First Time Buyers

 

  Victor Khatri, the Director of Victor Michael estate agents, has spoken out about the possible effects of Brexit, saying, “I don’t think the triggering of Article 50 will affect the property market directly from today. In one sense it removes the uncertainty surrounding when Britain’s withdrawal process from the EU will start, but in another way it will create economic uncertainty until we know what deals we will strike with EU and other commonwealth and non-commonwealth countries, America in particular.”

 

 

  So what Brexit actually means for our country?

  Mr Khatri continues: “Brexit will no doubt mean a turbulent two years for the London and UK market as we begin to hear what negotiations and proposed deals are being put forward for our exit out of Europe and the single market. I think we will see a continued slowdown or lethargic London market when it comes to sales volumes, and as we reported toward the end of last year, transaction volumes across London are already more than half of what they were before the 2008 crash. London has a significant part to play in businesses who trade and operate across Europe and the world, and a buoyant property market relies on the UK’s economic health. If Brexit negotiations go well this could cause further price growth as the economy grows and we see the nation’s confidence lifted, but equally, if a good deal isn’t reached then the international companies who operate here or look to relocate here might change their minds, reducing the number of residents who live in the capital and again further reducing the transaction levels, which could ultimately lead to price decreases (more supply then demand)”.

 

  It’s therefore important that you make property decisions based on your personal situation and what you want to do, rather than gambling on how the market will play out. “Right now we may experience some uncertainty, but as the negotiations progress, we will regain some much needed stability into the housing market, as people realise that the effects of Brexit are not catastrophic and go on with their lives. We’ll hopefully see transaction levels increase as a result, which are currently dangerously low and affecting price growth across the capital. He continues, “Today’s events are likely to have a much more profound effect on foreign investment however, with the weakening pound expected to fuel demand from overseas buyers and investors.” Many are also speculating that today’s events will mean that the Bank of England will be hesitant to increase their interest rates, in spite of the recent inflation rises.

  It will remain cheaper than ever to borrow and get onto the property ladder. 

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A petition that has so far gathered 144,343 signatures and argues that making rental payments is proof of ability to meet mortgage repayments is to be considered for debate in Parliament.

The petition creator, Jamie Jack Pogson, says he wants “paying rent on time to be recognized as evidence that mortgage re-payments can be met”.

Jamie had this to say: “Since living on my own I have paid £70,000+ in rent on time yet still struggle to get a mortgage. Unless you’re getting handouts, wealthy or in receipt of inheritance it’s almost impossible.”

Recent research from Lloyds Bank found that home affordability – as measured by the ratio between average house prices and gross local earnings – across UK cities is at its worst level since 2008.

Yet buying still remains more affordable than renting in all 12 UK regions. Halifax data shows that on average, first-time buyers are making annual savings of £651 compared to those who rent.

Buying is most affordable compared to renting in London, with the typical first-time buyer paying £161 (10%) a month less than the average renter (£1,420 against £1,581) an annual saving of £1,927.

Source: http://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/finance/should-rental-payments-be-proof-of-mortgage-affordability.html?utm_source=Email+Campaign&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=21136-198062-Campaign+-+16%2F03%2F2017+MT 

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The latest research from Connells Survey & Valuation shows that, during February, first-time-buyer activity soared to a market share of 36% – an 8% rise against February 2016.

The near zero base rate has ensured that mortgages remain more affordable than ever – with gross lending at its highest level since 2008.

First-time buyers have seized the opportunity to get on the property ladder. This group now accounts for a third of activity in the property market during February (36%) – the highest proportion of first-time buyers since July 2011 and the highest February since 2010.

John Bagshaw, corporate services director of Connells Survey & Valuation, said: “Continued affordable mortgages have provided first-time buyers with an ideal opportunity to take their first step onto the ladder in February. Lending to aspiring homeowners continues to rise, while the base rate remains so low. For those with enough savings for a deposit, now is a great time to buy. Many are taking advantage of the opportunities on offer.”

John said: “The stamp duty surcharge has succeeded in helping first-time buyers at the expense of landlords. But this may well be temporary. Less competition for today’s first-time buyers comes at the expense of tomorrow’s. Most people rent as they save for a deposit, but the steady investment into the rental market is running dry. With limited new homes being built for the PRS, rents will soon start to rise. This will devour tenants’ disposable income which would otherwise have been saved for a deposit. The problem will be exacerbated next month as mortgage tax relief is removed, forcing more landlords to exit the market or ramp up rents.

In the Housing white paper, the Government announced plans to boost build-to-rent and institutional landlords, but it will be years before anyone can move into the accompanying new homes. Rents remained relatively stable following the influx of investment before the stamp duty surcharge but tenants could soon feel the full force of recently announced Government policies.”

However, the increase does not mean the Government has succeeded in boosting the prospects of first-time buyers long-term, says Connells Survey & Valuation. The surge from 28 per cent last February to 36 per cent this February is only marginally higher than the 10 year average.  Over the course of the last decade first-time buyers have been responsible, on average, for 35 per cent of the market. And the 36 per cent of valuations that first-time buyers represented in February 2017 pales into insignificance compared to the 41 per cent peak in February 2010.

John continues: “The rapid growth in first-time buyer activity is a recovery from a lower position, rather than a substantial improvement in market conditions. It’s important to not just look at the snapshot numbers but take into account the long-term trends. It’s still incredibly difficult to get on the property ladder. Most aspiring home owners will tell you about the Herculean challenges they face to save for a deposit. Despite all the Help to Buy programmes, first-time buyer activity is only 1 per cent higher than it has been, on average, over the last decade.

We may be in the eye of the storm in Britain’s housing market – a brief period of calm before the turbulence begins again. The base rate can’t stay on the floor forever. With Brexit approaching, economic conditions may get tougher. First-time buyers may need to board the ladder now before it’s hoisted up again.”

 

Source: http://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/property/ftbs-storm-the-property-ladder-in-february.html?utm_source=Email+Campaign&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=21136-197729-Campaign+-+15%2F03%2F2017+CT 

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Should you still be investing in Stratford Buy To Let?

If I were a buy to let landlord in Stratford today, I might feel a little bruised by the assault made on my wallet after being (and will continue to be) ransacked over the last 12 months by HM Treasury’s tax changes to buy to let. To add insult to insult to injury, Brexit has caused a tempering of the Stratford property market with property prices not increasing by the levels we have seen in the last few years. I think we might even see a very slight drop in property prices this year, and if Stratford property prices do drop, the downside to that is first time buyers could be attracted back into the Stratford property market, meaning less demand for renting (meaning rents will go down). Yet, before we all run for the hills, all these things could be serendipitous to every Stratford landlord, almost a blessing in disguise.

Stratford (E15) has a population of 51,490, so when I looked at the number of people who lived in private rented accommodation, the numbers astounded me …

 

Yields will rise if Stratford property prices fall, which will also make it easier to obtain a buy to let mortgage, as the income would cover more of the interest cost. If property values were to level off or come down that could help Stratford landlords add to their portfolio. Rental demand in Stratford is expected to stay solid and may even see an improvement if uncertainty is protracted. However, there is something even more important that Stratford landlords should be aware of, the change in the anthropological nature of these 20 something potential Stratford first time buyers.

I have just come back from a visit to my wife’s relations after a family get together. I got chatting with my wife’s nephew and his partner.  Both are in their mid/late twenties, both have decent jobs in Stratford and they rent. Yet, here was the bombshell, they were planning to rent for the foreseeable future with no plans to even save for a deposit, let alone buy a property. I enquired why they weren’t planning to buy? The answers surprised me as a 40 something, and it will you. Firstly, they dont want to put cash into property, they would rather spend it on living and socialising by going on nice holidays and buying the latest tech and gadgets. They wanted flexibility to live where they choose and finally, they didn’t like the idea of paying for repairs. All their friend’s feel the same. I was quite taken aback, because buying a house is just not top of the list for these youngsters.

So, as 39.9% of Stratford people are in the rented accommodation and as that figure is set to grow over the next decade, now might just be a good time to buy property in Stratford – because what else are you going to invest in?  Give your money to the stock market run by sharp suited city whiz kids – because at least with property – it’s something you can touch- there is nothing like bricks and mortar!

 

 

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The latest report from Halifax has shown that more first-time buyers climbed on to the property ladder in 2016 than in any year since 2007.

However, it comes at a cost as the lender revealed would-be home owners now need to raise more than £32,000 for a deposit.

Deposit sizes have more than doubled over the last decade. In 2006, the average first-time buyer deposit across the UK was £15,168. Now it is £32,321 – around 16% of the price of a typical first home.

According to the report, those buying their first property can expect to pay more than £200,000 across the UK generally and an “eye-watering” £400,000 in London. On average, in the capital, a first-time buyer’s deposit is more than £100,000, assuming they can also cover moving costs and stamp duty.

First-time buyers in London put down a 25% deposit on average in 2016, amounting to £100,445.

Halifax also revealed that during 2016, the average house price paid by first-time buyers was £205,170 – the highest on record. This average has grown by 7% over the last year, pushing it over the £200,000 mark.

In London, first-time buyers can expect to pay £402,692.

The number of first-time buyers is estimated to have reached 335,750 in 2016. This is the highest figure since 359,900 in 2007, and marks the third year in a row that the number has topped 300,000.

Halifax said the number of first-time buyers in 2016 was 75% higher than a low point in 2009, but 17% below a pre-crisis peak of 402,800 in 2006.

As the cost of housing has increased, first-time buyers have been taking out longer mortgages. In 2006, just over a third (36%) had mortgages lasting beyond the traditional 25-year period. In 2016, 60% of mortgages were for 25 years or more.

More aspiring first-time buyers are also having to factor stamp duty into their costs. Less than a third (29%) of first-time purchases in 2016 were below the £125,000 stamp duty threshold. This share was 45% in 2013.

The average age of a first-time buyer is 30, ranging from 27 in Carlisle in Cumbria and Torfaen in South Wales to 34 in places such as Slough in Berkshire and the London boroughs of Barnet and Ealing.

   Martin Ellis, a housing economist at Halifax, said record low mortgage rates, high employment levels and Government schemes such as Help to Buy have helped first-time buyers. The UK-wide Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme ended in 2016, but other schemes are still available.

   He added: “Across the regions there is a contrasting picture. In London – which has one of the youngest populations in the UK – the average house price for a typical first-time buyer is now more than an eye-watering £400,000 with an average deposit of over £100,000 – more than twice that in the South East, the next most expensive region.”

   Jeremy Leaf, north London estate agent and a former RICS residential chairman, says: ’The Halifax’s findings are good news in terms of the increase in number of first-time buyers but are also indicative as to what parents and grandparents put themselves through so that they can afford those deposits – with more than £100,000 required in London.

If the housing market is going to function properly, as the government has told us so many times it should, then we need to protect first-time buyers. First-time buyers are the life blood of the market as they tend to buy at the bottom and trade up whereas investors buy at one level and stay there.

Although lenders are supposed to be providing support via Help to Buy now that the mortgage guarantee element has been withdrawn, on the ground we are finding it is not happening in all cases and more flexibility on lending criteria at higher loan-to-values is required.’

Source: http://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/property/ftbs-at-10-year-high.html?utm_source=Email+Campaign&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=21136-188156-Campaign+-+13%2F01%2F2017+MC
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