Category: PROPERTY INVESTMENT

21st October 2015

3 bedroom terrace house, Tilgate, Crawley

This 3 bedroom house in Tilgate, Crawley, popped on to the market yesterday with estate agents Moore & Partners. The Guide Prices starts at   £260000. From the pictures the property looks to be in very good order and should make an ideal family home whether renting or buying. For more details have a look on Rightmove. Here’s the link: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-49700830.html?premiumA=true.

Apparently there’s an open day on the 24th October, so if you’re interested give the agent a call and have a look round.

Johnson WalkIn the present market, houses like this one will usually rent for between £1150 pcm to £1250 pcm. If you could secure the house at the lower end of the guide price range, these rental figures translate into a gross yield of between 5.3% to to 5.8%. Pretty good !

Two things to bear in mind. If you’re an investor with nothing to sell and are willing to progress the sale quickly, this can be attractive to a vendor. The vendor could therefore consider an offer from you more favourably than someone else who is, for example, in a sales chain. The other point is that the lettings market usually goes fairly quiet over Christmas, not picking up again until late January /early February. As such, if you purchase the house and complete during the festive period, you may have a longer than usual void period i.e. when the property is without a tenant. Don’t panic (Captain Mainwaring !), however, as the lettings market normally picks up again at the end of January / beginning of February.

If you’re considering buying an investment property in Crawley or the surrounding towns, why not give us a call on 01293 515588. If you see a potential investment property through another agent, we’re more than happy to take a look ourselves on your behalf. We can then give you an unbiased opinion on whether the property represents a good investment or not. There’s no charge for this either ! Alternatively, drop us an e-mail to crawley@northwooduk.com.

19th October 2015

Renovation Project  – Does it Stack Up?

3 bed semi, Three Bridges, Crawley

Here’s a three bed semi-detached house in Crabbett Road, Three Bridges, Crawley, in need of complete modernisation. The property is being marketed by Fox & Sons with a guide price of £260000 to £280000. If you can buy the property at the right price and take care not to overspend on the renovation costs, the property could be a good investment. Here’s the Rightmove link for more details: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/rmplus/property/showPropertyMcr.action?propertyId=37026873

Crabbett Rd 3 BridgesSo I can hear you asking, is it a good buy or not?

Well, there are clearly two aspects to this property from an investment point of view. Doing it up and then either selling or letting it out.  Let’s consider the property from the point of view of renting.

Assuming that you’re not a “slum landlord”, the property clearly needs a top to bottom revamp. You’ll also notice from the picture above that the house next door has off-road parking to the front and what looks a garage at the end of the shared driveway. In our opinion, both off-road parking and a garage would be highly desirable and would need to be factored in to any cost analysis. Remember that when these properties were built, families did not usually own more than one car, if that. Nowadays, however, many have 2 or even 3 cars. So providing additional parking/garaging space is, in our opinion, a priority to seriously consider.

One way of seeing whether an investment deal stacks up is to consider how much it would rent for. If we assume that the property is in “tip-top” condition, with additional parking etc…., we would expect it to rent for around £1200pcm (and may be a bit more) in the current market.

Now assume that the property achieves a sensible gross yield of say 4.5% to 5%. Based on the achievable rent and yield figures, we can now calculate how much the property should be worth. If you like, this is a “reverse yield” calculation, where we know the likely achievable rent and a sensible range of yields for the property type.

So, based on a 4.5% to 5% gross rental yield and a rent of £1200pcm, the value of this property in “tip-top” condition would be expected to be somewhere in the region of £288000 to £320000.

Does this range of calculated values for the property look sensible, or is it wide of the mark?

Well, looking at the Rightmove comparables there is in fact another property in Crabbet Road which was marketed at “Offers in Excess of £330000” by agents Mansell McTaggart. This property is now under offer – here’s the link https://www.rightmove.co.uk/rmplus/property/showPropertyMcr.action?propertyId=50464786. The Mansell McTaggart property, however, has a large garden & has been extended to give additional downstairs space and 3/4 bedrooms. However, like the property we’re considering, it also needs modernisation.  In our opinion, our calculated price range does seem to fit reasonably well with that of the slightly larger property advertised by Mansells.

Now for the final bit…. at last!

Let’s assume that the property we’re considering is now in tip-top condition and worth about £290000 i.e. towards the lower end of our calculated value range. If we bought the property for £260000, we would have in theory £30000 to play with in order to do the renovation work. If we spent any more than this, we may well be overspending and putting more money in to the property than it is worth. Of course, if the property once renovated were worth £300000, we would effectively have £40000 to invest in the renovation works, before we started to overspend.

Having completed our calculations and looked at the comparables for both sale and rent, the property appears to stack-up as a potential investment…. at least on paper.  If we were interested in going further with this property, we would now need to view it and see just how much money was needed to be spent, in order to bring it up to “tip-top” order.  For this we may also need to take trades people along to provide quotes for the work required.

If you’re looking for a renovation project, or want a second opinion on one that you have your eye on already, why not give us a call on 01293 515588 for a chat. Our advice is free. Alternatively, just drop us an e-mail to crawley@northwooduk.com.

16th October 2015

2 bed apartment, Three Bridges, Crawley

Another flat in Commonwealth Drive, Three Bridges, Crawley has just come up for sale. Marketed by Cubitt & West at £220000, this property is £5000 cheaper than a similar apartment we featured a days ago. Apparently there’s an open day tomorrow (17th October) …..so if you’re interested, you’d better get your skates on and give Cubitt’s a call. Here’s their number 01293 263037 ! For more information about the property check out the details on Rightmove at http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-36990450.html

Commonwealth DrLike the property featured recently, rents have been pushing upwards and we’re starting to see these flats let for between £1025 to £1100pcm. Based on the quoted asking price of £220000, this would give a gross yield ranging from 5.6% to 6%. These yield figures are pretty good and we’ve certainly seen them creeping up over the last few months, as demand outstrips supply. You may well see things ease off a bit, however, towards Christmas and further into Jan 2016. Makes you shiver just thinking about it !

If you’d like some advice about property investment in Crawley, then do please get in touch with us. Our advice is free and we’d be more than happy to have a chat with you about our favourite subject ! Whether you’re an experienced landlord or completely new to buy-to-let, give us a call on 01293 515588 or e-mail us on crawley@northwooduk.com

13th October 2015

2 Bedroom Flat, Pembroke Pk, Three Bridges, Crawley

This 2 bedroom flat has just come on to the market today with estate agents, Mansell McTaggart. With a guide price range of £225000 to £235000, the property includes a balcony & allocated underground parking. Here’s the Rightmove link for further details http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-55362476.html

Pembroke Pk13-10-15There are two key aspects to this property that should appeal to potential investors. Firstly, there is an en-suite shower to the main bedroom & a shower over the bath in the family bathroom. Secondly, both bedrooms are doubles. The apartment should therefore appeal to both couples and sharers alike, which is certainly an investor plus point in helping to reduce void periods between lets.

Properties like this rent for £1000pcm to £1050pcm in the current market. Assuming you were to buy at the bottom end of the guide price range, you’d expect a gross yield of between 5.3% to 5.6%. Not too bad at all !

If you’re new to buy-to-let investments or are an experienced landlord contemplating adding to your existing portfolio, why not give a call on 01293 515588 for a chat. Alternatively, you can send us an e-mail to crawley@northwooduk.com.

10th October 2015

2 Bedroom, Split Level Maisonette, Ifield, Crawley

Take at look at this 2 bed, split level maisonette in Ifield, Crawley, that has just come on to the market. The property is a “Commission property” i.e. built as part of the Crawley New Town development, post 2nd World War. As such, although it is not new, it has the advantage of much larger all round accommodation, compared with its contemporary counterparts. Add to that a large private garden and we think it would make a good long-term investment.

The property is being marketed by Martin & Co with a Guide Price of £210 000. Here’s the Rightmove link for further details: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-51870907.html

Ifield - Warren DrProperty like this one in Ifield, Crawley, will appeal particularly to couples with young children because of the private garden. Based on the guide price, to get a 5% gross annual return, you would need to achieve a rent of £875pcm. We would estimate that a property like this should achieve £875pcm to £950pcm.

If you’re looking for property investment in and around Crawley, or know someone who is, give us a call on 01293 515588 to discuss what options are available in the area. Alternatively, e-mail us on crawley@northwooduk.com.

8th October 2015

3 Bed Semi, Three Bridges, Crawley 

This property has just popped up today in St Richard’s Mews, Broomdashers Road, Three Bridges, Crawley. On the market with King & Chasemore for offers in the region of £290 000, the property was previously marketed for £299 950 from April this year. The drop in price is probably an indication that the vendors are motivated and would really like to sell in the current “selling season”. For more details here’s the Rightmove link: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-54703412.html

Broomdashers 8-10-15As an investment, this property would appeal to a family with children. In our opinion it is has a number of things going for it. These include: 2 allocated parking spaces and proximity to local schools, the town centre & Three Bridges station for fast trains to London – good for commuters. Decoratively, at least from the pictures, it also appears to be in good condition.

The other feature we like about this property is that it is Halls Adjoining with next door. So, if the next door neighbours are overly sensitive to noise from TV’s etc….. the doors to the lounge/diner can be closed providing a sound barrier. Less hassle for tenants, neighbours & landlords alike !

Looking at houses in the area from a rental perspective, this type of property should achieve between £1200pcm & £1250pcm (and may be more). Based on these rental figures and assuming you could secure the property for £290 000, you would expect to get a gross yield of between around 4.9% to 5.2%. Of course, as an investor with (presumably) no dependent sale, you might be in a strong position to negotiate the price even lower, particularly if you are willing to do the deal quickly !

If you’re an experienced landlord looking for new property investments, or perhaps you’re new to “Buy-to-Let” and would like some advice, why not call us on 01293 515588 for a chat about  the different options Crawley has to offer. You can also e-mail us on crawley@northwooduk.com

7th October 2015

Two bedroom flats in Maidenbower

Here are 2 two bed flats that, according to the agents, have been reduced in price today. The flats are in Greyrigg Rd, Maidenbower, Crawley, towards the “Audi” garage end.  The properties are on with Inspire & Zoom995, both with a guide price of £220000. The Rightmove links for further details are: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-36042066.html & http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-54342965.html.

GreyriggThe development is only just over 4 years old and the last flat to sell went for £220500 in June this year. So what about the flats as investments ?

Currently 2 bedroom flats in this development rent for around £950pcm to £975pcm. Based on the guide price of £220000, you are therefore looking at a gross yield of between 5.2% & 5.3%. So, on the face of it, not too bad an investment.

If you’re considering purchasing these flats for investment purposes, however, there are a couple of provisos to bear in mind. The first, is that both flats do not lend themselves particularly well to professional sharers. Check the Rightmove details and see if you can tell why this is so ! If you’re not sure, just drop us an e-mail (crawley@northwooduk.com) or call us 01293 515588 and we’ll let you into the secret ! The “issue” that I’m referring to can be remedied for no more than a few hundred pounds, but would give you a much wider range of potential tenants to choose from.

The other issue to consider is that these flats are a little bit further away from the mainline station at Three Bridges than those, for example, at Trafalgar Gardens. Again , this might mean a slightly reduced pool of potential tenants and therefore, slightly lower rents and / or longer void periods between rentals.  All that being said, however, the flats would in our opinion, be a good investment option to consider.

If you’re considering property investments in and around Crawley and would like some advice on what to buy (and more importantly, what not to buy !), don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’ve got plenty of experience of the lettings market in Crawley and would be more than happy to have a chat. Alternatively, just drop us an e-mail to crawley@ northwooduk.com.

1st October 2015

2 bedroom apartment, Pound Hill, Crawley

Another month bites the dust ! This 2 bed apartment in Pound Hill, Crawley has just been listed on Rightmove today. Marketed by Moore & Partners it has a Guide Price of £190000. However, the Rightmove details give a price ranging up to £220000, so it’s fairly clear that the vendors are looking for a bit more than £190k. Here’s the link for further details: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-54481715.html

Wakehams Green DrProperty in this area of Crawley usually rents for around the £900pcm to £950pcm mark. So based on these rental figures your maximum gross yield would be a healthy looking 5.7% to 6%. Putting the property on the market at this time of year might also indicate that the vendors would like the deal done before Christmas. So, if you’re an investor and can move quickly, an offer at the lower end of the price range might be just what they’re looking for.

If you’d like to discuss property investments in and around Crawley, don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01293 515588. You can also e-mail us on crawley@northwooduk.com.

30th September 2015

2 bedroom flat in Broadfield, Crawley

Here’s an interesting flat that has just come on to the market, at least that’s what I thought when I checked for new properties listed on Rightmove. Apparently, however, it was first listed on 7th August, but I can’t find whether the asking price has changed or not. Well, not to worry too much. The property, in Broadfield, Crawley, is on for £179950 with King & Chasemore – here’s the Rightmove link if you want to look at further details – http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-53926175.html.

Hayling Court

One reason for my interest is that a property like this, although not in the most fashionable part of town, can let for around £875pcm. Based on this rent and an asking price of £179950, you would get a maximum gross annual yield of around 5.8%.

However, just before you get your cheque book out and sign on the dotted line, have a closer look at the area. In July of this year a similar property completed for £166000 i.e. £14k less than is being asked here. In addition, there are two other similar properties currently on the market for £170000. Although there are no internal photos to compare condition, a purchase price of £170000 with a rent of £875 pcm would give a max. gross yield just shy of 6.2% ! Even better !

If you’re looking to increase your lettings portfolio or are new to “Buy-to-Let”, don’t hesitate to give us a call for a chat about property investments in Crawley & surrounding areas. Our advice is free and we might be able to provide you with some insight that you hadn’t considered ! You can also e-mail us on crawley@northwooduk.com.

25th September 2015

3 bedroom house, Southgate, Crawley

Here’s another “doer upper” for you to consider. A 3 bedroom terraced house, in Southgate, Crawley.  On at £250000 with local Crawley agent, Taylor Robinson, the Rigtmove link for further details is http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-51725176.html.

We’ve recently let a 3 bedroom house in the same area for £1150pcm. Based on this and the purchase price quoted above, you’d get a maximum gross annual yield of  5.5%.

SG25-9-15

However, realistically speaking if you buy this property you’ll have to spend money getting it into a lettable condition. From the picture above the curb appeal could certainly do with improving! Remember one of our lettings Mantras: Good / excellent condition gives higher rents and lower void periods.

In our opinion, the property would need a complete makeover with new bathroom and kitchen. Walls, ceilings, woodwork etc…should be repainted and then new flooring & kitchen appliances installed. If you spent £10k to £15k on the works required and then let the property for £1150pcm, your maximum gross annual yield would still be above 5%, ranging from 5.2% to 5.3%. Not too bad at all.

If you can negotiate the purchase price down, then so much the better. Don’t be frightened to ask for a price reduction and be prepared to walk away if your figures don’t add up. Another word of warning – keep a tight rein on the renovations costs !

If you’re looking for property investments in Crawley or would like a second opinion on a “doer upper” project, we’d be more than happy to have a chat. Give us a call on 01293 51558 or send an e-mail to crawley@northooduk.com.