IMPERIAL CHOICE FOR THE SHREWD INVESTOR

Making a choice on which property to buy to let is often a difficult one but it’s just got easier in Barnsley with the news that potential buyers are being invited to invest in a development with a regal address.

Imperial House, in the prime Birdwell area of the town, is attractive for investors as it is a superb spot for commuters, with great access to the road networks and rail links.

Not only that, Barnsley itself is a South Yorkshire community that is brimming with heritage and looking to the future with confidence, with ambitious plans to further enhance the cultural and economic side of an already thriving market town.

Imperial House, being brought to market by investment company Property Investment Portfolio, offers a superb opportunity to buy into this community and has already attracted substantial interest among the buy-to-let sector.

There are 18 luxury apartments in Imperial House, located just off Sheffield Road, with nine one-bedroomed Grosvenor dwellings and nine two-bedroomed Imperial style homes. Parking for residents only is available.

The whole development comes with quality as standard, UPVC double glazing throughout, carpeted shared areas, and a communal aerial and satellite TV.

Fitted to the highest specification, each kitchen is fitted with modern units, laminate work surfaces, a fridge-freezer, slimline dishwasher and washing machine.

All the stylish bathrooms feature white sanitary ware with chrome fittings and satin furniture. Smooth white ceilings and fully-tiled floors enhance the bathrooms.

For peace of mind, each apartment has mains-operated smoke detectors, secure locks on entrance doors and will-lit communal areas and entrances.

All these factors add up to a great investment opportunity, resulting in an independent rental report stating “the first thing that stood out to me was the quality of the build” and “the apartments themselves are also very spacious and the way in which they are laid out is superior to most of the apartments I have been in. The views are spectacular and the location is absolutely ideal”.

It is expected that the apartments could “comfortably” achieve rental levels of between £450 and £500 per month for the one bedroomed apartments and between £550 and £625 per month for the two-bedroomed apartments.

Starting at just £93,500, all apartments come with a 15 per cent discount and there’s a low entry cost of £5,000 to cover buying costs. Additionally, there’s £2,500 cashback, free service charge and ground-floor rent for 12 months, and a free furniture pack worth £2,500.

Arv Soar, managing director of Property Investment Portfolio commented: “This is a great opportunity, with fantastic investment bonuses, and interest has already been noted by a number of investors.”

For more details, contact Property Investment Portfolio on 0115 928 9333

INVESTORS CAN FLY HIGH WITH PROPERTY INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO

Nottingham investment company, Property Investment Portfolio (PIP), has launched Fly2buy – a property viewing service for potential investors. This new initiative from PIP will bring property investors from Ireland to the East Midlands for chauffeured tours of the best properties the area has to offer.

Property Investment Portfolio is one of the UK’s leading property investment companies, with a portfolio of over 200 properties predominantly in the Midlands and the North of England, worth in excess of £20 million. The company is now offering this property finder service, to pass on local knowledge and expertise to help other investors build up a successful portfolio.

PIP has launched Fly2buy to make investing in property as easy and hassle free as possible. The company organises all of the viewings in advance, collects the investor from the airport and escorts them around potential properties.

Arv Soar, director of P.I.P. explains why this service is so valuable to investors: “Our Fly2buy service is not like anything else available to investors. It combines convenience with expertise to make sourcing properties as simple as possible. Fly2buy allows our customers to fly over from Ireland in the morning and be home by the evening after spending the day viewing properties.”

“Our service is the best available because it combines our 20 years of market knowledge, with our quality portfolio of properties sourced from trusted partners. Fly2buy gives the investor an opportunity to experience first hand the properties their money is buying.”

Fly2buy operates primarily from the East Midlands Airport but the service is also available across the UK if an investor would like the service after arriving by train or at another UK airport.

Arv Soar started PIP in 2006 and enjoyed a successful first year, where it nearly doubled its projected targets. Fly2buy is the latest service launched by the company, as it continues to expand its portfolio and move into new areas in the UK and abroad.

PETROL STATION FUELS LUXURY DEVELOPMENT FOR PROPERTY INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO

Nottingham investment company, Property Investment Portfolio, has acquired Teesdale Garage on Hucknall Road in Nottingham to develop into luxury architect-designed apartments, to compete with some of the UK’s leading housebuilders.

Sherwood Court, as the development will be named, will comprise 13 bespoke apartments in close proximity to the city centre, offering something a little different to major housebuilders also developing properties in the area.

Arv Soar, director of P.I.P. explains: “Sherwood Court is only a small development but it is offering investors the chance to buy something completely unique. We wanted to create individual, bespoke apartments, which offer space that you can’t find in most new build properties in the city centre.”

Sherwood Court will include 12, two bedroomed properties offering massive square footage of between 636 sq ft and 761 sq ft, and a one bedroomed property at 517 sq ft. The apartments offer the best in modern design, outdoor space and secured gated access, and will be sold off-plan. The development is due for completion in Spring 2008.

These apartments are in close proximity to the City Hospital and the city centre, so will appeal to key workers and young professionals alike. Sherwood Court is the latest development of the new build arm of P.I.P., which also currently has apartment developments in Derby and Mansfield.

Property entrepreneur, Arv Soar started P.I.P. in 2006 and just last month the company relocated to larger offices in Wollaton, Nottingham after a successful first year, where it nearly doubled its projected targets. Arv now has a portfolio of over 200 properties worth in excess of £20 million and has recently been appointed non executive chairman of London consortium, Grosvenor Investment Consortium.

PROPERTY INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO RECRUITS TOP CONSULTANT FROM SAVILLS

Nottingham property firm, Property Investment Portfolio (P.I.P.) has added property expert Andrew Pritchard to its sales force, after recruiting him from local estate agents, Savills. Andrew joins the company as a property consultant, to support its growing property portfolio and increasing client base.

Andrew, 32 from Nottingham is the latest addition to P.I.P’s property team, which following a successful year in the regional property market, relocated last month to new offices in Wollaton, Nottingham. P.I.P, which is headed up by property entrepreneur Arv Soar, nearly doubled its first year projected targets and Andrew has been brought on board to help drive the business forward.

Andrew joins P.I.P. following three years as a new homes sales negotiator for Savills Estate Agents, and brings with him experience in dealing with residential property sales, new homes sales and conducting market research for developers. In his new role, Andrew will be responsible for sourcing properties for clients and selling properties currently in the company’s portfolio. His main objectives are to generate more investor clients, acquire more stock across the UK and also look into the opportunities of international properties.

“I am really looking forward to working with a team of people that already have an excellent reputation in the local property industry,” said Andrew. “I joined P.I.P. because clearly there is a strong demand for its investment product. The company is already successful and the potential for growth is massive, and I wanted to be a part of that,”

P.I.P. managing director, Arv Soar started the business less than two years ago and now has over 200 properties in his portfolio, worth in excess of £20 million. P.I.P. buys and develops properties across the Midlands and the North of England, particularly in regeneration zones and is now looking to expand its reach across the UK and overseas.

7 Things Every Property Investor Should Know

Historically, property as an investment has outstripped all other forms of investment, mainly because an investor feels they have more control over it. The property market in the UK will continue to grow for reasons like; demand is currently higher than supply; the UK is experiencing high birth rates and divorce rates, immigration numbers and property investment is now seen as a good alternative to a pension.

TV shows and the general publicity around property development has depicted the industry as an easy way to make money but if you enter the industry blind sighted then this most certainly isn't the case. Before jumping in with both feet, it's essential that property entrepreneurs do their research and don't just rely on what agents and sellers say - remember it's their job to sell!

Currently property hotspots in the UK include Hull, Ramsgate, Bradford and Brighton. According to Halifax Bank, Brighton is the city that has shown the strongest house price growth per square metre over the last ten years, some 280% increase. This is mainly due to its large student population and its appeal to the young professional - it is within commuting distance of London and its location is near the sea.

The property industry is a difficult one to crack so here are my top tips for getting started:

ONE:
Don't get drawn in by marketing hype, carry out all research yourself on the property, the area, the rental market and resale values. The internet is a valuable research tool to find information on local areas and property price trends.

TWO:
Always set out your property investment goals at the beginning, that way you can plan on how you're going to achieve them.

THREE:
Never get emotionally involved in a property, always remember you're investing to make money and not to live in the property yourself. Keep the decor neutral, keep the carpets dark - they will last longer and just because you would not want to live there, it doesn't mean others wouldn't.

FOUR:
Always look for a positive monthly cash flow as well as capital growth. Capital doesn't always happen overnight. Speak to local agents, especially letting agents and find out how much rent they can achieve and demand for this kind of property. Find out from the agents what types of tenants it will attract, and then ask you does this make a sound investment. Make sure you are aware of the letting laws/regulations in the area, ie. does the property need to have work done to it to meet regulations such as licensing, as this can be costly.

FIVE:
Never overstretch yourself and allow a contingency budget for unforeseen costs such as maintenance, void periods and most importantly interest rate changes.

SIX:
Transport links are very important, people will always need to travel and as house prices are on the increase people will look to commute and therefore transport is key. Look for bus stops, motorway links and train links.

SEVEN:
Good local amenities such as shops and schools are important, as the opportunity to nip to the local shops or be within a short distance of your local school for your child can be very important and people are attracted to these areas more than remote locations. Not everyone has cars and therefore the closer they are the better.

If wannabe developers follow these simple rules then the property industry can provide a lucrative return on investment.

To find out more about Property Investment visit www.propertyinvestmentportfolio.com