Sales activity in the £1m+ property market is storming ahead according to the latest Rightmove data, as wealthier buyers race for more space and leafier locations in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and changing lifestyle preferences. This, according to Hilltop Credit Partners, makes it a perfect time to support developers and provide investors opportunities to invest in a market that has never looked more bouyant. Paul Oberschneider, CEO at Hilltop Credit Partners, said: “A common conception is that houses in the £1m+ market take longer to find buyers than the overall market because of their higher price points. But the latest data from Rightmove shows that UK’s million-pound homes are actually outperforming the rest of the property market in terms of the number of sales being agreed. The hottest millionaire markets right now are Norfolk, Wiltshire, Cornwall, Henley, Hackney, Tooting, Stoke Newington, Balham with affluent buyers willing to part with huge sums of money to buy larger homes.  “A big reason for this market sentiment is the ongoing pandemic which is pushing many potential buyers to swap city apartments for bigger homes with more living spaces and gardens. With the government’s big push for work-from-home once again, many employees are also expected to spend fewer days in the office and may look to relocate to a bigger property with more outdoor space. The post-Covid market will have an increased focus on indoor and outdoor space and wealthier buyers will be the first to move to bigger homes. “Since the lockdown this year, UK’s property sector has shown incredible resilience despite the market setbacks. Demand from residential developers continues to be strong, and we are encouraged by the strength we have seen in the UK residential market over the past several months. At Hilltop, we are extremely proud of our one-stop funding solution which continues to be well received by the market, and how we have provided c. £30m in lending commitments (to date in 2020) to SME developers across England. The product offered by Hilltop has a dual pronged approach which includes both debt and equity elements. The equity raise on one side assists the developer, meet much needed final stretch and on the other, opens up these exiting developments to investors who may wish to invest and be part of the growth story.  “We continue to have a growing pipeline with great sponsors. Case in point our newly increased £50m loan-on-loan facility from OakNorth Bank which is set play a huge role in supporting our ongoing development finance lending. We also provided funds for an eco-friendly residential development in North Devon as it combines high-quality construction and design, with green space, energy efficiency, and affordability – catering perfectly to today’s home buyers.” Hilltop’s management team includes former developers and finance experts, and together they have successfully originated and managed value-add and opportunistic residential deals through challenging market cycles. The fund is backed by the global real estate investment firm Round Hill Capital.

If it is the first time that you are buying a home, the process may seem increasingly tough. There are many things to keep in mind so that you can get the best. There are house and land packages that provide benefits for those buying a house for the first time. You will have more control concerning the design as well. You may save precious time because you will not have to begin by looking for land, then finding a builder, etc. Read on to find out why house and land packages may help you out. Convenient These packages are said to be convenient. Finding the best builder to build the perfect home can take much time. You will have to do a lot of research so that you can get the best. When you find someone, you may have to wait until they are available to do your work. This can be tiring. But, if you combine buying the land as well as the house, it will be fast and more effortless. Various websites offer different affordable home and land packages that you can use for sale. It is a challenge to get a genuine deal, whether online or in person. You can see our packages today at  North Harbour, which has excellent home and land packages that you can exploit to get a good deal.  Be sure to do your due diligence to get a reasonable profit margin when you sell your house. Please make sure you also check their payment options for convenience. Be sure to exercise your bargaining power to get a good compromise on the house. Can alter the design By getting the combined package, you will be able to influence certain design features so that it can be the best for you and your loved ones. This case is not present if you buy a present house. Certain changes can occur which will be perfect for your family as well as your lifestyle. It is possible to select floor plans as you want, for instance. Move-in soon By selecting the package, the house will be available to stay in when completed. It is the builder’s job to fulfill all customizable features which will be included in the package. Everything will be final and you can move in as soon as you wish. Planning options By getting an attractive house and land package, you will have increased control when it comes to planning. For instance, you will know for how much time you have to stay in the present home when will be the best time to get removers, the dates you will have to take time off work so that you can move into your new house. All these points help out buyers. Some people become involved in purchasing land, then having to wait till good builders are present to build the home. Time is required for this and if you do not have anywhere to stay, looking for temporary housing may be tough. Makes the loan procedure easier Buying the package makes the financing part easier as well. If you decide to purchase land and then hire a builder, there will be two financing requirements. One loan will be needed for the land and the other for building the home. If you get the house and land package, the procedure will be one only. The above are reasons why you should look for these packages such as the benefits of house and land packages at Mackay or where you stay. Overall the process of getting a home may become easier with them.

A new entrant to the sector has acquired a Devon hotel in a deal brokered by property consultancy Christie & Co. St Andrews Hotel in Exeter comprises 25 en-suite bedrooms. It is located a short walk away from the city centre, close to the quayside and the Marsh Barton Trading Estate in the Alphington district. The hotel has been owned by Vincent and Elaine Blackshaw for 13 years as part of a portfolio of three hotels in Exeter that also includes The Clock Tower and Georgian Lodge. They have made the decision to sell in order to retire from the industry. The sale of St Andrews Hotel follows that of the Clock Tower which was sold last year. “We are delighted to have purchased St Andrews Hotel and were initially attracted to the property because of its potential for someone to add value. Our intention is to create a new image for the hotel by comprehensively refurbishing and modernising, whilst improving the existing business. We look forward to becoming part of this wonderful community,” commented the new owners. The business has been purchased by Mohan Arora and Tarini Mendiratta, new entrants to the sector who met whilst studying at University of Exeter. “The St Andrews Hotel has always held its own, competing against the other largely corporate owned hotels that dominate Exeter’s bed stock,” said Stephen Champion, director at Christie & Co and also the person that handled the sale. “It is fantastic to see this hotel sell for continued use as a hotel to independent operators, who plan to build upon the already successful business created by Vincent and Elaine Blackshaw, who incidentally purchased the hotel via Christie & Co back in 2007. We wish Mohan and Tarini every success in the future.” St Andrews Hotel in Devon was sold off an asking price of £1.3 million.

As many baby boomers begin to  prepare themselves for retirement, one of the most common things they are now considering is seeking equity release advice to give themselves a nice retirement package. Now is quite comfortably the right time to strike, as, despite the housing market going into lockdown this year alongside the rest of the economy, over-65s saw their property wealth increase by more than £6,000 each on average in the past year. Indeed, the total property wealth owned by over-65s who have paid off mortgages is currently valued at a staggering £1.124 trillion according to Key’s Pensioner Property Equity Index. There are certainly regional considerations here, with many of the bigger gains coming in London (almost £26,000 better off over the last year) as opposed to the South East (gains of just £7,600). In the West Midlands, meanwhile, there was actually an average decrease of around £235 in value. Still, generally speaking, house prices are currently at an all-time high and with COVID and the fallout of a no-deal Brexit on the horizon, that could all change very soon indeed. So, is now the right time for baby boomers to start thinking seriously about equity release? It is, after all, the most logical way for older homeowners to not only pay off their debts but give themselves a nest egg that they can use to fund a truly decadent retirement. Will Hale, CEO at Key said: “The property market has suffered along with the rest of the economy during the coronavirus crisis and effectively shut down for months. Coupled with the ongoing political and economic uncertainty of the past few years, it has gone through a turbulent time.  However, property values seem to have remained relatively buoyant and with the current stamp duty exemption, we are likely to see continued interest from buyers.” There are quite literally millions of over-65s who have repaid their mortgages and are sitting on considerable unencumbered property wealth but might find that their retirement pots are not quite as heavy as they had hoped for. For these people, they might be inspired to learn that the estimated property equity in these homes is as high as £212.119 billion in the South East alone and a total of £1.124 trillion in the whole of Great Britain. In such an environment, Hale believes: “It is vital to get specialist advice and consider all assets when it comes to planning your finances through retirement as making smart choices can significantly improve your standard of living throughout later life.” The equity release market might have seen a slowdown as people take their time to decide how best to use their wealth in retirement and negotiate this terrible virus. However, the number of customers looking to explore their options remains high and equity release remains a decidedly flexible and lucrative option.

Buying your first home can take a lot of time, effort and investment. It can be incredibly daunting to try and search for a home and it’ll feel overwhelming at first. However, it’s important to stay on top of things because buying a home isn’t something to take lightly. You’ll likely be tied to paying off your mortgage for most of the rest of your life. As such, it’s best to spend time searching for a great offer to help keep the costs lower and manageable. To help you out, we’re going to talk about some of the most common mistakes people make when searching for their first home. Neglecting to check how much you can borrow before looking for a home It can be a lot of fun to actually look for property to move into, but it’s important to remember that you need to have a budget first. If you’re unsure how much you can borrow first, then you’re not going to know how much you can realistically spend. Before you start looking at the best property website to find your dream home, make sure you do a bit of research by finding out how much you can borrow. Serious buyers should know that the amount they can borrow could likely be lower than they expect. Since there are many factors that are taken into consideration when borrowing money, you’ll need to speak directly to a lender such as your bank. If you want a bit more information, you could use a mortgage calculator to find out how much you would expect to pay each month for your dream home. You can also adjust this by the rates so you can see how much you might need to pay depending on how good your current credit history is. Do keep in mind that calculators don’t take your personal financial circumstances into consideration so they should only be used as a rough estimation. Forgetting to shop around for a better deal on your mortgage or home It’s important that you don’t just go with the first decent offer you get. Until you get a feel for the market by looking at multiple property websites and speaking to multiple banks, you won’t know what to consider as a good deal. That’s why we highly recommend that you shop around for a good deal in multiple areas before you settle on something. You should start by comparing mortgage rates to find out who can offer you the lowest upfront costs and rates. While these comparisons should be taken with a grain of salt, it should give you a rough idea of how much you can expect to pay with each company. It’s a good idea to understand the different types of loans available. You should realize that some companies will offer lower upfront costs while others will have bonuses for veterans. Depending on your personal circumstances, you may be able to secure a fantastic deal. For homes, you should always look at multiple property websites and search for a property that is at your chosen specification or above. For example, if you’re looking for a two-bedroom home, you should also consider three-bedroom homes to see if you can get an even better deal. If you’re unable to find a home with your exact specification, then you should consider looking at another city to see if you could get a great deal. Always shop around and expand your specific criteria to see what’s available out there. Failing to see the potential in different properties One of the biggest mistakes people make when searching for a first home is having a lack of vision. Some properties could have a massive potential to become a dream home with a bit of renovating. For instance, the curb appeal of a home could be drastically improved with the help of a contractor, or you could add a new home with an extension project to add an affordable extra bedroom to a cheaper property. It’s important to look at a property not just for what it has, but for what it could become as well. When looking at homes, it’s good to consider what the costs of renovating it are in addition to paying for what it already has. For example, if a home doesn’t have a loft extension, then you should consider getting a quote from a local contractor to see how much it would cost. Add this quote to the cost of the home in its current state and you’ll get a combined cost. If this is cheaper than a property with a similar specification, then you could be getting a great deal just by including some renovations. You should also realize that if you don’t like the look of something in a home, you can easily change it with a bit of renovating. If you notice a flaw in a home that you don’t like, such as a horrible wallpaper or a boring garden, these are things that you can change with the help of a contractor. In short, don’t neglect that you can fix up a property and create something completely different from its current state. There are many property owners that will fix up a home and add features before selling it for a much higher price. In comparison, if you do the work yourself or hire a contractor, it’s often cheaper than paying for a house with the work already done. Some final words We know that searching for a home can be daunting. You often need to take a lot of different things into consideration and it can quickly overwhelm you. Luckily, it becomes much easier to manage once you start planning ahead with your finances and realizing the potential in the properties that you’re looking at. With these tips, you’ll be able to secure a great deal on your first home. This could save you a lot of money, effort and hassle for the future.

Buying commercial real estate has the potential to be a great investment. Unlike purchasing a residential home, there is a lot more that goes into a commercial real estate purchase that you might not think about. Using a good brokerage can help take the worry about of your purchase. Unlike buying a residential home, there is a lot less emotion that goes into a commercial real estate purchase and a lot more concentration on the money-making potential. Below are five rules for buying commercial real estate. Know What You Are Looking For When you go to purchase your commercial real estate property, it is important to know exactly what kind of real estate you are looking to purchase. Commercial real estate varies across a few different sectors, so if you are looking to have retail space, you want to make sure you are looking at retail-zoned properties that offer an attractive storefront. Additionally, if you are looking at office buildings, you can look at a more interior style entrance that traditionally gives you more space to offer each business in a lease. Of course, there is always the possibility of purchasing commercial residential properties as well, like a condo building or row of townhomes. This is probably the most straight-forward purchase of all the commercial real estate transactions. 2. Put the Most Emphasis on Location Location is going to be key when purchasing your property. While you can change a lot of things about your property, you can’t physically pick up and move a building, so you want to make sure you have the perfect location when you buy. If you are a retail shop, you want to make sure you are in an area with a lot of foot traffic, so your business survives. Even if you think you found the perfect property in every other aspect, if you aren’t in the right location, your business could fail. If the property is not for your personal business, but instead to rent out, you want to make sure the property is in a desirable area that businesses will want to be in and offers amenities like off-street parking. 3. Secure Financing First Before you begin your journey into buying commercial property it is advantageous to secure your financing. Knowing your credit score can help get you started. This also gives you time to dispute anything you feel is incorrect and can raise your score. Once you know that, checking the interest rates and knowing what kind of loan you want to take out is the next step. Of course, you want to make sure you are getting the very best lending deal possible, so you are paying the least amount in interest and fees. Something that is more common in a commercial real estate transaction is seller financing, where the seller acts as the bank instead of having a traditional mortgage lender. If this is the route you want to go, make sure you have an attorney to double check all of the paperwork and make sure the terms and conditions are favorable. 4. Work with the Right Team Just like a residential real estate agent, partnering with the right team to secure your commercial real estate property is essential. This is the team that is going to scour properties to show you that fit what you are looking for and also are in your budget. They are going to be your second set of eyes when viewing properties and someone you can bounce your questions off of at any time. Commercial real estate can be different than residential in that it doesn’t all hit the market and is available for everyone to view. These brokerages often have large networks that they rely on for off-market information and are privy to seeing properties before they even go up for sale, giving you first dibs at potential property. Additionally, some transactions already come with leases in place. The right brokerage can help you navigate these leases and make sure you are compliant legally and continue to help provide leases after the purchasing transaction is over. 5. Try Not to Be Emotional When you are purchasing a residential property, it is usually the emotional connection that seals the deal. The home feels like something you can see yourself in, and you fall in love. When purchasing commercial real estate, it is best if you can keep emotion out of it. Remember why you are purchasing the property to begin with. If it is for your business, you are naturally going to be a little more emotional about it, but if you are purchasing to rent out to tenants, keeping the emotion out can help you close your deal faster. Remember, this is a business transaction. Purchasing a commercial property can be an exciting time for any investor. Getting through the process quickly and efficiently means you are renting and earning money that much faster.

Have you ever wondered whether your land may be of value to developers? And if so, how to make some money out of it? Whether you own farmland or a large garden, bought a plot of land as an investment or have come into an inheritance, you will be pleased to hear that housing development land has never been in greater demand. We all know why – there’s a national housing crisis on! This means that local councils are actively looking for more land for residential development, putting you in a great position to take advantage of the commercial opportunities of selling your land. Here are four things you need to know about selling land for housing development. Before you get carried away with the prospect of significant financial gain, the first question to get clarity on is whether you have the ‘right’ sort of land that developers might be interested in. Let’s just say that if you own a field in the middle of one of Britain’s 15 National Parks, the site is less likely to be suitable than if your asset is a disused urban plot. That said, cases are very rarely clear cut, so always double-check your assumptions by speaking to an industry expert. A planning consultancy or land development agency should be your first port of call. Some may offer free initial advice, others may charge you for a detailed planning appraisal. The latter can be a useful tool on a site where the suitability for development may not be that obvious and may first need to be established. 2. What are the first steps to sell your land? Whether you are selling your home or a plot of land, professional advice and guidance is a must. According to this property expert, there are 11 steps to getting your land sold, from the initial assessment of your land’s potential through to close cooperation with your land agent to close the deal. Put bluntly, when it comes to land sales, the layman simply doesn’t have the necessary commercial experience or technical knowledge to be a match for professional teams negotiating on behalf of seasoned housebuilders.  In order to get the best deal for your land, you should find yourself a knowledgeable land agent that you can trust to represent your interests and who will guide you through the complex sales process with integrity and plenty of industry experience. Ask other landowners for references and recommendations and choose an agent who will work with you to create a marketing strategy that best suits your financial goals and the particular character of your land. 3. How much can you get for your land? This is where it gets interesting. While a surveyor can give you an informed valuation of your land as is, its real value clearly lies in its development potential. Basically, the site is worth as much as a developer is prepared to pay for it, meaning the value of your land is proportionate to the financial return the buyer can achieve.  In practical terms, the value of a field with planning permission for residential development is calculated as the profit that can be made from selling the individual houses once they’re built. The trick to maximising the value of your land to you, the seller, therefore lies in working with highly experienced land professionals to identify the best land use and development that will be most lucrative for the developer and, by extension, for you. 4. How do you get planning permission for your land? For the seller, the biggest financial gains are made by transforming a piece of land without planning permission into one with planning permission. Getting consent for the right scheme is crucial to maximise the land’s value. Often, developers will want to control the planning process themselves so it can be tailored to the exact product specifications, but it is possible (though risky) to get your own. Below are the most commonly used mechanisms of sale for land transactions: The most straightforward way to dispose of your land and the quickest way to liquidise the asset is by way of an unconditional sale. That way, the land is sold without any conditions other than vacant possession on completion. However, selling the land without planning permission for the buyer to develop the site is unlikely to achieve the maximum value of the land for you. If you are confident that the buyer can make a profit, you may be able to negotiate an additional ‘hope value’, defined by the RICS as ‘an element of market value in excess of the existing use value, reflecting the prospect of some more valuable future use’. A conditional sale subject to planning permission involves a contract whereby the buyer is obliged to pay an agreed price but only when he has succeeded in obtaining planning consent for the land (at his own cost). The land price achieved is likely to be higher than with an unconditional deal since there is much less risk to the developer. Conditional contracts can be useful because they bind both parties to the deal early on. However, deals like this can literally take years to complete, and sometimes never are. If an uncertain wait is not a satisfactory solution for you, you should seek to structure the deal in a different way. Exploring financing options with a reliable private money lender in Singapore can provide alternative solutions to help you navigate through such property transactions with greater flexibility. Option agreements are the most common form of land transaction. It is a way for landowners to realise an increase in land value but without having to get involved in obtaining planning permission. That risk is taken by the developer who has the option to buy the site at any point during an agreed period, either for a pre-arranged price or at reduced market value. Typically, the sale will be triggered by planning permission being received. Negotiating an option agreement will include agreeing