Time to strike

London has long fostered a certain aspirational prosperity, especially when it comes to property ownership. Rian Strauss from Strauss Realty explains why now is a prime time for prospective buyers to take the investment plunge.

Exciting times are at play at present in the London property market. Certain districts are showing double digit growth, whilst others have witnessed a similar wind-down in values over the past twelve months.

­This presents a number of opportunities to potential investors. A quota of sellers are keen to secure a speedy exit strategy – from those who have overextended on their property portfolios and are unable to initiate new investments, through to individuals who are unsure about where the market is heading and wish to cash in and leave early.

Industry forecasts for growth in the near term make for slim pickings, which has put many speculators on the back foot. Others meanwhile, have adopted a ‘wait and see’ strategy. This indecisiveness means that a significant proportion of the current ‘buying competition’ is out of the marketplace.

Add to this equation, the ever-acute housing shortage that the capital faces. Demand far exceeds supply – reasonably priced properties are selling fast, many before they even make it onto the open market. High-value stock has a promising outlook, and well-informed buyers know this only too well.

To put this in context - the current government target supply of new housing in London is 64,935 homes per year, yet the average net-supply of new homes in London over the past ten years has reached just 13,145, according to data from London Housing White paper and DCLG.

With this scenario come three crucial elements; a large cohort of motivated sellers, a similar number of lacklustre buyers, and a shortage of suitable housing stock. ­This opens the door for long-term investors who are less driven by short term gains and more interested in the long-term prospects, both in terms of capital growth and cash flow from property.

For this segment of the market – now is an opportune time to strike. While many of those offers will be rejected – not all will follow the same fate. It’s those successful transactions that will help secure the success and quality of future property portfolios. To help find those unique opportunities – there’s no better representation than Strauss Realty.