Buy to let property investors are returning to the market as falling prices make property investments viable according to independent estate agent, haart.
The agent found that the number of landlords registering for buy to let property has risen by 7.9 per cent on the month but has fallen by 21.8 per cent on the year across England and Wales.
In London, the number has risen by 11.8 per cent on the month but fell by 28.1 per cent on the year. The number of buy to let property sales has dropped by 2.6 per cent on the year across England and Wales and fell by 71 per cent in London. Average buy to let property sale prices are down 11.9 per cent across England and Wales annually, and by 12.4 per cent in London.
According to haart’s figures, house prices across England and Wales fell by 0.6 per cent on the month and by 5 per cent on the year with the average house price now sitting at £218,556.
New buyer registrations rose by 23.2 per cent on the month and by 7.8 per cent annually. The number of properties coming onto the market this month rose by 12.3 per cent and has risen by 1.9er cent on the year. In March, there were 12 buyers chasing every property across England and Wales.
CEO of independent estate agent, haart, Paul Smith, commented: ‘Three years on from George Osborne introducing the 3 per cent hike in stamp duty surcharges on second homes, landlords are beginning to come to terms with the additional costs and are cautiously entering the market again. Our branches across England and Wales saw a monthly uptick of 7.9 per cent in the number of landlords registering to buy, a figure which has been continuing to grow since the start of 2019.
Interestingly, sale prices to landlords are down by nearly 12 per cent on the year which may be spurring on this activity, these price decreases could be causing the available stock to fall within lower stamp duty thresholds, making the stamp duty levy a little easier to stomach. Despite this, landlords are not back in their hundreds, the number of registrations is still down 22 per cent on the year. Whilst some brave souls are re-entering the market, the hammering buy to let property investors received in terms of various tax changes is still fresh in many of their minds.’
He concluded: ‘Clearly investors are recognising the value that can still be found in buy to let property, especially in comparison to the overvalued and faltering stock market. Although the property market hinges on confidence, the FTSE 100, gold and cash are far more volatile to socioeconomic impact, so investors are increasingly returning to property where they deem their money safest, and where the yields are highest.’
Source: Residential Landlord