Kent - A good county in which to invest in new property

Wednesday 1st February 2012

KENT COUNTY – A PLACE TO ENJOY

Kent is a huge county with miles of open countryside, a large coastal region, superb towns and an ever increasing network of road and rail links to London and Europe. The county has maintained its appeal of picturesque villages and fields with iconic Oast Houses coupled with vibrant towns such as Maidstone, Canterbury, Ashford and Tunbridge Wells all having unique charms; which is why it is such a sought after county in which to live.

NEW HOMES OFFER CHEAPER RUNNING COSTS

Modern homes are highly insulated. Not only does it make them very pleasant in which to live, it also ensures a noticeable reduction for owners in their heating bills.

“We are increasingly looking at adding sustainable features such as solar panels and log burners”, says Dean Markall Sales and Marketing Director at Hillreed Homes, the largest private housebuilding company in Kent.

“These clever innovations give owners an immediate benefit whereas with owners of older style properties there are payback periods of several years before a financial benefit clicks in”.


HOMES WITH HIGH SUSTAINABILITY FEATURES TO HAVE ADDED VALUE WHICH IS GOOD NEWS FOR BUYERS

Jennifer Welch, Operations Director, RICS North says, “ This new information paper from the Government offers advice to our members, recommending that they are fully aware of sustainability policy and the characteristics of individual buildings when valuing property”.

This if very good news as it is asking valuers to recognise eco friendly, easy to maintain, sustainable homes and to be valued accordingly, continues Dean.

House buyers will subsequently feel the benefit of a valuer’s appreciation of what a new property has to offer when appraising a property.


AVERAGE PROPERTY PRICES IN KENT

Kent is a huge county covering a wide variety of living environments from  coastal to industrial, newly created urban centres to pretty ancient villages plus a choice of vibrant towns and of course Blue Water; a centre of excellence from eateries and entertainment to major designer and chain stores.

Prices of homes can therefore vary tremendously but if we take for example a five mile radius of the County Town of Maidstone the average price of a brand new two bedroom apartment is around £192,000 which will yield an average return of around £850 pcm.

A three bedroom detached house would be marketed around £300,000 as a brand new build and would secure the landlord an annual rental figure of around £1100 pcm.

This shows an excellent return, due in no small measure to the superb road and rail network of which Kent residents are duly proud.

SITE VISITS UP BY 26% AND SALES BY 22%
JAN 2012 COMPARED TO SAME PERIOD IN 2011.

Hillreed Homes has seen an increase of 26% in the numbers visiting active sites which encompasses Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire comparing Jan 2011 with Jan 2012. Sales have increase by 22%, January 2012 against January 2011. These are good signs of a strengthening market particularly so early in 2012.

INVESTMENT AND RENTAL POTENTIAL

It is cheaper to buy than rent and properties in the UK invariably rise in value over the years proving that an investment in property is a sound one, particularly with the current low interest rates.

If buying for the rental potential then Kent is an excellent choice as there is a steady demand for accommodation in the South East particularly where there is good access to transport facilities – and Kent can certainly boast those.
 
HILLREED HOMES