The words investing and property have become rather sullied in recent years and I’m not for one moment going to suggest that you should take a contrarian approach and try and buck the trend in the UK at today’s prices.
The fact is that house prices in particular, still make little or no sense in relation to average earnings figures but are still being propped up by a combination of the property boom hangover and artificially low interest rates. Buy yourself a home if you need one – but not as an investment; not just yet anyway.
Instead, I’m going to suggest two entirely different ways you can invest in property, today in the UK and still make money.
First off, there are lots of Real Estate Investment trusts (REITs) listed on the London Stock Exchange which stand at very healthy discounts to their net asset values, have high yields and are in no danger of going under; their valuations have simply been trashed along with everything else – so do yourself a favour and buy wisely at a discount in the time-honoured tradition of well-known real estate shrewdies like David Lichtenstein.
Just be careful to pick investments with low loan to value (LTV) covenants which aren’t in any real danger of being breached – and which also have deep discounts to their net asset values, a good yield and a decent commercial property portfolio which isn’t dependent on declining industries like High St retail etc.
The alternative is to buy a home which is also going to be a business – or can be turned into one via your own had work – as a guest house, small hotel, B&B or home for holiday letting etc.
If you can live in a nice home whilst simultaneously making it pay its way – it’s an ideal way to invest in property.
Better yet; do both!