long-term investment.
I will leave you with this;  If you had decided to put the money into the stock market and based on investment from Q1 in 1999 your £52,583 investment would now be worth £58,062. Hmmmmm??!
   
If you would like to talk to us about your potential investment, please come into our offices on Woodin's Way. Paradise Street, Oxford - or give me a call.


Best regards


Richard