Why invest in the UK?
The UK offers great opportunities for passive income which are not available in many developed and developing cities in the world and ticks all the boxes for investment/wealth creation:
1. Property Prices are Low
2. Rental Demand and Rental Income is High
3.Good legal system (Singapore Law modelled after UK Law)
4.English is the lingua franca (Contracts are in English)
5.Brexit offers the opportunity of a lifetime if you have the know-how
40% of people in the UK rent their homes. With such a strong renting culture, it is a great place to be a landlord. Though prices have risen significantly in central London in recent years, the rest of the UK is only beginning to see the ripple effects of the growth. Did you know that one could buy a 3 bedroom terrace house in many parts of the UK for £130,000? A similar house in Singapore would cost in excess of S$1,500,000 ($1.5 million).
With our extensive network and experienced team in the UK, we buy properties in any market cycle for positive cashflow. Like the story of the golden goose, we collect golden gooses and enjoy the fruits of the golden eggs they lay every month. Because all properties we buy are below market value, stress tested against rises in interest rates and yield a strong positive cashflow each month, we are well positioned for any market correction and will be in no pressure to sell our properties. With our strong business model, the aim is to hold the properties over the long term and leave a legacy to the next generation.
Is my investment safe?
Investments are backed by physical assets. As in the Maslow Hierachy of needs, Property is one of the safest asset classes as people need a place to live in regardless of market condition. In addition, all agreements will be drawn up by professional solicitors to secure the interests of all parties involved.
What are key risks to investing in properties, especially overseas?
1. Developers not completing on projects or going bust, causing investors to lose deposits. We buy existing properties not new builds. A member of our team physically inspects every property we purchase (boots on the ground).
2. Unable to find reliable contractors or builders to carry out renovation works. Afraid they will do a bad job or run away with monies. We use tested and proven teams of builders who professionally manage the renovation project and provide timely updates. A member of our team inspects the property fortnightly during the works to ensure the project is going smoothly.
3. Properties unable to sell or rent out. (This is a common issue for new builds, as hundreds of identical units flood the market at the same time) We use a strict criteria to assess rental demand of our properties.
Bad Tenant issues. Unable to find a good managing agent to manage the rent collection, and general maintenance of the property or an estate agent if they want to sell the property. We manage the properties ourselves, or use a team of tested and proven letting agents who are professionals in vetting tenants even before they enter the property. Our properties are having more than 98% occupancy at any one time. If a sale is required, we appoint estate agents who are local to the area and know us and the property well.
What is the impact of Brexit?
There is a lot of uncertainty in the market. However, the impact is most felt in London whilst our investment areas are still growing and experiencing high demand. We are not speculating for capital gains. Instead, buying properties for cashflow is a recession proof strategy as you are investing for the long term. We view Brexit as a great opportunity that doesn’t come often. As Warren Buffet says, be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful
What if interest rates rise or loans are recalled in market downturns?
We fix our interest rates for the long term. Hence, we are immune to interest rate changes, and enjoy monthly cashflow with peace of mind. If and when property prices go down, our properties are stress tested to ensure it continues to generate a positive income to be able to pay its monthly loan. Properties are also never leveraged more than 75% ensuring a minimum of 25% of equity and margin of safety in the property.