Expert predicts 15 year property boom for the UK
06-01-2015
by Nicholas Wallwork
If you’re looking towards the UK property market for the first time you could read a dozen websites, pick up a dozen newspapers and listen to a dozen people all of which are likely to give different opinions of the market going forward. There is confusion, uncertainty but the man known as “Mr Property”, aka Mike Hussey of property developer Almacanter believes the UK is in the middle of a 15 year property boom!
This is the kind of positive forward-looking comment that UK property investors have been looking for and while some may see it as a little far-fetched, there are reasons for this particularly upbeat opinion.
Calling the cycle
Mike Hussey has made some very bold and ultimately very accurate predictions in the past having called similar property cycles at least twice in years gone by. He is adamant that the UK property market run will continue from 2010 towards 2025 and, unlike others who make bold claims, he has backed up his opinion with reasons.
Low interest rates
It is perhaps ironic that the current situation of extremely low base rates across the world is to all intents and purposes a result of the 2008 economic crash. The ability for not only the banking community but also the investment world to borrow money at extremely low rates is obviously fuel to the fire of property investment. When you also bear in mind the rental incomes available in some areas of the UK there is scope to more than cover your costs from rental income while positioning yourself for long-term capital growth.
Relatively calm political environment
When the Conservative Party was facing a difficult general election it was fair to say that all political parties seemed to pander to the need to tax the rich in some shape or form. All parties showed different levels of support for the so called “Mansion tax” but now that the Conservative government is in place with a relatively slim majority it is unlikely they will be in a hurry to tax those who backed their party. We also saw an array of interesting plans to accelerate planning permission at local authority level with brownfield sites set to play a major role going forward.
In the hustle and bustle of the bid for votes ahead of a general election it is easy to fall into the trap of believing that all political parties will come down hard on the wealthy in society as a means of currying favour with the majority of voters. However, this may not be the case in real life.
Lack of sellers
While there is evidence to suggest that UK-based property investors are banking some of their profit post the general election, there is also strong evidence to suggest that Chinese investors will target the UK in the future. A lack of sellers across the country will not only help to support prices but it could help to squeeze them higher in due course. It is also worth noting that while the UK government has promised to build hundreds of thousands of new properties during the next Parliament this is not something which will happen overnight.
Conclusion
Whether or not we are actually in the midst of a 15 year property boom remains to be seen but there is no doubt that the UK market has benefited since 2010 despite the fact that other economies around the world are still struggling. Low interest rates, relatively positive economic performance, weakened political pressure and more overseas investors looking towards the UK do point to a more positive performance in the immediate future.