Leading provider expands luxury UK student housing offering with 11 new openings for 2016

Leading provider expands luxury UK student housing offering with 11 new openings for 2016

by Charly United Kingdom
  • Changing student accommodation market sees growing demand for luxury properties
  • Leading provider, Collegiate AC, to launch 11 new projects in 2016 to existing and new cities
  • New facilities to include ‘VIP Bars’ and ‘Sky Lounges’

With the world of higher education changing, so too are the needs of the student demographic, and a major part of this is the sector’s housing landscape. Whilst university ‘digs’ were once the epitome of the dank and dilapidated, today’s birth of the modern student marks a new era that demands a very different property solution.

As the leading provider of luxury student properties in the UK, Collegiate AC boasts the greatest number of well-appointed student properties in the country, and the company’s announcement of a huge expansion to their offering marks a turning point for the industry.

The sizable addition of ten new properties to its already ample portfolio for 2016 reveals a growing demand for high-end student rental properties, expected to continue on an upward trajectory in the New Year.

Indicative of an evolving student accommodation market that is moving more and more towards properties that provide not simply a place to call home, but moreover an enhanced lifestyle, facilities in this new breed of student property support a well-rounded student experience. This extends to study, extra-curricular activities and downtime in equal measures, alongside the addition of ergonomic interiors and beautiful surrounds, making these student properties homes to be proud of.

Collegiate AC are expanding their offering in some of the major university cities that they are already prevalent in – Cardiff, Exeter, Reading, Plymouth, London, Southampton, Leeds, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh and Glasgow – with new projects launched to answer the impressive demand for their properties that provide ‘Student living. Just better.’ Alongside this, Collegiate AC projects will also be launching for September 2016 in new university cities: Newcastle, Derby, Lincoln and Dundee.

All properties will provide Collegiate AC’s signature blend of excellent facilities and stunning interiors, from on-site gyms to private cinemas, luxury lounges to work rooms, private dining rooms to concierge services, with certain properties even boasting new additions not seen before in Collegiate AC properties. These include the inclusion of a ‘VIP Bar’ in Windsor House in Cardiff and Plummer House in Newcastle, the ‘Sky Lounge’ in Woodside House, Glasgow, and the flexible ‘Social Hub’ space offered by Roman House in Derby.

Heriberto Cuanalo, CEO of Collegiate AC, expresses their excitement about the year ahead,

“Following on from a tremendous 2015 in which we welcomed more students than ever before to our luxury properties, we are anticipating a successful 2016 with the launch of our new sites. As we welcome in the New Year, we are proud to be at the leading edge of the shake up in the student accommodation market and will continue to aim for the very best with our innovative approach to the sector.”

With demand for the company’s particular brand of student accommodation never higher, Collegiate AC has also opened a new regional office in Bristol which, when combined with a base in Edinburgh and its HQ in Oxfordshire, ensures that they have a practical structure from which to pursue their growth strategy throughout the UK in coming years.

For more information, visit www.collegiate-ac.com or contact Collegiate AC on 01235 250 140.

Hold on tight, 2016’s going to be a bumpy ride!

Hold on tight, 2016’s going to be a bumpy ride!

by Viv Uncategorized United Kingdom

2016 property predictions from James Wyatt, partner of prime Surrey estate agency, Barton Wyatt 

 

As prime Surrey estate agency Barton Wyatt celebrates 50 years in Virginia Water this year, Partner James Wyatt muses the year ahead:

“At the end of 2014, I predicted that the FTSE 100 would end 2015 at 7125. It is clear that my crystal ball needs a serious service.

“The price crash in commodities and oil during 2015 has laid waste to my prediction, and therein lies the rub when it comes to predicting where the property markets may be headed – we just don’t know what might be round the corner.

Despite worldwide woes, the UK property market has been hit over the last year by a staggering array of extra stamp duty taxes by our Government. Receipts are forecast to be down by nearly £1bn this year – mainly as a result of 10-12% lower transactional levels. The top end of the market (over £5m) is in the slaughterhouse with 12% stamp duty killing off the golden goose. So there are several issues to watch in 2016.

Impact 1 – Buy-to-let                      3% extra on purchases. Another Government stab in the back for those investing for their retirement. Watch very strong sales up to £300,000 in Q1 then listen to the tumbleweed…

Impact 2 – Interest rates               The US have moved. We are likely to see our base rate shift up in Q3 or Q4. Despite its inevitability, the increase will spook just about everyone with mortgages.

Impact 3-  Brexit                               I sit on the wall about this but an exit would end the UK’s position as a grand world influencer. The £ and property would suffer.

The good news is that 10% deposit mortgages are back and so 2016 will see a strong first time buyer market in most areas. Major towns and cities outside London may see prices increase by 10%.

The Home Counties will be hard hit in the £2m+ market. Expect to see modest price increases of 2%. Over £5m prices will remain static as buyers factor in a 5% increase in stamp duty.

London – will – probably be nursing a property hangover for all of 2016.

It’s a rocky road ahead. Make sure your seatbelt is on!”

 

For more information on these predictions contact James Wyatt on 01344 843 000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk

Growing numbers of young professionals demand luxury city-centre living in Liverpool

Growing numbers of young professionals demand luxury city-centre living in Liverpool

by Charly United Kingdom
  • Liverpool city centre population increases by 160% in a single decade (Centre for Cities)
  • Prime town and city market prices now 3% above 2007 peak (Knight Frank)
  • New development The Strand Plaza, Liverpool epitomises luxury living for young professionals (Surrenden Invest)

Knight Frank’s latest Prime Country View report highlighted the rise of urban prime in the UK over the past decade. According to the report, prime property values in town and city markets have jumped 26% since 2005, compared to just 7% for rural properties. Whilst rural homes languish at 13% below their 2007 peak, prime city residences have now exceeded their former peak by 3%.

These figures certainly tally with the experiences of those in Liverpool. Centre for Cities has unveiled a report which shows the number of people residing in the city centre more than doubled in the decade to 2011. According to the report, the rise was fuelled by young professionals: more than half of Liverpool city centre’s residents were aged between 22 and 29 by 2011, quite an impressive figure that reveals a new trend in city centre living.

The availability of jobs was the main reason behind the huge rise in those looking to live in the city centre, but that’s not the only attraction of living centrally, as Jonathan Stephens, Managing Director of property consultancy Surrenden Invest, explains,

“We’ve seen a real rise in demand for luxury city centre living over the past decade. Young professionals are no longer happy to settle for mediocre accommodation in the suburbs and a tiresome commute to and from work. They want a luxury pad that’s ideally located for work – as well as for accessing the city’s leisure and cultural pursuits during evenings and at the weekend. It’s all about location AND luxury – prime developments need to be well located and offer additional features like concierge services to really pique the interest of contemporary young professionals of today.”

Stephens cites the limited release of apartments at The Strand Plaza, Liverpool, as the perfect example. The building is set within Liverpool’s UNSECO World Heritage waterfront area – a prime city centre location. The striking exterior opens up into well-appointed living spaces designed to target young professionals with a taste for the finer things in life. Apartments come fully furnished and with premium amenities, such as the 24-hour concierge service.

One bedroom apartments at The Strand Plaza cost from £135,000 to £165,000, with two bedrooms priced from £185,000 to £250,000, with 6.5% NET assured return.

Such developments will serve to meet the growing demand for luxury accommodation that cities like Liverpool are experiencing. As the Centre for Cities report observes, the higher cost of properties that provide city centre living is no longer the deterrent that it once was for young people just starting out on the career ladder,

“These people are willing to pay a premium to live there, in order to access the amenities that city centre living offers – being able to walk to work, being near cultural attractions, being near shops and restaurants, and being surrounded by other young, professional, single people.”

While Liverpool’s overall city centre population rose by 160% between 2001 and 2011, its younger residents (aged 22-29) more than quadrupled in number. The dynamic, entrepreneurial spirit of this city-based community is behind Liverpool’s growing reputation as the startup capital for the North, with Santander having opened its first business incubator there in 2014. Liverpool is also home to the SparkUp accelerator programme and Launch22 has opted for Liverpool as well, opening its first incubator outside of London there.

This business and entrepreneurial ethos has spread throughout the city and is based on a solid and rapidly improving financial foundation. According to PwC’s Good Growth for Cities 2014 report, Liverpool saw the largest improvement in income equality and the fourth largest rise in income per head out of any UK city.

With so many bright young things flocking to the city centre to be part of Liverpool’s future, it will be fascinating to see how much better the city performs over the coming years, with all this creative and passionate talent at its disposal, and in turn to witness the ever-growing demand for young luxury city-centre living.

For further details, visit www.surrendeninvest.com, email info@surrendeninvest.com or call 0203 3726 499.

Which came first, the roads or the roofs? Why infrastructure is increasingly being demanded before housing

Which came first, the roads or the roofs? Why infrastructure is increasingly being demanded before housing

by Charly United Kingdom
  • UK homebuyers frustrated by unfinished roads and lack of street lighting
  • Wembley Park demonstrates the value of providing infrastructure before housing
  • Pienna Apartments offer homes for Londoners from £415,000

Up and down the country there is an ongoing debate regarding new build residential sites, we know we need many more new homes but should the roads or the roofs come first?

Increasingly, buyers of new build homes are emphasising the importance of key infrastructure elements such as roads being in place before they purchase their property. Across the UK, buyers are complaining about lack of streetlights, hazardous incomplete pavements and unfinished roads that lead to flooding and other problems.

The issue is exacerbated by the current legislation. Councils can ask developers to enter into a Section 38 Agreement in order to ensure that roads are finished to an agreed standard, but they cannot force developers to do so, resulting in many buyers of new build homes ending up frustrated that their roads, pavements and streetlights sometimes remain unfinished years after they have purchased their new property.

At Wembley Park in north-west London, developer Quintain has turned the situation on its head. The massive revitalisation of Wembley Park will see some 5,000 new homes added to the area in total, several hundred of which have already been built, sold and are occupied.

Quintain’s COO, James Saunders, comments,

“One of the many unique features of Wembley Park is the fact that the area has an incredible infrastructure already in place, so we’ve got new build apartments going up while excellent transport connections and local facilities already exist. Of course, we’re adding to those facilities all the time, with beautiful gardens and even a brand new London Square, but Wembley Park is definitely a prime example of the benefits of infrastructure preceding housing.”

The SSE Arena, Wembley (with a capacity of 12,500) and Wembley Stadium* (with a capacity of 90,000), have together ensured that Wembley Park is an area that is already more than fit for purpose when it comes to its transportation infrastructure. It means that whilst technically in Zone 4, residents can travel in to central London and out to the shires incredibly quickly. On event days, 100 trains per hour run through the three Wembley stations that service the stadium.

Wembley Park also offers an excellent array of shops, schools and restaurants, as well as its impressive transport credentials. London Designer Outlet draws in shoppers and diners from across London and the surrounding areas, while local residents and workers delight in the weekly gourmet food market.

In the heart of such excellent and established infrastructure, the homes for Londoners that are springing up have been understandably popular. At the beautiful Pienna Apartments building, which is part of Alto Apartments, one bedroom apartments are available from £415,000 and two bedrooms from £550,000. Almost every apartment enjoys its own private outdoor space or balcony, while a residents-only courtyard garden offers a further means of enjoying the great outdoors. An on-site gym with spa treatment rooms, a concierge service and car club membership are all included in the price.

Wembley Park epitomises the benefits of taking a proactive approach to development and ensuring that the infrastructure is in place to provide home owners with true satisfaction from the moment they move in.

For more information and to book a visit to the newly launched show apartments, visit www.alto-apartments.com or call the on-site Savills sales team on +44 20 3151 8601.

 

* Wembley Stadium is the property of The FA Group and run by Wembley National Stadium Limited, a subsidiary of The Football Association.

New Student Property Investment Portal Launches

New Student Property Investment Portal Launches

by Charly United Kingdom

Lead Galaxy has launched the first ever student property investment comparison portal.

Dedicated to the booming student housing sector, www.StudentProperty.Investments allows investors to search and compare dozens of student accommodation investment opportunities.

The site’s stripped down interface makes it easy to locate the newest and best opportunities in the sector. An innovative smart table allows investors to find and compare properties by yield, terms, buyback or starting prices. Results can quickly be filtered before making an enquiry about multiple listings with a single click. The intuitive, responsive design means that the site is available on the go on any mobile device, offering the most specialised information to the widest possible audience of international investors.

With investment in UK university accommodation reaching a record $6.5 billion in the first three quarters of 2015 (Savills), the site contains everything investors need to capitalise on interest in this investment category. For novices, an exclusive mini guide is also available to download for free from the site, offering comprehensive information about investing in student accommodation, from advantages and disadvantages of the sector to how to choose the best deal.

CEO Dan Johnson said: “This new site will be a focal point for our marketing activity in relation to this category of investment. We think it’s a neat way to compare the deals that are on the market, using the deal attributes that are most important to investors. While it’s undoubtedly a useful tool for developers looking to benchmark their product against the market, it’s particularly useful for investors looking to compare the key metrics of the deals that are on the market.”

For more information, visit www.studentproperty.investments.

To advertise your property or development, contact Lead Galaxy on 0207 952 7653.

 

Ends

For further comment, please contact:

Dan Johnson, CEO

OPP Ventures

Lead Galaxy.com

TheMoveChannel.com

Tel: 0044 (0)207 952 7650

Email: dan.johnson@leadgalaxy.com

Address: 24 Jack’s Place, Shoreditch, London, E1 6NN

Homes for entertaining this New Year

Homes for entertaining this New Year

by Viv Uncategorized United Kingdom

Homes for entertaining this New Year

To bring in the New Year with a bang, you want the perfect pad to entertain your friends and family and celebrate the dawning of another year. Barton Wyatt, the award-winning Surrey estate agent, presents a selection of the best homes for entertaining this New Year:

The Ridge, Wentworth Estate

This Georgianesque style house is a grand and spacious home close to the centre of Virginia Water. If your friends are coming from far afield then being close to the M25, M3 and M4 motorway networks plus Farnborough and Heathrow airports is a bonus.

When your guests arrive, they will no doubt be impressed by the gentle slope of the long private approach to the house, bordered with pristine grass and Georgian style lanterns.  This property has a visible ‘no expense spared’ finish. Invite your friends to sleep over in one of the six bedrooms – all with en-suite bathrooms for even the most discerning guest to prepare for the night’s festivities ahead.

You are spoiled for entertaining space in The Ridge. The layout lends itself to contemporary living with an enormous kitchen/breakfast/sitting room and a more formal living and dining room plus a beautifully fitted study. Perhaps you can even watch the chimes of Big Ben on the big screen in the cinema room or if you’re feeling brave, heat up the outside pool and have a midnight swim under the stars whilst the champagne corks pop.  You can be the proud owner of this glorious home for £8,750,000.

Wellington House, Wentworth Estate

This virtually brand new residence was completed in 2011 to an exceptional standard in this superb location. The property offers in excess of 11,000 square foot of luxury!

This is THE house in which to have a pool party – you and your guests will be amused for hours in the sports and leisure area, with its large indoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi and sauna. The pool area is just off the kitchen so popping back to the fridge for a refill will be no problem at all.

After a night of celebrating in the pool, Wellington House has ample reception rooms to dry out and toast the New Year.  As the evening progresses your fellow partygoers can enjoy cocktails in the large drawing room and spread out into the dining and kitchen/breakfast rooms.

Time for bed and the grand staircase leads up to seven en-suite bedrooms, so plenty of room for everyone to stay and let their hair down.

Located on the prestigious Wentworth Estate you will be the envy of your golfing friends with the superb golf and leisure facilities on your doorstep.  Wellington House is also situated close to the village of Virginia Water with its excellent array of boutique shops, varied restaurants and the mainline railway station. On the market at £7,450,000.

 Windsor House, Wentworth

There is no need to squash your helping hands into the house for your New Year party at Windsor House: the property comes complete with over-garage staff accommodation so your poised party professionals can be on site in their own fully fitted apartment.

This is a very spacious home of 10,932 square feet complete with four large reception rooms, a massive kitchen/breakfast room for casual entertaining and an outside pool.  Your guests will not know which room to fill when the clock strikes twelve!

Putting your guests up for the night is not a problem at Windsor House; on the first floor there are five bedroom and bathroom suites, with two further bedrooms and two bathrooms on the second floor.

This stunning brand new Wentworth mansion house is ready for immediate occupation and fully furnished if desired. It is set in a wonderful south facing acre plot in a highly desirable location within the Wentworth Estate, just a short walk from the picturesque village shops and mainline station, and approximately one mile from the world-renowned Wentworth Golf and Country Club.

Situated in one of the most exclusive private roads in Virginia Water with beautiful landscaped gardens, you will be the envy of the New Year revelers for £6,950,000.

If you are looking for a house to move into for Christmas that has already been decorated for you then look no further.

Byways, Ascot                                                                                                                  

Looking for a house to move into for Christmas that has already been decorated for you then look no further.

This gorgeous Georgian style mansion sits in a quiet and tranquil private road in South Ascot.  Six large bedrooms all with luxury bathrooms are already furnished and waiting for you and your house guests to party.  The second floor boasts a cinema room for the latest Christmas block buster.  A wonderfully large  kitchen/breakfast/garden room and four further reception rooms will keep you and your guests fully entertained and give lots of space for eating, games and sleeping.

The house also has a studio apartment for staff/au-pair over the triple garage, delightfully landscaped gardens of approximately 0.4 of an acre costs £3,750,000.

If the above houses have got you in the mood for a party contact Barton Wyatt on 01344 843 000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk. Their team of property professionals will be able to assist you with further information or help you find your perfect property to fit your every requirement.

Green living in the big city – Horizon London showcases sustainable building

Green living in the big city – Horizon London showcases sustainable building

by Charly United Kingdom
  • 16% of people would withdraw an offer on a property with a low energy efficiency rating (Populus)
  • Climate change key cause of conflict in Syria (Prince Charles)
  • Horizon London showcasing sustainable city living (Surrenden Invest)

Green living is becoming increasingly important to homebuyers. In a recent survey by Populus, 16% of respondents said that a low energy efficiency rating would be sufficient for them to withdraw their offer on a property. A further 23% said that poor energy efficiency would lead them to reduce their offer by hundreds of pounds, while 36% would reduce it by thousands.

It is a message that has not been lost on the UK. From the government’s solar panels initiative to the academics at De Montfort University who are trialling a revolutionary eco heating system, which essentially stores heat in the garden soil during the summer for use during the winter, the housing market is buzzing with new ways to make the residential accommodation leaner and greener.

But it’s not just country piles with huge gardens that can take advantage of innovative modern solutions to saving energy. A new building – Horizon London – is showcasing sustainable living in the big city. Jonathan Stephens, Managing Director of London-based property consultancy Surrenden Invest, explains,

“Horizon London is, quite simply, the building of the future when it comes to city life. Every element of the building has been carefully planned with sustainability in mind. This isn’t just a token nod to greener living, but a fully-fledged commitment to creating the kind of apartments that people can be proud to own due to their sustainable credentials.”

Located in Ilford, just a few minutes’ walk from Seven Kings station and 10-12 minutes’ walk from Ilford Station, Horizon London offers sustainable living for a sustainable community. The building’s ‘living’ walls not only create a stunning visual effect, but offer a range of benefits. According to Green Over Grey, living walls improve air quality, provide buildings with a shield from sun, rain and thermal fluctuations, reduce stress, enhance wellbeing and dampen noise pollution. They also enhance a property’s value by being in tune with future demand.

Horizon London also features photovoltaic cells on the upper levels, rainwater harvesting and a centralised heating system. These features work in tandem with the building’s smart design to ensure that fewer resources are used when compared with similar buildings that have not incorporated sustainability into their design. Essentially, Horizon London consumes less energy and less heat escapes the building.

As well as enticing investors looking for a modern, socially responsible way into the UK’s booming buy-to-let market, Horizon London’s green features are also appealing to tenants. The living walls create a beautiful backdrop to daily life, while the fact that less heat escapes the building means that resident’s energy bills are reduced.

“What we’re seeing at Horizon London is seriously sophisticated sustainable design coming to life,” continues Surrenden Invest’s Jonathan Stephens. “Each element of the building has been designed to work in harmony with the others. It’s about taking a holistic approach to sustainability and creating something that is superior to the sum of its parts, even when each of those component parts is already an excellent feature. Investors have been absolutely delighted with the result.”

The impact of climate change is still poorly understood around the world, but there is a growing body of evidence to show that its impact is not just a threat to the future, but a very real force behind global unrest today. A study by the University of California found that greenhouse gas emissions exacerbated the drought in Syria from 2006-2010. The drought led to mass movement of people from the country to the cities, even as food stocks dwindled and prices rose. Though there were other factors contributing to the conflict there, the role that climate change played is not to be underestimated according to sources as diverse as Prince Charles and political activist Charlotte Church.

It can be hard to recognise the full impact of buying into a sustainable future today, but it is actually possible to demonstrate a chain of events that starts with buildings like Horizon London and ends with fewer lives being lost around the world. Now that’s a truly sustainable commitment to a better world.

Prices at Horizon London range from £233,000 to £515,000.

For further details, visit www.surrendeninvest.com, email info@surrendeninvest.com or call 0203 3726 499.

Five Top Tips to Bring Christmas Cheer to a Student Home

Five Top Tips to Bring Christmas Cheer to a Student Home

by Charly United Kingdom

Christmas can be a difficult time for overseas students who are studying in the UK whilst their families and loved ones are at home. For those unable to travel back to be with them over the festive period, both in the UK and overseas, there are certain ways that today’s students can ensure that they still feel truly Christmassy this year.

The leading provider of luxurious student accommodation in the UK, Collegiate AC, allows their student residents who would like to, the opportunity to stay in their property over Christmas. To help them make the very most of this joyous time of year, CEO of Collegiate AC, Heriberto Cuanalo, gives his five top tips on how to bring Christmas cheer to a student home:

1) Deck the Halls!

With crafting and vintage styles increasingly popular, this year is set to see a resurgence of the traditional Christmas decoration. One of the most traditional and easiest to create decoration that is making an elegant comeback is the paper chain. Full of charm and cheap as chips to create, yet able to be customised to your very own style, paper chains can be strung up throughout a student apartment to create an instant Christmassy feel. Use coloured or metallic paper, left-over wrapping paper, sprinkle with glitter or even glue on sequins, paper chains will make sure your home is merry and bright this wintertime.

Alternatively, gather some of nature’s natural treasures. Pine cones, ferns, holly and ivy make beautiful Christmas decorations when dabbed with glitter or tied with red ribbon to create a bespoke decoration that brings a natural festive charm to any student property.

2) Christmas Jumpers!

Once thought of as tacky and untasteful (think Bridget Jones’ Mark Darcy!), the Christmas jumper has taken on a life of its own in recent years and is now an annual style icon. Where this trend is concerned, the cheesier the better so think snowmen, 3D santas, reindeer and sparkle – some even light up or play a festive tune – all of which are guaranteed to make you feel in the Christmas spirit.

Ensure that your housemates also don their own this year by taking part in the official ‘Christmas Jumper Day’ on 18th December and raise money for charity Save the Children or hold your very own Christmas jumper competition with a prize for the most outrageous!

3) Have a Movie Marathon!

‘Elf’, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, ‘Love Actually’, The Snowman’, ‘The Holiday’, ‘Home Alone’… there are so many fantastic Christmas films so why not line them up and plan a movie marathon? The weather outside may be frightful but watching a whole host of classic movies will warm up a frosty day, whether on your TV or in a Collegiate AC on-site cinema room. Grab your friends, some festive treats, stay in the warm and add a sprinkling of fairy lights and you’re ready for a Christmas Movie Marathon like no other!

4) Secret Santa!

With many people complaining that Christmas is becoming over-commercialised, remembering that the festive period should be about giving is guaranteed to provide a heartwarming glow. Why not organise for those within your student property to take part in a Secret Santa? Setting a low budget not only means that presents won’t break the bank but also that you and your fellow housemates will have to get creative with the gift buying, adding far more fun to proceedings!

Place all your names in a Santa hat and pick one out at random, keep the name of who you’ve chosen secret, buy a gift for within your agreed budget and then, once bought, place all the gifts in a sack for people to find the one with their name on. The element of surprise will add to the festive fun and is sure to generate much discussion and laughter.

5) Host a Carol Concert!

Whether traditional carols (think ‘Silent Night’, ‘Ding Dong Merrily on High’, ‘Away in a Manger’, and ‘Deck the Halls’) or modern Christmas tunes (such as ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’, ‘Santa Baby’, ‘Last Christmas’, and ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’), everyone loves singing at Christmas! Get all your housemates together, invite the neighbours, and organise your very own Carol Concert.

Buy a Christmas karaoke CD or print song sheets, or just Google the lyrics, what’s important is that you simply have fun, belt out the songs and share the Christmas cheer. Merry Christmas everyone!

For more information on luxury student accommodation, visit  www.collegiate-ac.com or contact Collegiate AC on 01235 250 140.

Wembley Park looks great inside and out as Alto Apartments’ interior designers share their vision

Wembley Park looks great inside and out as Alto Apartments’ interior designers share their vision

by Charly United Kingdom
  • Mid-market homes for Londoners available from £375k (Alto Apartments)
  • Inside-out flow brings light and life to apartments and communal areas by Alto’s Interior Designers (FLINT)
  • Furniture packs put stylish interior decor into the hands of every buyer (David Phillips)

Wembley Park is fast earning a reputation as one of London’s most desirable residential districts. The transformation underway by developer Quintain has brought the area alive with contemporary apartments, fashionable retail outlets, top restaurants, funky bars, street food stalls and more. Nor does the area just look good on the outside. Quintain’s COO James Saunders comments,

“When you take on a project the size of Wembley Park, every single detail counts. There are so many factors involved in creating a place where people can feel a true sense of community. It’s hard work and requires great attention to detail but as each stage of the revitalization plan is reached it’s exciting to see another part of the community taking shape.”

The recent launch of Alto Apartments marked a key milestone in the Wembley Park transformation and provided the opportunity for Quintain to display just how much vision has gone into the work being undertaken.

The Alto show apartments are simply stunning, astounding buyers by demonstrating just how much you can get for a mid-market price tag in such a well-connected part of the capital (prices at the Pienna Apartments building start at £375,000 for a one bedroom apartment and £495,000 for a two bed).

The interior design for Alto, by FLINT, places emphasis on the importance of an open plan layout, focusing on the flow of space, orientation, light and a palette of high quality materials. FLINT also designed the concierge super lobby, an impressive, double-height space that opens up to reveal superbly landscaped gardens beyond, creating the feeling of a modern boutique hotel. The drama of the main entrance is enhanced by the presence of a long monolithic reception desk clad in dark stone, while a sculptural spiral stair leads up to a galleried mezzanine area.

Vesna Aksentijevic, of Interior Designers FLINT, comments,

“Our design strategy was to create complete synergy between the exterior and interior of Alto Apartments. We established an early collaborative relationship with both Quintain and the architects, Flanagan Lawrence, and this resulted in a real sense of spatial integrity and coherence. The apartments are designed from the inside out, with spatial and functional needs influencing the external form of the building. Clean, rational apartment layouts were developed together with the façade to create high quality interior space, maximising on daylight via large and expansive balconies that offer stunning views across London.”

Buyers at Alto Apartments can personalise their space choosing from a darker or lighter palette of materials and finishes from a subtle range of interchangeable colour tones selected by FLINT.

Kitchens feature durable finishes and are both practical and minimal in style; bedroom wardrobes echo the overall colour palette and bathrooms exude tranquillity with surfaces of soft ceramic and glass, creating a sense of luxury and calm.

Buyers also have the opportunity to purchase a furniture pack from David Phillips as part of their reservation and many of those who have viewed the show apartments are planning to do just that.

Interior designer Stacey Winn, Head of Design at David Phillips who furnished the Alto show homes, reveals that much of the inspiration for their look and feel came from their being in such an iconic location. She explains,

“The location and architecture of the building were a great source of inspiration when it came to the interior of the apartments. It was important to echo the building’s contemporary design in the internal finish. Each of the show apartments features high-end furnishings to complement the modern, aspirational lifestyle that Alto offers and the ample space in them was very inspiring in terms of furnishing a flexible space for living and entertaining.”

The Alto show apartment interiors colour palette and lighting were inspired by key themes dominating this year’s Milan interiors fair, with textiles featuring menthol greens, burnt terracotta and nude pink. The furniture designs are timeless and contemporary, featuring block colours as opposed to decorative patterns. The apartments feel minimalist yet hospitable, with relaxation space flowing into tranquil bedrooms. Defined dining and terrace areas make it easy to imagine long, relaxed dinners with friends as well as a quiet night spent sipping wine and watching a movie, or admiring the incredible views over London.

Stacey continues,

“Instructing David Phillips to furnish your property ensures that each room is maximised in terms of functionality and your property is presented in line with the integrity of the building and the lifestyle that it offers. A professionally furnished property can make such a difference in terms of how relaxed you feel in your home – it’s really quite incredible.

“Our furnishing collections for Alto feature contemporary and design led products at accessible price points. All products are designed for modern day living: they are practical in shape, finish and durability. The result is a stylish home with a true sense of warmth and individuality.”

The furnishings echo the practical yet stylish approach taken to features throughout the apartments.

The result is a collection of wonderfully stylish, contemporary 1,2 & 3 bedroom homes for Londoners at mid-market prices, all within 12 minutes of the West End.

For more information and to book a visit to the show apartments, visit www.alto-apartments.com or call the on-site Savills sales team on +44 20 3151 8601.

Buy-to-let demand predicted to soar with each new generation

Buy-to-let demand predicted to soar with each new generation

by Charly United Kingdom
  • Fewer than half of those born in 1990 will own their own home by age 40 (Savills)
  • Custom House Crossrail station area prices to rise by 40.5% by 2020 (JLL)
  • Riverside buy-to-let apartments available from £390k (Surrenden Invest)

Newly released data from Savills has thrown into stark relief the pace at which home ownership is falling in the UK. Issue three of the Residential Property Focus 2015 reveals both the rate at which home ownership has fallen since 1960 and the rate at which it is projected to go on falling for those born in the 1980s and 1990s.

According to the Savills figures, 53% of those born in 1960 could look forward to owning their own home by the age of 30, rising to 71% by the age of 40 and 79% by the age of 50. This compares to just 35% of those born in 1980 and 26% (projected) of those born in 1990 being able to own their own home by age 30. And it is clear with these figures that it is the 1990 cohort that is set to suffer the most. By age 40, the majority of the group will be in rented accommodation, with just 47% predicted to own their own home.

Of course, falling homeownership levels aren’t bad news for everyone. The figures paint a promising picture of a profitable future for the UK’s buy-to-let sector. Jonathan Stephens, Managing Director of Surrenden Invest, a London-based property consultancy specialising in high yielding buy-to-let investments, explains,

“Quite simply, falling rates of homeownership mean rising rates of renters, so the growing situation in the UK creates a substantial opportunity for those looking to make their money work for them by investing in residential real estate. Of course, alongside this it is important to remember that the area in which you invest is important too – a few miles difference, particularly in major cities like London, Manchester and Liverpool, can have a big impact on yields.”

This is particularly true of London properties. House prices are projected to rise by 21.5% in central London and by 18.2% in outer London over the next five years, according to Savills. Yet figures from JLL predict rises of nearly double those averages by 2020 in many areas of the capital, all good news for those able to buy.

Yet there are even more substantial profits to be found for those savvy investors who look carefully. Property around the new Custom House Crossrail station, for example, is projected to rise in value by 40.5% over the next five years, based on the JLL forecasts, with the same area expected to achieve rental price growth in excess of 28% by 2020.

Royal Victoria Residence is located just minutes from the planned Custom House Crossrail station. The superior one, two and three bedroom apartments, due for completion towards the end of 2017, will benefit from premium amenities, including a 24-hour concierge service. Curved balconies, views of the Thames and Canary Wharf and sleek interiors are bound to prove popular with the demands of modern tenants, making this one of London’s key riverside investment opportunities over the coming years. Prices range from £390,186 to £854,459.

Soaring levels of investment in London’s Royal Docks are also likely to impact positively on property prices over the coming years. Surrenden Invest’s Jonathan Stephens comments,

“The revitalisation programme for the area around London’s historic Royal Docks is massive. There are some vast mixed-use projects underway and others still under discussion. Royal Wharf at £3.5 billion, for example, and Silvertown Quays at £1.5 billion are going to have a huge impact on local employment levels and economic output growth. Altogether some £22 billion of investment potential has been identified in the area.”

The intense redevelopment makes the Royal Victoria Residence an even more exciting prospect for buy-to-let investors. Certainly with the rate of home ownership projected to continue falling over the years ahead, it will be developments like this that make up the future of London’s housing market.

For further details, visit www.surrendeninvest.com, email info@surrendeninvest.com or call 0203 3726 499.