Property investment is a lucrative business and an attractive proposition for many new investors across the UK. However, there is a kicker. You usually need extensive market knowledge and experience in property to be successful on your own. That’s why many turn to property investment firms. These firms use their expertise and contacts to help budding entrepreneurs invest correctly and safely.
Demand for new homes continues to grow, with the number of new households outgrowing the number of new homes in the UK every year since 2008. Despite Government initiatives, the supply shortage will continue to push prices up long-term and provide attractive returns on your investment. Before delving into the guide, it’s important to note that this isn’t financial advice. If you’re considering investing your own money, you should get in touch with a professional advisor to discuss your options.
What are the pros and cons of investing in property?
As with any financial investment, there are pros and cons to investing in property that you should consider. Even if you choose to go through a property investment company, it’s always helpful to do your own research and be up to date on the latest industry developments.
Property Investment Pros
- Potential for long-term returns on your investment. It’s essential to understand market trends and how you can improve your property to gain profit.
- If you choose the right location, property is typically a stable investment to make. Look for areas that have a proven history of price increases over several years.
- A fantastic way of generating passive income. If you invest in a series of buy-to-lets or buy outright, you’ll receive passive rental income that will cover costs and leave a profit.
- There are various tax benefits that you can gain from investing in property.
Property Investment Cons
- Since you’re investing in property, you don’t have much liquidity. Your profits will be tied up with your investment for an extended period of time (sometimes years).
- If you’re planning to invest in buy-to-let, you could encounter difficult tenants that damage your property and eat into your profits.
- If you pick a terrible location to invest in, and the neighbourhood becomes undesirable, you could lose money on your investment.
- Property maintenance isn’t cheap, especially if you buy a property that requires a lot of work.
Property Investment Companies
A great way to circumvent those cons is to go through a property investment company. These are firms with experience in finding great, low-risk opportunities for investors. They are instrumental if you have other life commitments and don’t have enough time to do your own admin, research, and viewings.
To help guide you, here’s a list of some of the top property investment firms in the UK.
SevenCapital
SevenCapial is a privately-owned property investment company providing investment opportunities in residential and mixed-use developments in London, Birmingham and the South East of England. Its primary focus is to identify undervalued development opportunities and extract profit by implementing its own infrastructure plan. The company also puts emphasis on guiding you throughout the process. These include identifying locations, implementing a quality finish, the sales process, and aftercare.
The company’s portfolio stands at 7.8mn square feet as of November 2021, whilst its portfolio is valued at an excess of £2.10bn. SevenCapital has also been responsible for delivering over 6,760 residential units. If you’re interested, you can browse a selection of developments on the company site. As well as gaining insight to valuable data on expected price growth and yields.
Aspen Woolf
Established in 2005, Aspen Woolf has provided fantastic property investment services for over 15 years, with offices in London and the UAE. The company’s reach is global, with a focus on identifying profitable opportunities for all size investors. Flexibility is one of the company’s main selling points, with opportunities across student housing, commercial developments, residential, and portfolio diversification.
As of November 2021, the company’s portfolio includes various types of properties across cities in the UK. Its website provides valuable tools that can help calculate mortgages, stamp duty costs, and currency exchanges, and it has helpful guides on cities and property investing.
Pure Investor
A Manchester-based property investment company with a portfolio of clients from across the globe. The company’s investment opportunities include buy-to-lets, short term housing, rental properties, student accommodation, off-plan, and off-market investments. The company also actively looks to buy tenanted buy-to-let properties and student accommodation across the UK.
Pure Investors provides a fantastic after-sales service with regular updates on the progress and outlook of developments. If you’re interested, you can contact the company to discuss your investment capacity and the potential yield you can get from the projects on offer. Contacting Pure Investor is easy and can be done via Whatsapp.
Ashby Capital
Another London-based property investment firm with a reputation for providing fantastic long-term investment opportunities. Ashby Capital focuses on extracting added value and generating profit from buildings for clients across all verticals. The company’s property portfolio stands at £1.80bn as of November 2021, with 2.10mn sq ft in assets.
It was founded back in 2013 with an aim of identifying properties in locations that have a significant long-term outlook. Ashby Capital’s current portfolio comprises commercial and retail properties, making the company a great option if you’re not interested in residential investment. Although based in London, the company’s investment portfolio also includes developments in Scotland, Wales, and the Midlands in England.
Thirlmere Deacon
Thirlmere Deacon is a property investment company focusing on advisory and consultancy services for investors and developers. The company operates across a range of asset classes, including student housing, hotels, and buy-to-lets. It has helped clients by identifying investment opportunities across various cities in the UK and emerging areas in Spain, Morocco, Italy, and Brazil.
If you’re interested in the company’s services, you can find a range of helpful tools and guides on locations, cities, holiday homes, and upcoming hotspots on the company’s website. It operates out of offices in London and Dubai.
North Property Group
A property specialist based in Leeds, offering end to end investment opportunities across various locations in the UK. The company has a selection of buy-to-let and off-plan investment opportunities, but it also operates a property lettings and sales service. The company claims to be the only property investment firm that will manage your investment process from start to finish. This makes it a fantastic option if you are an inexperienced investor and need support throughout.
CityRise
City Rise is a property company that offers investment opportunities in addition to management and sales services. It provides services to experienced investors and clients at the start of their investment journey. The firm also helps developers with pricing units, planning, marketing and offers investors properties in undervalued locations with excellent return potential.
You can become a CityRise Premium Buyer to get access to below market value pricing on properties, a 24/7 investor support chat, and priority on off-market developments. The company’s business model rewards long-term relationships. So, if you’re looking to invest long-term, it pays to stick with CityRise.
Fabrix
Fabrix is an exciting property investment company based in London that develops underutilised urban spaces. The company was founded in 2016. Since then, it has worked on various projects with a focus on blending the latest design and environmental practices. The company has a talent for repurposing abandoned buildings, resulting in less waste and CO2 emissions compared to traditional property development projects.
If you’re looking for a fresh take on property development with an environmentally conscious approach, Fabrix could be the right place for you.
TrackCapital
The company helps people find property investment opportunities across the UK. One of the selling points is that the company’s services are entirely free. It makes its money by taking a commission on any property you buy. The company’s business focuses on removing the stress and pressure from property investment regardless of the asset class. So, if you’re an inexperienced investor, TrackCapital could be a fantastic place to start your investment journey.
The company will also provide aid in finding supporting services, such as reputable legal services, currency exchange, and mortgages.
Sourced Capital
A fantastic peer-to-peer lending platform through which you can invest in property development projects directly. This ensures that your money is being utilised how you want. Borrowers are checked thoroughly and go through a strict vetting process before being granted a loan by Sourced Capital.
One of the company’s core aims is to make property investment accessible to everyone. So, you can invest from as little as £250 and receive up to 12% interest per annum on your investment. The company also allows you to invest with your ISA or pension. Sourced Capital is a great place to start if you have low starting capital or would first like to try property investing before committing a large chunk of your funds.
RWinvest
RWinvest has provided property investment services for over 17 years, with a portfolio of over 121 completed development projects in the UK. The company is partnered with some of the country’s best and most trusted property developers. Additionally, its buy-to-let opportunities are centred in the UK’s main hotspots. This ensures that your investment is safe and produces high returns long-term.
Due to its network of developers and excellent customer relations, the company can offer below-market prices that will get you more for your money. If you’d like to learn more, the company’s website provides fantastic guides on property investment and good areas to look at.
Residential Estates
Residential Estate has over 30 years of experience in property investment excellence, focusing on short and long term lettings. The company’s investment opportunities are predominantly in the student and residential segments. In addition to property investment, the company operates within lettings and sales. So, if you’re already a landlord and need a property investment company to manage your already existing portfolio, Residential Estates could be the right place for you.
One Touch
One Touch is a fantastic property investment company that’s equipped to handle new investors. After discussing your requirements with the company, an advisor will look through current opportunities to find one that meets your needs. One Touch will also guide you through the entire process. This includes providing information on potential yields and why an investment works for you.
What you should consider before investing in property
If you’re still confident you’d like to invest in the property market, there are a few factors you should consider before going ahead.
- Ensure that the property investment company you plan to use is reputable and a full member of the property ombudsman. There are plenty of company’s out there without the right experience and qualifications, so ensure that you do your due diligence.
- Get professional financial advice. Ensure that you talk through your finances with an advisor before making a decision. Property investment usually means that your money is tied up to a home for a couple of years, so make sure that you don’t need those funds in the short term.
- It can be easy to make a bad investment in the property sector. Thus, if you’re planning to invest independently, ensure that you’ve done thorough research before buying a property. Using an investment company with years of experience will help you through the process and help identify opportunities worth investing in.
- Additionally, ensure that you’re working with the right type of property investment company. An asset management firm will be equipped to provide investment advice on when to sell your property and how to extract the most rental income. On the other hand, a property broker will only provide you with a list of property investment opportunities and advise you on which ones fit your particular requirements.
The Market
The UK property market is a fantastic place to invest and make a profit, with the average UK property price expected to hit £323,718 by 2031, compared with £232,084 in 2020. However, as with any financial decision, you should tread carefully and get financial advice.
If you’re thinking of investing in property, or already have a portfolio, Oasis Living offers a range of services to help manage your property with ease. Get in touch today with our team or head to our website for more information.
