United Kingdom Property Investment For Sale

"Investment by overseas buyers in the UK and particularly London continues to climb."

The United Kingdom may be a small country in terms of land mass but it encompasses a myriad of diverse geographical landscapes and regional cultural variations. From the highlands of Scotland and the hills of Wales to the beaches of the West Country and the multicultural diversity of its major cities, the UK is a country of variety and vibrancy.

For many the capital London, with its historical buildings, galleries, theatres, financial centre and Royal associations epitomises everything that is British.  London also continues to lead the way when it comes to property prices in the UK – far outstripping any other area in terms of demand, price increases and rental returns.  Foreign property investment in London has pushed prices to record levels and as one of the most prestigious and popular capital cities in the world, the London property market looks set to continue to appreciate for the next few years.  With planning laws strict it means that it is expensive and difficult to add to the capital’s housing stock and with plentiful jobs and an excellent infrastructure many will continue to invest in what is considered a safe haven in property terms.

Outside London the market varies considerably from area to area but in general terms the UK property sector continues to be a safe and robust investment option based on the simple economics of strong demand. Great Britain is a small island with a big population and a stagnant construction industry, which is creating a significant lack of supply.
 

Geography

The United Kingdom is situated in Western Europe and is a collection of Islands that includes the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland.  The country sits between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, Northwest of France.

It is a nation of much geographical diversity with rugged hills, low mountains to flat rolling plains in the east and southeast.  With a temperate climate and vast coastline, the United Kingdom has a wide variety of urban styles and developments from quintessentially romantic medieval villages to the architecturally splendid cities from Edinburgh in the Scottish north to the capital, London, with its numerous historical landmarks.

Government

The United Kingdom has been of the most influential countries in the development of parliamentary democracy and thanks to its long political history and the reach of the British Empire, which at its high in the 19th century stretched over one-fourth of the earth’s surface, and its present day Commonwealth, has put its stamp on politics in countries across the globe. Britain also has the world’s most famous and influential constitutional monarchies.

Language

The English language originated in the United Kingdom and therefore is the official language, although regional languages exist such as Welsh, Irish ans Scottish Gaelic. 

Standard of Living
As one of the richest countries in the world the United Kingdom has an enviable standard of living although much of this is concentrated in the south east around the capital London.  The country also has one of the best social welfare systems in the world.  However not everyone in the UK enjoys a good standard of living and around 22% of the population live below the proverty line.

With the second largest economy in Europe after Germany, the United Kingdom is a leading trading power and a key financial centre with banking, insurance and business services accounting for a large percentage of GDP.  The sixth largest economy in the world, the United Kingdom has a thriving tourist industy and London has more international visitors than any city in the world.

Although the service industries dominate the economy, the UK has a healthy automotive and aerospace industry, the world's third largest pharmaceutical industry and one of the most intensive and highly mechanised and efficient, by european standards, agricultural industries which produces over 60% of the countries needs with less than 2% of the total labour force.  The UK also has large coal, natural gas and oil resources although these are declining.

Key industries:

Manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, food, beverages, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, financials services, tourism, automotive and aerospace industries, agriculture
 

London

London continues to dominate the real estate market within the United Kingdom thanks to a huge demand from overseas buyers who consider it one of the safest places to invest in.  Although price rises in the capital slow periodically, the upward trajectory of prices in central London is predicted to continue for some time.

South East England and beyond

Moving outside the capital the key to investment is location location.

Those areas that are highly desireable in terms of commutability and with good schools or are renowned as beauty spots are going to fare well.

Even though the bottom of the market is still struggling, the UK property sector continues to be a safe and robust investment option based on the simple economics of supply and demand.  The UK is a small island with a big population and a stagnant construction industry, which is creating a significant lack of supply.

There are still healthy profits to be made in the UK market by trading rather than just relying on growth.  Buying at the right price; refurbishing quickly then selling on is the key.