| The United Kingdom And Property | | | | international profile of the country continues to |
| The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern | | | | grow, a prosperous rental market has been |
| Ireland (the UK) is a made up of four countries of | | | | created - with particular emphasis on London |
| immense diversity, tradition and culture. Beautiful | | | | which has led the way in Europe with regards to |
| countryside, islands, moors, craggy mountains and | | | | financial markets in particular (The Stock |
| cliffs, rolling hills, shorelines and beaches, it has | | | | Exchange, Petroleum Exchange, Metals Exchange, |
| scenery as varied as its people. The UK | | | | etc). |
| investment property may include any one of the | | | | There are a number on anomalies with regards to |
| four individual countries that make up the United | | | | property transactions in each of the four individual |
| Kingdom: England; Scotland; Wales and Northern | | | | countries, and these should be assessed at the |
| Ireland. There are also a number of islands, in | | | | time of any transaction. In the main the |
| particular the Scottish island groups of the | | | | differences relate to how bids are entered and |
| Shetlands and the Orkneys, the English Scilly Isles | | | | how they are chosen. |
| and Isle of Wight and the Welsh island of | | | | As the financial institutions continue to increase |
| Anglesey. The British Isles are to be found off | | | | their lending to the mortgage industry, it is now |
| the western extremity of continental Europe, | | | | possible to obtain mortgages based upon up to |
| separated from it by the English Channel and the | | | | five times your income. This recent increase in |
| North Sea. The climate is temperate in nature, | | | | the basis has further helped to fuel what was, |
| and in the words of William Blake, you see | | | | and continues to be a buoyant area of |
| Englands green and pleasant land. All of these | | | | investment. |
| complicated factors make UK investment | | | | Buying Investment Property in the UK |
| property very lucrative. | | | | While the UK continues to retain a strong sense |
| Of the four countries England has the largest | | | | of tradition and history, there is no doubt that |
| population at 50 million of the total 60 million | | | | London in particular is one of the most |
| people and consequently is the busiest. | | | | multi-cultural cities in the world. It is the |
| The UK is steeped in history and tradition, with a | | | | employment hub of the UK, and has particular |
| respected Monarchy and is the home of | | | | strengths in the financial arena, e.g. The London |
| democracy. Its is as much known for its culture | | | | Stock Exchange, etc. This has, and continues to |
| as for its music and festivals, inventions, sport, art | | | | attract significant overseas investment, which is in |
| and literature, fashion and films and television. It is | | | | turn feeding a growing economy. As the |
| sometimes called Cool Britannia and many a trend | | | | economy grows, so does the demand for housing |
| has started in the UK. | | | | and buying investment property in the UK. |
| Throughout the four countries there are many | | | | While the weather in the UK can be unpredictable |
| cultural sights with stately homes, castles, palaces | | | | there is a massive influx of tourists from all |
| and accompanying grounds in abundance. Many of | | | | around the world, although a vast number of |
| these are run by different organizations such as | | | | them arrive from Japan and the US. Impressed |
| the National Trust, Scottish Trust and the National | | | | with the tradition and variety of the society, |
| Park Trust. Wherever you are in the UK you are | | | | many have chosen to invest in holiday homes, |
| never far from something of significance or of | | | | second homes. It also helps that London |
| historical value. | | | | Heathrow is one of the busiest airports in the |
| Major cities, such as London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, | | | | world, and offers access to all major cities of the |
| Cardiff, Birmingham, Liverpool, Belfast, Newcastle | | | | world. |
| and Manchester offer impressive galleries, | | | | The current climate of low interest rates, low |
| museums and theatres giving the traveller a | | | | inflation and increased infrastructure spend bodes |
| multitude of activities to pursue. | | | | well for the future of the UK. The UK has also |
| Outside of these metropolitan areas there are still | | | | been chosen to host the 2012 Olympic Games |
| many towns and cities with historical value such | | | | which will put the worldwide spot light on this |
| as Bath, Salisbury and Harrogate. Peaceful village | | | | beautiful, diverse group of countries. |
| life is also an option with rural communities | | | | The Future of UK Property Investment |
| abounding across the majority of all of the | | | | While the release of further housing stock over |
| countries. | | | | the last decade has helped to control the ongoing |
| UK Property Investment Market | | | | property boom, demand still far out weighs supply |
| Prior to the election of the present Labour | | | | - especially in the more affluent south of England, |
| Government, the UK property market had tended | | | | where the majority of overseas investment is |
| to move in very cyclical patterns with significant | | | | applied. |
| (short term) boom and busts episodes. Over the | | | | However, over the last few years we have seen |
| last 10 years this particular trait has faded and the | | | | areas such as Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland; |
| UK property investment market has been on a | | | | continue to increase their profile which has |
| general upturn for some time. The release of | | | | resulted in some fairly large property price rises in |
| significant numbers of social housing over the last | | | | these areas. This pattern has been repeated in a |
| decade has helped to flatten the natural boom | | | | number of the more business central areas of |
| and bust curve. | | | | England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. |
| As the UK continues to attract significant | | | | One of the main attractions to tourists to the UK |
| overseas property investment the UK property | | | | seems to be the great and varied history of the |
| investment market around the major cities have | | | | land, which has links as far afield as Pakistan and |
| tended to lead the way with regards to price | | | | India who are members of the ever expanding |
| rises (particularly London property and the South | | | | Commonwealth of the United Kingdom. |
| East). Where the major cities lead, the smaller | | | | The UK also has a very thorough infrastructure, |
| cities and towns have followed - although there is | | | | where it is possible to travel between the likes of |
| often a time lag as the factors affecting the | | | | London and Glasgow (in Scotland) within a couple |
| general market slowly spread far and wide. | | | | of hours - carrying you from the hustle and bustle |
| While the UK market has been prone to short | | | | of the big city, to the verges of the beautiful |
| term, often volatile, swings, there is no doubt that | | | | Scottish countryside complete with Lochs, Golf |
| the return on UK Property over any significant | | | | Courses and miles of National park. |
| period has been significantly higher than those of | | | | Travel within the UK is very easy as there are no |
| mainland Europe. The UK has always been a very | | | | passport restrictions when moving between the |
| much purchase driven market, however as the | | | | four countries United Kingdom. |