Month: April 2017

Baldock’s ‘Generation Trapped’ and the £712.9m legacy

Last week, I wrote an article on the plight of the Baldock 20 something’s often referred to by the press as ‘Generation Rent’. Attitudes to renting have certainly changed over the last twenty years and as my analysis suggested, this change is likely to be permanent. In the article, whilst a minority of this Generation Rent feel trapped, the majority don’t – making renting a choice not a predicament. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) predicted that the private rental sector is likely to grow substantially by 1.8m households across the UK in the next 8 years, with demand for rental property unlikely to slow and newly formed households continuing to choose the rental market as opposed to buying. However, my real concern for Baldock homeowners and Baldock landlords alike, is our mature members of the population of Baldock.  Currently OAP’s (65+ yrs in age) in Baldock are sitting on £418.7m of residential property.  However, what about the ‘Baby

read more Baldock’s ‘Generation Trapped’ and the £712.9m legacy

‘Generation Rent (Forever)’ – 591 Baldock Tenants have no intention of ever buying a property to call home

The good old days of the 1970’s and 1980’s eh … with such highlights lowlights as 24% inflation, 17% interest rates, 3 day working week, 13% unemployment, power cuts … those were the days (not)… but at least people could afford to buy their own home. So why aren’t the 20 and 30 something’s buying in the same numbers as they were 30 or 40 years ago? Many people blame the credit crunch and global recession of 2008, which had an enormous impact on the Baldock (and UK) housing market. Predominantly, the 20 something first-time buyers who, confronting a problematic mortgage market, the perceived need for big deposits, reduced job security and declining disposable income, discovered it challenging to assemble the monetary means to get on to the Baldock property ladder. However, I would say there has been something else at play other than the issue of raising a deposit – having sufficient income and rising property prices in Baldock.

read more ‘Generation Rent (Forever)’ – 591 Baldock Tenants have no intention of ever buying a property to call home

‘Flipping heck – Baldock’s property values rise by £41.58 a day!

Investing in Baldock buy to let property is different from investing in the stock market or depositing your hard earned cash in a  Building Society. When you invest your money in a Building Society, this is considered by many as the safe option but the returns you can achieve are awfully low (the best 2-year bond rate from Nationwide is a whopping 0.75% a year!). Another investment is the Stock Market, which can give good returns, but unless you are on the phone every day to your Stockbroker, most people invest in stock market funds, making the investment quite hands off and one always has the feeling of not being in control. However, with buy to let, things can be more hands on. One of the things many landlords like is the tactile nature of property – the fact that you can touch the bricks and mortar. It is this factor that attracts many of Baldock’s landlords – they are

read more ‘Flipping heck – Baldock’s property values rise by £41.58 a day!