House prices peaked this summer but market to settle Throughout the last year house prices have been buoyed by the stamp duty holiday and lockdown restrictions which have caused pent-up demand.

Although the rise cannot be attributed to stamp duty holidays and pent-up demand alone.

House prices increased by 13.2% in the year to June 2021 as people scramble to capitalise on the savings to be made.

Savills for example, once predicted a 0% growth in house prices at the beginning of the year, before revising that figure to 4% and in July revising it upwards again to 9%.

One-bedroom apartments in Michigan Towers start from £175,995 – an attractive price for a new-build in a desirable location.

Conveniently located close to Manors Railway Station and Eldon Square Shopping Centre, apartments in NE1 are ideal for the young professional looking to enjoy Newcastle’s buzzing city centre.

Like many property investment sectors in the UK, hotel rooms come with their own specific appeal that might work for some investors but not for others.

Hotel rooms typically start from around £50,000, depending on the location of the hotel and the size of the room.

The lower entry point makes property investment accessible to those on a limited budget or those who wish to invest smaller amounts in different property sectors or investment types.

Flexibility with buy-back optionsSome hotel room investments offer a buy-back option after a certain number of years.

This offers investors some freedom in the ability to sell, as they are not dependent on another buyer.Drawbacks of buying a hotel room for investmentLack of mortgage optionsAs we have mentioned previously, hotel rooms are classified as commercial property.

The negative effects of lockdown on the tourism industry may extend way into 2021 as the government restricts travel to and from certain countries.Economic crises also impact the hospitality sector.

Cities with well-performing industries will continue to attract young professionals and those established in their careers looking for a place to live.

Property in the northern part of the city centre has gone up considerably in value since regeneration commenced and the average price for city centre property is £224,626.

Average property prices in Salford are typically lower than Manchester at £175,205, but I i’s just a three-mile journey to Manchester city centre and takes around twenty minutes on public transport.Leeds Capital GrowthStrong economic performance in Leeds has led it to feature as a hotspot for capital growth and rental yields and Savills predicts that property in Yorkshire will increase by 21.6% through to 2024 making it a hot spot for those who are investing for capital growth.

Cambridge Capital Growth Aldermore’s buy-to-let tracker was used to calculate price growth in particular areas and found that Cambridge saw the second-highest growth of any city.

It is home to the “Silicon Fen” (sometimes known as the Cambridge Cluster) which is home to many high-tech companies with a focus on software, electronics, and biotechnology, such as ARM and AstraZeneca.

Of course, they all need somewhere to live, and Cambridge’s limited property market means that property is a precious commodity.

Before you even consider a property investment, you should read our ultimate guide on how to invest in property.There are many ways you can access the property market.

There are other ways, you can also invest in a crowdfunding scheme or loan money through peer-to-peer lending.

We will briefly explain how to invest in UK property and outline some of the advantages and disadvantages of each:Buying a propertyThere is an age old saying that an Englishman’s home is his castle.

Many people prefer to buy the actual property, the brick and mortar (as some people say) for the sense of security that they feel from owning the legal title.Having been active in the property industry for more than 11 years and working with a lot of overseas investors from Hong Kong, Middle East, South Africa, Israel and Russia, we are absolutely aware that investors don’t just buy property for the investment returns.

They like the idea of having a foothold in another country and having something tangible, like property.If you are looking to find out more about the UK property purchase process or the differences between the freehold and leasehold ownership, our property investments guides will help empower you with the knowledge you seek.One can find suitable investment properties via online auctions, property portals, estate agents - like One Touch.Buying shares in a listed property companyThe typical available on our website requires a minimum investment of £60,000.

If you do not have that sort of budget, then purchasing shares in a listed property company may be a way to access the property market with less capital.

A lack of lorry drivers has meant that some stations have a shortage of fuel  A lack of HGV drivers is impacting the supply chain and effective transportation of fuel across the UK.

The lack of drivers has also led to gaps in supermarket shelves.The shortage of drivers has had a knock-on effect on the availability of fuel at some petrol stations.

BP announced that several of its stations have closed and up to 100 of its stations were short of at least one grade of fuel.

Esso have said a “small number” of its Tesco forecourts have been affected.There is a shortage of around 100,000 HGV drivers in the UK, caused partly by Covid and partly by Brexit.

Long hours, and a lack of facilities to bathe and rest in the UK has made it difficult to recruit new drivers.

What is the government doing to combat the problem?The government has recently announced its intention to issue 5,000 temporary visas to truck drivers to ease labour shortages, but industry bodies are arguing that it does not go far enough to address the problem.

The average annual salary was £1079, so the cost of a house was essentially less than four times average yearly income.

These are some of the government actions over recent decades that have contributed to the housing crisis we have today, and how house prices rose and fell abruptly due to financial crises and lenient lending criteria.

The policy existed before the 80s and allowed council house tenants the opportunity to buy their home, but Thatcher introduced legislation to heavily discount existing stock through the Housing Act of 1980.

In 1999 only 50 new houses were built by councils, and the ability for councils to build houses and access funds was limited by the 1988 Housing Act.

Since that time, private house building has been the biggest contributor to stock due to constraints councils were facing.In 2010 house building figures reached their lowest figure since 1946 of 135,990 and has declined ever since.

In 2013 the figure was 135,590, and the low completion rate of new homes has caused significant pressure on supply as the UK’s population had continued to grow.The government has set itself a figure of building 300,000 new homes per year to keep up with demand.

In a recent housing market report commissioned by Barclays 47% of respondents said that biggest potential advantage of co-living to reduce their housing costs.

It is also worth noting that tenants are usually on separate contracts, so if one tenant decides to give notice landlords will still be receiving income from the others.

Whereas if a landlord is letting a property to one family or household, if they decide to move the landlord is more at risk of a void period if they cannot immediately find a replacement.

The preferred lettings management company renews the tenancies every six months, so there is a reduced vacancy rate as the landlord is always made aware of changing circumstances.

Landlords are generally responsible for repairs, arranging HMO licensing, and negotiating tenancy agreements.

When non-essential shops were closed shopping online was a necessity, but it seems as though more and more people are recognising the convenience, especially as the high street’s demise means that other options are limited.

Buy to let property can be profitable, but you must be mindful of the taxes that you will have to pay, which will impact your revenue.

The current threshold is £125,000 for residential properties and £150,000 for non-residential land and properties.

0% will apply to the first £125,000, 2% will apply to the portion between £125,001 - £250,000 and stamp duty will be applied at 5% to the portion between £250,001 - £400,000.Stamp duty is applied differently to first time buyers and those buying a second property.

One can reduce buy to let stamp duty by purchasing student property or care homes rooms because it is commercial property and the stamp duty exempt under £150,000 purchase price.To explore the options in more detail you may benefit from learning more about the fundamentals of the student market and whether care homes are worth investing in.It is worth noting that until March 2021 there is a stamp duty holiday.

What is investor stamp duty?Those looking to buy an additional property, either as a second home or as a buy to let, must pay an additional 3% stamp duty for each band as well as current rates.

It is otherwise known as second home stamp duty.Married couples are considered one entity, so stamp duty would be applicable if either party purchased residential property.

Have lockdowns and restrictions impacted how young people develop in their formative years Throughout adolescence and early adulthood, people are not only undergoing physical changes but also learning how to interact with the world around them.

During early adulthood individuals start to form relationships and reach critical milestones such as starting a family.

One of the main ways young people formed close bonds was through their place of study.

The final deadline to apply for up to five courses was the 30th June, and by that time there were 682,010 applicants.

It was also a record-breaking year in terms of A-level results in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as well, with 44.8% of students being awarded A* or A grades.

Lancaster University for example ranks 10th overall in the 2021 Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide yet suffers from a lack of purpose-built student accommodation close to the campus.

Couple this with its rich history as a Roman outpost, a home to Vikings, its character-filled streets of magnificent Medieval homes and gothic York Minster and you have a pressing need for varied accommodation options within those 13th Century walls.

Located under ten minutes away from the city’s key business areas and the facilities, eateries and attractions of central York itself, Icona York boasts 32 one and two-bedroom apartments across five floors, with a communal rooftop, gym and dedicated concierge service.

The city is also home to the largest Roman Amphitheatre in the country, the oldest racecourse and a 1,000-year-old cathedral boasting some of the finest examples of medieval carvings in Europe.

The savings that this form of accommodation can provide - including the provision of self-catering in the fully-equipped kitchen - will allow for more shopping in Chester’s famous 700-year-old Rows galleries or a day out at Chester Zoo, the UK’s most popular attraction outside the capital.

Families of four should expect to pay around £560 for four nights for a one-bedroom city-centre serviced apartment in the peak season of mid-August.

Coastal getaways in the UKCoastal towns are also extremely popular getaway spots in the UK, with popularity peaking over the summer months and during school holidays as families flock to enjoy the beaches in the sunshine.

The leaseholder will pay a ground rent which was historically less than £250 per annum or a peppercorn rent.

This has led to some homeowners being unable to move and saddled with hefty rent to pay and an unmortgageable home.

Leaseholders will be able to extend their leasehold title to 990 years and not have to pay any ground rent thereafter.

The leasehold reform will only affect England and Wales, as property in Scotland is owned on a freehold basis and in Northern Ireland ground rent is redeemable.

For investors, owning the freehold may help boost rental yields, and it is part of the reason why Scottish investment property in cities such as Edinburgh is so coveted.

Located within Edinburgh's New Town, it is within walking distance of Edinburgh Waverley Railway Station, Edinburgh's financial centre and Edinburgh Castle.

A lack of formal agreement meant there was uncertainty regarding the status of prospective EU students studying in the UK, including fees they would have to pay and what visas they would need afterwards to remain in the UK.

In March 2020, the UK government enforced a national lockdown to curb the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Increase in overall applications to UK universities  The 2020/21 year saw a marked 13.5% drop in EU student applications, which was somewhat surprising as it was the last year that students from the European Union would be eligible for home fee status, where they would pay lower fees.

According to UCAS, by the January 2021 deadline for applications, the number of EU applicants stood at 26,010 which is down from 43,030 the previous year.

There were 130,000 university applications from Chinese students, who are over 2.2 times more likely to live in purpose-built student accommodation than domestic students.

Student accommodation occupation  Occupation dipped slightly in the 2020/21 year due to lockdown restrictions and people either forced to move out of their accommodation or postponing their studies.

The recent surge in public attention to environmental issues has pushed the property industry to consider sustainability   Why Sustainability?

This has been demonstrated by the changes a growing number of people are making to their lifestyle, including limiting meat consumption, going vegan, buying sustainable clothing, and opting for more environmentally friendly modes of transport.

The plans for the site include a 9-storey, 120 apartment building with a private roof terrace for residents and shared roof space.

Investors looking at Manchester as a place to invest in property should consider reading our best areas to invest in Manchester property article which details areas that have seen large amounts of capital growth and areas where there is still room for growth.

It was previously one of the last expanses of South London that was yet to see any regeneration, but focus was shifted when developers recognised its wealth of amenities and good transport links.

Inside, the 101 George Street scheme is expected to house 346 build-to-rent apartments benefitting from views as far reaching as the Shard.

You may choose to purchase through a company, in which case you would need to take out a limited company buy-to-let mortgage.

Mortgage availability and criteria also differs if you are based overseas, so your location should be considered before applying for certain mortgages.

This differs from a buy-to-let mortgage, which hinges on different factors such as the rental income you expect to generate from the property.

You will typically need to be receiving around 125 – 145% of your mortgage costs in rental payments.Lenders will also consider how many properties you have in your portfolio, as the more properties you own the more difficult it is to obtain finance.

If you own over 4 properties, you are considered a “portfolio landlord” and you will be subject to stricter regulations.Some lenders will stipulate that you can only have a certain number of properties in your portfolio.

Others base their decision on the loan to value ratio, and others demand that the ICR for every property be above a certain percentage.Most buy to let mortgage lenders would require you to be earning your own income too, this minimises their risk as you still have a possible way to afford mortgage repayments.Buy to let mortgages for first time buyers It is possible for first-time buyers to obtain a buy to let mortgage, but you may need a larger deposit.

Should you be considering areas with good levels of personal wellbeing for your next investment and how do you uncover these areas?People Moving from London to Manchester was Commonplace for those Searching for Better Life Satisfaction  In recent years, many have moved away from London and Manchester has been the preferred destination.

According to “The Economist’s Global Livability Scale”, based on factors such as environment, healthcare, education, culture and infrastructure, Manchester ranked 35th in 2018 and 38th in 2019.

The Economist’s Global Livability Scale ranks 140 worldwide cities on issues such as social stability, crime rates, education, and healthcare.

How Do Commuter Towns and Villages Measure Up Against Cities in Terms of Life Satisfaction?

As people are packed tightly into dense living spaces, being disturbed by neighbours is commonplace and can affect quality of sleep or relaxation.

Yet its average fared poorly and was the lowest of all areas compared at 7.48.