News archive for 2010
House prices falling - but not as quickly
December 18, 2010
New figures from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) show house prices fell in November - although the drop wasn't as fast as October's slide, Clear Property Investment reveals.
2011 best time to buy a property
December 18, 2010
Next year could very well be the ideal time to buy a property - if a survey by the Building Societies Association (BSA) and seen by Clear Property Investment is anything to go by.
Demand for property rises as house prices drop
December 11, 2010
A reduction in house prices has seen a growth in demand for housing, Clear Property Investment is aware.
It is in fact the biggest jump since June 2010 according to a report by the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA).
Second large construction companies says future looks rosy
December 11, 2010
Bellway is the second major housebuilding firm to post news of a substantial increase in profits, Clear Property Investment has learned.
Good grades for student accommodation
December 04, 2010
Renting to students could result in doubt-digit profits for landlords, Clear Property Investment claims.
Foreign companies offer better UK mortgage deals
December 04, 2010
Foreign lenders are stepping in to offer mortgages to high-end customers, Clear Property Investment has learned.
Letting agents and landlords using sealed bids
November 27, 2010
More than one third of letting agents in the UK have reported rises in rent, Clear Property Investment has found.
Lenders increase rates for new borrowers
November 27, 2010
New mortgage customers at Britain's biggest lender, will be put on a different rate than exisiting customers once their initial deal ends, Clear Property Investment has learned.
Renting becoming more popular than property-owning
November 20, 2010
Scotland is set to become a nation of tenants rather than home owners, according to a leading figure in the rental industry, Clear Property Investment heard this week.
Construction companies report increased profits
November 20, 2010
Clear Property Investment understands construction companies this week have reported increased profits and improvements on sales for the year. But they all shy away from the prospect of being overly-optimistic.
Scotland's housing market in line with rest of UK
November 12, 2010
Scotland's housing market has fallen into line with the rest of the UK, Clear Property Investment has learned.
Get cash help to upgrade your heating system
November 12, 2010
Landlords thinking about upgrading the heating system in their rented property could be on the receiving end of a cash windfall from the Scottish Government, Clear Property Investment has learned.
Is 'sub-prime' on the way back?
November 05, 2010
Sub-Prime Mortgages are on their way back, Clear Property Investment learned this week. The deals aren't referred to as sub-prime but as mortgages for people who are having a few credit issues.
Government looks to the construction industry for stability
November 05, 2010
Analysts this week feared that in order to boost the UK economy the government will fall back on construction and financial service projects, according to Clear Property Investment.
Buy-to-let landlord gets his day in court
October 29, 2010
Buy-to-let landlords have the law on their side, Clear Property Investment learned this week.
October 29, 2010
When it comes to overseas deals Clear Property Investment is keeping a keen eye on developments in Abu Dhabi.
Buy-to-let landlords to benefit from public housing cuts
October 23, 2010
Private landlords were given a boost on Wednesday with the news of a £4bn cut in the social housing sector, Clear Property Investment learned this week.
House prices expected to rise in 2012
October 23, 2010
House prices are expected to plunge by another five per cent but then start to recover again in 2012, analysts predicted, Clear Property Investment has learned.
Analysts predict house prices rises in 2012
October 23, 2010
House prices are expected to plunge by another five per cent but then start to recover again in 2012, analysts predicted, Clear Property Investment has learned.
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Tracker mortgages losing popularity
October 16, 2010
Britain's poor economic situation has led to house buyers snapping up fixed rate rather than tracker mortgages - despite interest rates for the latter falling, Clear Property Investment has learned.
Tracker deals currently sit at 3.55 per cent compared to 6.32 per cent at the beginning of the credit crunch in summer 2007. Fixed rate deals are sitting at around 5.06 per cent.
Too many properties on the market
October 16, 2010
House prices are suffering from an over-abundance of property on the market, Clear Property Investment can reveal.
this is exacerbated by the fact that thousands of potential buyers have been finding it almost impossible to get mortgages, according to the latest report from the Royal Insitution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
UK property prices plunge dramatically
October 09, 2010
The value of the average UK property fell by the largest amount yet this summer, Clear Property Investment has learned.
Mortgage lender Halifax's latest statistics showed house prices had fallen by 3.6 per cent or £6,000 in August.
New builds proving popular again
October 09, 2010
Demand for new-build properties is far outstripping supply, Clear Property Investment has learned.
A report from upmarket property agency Savills revealed last week that the majority of new-builds were owner-occupied rather than purchased by buy-to-let investors. Many of them are city-based and owned by couples or individuals in their 50s who are downsizing and moving away from family homes in the country.
New bank aimed at boosting UK economy
October 01, 2010
Owners of small and medium-sized businesses have welcomed the introduction of a new bank, Clear Property Investment has learned.
The British Enterprise Bank aims to raise around £100 million in order to make getting a business loan easier. It will target SME (small to medium-sized) firms who find it impossible to get a loan from the current high street banks.
October 01, 2010
House prices hardly moved last month, Clear Property Investment has learned.
According to the Nationwide House Price Index the cost of the average property increased 0.1 per cent. Having said that, when taken over the three month period, house prices fell by 0.9 per cent. This is the first time prices have fallen since November last year.
Mortgage approvals lowest in a decade
September 25, 2010
The number of people being granted a mortgage has dropped to 45,000 - the lowest level this year, Clear Property Investment has learned.
The figure is down 2,000 on the previous month of July. Prior to the recession around 90,000 people were being approved for a mortgage every month, according to the Bank of England.
Are UK Banking Regulations too tight?
September 25, 2010
Clear Property Investment is aware that banking has undergone one of the biggest changes in decades. The economy has already suffered the resultant turmoil while the public are currently gearing themselves up for public sector cuts.
Cost of Living increases - but not pay packets
September 18, 2010
Life continues to look bleak for many individuals and families in the UK with new figures revealing the cost of living is increasing quicker than earnings, Clear Property Investment has learned.
House prices in Scotland stable
September 18, 2010
House prices in Scotland remain stable, while falling in the rest of the UK, Clear Property Investment learned earlier this week.
Construction companies more optimistic
September 10, 2010
A leading figure in the construction industry warned tightened controls on mortgages were damaging the housing market, Clear Property Investment has learned.
Location is all in mortgage deals
September 10, 2010
Whether or not you get a mortgage can depend on where you intend to purchase, Clear Property Investment has found.
Tenant demand for property is growing
September 04, 2010
Staff at Clear Property Investment this week confirm their statistics are in line with a national trend which shows tenant demand for property continues to increase.
The latest report from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) predict the figures - which show an increase for the second consecutive quarter - will push rents up.
Prime property prices plunging
September 04, 2010
The value of upmarket property is falling new figures available to Clear Property Investment, reveal.
Property near the top end of the market is not selling as well as in previous months while values for the top 10 per cent of properties have plunged by 0.4 per cent.
The figures, by portal Primelocation, is evidence that more top-end properties are available for sale. Areas hardest hit include London and the South West of England. And commuting is a big factor.
First Time Buyers finding it tougher than ever
August 28, 2010
First time buyers are finding it harder to purchase a property than at any time in the past quarter of a century, Clear Property Investment has learned.
Figures revealed by the Nationwide Building Society show that with the average home costing £142,457 - more than four and a half times the average UK salary - those wishing to get on the property ladder are having to save for much bigger deposits and borrow far more cash.
Construction Companies head to Qatar
August 27, 2010
Investing in property shouldn't just mean sticking to your home turf - although it's often comfortable to do so. At Clear Property Investment we're always keeping abreast of foreign markets.
Buy to Let Mortgage Market may be Loosening Up
August 21, 2010
Buy to let lending is the highest it's been in two years, according to recent figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), Clear Property Investment is pleased to hear.
The CML findings, at the end of June show 24,900 mortgages were taken out over a three month period - an increase of 13 per cent and 15 per cent higher than the corresponding period last year.
Property Investments - Short or Long-term Gain?
August 21, 2010
When investing in property, what are you looking for? Is it long-term gain ie buying property in lieu of a pension fund? Or are you after passive and stable rental income?
Whatever your aim, there are certain factors when purchasing property, you should always keep in mind.
Compulsory Tenant Deposit Scheme - Make your Views Known
August 14, 2010
A consultation into a compulsory Tenant Deposit Scheme has been published this week by the Scottish Government, Clear Property Investment has learned.
Landlords are advised to look at the consultation paper which includes a copy of the draft regulations and a series of questions and answers. The consultation period is set to end on October 3 this year. After this date no further responses will be accepted.
Energy Performance Certificate - Why you need it
August 14, 2010
Prospective landlords - and existing ones - should be aware of the need for an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
Since January 2009 this Europe-wide legislation has been a legal obligation in Scotland. All landlords wishing to rent out their property MUST ensure they have an EPC - unless they are prepared to face prosecution and a fine of up to £500.
August 07, 2010
Latest figures collated from building societies and Land Registry records show house prices rose last month, Clear Property Investment learned.
Halifax analysts reported a rise of just over £1000 on the average property - showing pessimistic government economists they'd got their figures wrong. However, the Halifax don't predict any further major rises this year, insisting that house prices will remain "broadly unchanged" until 2011 at least.
August 07, 2010
No-one – including us here at Clear Property Investment - can deny we're experiencing the full-blown after-effects of a recession.
So what does that mean to the existing property owner? Well, in the past it's meant a time of uncertainty and no doubt the odd sleepless night. But we trust his/her dreams are rather more positive-focused these days because if there's one person who is benefiting from the current recession, it's the landlord.
Rents Set to Rise for Forseeable Future
July 31, 2010
Rent rates could rise by as much as eight per cent by the end of the year, according to analysts from upmarket property company Savills, Clear Property Investment heard this week.
And they could be set to rise a further seven per cent in 2011 and 2012. The picture - an optimistic one for landlords - is due to a national imbalance in property supply and demand.
Landlords - Learn to avoid Voids
July 31, 2010
If there's one thing we hate here at Clear Property Investment it's void properties.
However we can't ignore the subject completely because, as we all know, it does happen. What we can do though is prepare against it in the best way possible. And that's why we've come up with a list of tips to bear in mind if you want to avoid voids.
July 24, 2010
Scotland's landlords are reaping the rewards of a crowded rental market, the team here at Clear Property Investment learned this week.
The increase in demand over supply has helped push average monthly rents up.
A report by residential lettings portal Citylets showed the average monthly rent in Scotland was up 3.3 per cent on the previous year to £654. In Glasgow it was £590 and in Aberdeen £854.
July 24, 2010
Here at Clear Property Investment we believe the key to whether or not a property is worth purchasing lies in its cash flow. And that boils down to how well the market for that particular property is doing, and how well the property itself is performing.
Scotland and London Best Performing Property Areas Last Month
July 17, 2010
Here at Clear Property Investment we’re pleased to learn that Scotland - together with London - outperformed all other areas in the UK in terms of property price rises last month.
Why you should Rent to Students
July 17, 2010
As an investor with Clear Property Investment you should certainly consider renting your property out to students.
Traditionally, in the world of property letting this group haven’t had the best press - to say the least. This is mostly due to stereotyping, taking into account the young age and limited income of most students. But sit down and think about it...
July 10, 2010
Who would you trust when it comes to investing your hard-earned cash? Various websites you've googled, perhaps a friend who's done well?
At Clear Property Investment we're happy to listen to a man who's made millions by knowing both HOW and WHEN to invest.
Regular Dragons Den guest and multi-million pound entrepreneur James Caan certainly knows a thing or two about investment and making cash. And he reckons property is the hottest ticket right now.
Increase your Property's Value
July 10, 2010
So you've come to Clear Lets Investments, listened to our expert advice and you're now a proud property owner.
But don't just stop there. How are you going to make that investment work even harder and allow you, the new landlord, to reap the financial rewards?
Certainly, one area you should look at, says Myra Blaik, Operations Director, Clear Group Scotland Ltd, is home improvement.
July 03, 2010
Here at Clear Property Investment we encourage good relations between you, the landlord, and your tenant.
After all, life is easier when confrontation is kept to a minimum. And the same applies in the property business.
July 03, 2010
Here at Clear Property Investment we’ve always got our finger on the pulse of housing trends/prices and we’re happy to report that this month more property is coming onto the market.
June 26, 2010
Fife's largest town, Kirkcaldy boasts a decent mixture of both private and public sector housing.
And Clear Property Investment are firm favourites when it comes to purchasing property in the area.
June 19, 2010
Landlords...here at Clear Property Investment we're focusing on income tax - and the friendly deductibles.
As a Landlord the rent you receive from your tenant is taxed as income (as you're probably well aware). Whereas if you sell your property you will, of course, usually be subject to Capital Gains Tax.
June 19, 2010
As Scotland's largest city, Glasgow is renowned for its vibrant social scene, boasts first-class designer shopping and, in cultural terms, the city can hold its own thanks to its impressive architecture, the Burrell Collection, Kelvingrove Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art.
How do you get rid of a Bad Tenant?
June 02, 2010
Ok, this isn't going to be pleasant reading for many of you Clear Property Investment clients - and potential investors - out there.
But it has to be said - bad tenants DO exist and are the bane of many a property investor's life.
Investing - You're Responsible Too!
June 02, 2010
So you've come along to Clear Property Investment and you've decided that pouring your cash into property is for you.
It seems a sure-fire bet and a far better way to grow interest than investing in bank accounts. And you're right.
But it’s not quite that simple. For instance, at Clear Property Investment, we’re well aware that there's also a certain amount of responsibility that goes along with being the landlord of a property.
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