London is an excellent place to invest in property. Everyone who lives in London requires somewhere to live and with over 8 million people in the capital and a growing population, you will never be short of potential tenants. In fact, landlords will be pleased to note that rental demand is higher than ever. In 2019, the number of tenants and occupiers registering with us were up significantly from the previous year. This demand is driving rental prices up, which means more profit-making potential.

Likewise, those who want to generate good long-term capital growth should look no further than the capital. There is always demand for houses to let in London, and commercial properties often benefit from high rental values and strong covenants.

The commercial property market is also performing strongly. One research firm estimated that close to £50bn of commercial property was sold in the West End, Canary Wharf, Midtown and the City of London from the start of 2017 to June 2019 ⁽¹⁾. This shows that, in spite of Brexit uncertainty, investor faith in London premises hadn’t diminished.

There are several other benefits to investing in London property:

• Tourism and footfall. Whether you want to buy a holiday rental or commercial premises, you’re likely to have plenty of interest all year round.
• Regeneration and improvements. London receives major investment throughout the year, and is in a continual process of regeneration. This means that once-downtrodden areas swiftly become sought-after locations, resulting in plenty of capital growth for investors.
• Transport links. London is remarkably well connected; not just for getting around the city, but for reaching far-flung places too. Train routes take passengers all over the country and the Eurostar takes them even further! There are several major airports in the vicinity, including Heathrow and City Airport both within Greater London and other London airports with high speed rail links such as London Gatwick and London Stansted. This is something that appeals to residents, tenants and businesses alike.

Where in London to invest?

The best place in London for property investment depends largely on what sort of investor you are. If you’re focused primarily on longer term trophy assets, then Central London locations (such as Soho, Marylebone and Fitzrovia) are always going to be popular and are likely to attract high rental prices. If you are looking to add value to a property through change of use or planning permission, London is also a good investment location as there is a wide range of land and property with the potential to redevelop and change use. This can rapidly increase the value of an investor’s asset.

Affordability is another major factor to consider. If you’re working to a budget, then properties that are further away from Central London tend to be more affordable. However, the drawback of these is that tenants will expect to pay a lower rental rate. Ultimately, it’s a balancing act, and one that your estate agent will be able to help you with.

Demand should be considered too. Look for areas that have a proven track record of retaining their property value, and which have a solid rental market, such as Bayswater or St John’s Wood. However, if the market is overly competitive, this can drive prices up, which may eat into your profit from capital growth.

It’s a wise idea to examine historic property prices. Steady growth indicates continuing popularity. However, a decline in value could indicate that it’s the ideal time to snap up a bargain, while property prices are lower. The market has experienced a slight downturn during the lead-up to Brexit, which many investors are making the most of.

Residential property investment London

As London property prices rise, increasing numbers of people are unable to afford to buy their own home. As such, the buy-to-let market is booming. If you purchase in the right area, you’ll be ideally placed to take advantage of this rise in demand.

There are many other benefits to investing in buy-to-let property in London:

• Good future forecasts. Our property investment experts have predicted that letting values in the capital are likely to rise over the next five years due to increased demand.
• Range of tenants. Landlords often choose to appeal to one type of tenant. Student accommodation is always in demand, for example (there are over 400,000 people studying in the city). Alternatively, you may want to appeal to the higher-paying professional.