Winter round-up: the 2017 Where To… list

by Sophie Evans World easyMarkets, Properties of the World, Property Frontiers, Surrenden Invest, Taylor Wimpey Espana

The best locations for spending your money in 2017
Buy a second home in Spain, invest in a hotel in North Wales and holiday in Tenerife
Stick with the UK for buy-to-let investment and play the stock market from the comfort of your bed

With one eye on the future and one on the hottest property and location trends of 2016, it’s time to look at the best places to spend your money in 2017. The 2017 Where To… list covers everything from holidays and holiday homes, to property investments and playing the stock market.

Where To… Buy a second home

When it comes to buying a second home, Spain is the obvious choice for many. Post-Brexit vote reports are that property sales and enquiries from British buyers have ramped up noticeably. Leading Spanish property portal Kyero.com has reported record enquiry numbers since the referendum. Head of Research Richard Speigal comments,

“Spain offers a great climate, fabulous food and excellent value for money. Brexit doesn’t seem to have deterred British buyers in the slightest. In fact, it seems to have spurred many on to purchase their dream second home sooner rather than later.”

The golf courses and beaches of the Costa del Sol are ideal for those looking for a second home in Spain. Taylor Wimpey España is offering spacious apartments and townhouses at Horizon Golf near Mijas from €270,000+VAT.

Where To… Invest in a hotel

An up-and-coming asset class, hotel investment looks set to take off in a big way in the UK over the next couple of years. Jean Liggett, pioneering CEO of Properties of the World, comments,

“Hotel investment offers excellent returns and benefits from not being subject to stamp duty. It’s ideal for property investors who are looking to get more for their money.”

Those investing in Caer Rhun Hall Hotel in Conwy, North Wales (rooms available from £75,000), can look forward to returns of circa 10% per annum, 125% developer optional buy-back and two weeks’ personal usage of their hotel room per year.

Where to…Holiday over the winter months

When it comes to winter sunshine, Tenerife is one of the top short-haul destinations for those travelling from the UK. Idyllic beaches with a sea temperature of 21°C and an average December temperature of 17°C, combined with excellent value for money make this an enticing destination. There’s plenty on offer to entertain the whole family all year round, and some outstanding value hotel rooms available over the winter months.

Cheap Holidays Tenerife has rooms available from as little as £93 per night for those looking to stock up on vitamin D before Christmas and from just £98 per night for holidaymakers planning a break in the New Year.

Where To… Invest in a buy-to-let property

Despite the increase to stamp duty on second homes earlier this year, the UK’s buy-to-let market is still faring well. There are plenty of cities around the UK that offer great returns and the potential for capital growth. One of the most exciting for 2017 is Belfast.

Property prices in Northern Ireland remain some 40% below their 2007 peak, but they’re rising fast. Buy-to-let investors with an eye on capital gains as well as healthy yields are examining the market there closely. With Belfast accounting for 43% of Northern Ireland’s total rental transactions, it is the natural choice for those looking to invest in buy-to-let.

The Frontiers’ Collection at The Sandford, located in Belfast’s thriving Titanic Quarter and available through Property Frontiers, offers one bedroom apartments from £114,750 and two bedroom homes from £141,750.

Over in England it is Manchester that is turning heads as a buy-to-let destination. Surrenden Invest is supporting would-be landlords to avoid paying the proposed ‘Green Tax’ by offering the low-carbon technology Artillery House for investment. The contemporary development enjoys a prime city centre location in Manchester’s ‘Golden Triangle’ and will be one of the city’s most energy efficient buildings. The 12 high end, boutique apartments are available for investment from £120,000.

Where To… Play the stock market

If stocks and shares appeal more than bricks and mortar, 2017 could be the perfect time to try out your skills as a trader. easyMarkets is on a mission to democratise trading, making it possible for anyone with an interest in the markets to dabble from the comfort of their own home. Not only do they offer learning resources and regular insights for those who are new to trading, but their innovative dealCancellation product means that losing trades can be cancelled within 60 minutes of making them – perfect for nervous newbies!

For more information, please contact:

Kyero: www.kyero.com

Taylor Wimpey España: 08000 121 020 (00 34 971 706 972 from outside of the UK) or www.taylorwimpeyspain.com

Properties of the World: +44 20 7624 5555 or www.propertiesoftheworld.co.uk

Cheap Holidays Tenerife: 0800 0124 300 or www.cheap-holidays-tenerife.com

Property Frontiers: +44 1865 202 700 or www.propertyfrontiers.com

easyMarkets: +44 203 1500 748 or www.easymarkets.com

Maximising Profits in 2017: 5 Top Tips for Developers from Investorist

by Charly United Kingdom World Investorist

Assemble a list of motivated, product-specific selling agents
Building networks is essential in hot buyer markets such as the UAE, China and South East Asia
2017 will see technology become an integral element of the UK property industry

As competition within the UK property market intensifies in the New Year, developers will need to work harder to ensure their projects stand out and attract the most desirable cashed-up buyers. Jon Ellis, Founder and CEO of the world’s largest off plan B2B property marketplace, Investorist, offers his expert advice on how to maxmise your chances of success in 2017:

Adapt marketing content to be accessible on a global scale

“Developers must ensure that when marketing projects to potential investors in non-English-speaking nations, materials are translated into the native language. For example, Mandarin for the Chinese market, Arabic for buyers in the UAE and Spanish and Portuguese for investors from South America, you may be missing valuable opportunities to connect with non-English speaking buyers otherwise. Having someone within the team who speaks the native language will also significantly enhance overseas investors’ experience.”

Be aware of new and existing legislation

“Developers must be constantly monitoring all legislation in place and seek approvals from the necessary regularity bodies in the nation in which they are marketing projects. This would be the Dubai Land Authority or the RERA, the regulatory arm of the Land Department in Dubai for example, which has recently implemented new rules.”

Assemble a list of motivated, product-specific selling agents

“When putting together a list of selling agents that would best suit your residential or commercial product, developers should remember the need to engage with these agents in a similar manner as they would with direct buyers. Agents may well already have a full book of projects, so in order to engage them, developers must present their project in a way that excites and motivates the agents. Often agents have a preference for developers they have worked with previously and will have regular clients whose projects may take priority. This means new developers will need to compete for attention, build relationships and not just rely on any one agent or market.

4. Establish a strategy for relationship building with your networks

“Building networks and relationships is essential within many hot buyer markets, including the UAE, China and South East Asia. The agent-developer relationship is on based on immense trust and takes time to develop. The agency will likely invest a lot of money and time educating their sales teams about the product they are selling. In China for example, we undertake a number of pre-vetting activities to find agents who have a strong interest in selling each type of project before arranging the face to face meetings which are crucial in building trusted relationships”.

“Anecdotally, we know that many of the individual agents will spend upwards of £7,000 on attracting each end buyer. Due to the significant investment they make in their sales team, lead gen and education, agents are not prepared to take a risk on people or businesses they don’t know well or have not met either in person or online. Listing on Investorist is a good way to build an online profile and trust and live events like Investorist’s China Connection work well in overcoming barriers and enable potential partners to meet and discuss opportunities to do business.”

Embrace technology

“2017 will see technology become an integral element of the UK property industry. Those who don’t embrace it could find themselves losing business to more progressive companies. Developers can use Investorist’s portal to access thousands of selling agents, build relationships, attend events and present stock in the most effective way. It is even possible though the platform to launch projects simultaneously in multiple countries and languages, effectively re-creating the hype of a live auction event to really engage competitive buyers to secure their preferred properties. ”

Investorist specialises in off plan property, providing an online, global B2B marketplace. With offices in the UK, Australia, China, Singapore and United States, $45B in listed property and more than 5,500 users, Investorist is the world’s leading property network and management tool connecting thousands of property professionals globally.

For more information, contact Investorist by visiting www.investorist.co.uk or calling the team on +44 (0)203 761 7380.

easyMarkets highlights three currencies to watch in times of political instability

by Sophie Evans World easyMarkets

Sterling set to remain highly vulnerable to Brexit headlines
Dollar enjoyed surprise rise to ten-month highs following Donald Trump’s election
Japanese yen bears watching based on Bank of Japan’s shifting policy focus

2016 has certainly delivered some surprise events in terms of global politics. The ramifications of decisions taken this year are likely to be felt a long way into the future. Foreign exchange markets have certainly felt the impact already, with political events, speculation about the health of the global economy and monetary policy developments adding to traders’ daily analysis of a deluge of economic data. All of this plays into the valuation of currency pairs.

Evdokia Pitsillidou, Risk Management Associate at pioneering forex and CFD broker easyMarkets, explains,

“Every so often, a major political event transpires that rocks the currency market, bringing with it unprecedented levels of volatility. 2016 has produced at least two of these events in the form of Brexit and the US presidential election result. These political forces have created serious volatility in the market but have also created some interesting opportunities, particularly in terms of currencies to watch over the remainder of this year and the start of 2017.”

The pound has been under scrutiny since the UK’s decision to leave the European Union on 23 June. The referendum’s outcome triggered the biggest ever selloff in the history of the British pound. Sterling plunged at a double-digit percentage pace against the dollar immediately following the news of the Brexit decision. It went on to hit 168-year lows in October 2016 after Prime Minister Theresa May vowed to pursue a “hard Brexit.

Sterling has recovered in November, but continues to trade near 31-year lows. The outlook on the currency remains bleak as policymakers roll out a timeline for the formal Brexit process.

It goes without saying that the British pound should be on every currency trader’s radar. The pound remains highly vulnerable to Brexit headlines. This actually served as a positive for the GBP/USD earlier this month, after the British High Court ruled that Brexit cannot be implemented without parliamentary approval. Theresa May had previously pledged to initiate Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty by the end of March 2017. Article 50 is the mechanism by which EU members can formally withdraw from the bloc. May has vowed to fight the court’s legal challenge and remains confident that Brexit means Brexit.

The dollar has also been impacted by recent political events, with Donald Trump’s election as the 45^th President of the United States on 8 November sending global financial markets into disarray – at least initially. By November 9, US stocks were back on the offensive, while global equities also rebounded. The presidential election result was a boon to the US dollar, which quickly rose to ten-month highs against a basket of other major currencies.

easyMarkets’ Evdokia Pitsillidou comments,

“Many analysts had tipped the dollar to fall on a Trump victory. However, the complete opposite occurred, as investors turned optimistic on Trump’s proposed tax reforms and fiscal spending plans.”

Speculation regarding the Federal Reserve’s plans has also been affecting the value of the dollar. The greenback was tracking higher weeks before Trump’s election, based on growing bets the Fed would raise interest rates on 13-14 December. Federal Reserve Vice Chair Stanley Fischer told a conference last week that the case for a rate hike is “quite strong.”

The Japanese yen is also a currency that should be on traders’ radar for the remainder of 2016. The Bank of Japan’s policy overhaul a few months ago saw its focus shift from quantitative easing to interest rate targeting, following years of failed stimulus. Japan has been in deflation for seven consecutive months, and while economic growth has improved, the underlying trend remains weak.

The yen has been the strongest major currency for much of 2016, thwarting the Bank of Japan’s attempt to stimulate the economy. However, renewed bullishness in the dollar has finally made a dent in Asia’s safe-haven currency. October was the strongest month for the USD/JPY in two years. The pair was last seen trading at five-month highs.

easyMarkets’ Evdokia Pitsillidou concludes,

“In times of such immense political uncertainty, financial markets will remain highly sensitive to goings on around the world. However, the swift recovery of the US stock market and the rise of the dollar following Donald Trump’s election victory shows that markets can still be resilient. This means that traders who act fast are likely to be able to maximize the benefits of political events, particularly so far as currencies are concerned.”

For further details, visit www.easymarkets.com, email pr@easymarkets.com or call +44 203 1500 748.

Risk warning: Forward Rate Agreements, Options and CFDs (OTC Trading) are leveraged products that carry a substantial risk of loss up to your invested capital and may not be suitable for everyone. Please ensure that you understand fully the risks involved and do not invest money you cannot afford to lose. Our group of companies through its subsidiaries is licensed by the Cyprus Securities & Exchange Commission (Easy Forex Trading Ltd- CySEC, License Number 079/07), which has been passported in the European Union through the MiFID Directive and in Australia by ASIC (Easy Markets Pty Ltd -AFS license No. 246566).

Chinese love affair with Manchester property to strengthen as government welcomes new investment

by Charly United Kingdom World Surrenden Invest

UK government plans to attract foreign investment from China for new development projects in the Northern Powerhouse
Chinese investors interest in Manchester stems from President Xi Jinping visiting the city in 2015 (Chinese diplomat Sun Dali)
“Accessibility is crucial for overseas investors… Chinese buyers able to fly in regularly now, sometimes for less than 24 hours, to inspect and purchase property” (Surrenden Invest)

The government announced its desire to attract 5bn of foreign investment for 13 major development projects with the Northern Powerhouse, with specific interest in those investors from China.

These projects include but are not exclusively residential developments; however overseas interest in property located in the North of England has increased significantly throughout the course of this year with Chinese buyers specifically attentive of Manchester’s housing market.

Chancellor Philip Hammond, who is due to reveal his first Autumn Statement next week, has voiced his thoughts on the UK’s relationship with China, explaining the significance of tapping into the current Chinese market as “our trade relationship with China is now more important than ever”.

And it seems Brexit is no deterrent as China’s already healthy appetite for UK property is only growing. According to Chinese diplomat Sun Dali, Chinese investors’ love affair with the Northern Powerhouse, Manchester in particular, began when President Xi Jinping visited the UK’s second city last year.

Jonathan Stephens, Managing Director of leading property consultancy Surrenden Invest, has certainly noticed a rise in Chinese buyers directing their investment toward Manchester. He explains,

“Interest for the local property market has increased from Chines buyers as Manchester’s credentials as an investment hotspot continue to increase, not only leading the Northern Powerhouse but also challenging London as the buy-to-let capital of the UK.

“Accessibility is crucial for overseas investors and with Manchester’s regional airport now welcoming regular direct flights from China, investment to the city is subsequently thriving. We have already witnessed this improved connectivity impact the Manchester housing market, with Chinese buyers able to fly in regularly, sometimes for less than 24 hours, to inspect and purchase property in the city centre.”

Surrenden Invest’s most recent addition to its Manchester’s portfolio is Artillery House. Situated in a prime position in the heart of the city, Artillery House epitomises the kind of modern, luxury development that investors are keen to profit from and tenants are keen to rent.

The low-carbon technology, boutique development in Manchester’s ‘Golden Triangle’ boasts 12 high end apartments from £120,000, with assured returns of 7.5% NET. To discover more about Artillery House, please visit the following link https://vimeo.com/178165870.

For more information, visit www.surrendeninvest.com or contact Surrenden Invest on 0203 3726 499.

Risk-averse international investors seek the safe haven of the Canary Islands this winter

by Sophie Evans World Kyero.com

· Canaries shoot up the ranks to take 2 of top 5 trending destination spots on Kyero.com

· ½ of all Tenerife homes sold in Q2 2016 bought by international buyers (Fomento)

· Canary Islands one of best recovered areas of Spain (House Price Index)

As the chill of winter sets in across Northern Europe, and Brexit-related uncertainty continues to impact on financial markets around the world, risk-averse international investors are heading to the warmth of the Canary Islands in increasing numbers. New data from leading Spanish property portal Kyero.com has shown that the Canaries now feature as two of the top five trending destinations across Spain.

Corralejo, on the island of Fuerteventura, and Playa Del Ingles on Gran Canaria moved up to take the third and fourth positions during October in Kyero.com’s monthly ranking of top trending Spanish property hotspots.

Richard Speigal, Head of Research at Kyero.com, comments,

“Foreign buyers went sun chasing in October, with Kyero seeing a marked rise in enquiries for the Canary Islands. This is a normal pattern, but it comes at the end of a particularly good year for the Canaries. Foreign demand has become more price sensitive since the Brexit vote, and the Canaries are well placed to take advantage of tightened budgets. Local prices remain below average and have also suffered a less tumultuous history than other parts of Spain. Market stability and an agreeable climate at agreeable prices is a strong combination.”

The relative safety of the Canary Island property market is what makes it particularly attractive to risk-averse investors, according to the Kyero.com team. The official House Price Index shows that the islands are one of the most recovered regions in Spain. Prices fell less sharply and recovered much more steadily in the Canaries than in the roller coaster markets of Madrid and Barcelona. The relative stability of prices holds strong appeal in the current environment of political and financial uncertainty across much of the world.

The international interest in property across the Canaries has been building throughout the year. Newly release figures from the Ministry of Development (Fomento) show that half of all house sales in Tenerife in Q2 2016 were to international buyers. The figure puts Tenerife on a par with the Balearics in terms of its appeal to overseas buyers.

Interestingly, Tenerife is one of the more expensive Canary Islands when it comes to property. According to Kyero.com’s data, the average price across all islands is €239,000. Tenerife comes in a little higher than average, at €248,000, with prices there up 3.6% in the last year. Lanzarote is also above average in terms of price, with an annual increase of 5.9% making the average price on that island €295,000. Buyers looking for cheaper homes in the Canaries tend to opt for Gran Canaria, which has an average price of €215,000 (up 6.7% in the last year), or Fuerteventura, where prices have risen by 1.5% annually to an average of €159,000.

While second homes in the Canaries have long been popular with British buyers, Kyero.com’s October data shows that Italian buyers are on the brink of overtaking them as the dominant buyers in Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura. Only in Lanzarote do Brits look set to remain at the forefront of demand.

Regardless of the nationality of the buyers, Kyero.com’s data indicates that 2016 will be a very good year for the Canary Islands. The trend is expected to continue into 2017, as political factors add to the usual enticements of climate, landscape and lifestyle in making property investment in the Canaries a particularly attractive option.

For further details, visit www.kyero.com.

Birmingham beats Brooklyn and Brisbane when it comes to off-plan property investment

by Charly World Investorist

Brisbane almost twice as expensive as Birmingham; Brooklyn over 5 times pricier (Investorist)
Birmingham International Airport reports 19 months of record-breaking growth
Off-plan Birmingham investment combines value for money with strong market conditions (Investorist)

Birmingham has already achieved international renown as the UK’s second city, but now new data from revolutionary trading platform Investorist has revealed that “Brum” is beating other second cities around the world when it comes to off-plan property investment.

There’s no doubting Birmingham’s popularity as a travel destination. Birmingham International Airport has recorded 19 consecutive months of record-breaking growth, with 1,207,796 passengers travelling through the airport in September 2016 alone, up by 15.8% on the previous September. Long-haul growth rates are ahead of short-haul, at 21.5% and 15.1% year-on-year respectively.

But its not just visitors Birmingham is attracting. The city is hugely popular with investors, as Jon Ellis, Founder and CEO of Investorist, comments,

“Birmingham offers an excellent investment landscape, from high end retail space to some outstanding residential property developments. It’s a city that appeals to investors on many levels and the post-Brexit drop in the sterling’s value has made it even more attractive to those who have other investment currencies to spend – particularly dollars or currencies pegged to the dollar.”

Investorist’s latest data brings Birmingham’s excellent value for money into sharp focus by comparing it with two other world-class second tier urban centres: Brisbane and Brooklyn. In Brooklyn, the best value apartment listed came in at £10,793 per square metre, making it the most expensive of the three centres. Brisbane was next, at £3,976 per square metre, while Birmingham offered the best value for money at just £3,068 per square metre.

Brooklyn apartment £723,189
Brisbane apartment £246,543
Birmingham apartment £135,000

The figures compared off-plan one-bedroom/one bathroom apartments in the three centres. The cheapest one-bed/one bath apartment listing on the Investorist site in each location was considered.

Not only was the Birmingham property the best value of the three, it was also significantly closer – only 0.8km from the central business district and the employment opportunities that the UK’s second city has to offer. The Brisbane apartment was 3km from the CBD, while the Brooklyn unit was 2.6 km away.

Investorist’s Jon Ellis continues,

“Quite simply, investors can get more for their money by looking at off-plan buy-to-let homes in the UK right now than they can in many destinations around the world.

“Demand for good quality rental properties in the UK is underpinned by a range of factors that should see it weather the Brexit fallout, such as the increasing size of the private rental sector and the significant deposit requirement faced by first time buyers.

“Both the underlying market conditions and the value that UK second cities offer should stand the sector in good stead as far as off-plan residential investment over coming years is concerned.”

For more information about global off-plan property, contact Investorist by visiting www.investorist.co.uk or calling the team on +44 (0)203 761 7380.

A day in the life of a property PR

by Charly United Kingdom World AB Property Marketing

One of the best things about working in property PR is the fact that there is no typical day. Opening up the laptop each morning brings with it a wealth of possibilities, where requests from journalists and new announcements from clients can instantly change the shape of the next several hours.

Of course, there are some standard things that have to be fitted in to each week. Press releases have to be written, to present clients’ information in an engaging fashion that will delight those who read it and entice journalists to find out more. Pitches have to be crafted perfectly for individual publications and requests from journalists need to be responded to quickly and expertly.

Client liaison is also an important part of the day. Property PRs need to have an intimate knowledge not just of their clients’ current projects, but also of future plans, new properties and any new sectors or markets that are being considered. Regular phone calls, meetings and site visits are essential for keeping up to date.

Staying up to date with current research, upcoming trends and relevant events is also an essential part of the day-to-day work of a property PR. Clients need to be positioned ready to share their expertise on the latest policy decisions, global financial developments and sector-specific news. Having up-to-the minute commentary is essential if clients’ voices are to be heard in relation to current affairs.

A day in the life of a property PR also means being highly organised with paperwork and files. The right images for each property need to be at hand, ready for use at a moment’s notice, along with a detailed factsheet providing all of the relevant data. You never know which angle of a property a journalist might focus on and so it’s important to have as much info as possible, just in case.

Finally, there are those weeks when as well as fitting in all of the regular tasks, a press trip, property show or series of meetings with journalists about a new project is in the diary. These weeks tend to be hard work and great fun all rolled into one – it’s all part of the wonderful variety of being a property PR!

For more information about property PR and the ABPM team and how they can assist with your promotional needs, get in touch today on 0845 054 7542 or visit www.abpropertymarketing.co.uk.

UK developers embrace new Brexit era sales & marketing strategy by attending Investorist Live event in tech-hub Shenzhen

by Charly World Investorist

“Only the most forward-thinking and nimble developers are changing and evolving their strategy in light of Brexit to become more innovative in their search for buyers, and investing accordingly.”

That is the sentiment of property marketing expert and proptech entrepreneur, Jon Ellis, Founder of Investorist, the world’s largest off plan B2B property marketplace.

Selling successfully in a post Brexit era should be at the forefront of every UK developer’s mind as 2017 approaches and Article 50 is triggered but as Jon observes, too many operators, especially within the UK apartment sector appear to be continuing with the ‘same old, same old’ selling strategies they were using pre Brexit, and as a result, properties are taking much longer to sell as buyers consider their options and their investments much more carefully.

Jon comments, “The smartest developers are looking globally in light of Brexit rather than waiting for buyers to show up on the doorstep.”

Last month’s China Connection event, organized by Investorist Live, is the perfect example of how smart developers are taking proactive steps to selling. Senior representatives from more than 50 agencies from across China attended, with in excess of US$1b of property on offer from six international developers. Investorist set up one-on-one meetings between the selling agents and developers, carefully matching each project with the most relevant parties.

The event’s success and the fact that many missed out on attending, has led to the next Investorist Live: China Connection event being scheduled for 31^st October – 4^th November 2016 in the rapidly expanding tech hub of Shenzhen and then Shanghai.

Ellis comments, “Our China Connection events have been likened to speed dating for property developers and hand-picked agents. These events have resulted in some very positive new partnerships which will ultimately deliver wealthy Chinese and South East Asian buyers.”

With ever increasing numbers of UK developers keen to develop global sales channels and Asian selling agents urgently seeking UK stock, not least due to the fall of sterling, Investorist Live: China Connection is the ideal event at which information can be shared and deals done. NOTE – DEVELOPERS PAY TO ATTEND

For more information on Investorist Live: China Connection or details of how to attend please contact Andy Grimley, Business Development Manager on andy.grimley@investorist.com or call +44 203 761 7383.

—————————————-ENDS—————————————–

Note to Editors

Investorist is the world’s largest marketplace for the off plan property industry, a B2B sales and business development platform promoting and distributing properties around the globe. Our platform is used daily by leading property developers, brokers, real estate businesses, financial advisors and migration agents.

In just three years Investorist has grown dramatically; now with 10 offices in the UK, US, China, SE Asia and Australia, US$45 billion in listed property in 25 countries, 5,500 plus members and more than 500 projects. These include globally significant projects valued in excess of US$1 billion in London (Battersea Park), Manchester (Media City), New York (Hudson Yards), Miami and Queensland, Australia.

Investorist.com

Success of Overseas Property Show revealed Brit buyers’ relaxed in the face of Brexit

by Sophie Evans World Overseas Property Show

Overseas property buyers ‘relaxed’ about impact of Brexit (Overseas Property Show)
Exhibitor Ideal Homes Portugal found buyers still keen to head to Portugal for their second homes
Portuguese property prices rising across all regions (RICS/Ci)

The recent Overseas Property Show in London has highlighted the relaxed optimism of British investors when it comes to purchasing a second home overseas in the wake of the Brexit vote.

The popular show enjoyed an impressive turnout when it took place over 10-12 September in the Novotel London West Hotel & Convention Centre.

Chris White, Founding Director of leading estate agency Ideal Homes Portugal, an exhibitor at the show, comments,

“The London Overseas Property Show provided affirmation of something we’ve been noticing since the Brexit decision was made. Essentially, Brits appear to be relatively un-phased by the potential impact of Brexit when it comes to ownership of property in Europe.

“We spoke to a lot of potential buyers at the show and in general people are very optimistic about investing in foreign property and the benefits that it brings. The overall attitude was relaxed in the face of Brexit – it just doesn’t seem to be a worry for most people who attended.”

The show generated a large turnout of potential buyers keen to visit Portugal on inspection trips arranged through the Ideal Homes Portugal team. Buyers were interested in residential and commercial properties across the Algarve and in and around the Lisbon area. This restaurant, health club and spa with live-in apartment for sale for just €499,000 was of particular interest to a number of visitors.

Portugal remains a popular destination for Brits looking to purchase a holiday property, either for their own use or for its rental potential (or both). The market there continues to grow, with the August 2016 RICS/Ci Portuguese Housing Market Survey revealing that demand continues to outstrip supply, with house prices rising across all regions covered by the report.

With potential buyers seemingly unconcerned about the impact of Brexit on their plans, Portugal’s charming blend of sunshine, sea, golf and incredible value for money is clearly still a winning combination.

For further details visit www.theoverseaspropertyshow.com, call (0800) 133 7644 / +351 289 513 434 or email info@theoverseaspropertyshow.com.

It’s October: should we be afraid?

by Sophie Evans World easyMarkets

‘October effect’ sees many traders fretting about this month
October 1987 saw the Dow drop by 22.6% in 1 day (Black Monday)
October in fact no different for traders than any other month (easyMarkets)
dealCancellation provides actual and psychological way to beat the October effect

October has something of a bad reputation in financial circles. The Panic of 1907, the Crash of 1929 and Black Monday in 1987, when the Dow plunged by 22.6% in just one day, all took place in October. These events have left investors with a sense of caution when the prospect of taking risks this month comes up.

Nikolas Xenofontos, Director of Risk Management at pioneering forex and CFD broker easyMarkets, explains,

“In reality, trading in October is no more or less risky than trading in any other month. Market crashes can happen at any point during the year – the key is to keep a close eye on global events and upcoming reports that could impact on market movements during the course of the month. It’s a sound approach, whatever the month may be.”

The ‘October effect’ is actually not borne out by statistics, but its psychological impact is nonetheless very real. The fear of what the market may do is enough to give many traders pause. And this October there’s certainly plenty going on around the world that could have an effect on global markets.

On 3 October 2016 a deluge of manufacturing PMI reports will be released by the US and Europe, along with the TD Securities Inflation report in Australia. Australia’s Reserve Bank will release its latest interest rate statement the following day.

On October 5 the European Central Bank will release its Monetary Policy Meeting Accounts and two days later the US nonfarm payrolls report in the US will be influential in the Federal Reserve’s deliberations over whether to raise interest rates before the end of the year.

By mid-month the focus will be on China, with an influential trade report on 13 October followed by reports on producer and consumer inflation the following day. Industrial production figures from the US and Japan on 17 October, UK and US inflation data on 18 October and China’s Q3 GDP figures on 19 October may also serve to impact on markets around the world.

As October winds down, Australian employment figures, the policy meeting of the European Central Bank, US manufacturing PMI and UK and US Q3 GDP data all have the potential to create ripples in the markets, keeping investors on their toes. The general winding up towards the US presidential election on 8 November 2016 could also be an influential factor.

So are traders right to be nervous of October? easyMarkets’ Nikolas Xenofontos thinks not.

“October really is no different for trading than any other month – apart from having a rather underserved reputation,” he comments. “Although for those who remain uneasy our dealCancellation service provides the ideal way to undo a losing trade within 60 minutes – so there’s some peace of mind for those suffering from fear of the October effect!”

For further details visit www.easymarkets.com, email pr@easymarkets.com or call +44 203 1500 748.

Menu