Investors dig up land opportunities overseas
- Investors prioritise long-term capital growth over short-term rentals
- Land and off-plan plots account for half of most popular investments on TheMoveChannel.com
- Demand for student property goes global
Investors are increasingly digging up land opportunities overseas, according to new research. TheMoveChannel.com's latest Investment Watch report reveals that land investments now account for a third of the portal's most popular listings.
Land in the Cayman Islands was the most popular listing on TheMoveChannel.com in June 2015. The freehold plots, advertised for £45,000, received 25 per cent more enquiries than the second most popular listing: a condo in Thailand. The units at the Orient Resort and Spa, advertised at a more affordable £32,500, are estimated to increase in value by 25 per cent upon completion in 2018.
Capital growth is a growing focus for many investors, as long-term returns become more important than immediate, short-term income. Indeed, land and off- plan units accounted for three of the Top Five most sought-after investments on TheMoveChannel.com last month and half of the Top 10.
In the UK, for example, the ongoing development of Crossrail in London is expected to significantly boost property prices in the coming years, which has created an attractive window for investors. In Romford, where values are predicted by some experts to increase by 40 per cent in the next five years, rising demand for flats made Scimitar House the fourth most sought-after opportunity on TheMoveChannel.com.
The strength of the UK market, in particular London, also remains a major influence upon investors. The country accounted for four of the Top 10 listings in June 2015, up from three in the previous month. The appeal of the capital city as a safe haven even drew investors to an alternative investment: a property scheme investing in redevelopment of Mayfair property was the fifth most popular listing in June, thanks to its low entry cost of £50,000 and possible returns of 28 per cent.
The appeal of the UK has been most evident in the student property sector, which has become a mainstream asset alongside the buy-to-let market.
Student housing made up three of the Top 10 listings in June 2015. In addition to the regional projects of Tudor Studios in Leicester (third most popular) and Fox Street Village in Liverpool (eighth most popular), both offering 10 per cent yield per annum, student accommodation in the USA also entered the Investment Watch chart once again, with Chandler Oaks, South Carolina's 8 per cent net yield and a price of £32,286 generating the ninth biggest response.
"Student housing remains a big driver of investment activity," comments TheMoveChannel.com Director Dan Johnson. "The strength of the student accommodation sector is evident in its international appeal, with demand high not just for purpose-built developments in the UK but also in the USA."
"Investors are increasingly focused on long-term returns over short-term gain, though, with interest rising in both land and off-plan opportunities," adds Johnson. "While student accommodation and buy-to-let sectors tend be dictated by local conditions and economies, land is a universal asset in all global markets, with demand stretching from Canada and Brazil to the Cayman Islands. As Mark Twain said: buy land, they're not making it anymore!"
The full top 10 listings on TheMoveChannel.com in June 2015 are below.
Notes to Editors
About Lead Galaxy and TheMoveChannel.com
Founded in 1999, www.TheMoveChannel.com is the leading independent website for international property, with more than 800,000 listings in over 100 countries around the world, marketed on behalf of agents, developers and private owners.
TheMoveChannel.com is one of more than a dozen international property sites operated under the Lead Galaxy brand. Lead Galaxy provides online marketing solutions to thousands of property companies worldwide, focusing on portal listings, email marketing, qualified leads, paid search and social media advertising.
The business is headquartered at 24 Jack’s Place, Corbet Place, Shoreditch, London, E1 6NN.
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