UK investments do not end with London

By Andrew Batt:Opportunities to invest in United Kingdom property do not start and end with London - that's the message that one Scotland-based property investment and management company will be telling Singapore-based expats and Singaporean property investors at an event later this month.Grant Property, headquartered in Edinburgh, is exhibiting at Pan Pacific Hotel in Singapore on January 26 following a successful stint in the country in late 2012. At that time they secured 50 new foreign clients - all looking to invest in traditional homes in Scotland's largest cities. The company expects even more new clients from this trip on the back of increasing demand for UK property from Southeast Asian buyers.

Headed by Peter Grant, the Chief Executive Officer of Grant Property, the exhibition trip is hoped to net the business a significant return.

He said: "Our main targets this time round are expats and savvy local Singaporeans because they understand the significance of having a Scottish rental property as part of their property portfolio. In comparison to new build properties in England, namely London, traditional builds in Scotland are far more lucrative. In Scotland you get more for your money."

He added: "You get to buy a reasonably priced quality investment located in a city centre where high occupancy rates and yields of approximately 7 percent and above can be expected. There really is no better option in the UK at the moment and that includes London."

According to a recent Halifax House Prices Index report, the average house price in Scotland is currently sitting at £110,187 (S$215,733) against a UK average of £160,345 (S$313,948). Joe and Natalie Carter, Singapore-based investment clients of Grant Property, are a couple who look forward to benefiting from Peter's expertise in the buoyant rental property market in Scotland.

Commenting on their rationale as to why they chose to invest in Scotland, they said: "We were interested to return to the UK property market and following comprehensive research, and advice from Peter and the Grant Property team, we decided to explore the Scotland property market as an interesting investment alternative to the premiums of investing in the London market."

"As a result of this advice, we chose to invest in property in Edinburgh. Instead of opting to buy new builds, Peter encouraged us to focus on traditional homes close to Scotland's major universities which meant we would always have a healthy tenant pool. Scottish universities continue to be amongst some of the most sought after tertiary education institutions in the UK, and where there is a steady inflow of students there are always potential tenants. The high yields and occupancy rates were highly attractive and that is what sold it for us." Andrew Batt, International Group Editor of PropertyGuru, wrote this story. To contact him about this or other stories email andrew@allproperty.com.sg Related Stories:Singapore sales start for Battersea Power Station

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