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The State of Melbourne and Sydney Property Markets

Categories:Reading and Research
Property investment is viable in Brisbane as the market is more affordable than Melbourne & Sydney, and has entered into an expansionary/ growth phase.

Speculations on the Melbourne & Sydney property market following the Australia Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) latest figures on home prices in the June quarter, have been pretty disparate.

According to the ABS, Melbourne & Sydney had posted home price rises of more than 1% in the June quarter, with prices rising by almost 9% in Sydney – more than twice Melbourne’s 4.2% gain. This comes on the back of a tighter regulatory environment, including the crackdown on errant foreign investors.

Experts from Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs have pointed out that a recession could be imminent as auctions for homes in Sydney and Melbourne soften.

Conversely, some of Australia’s leading economists say that there is no bursting bubble in the near future, predicting that Melbourne & Sydney could enjoy strong growth this coming year. An exclusive Fairfax Media survey of 25 leading economic forecasters reveals that most believe house prices have risen for fundamental economic reasons and NOT over-exuberance from investors.

Apparently, only a third of economists (7 out of 25) believe that there is a housing bubble in Sydney or parts of Melbourne.

Despite the woes of rising house prices, housing investment is deemed the only really bright spot and, perhaps, the wisest option for saving.

However, it seems that the more widely held view is that growth is set to moderate. UBS economist Scott Haslem says that the banks see a “moderation of strength”, not a “downturn”, and that “the outlook for housing depends on who and what you ask” while at the same time cautioning that some factors are hard to quantify.

At the end of the day, it is imperative that you read and do your research while keeping in mind the various methodologies used by the different experts in interpreting data. Be sure to questions and talk to as many people as possible to make informed decisions.

There is, for sure, a sound alternative. The housing market in Perth and Brisbane are more affordable, with prices expected to appreciate as they enter into an expansionary/ growth phase in the property cycle.

Looking for Australian property? Need to speak to someone? Call us at 03-2162 2260.

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CSI Prop proudly promotes international investment property with high yields at low risk. Our portfolio comprises residential property in cities across the United Kingdom (London, Luton, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, York, Glasgow, Scotland; Sheffield, etc); Australia (Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane) and Thailand (Bangkok). Our projects are concentrated in high-growth areas with great educational, infrastructural and job growth potentials. We aspire to make a difference in the lives of our clients by helping them achieve their investment goals through strong market research backed by third party experts. 

Disclaimer: CSI Prop does not provide tax & legal advice and accepts no liability. Readers are encouraged to consult a qualified tax or legal advisor for a thorough review.

Need advice or clarification? Call us for more information and/or to find out about our projects! Hotline: 03-2162 2260

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Capital Gains and Depreciation Facts for Australia Property Investors

Categories:Reading and Research

If you have invested in, or are planning to invest in property in Australia, it may be useful to find out about Capital Gains Tax (CGT).

CGT was introduced in Sept 20, 1985 and is the tax payable on the difference between the cost of a purchased asset and the amount received for that same asset upon disposal. In property investor-speak, this simply means the difference between the original purchase price of a property (includes capital buying costs) and the price the property is sold for (includes selling costs).

An investor claiming property depreciation can affect a change in the cost base, thus changing capital gain or loss. What implications does this hold for the investor? Would you like to find out the following:

1. What is property depreciation?
2. How do capital works deductions affect CGT?
3. How does plant and equipment depreciation affect CGT?
4. What CGT exemptions apply for a principal place of residence?
5. Are property investors eligible for a discount?
6. Is it still worthwhile claiming property depreciation if it will later add to the capital gain?

Click here to know more.

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CSI Prop proudly promotes international investment property with high yields at low risk. Our portfolio comprises residential property in cities across the United Kingdom (London, Luton, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, York, Glasgow, Scotland; Sheffield, etc); Australia (Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane) and Thailand (Bangkok). Our projects are concentrated in high-growth areas with great educational, infrastructural and job growth potentials. We aspire to make a difference in the lives of our clients by helping them achieve their investment goals through strong market research backed by third party experts. 

Disclaimer: CSI Prop does not provide tax & legal advice and accepts no liability. Readers are encouraged to consult a qualified tax or legal advisor for a thorough review.

Need advice or clarification? Call us for more information and/or to find out about our projects! Hotline: 03-2162 2260

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The Changing Face of Melbourne

Categories:Reading and Research

There’s no denying Melbourne’s reputation as the Most Liveable City in the World. Bestowed on this beautiful city four times, this ranking holds merit, evidenced by the population growth over the years. What was once a backwater town has boomed into a world class city.

And there’s no stopping this growth, by the looks of it: Melbourne is slated to overtake Sydney as the biggest city in Australia in the near future. What does this mean and what solutions are being explored to accommodate such growth?

7 News highlights this in their special two-part report:

Part 1: 7 News | The Changing Face of Melbourne 

Part 2: 7 News | The Changing Face of Melbourne 

An increased population will lead to a continual sprawl in the city and drive the demand for housing. And as migrants continue to move into Melbourne, there will be a greater need for rental accommodation.

Timing is just as important as location and other factors when it comes to investment. Are you now thinking of exploring options in Australia?

Need advice? Call 016-228 9150 or 016-228 8691 to arrange for free consultation at your convenience.

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CSI Prop promotes international investment property to investors in Malaysia and Singapore. Our portfolio comprises residential property in cities across the United Kingdom (London, Luton, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, York, Glasgow, Scotland; Sheffield) and Australia (Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane). Our projects are concentrated in high-growth areas with great educational, infrastructural and job growth potentials. We aspire to make a difference in the lives of our clients by helping them achieve their investment goals through strong market research backed by third party experts. 

Disclaimer: CSI Prop does not provide tax & legal advice and accepts no liability. Readers are encouraged to consult a qualified tax or legal advisor for a thorough review.

Need advice or clarification? Call us for more information and/or to find out about our projects! Hotline: 03-2162 2260

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2015 Statistics: Best Buy-to-Let Investment in the UK

Categories:Reading and Research

The ringgit has plunged. You’ve been saving diligently but the value of your savings is a fraction of what it once was. So you’ve decided to take matters into your own hands – you are investing in rental property to hedge against the ringgit (and get something back for your investment!).

Best Buy-to-let Investments in the UK

Congratulations! A wise decision, indeed.  But, where to invest?

Back to basics: invest in property located in countries/locations with

  1. stronger currency
  2. stronger economy
  3. job growth
  4. education opportunities

This help increases the value and ‘rentability’ of a property.

For most landlords with one or two properties, the key to success is capital growth. If the property you invest in grows in value, you will increase your total profits.

One market that has remained a haven for property investors is the UK. But, as London property prices soar higher and yields go lower, property in cities outside London are now showing great yield potential. The Brits, themselves, are beginning to look outwards of London as well. These places, really, are where you should put your money.

If you haven’t done your homework yet, take a look at HSBC’s annual research on rental yields around Britain. Their data show that Manchester is leading the pack on rental yields. The report has listed several profitable locations for investment.

London-lovers, don’t worry… HSBC has done a survey on rental yields in the various pockets of London, too. Read more here: http://bit.ly/1J5P4co

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CSI Prop proudly promotes international investment property with high yields at low risk. Our portfolio comprises residential property in cities across the United Kingdom (London, Luton, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, York, Glasgow, Scotland; Sheffield, etc); Australia (Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane) and Thailand (Bangkok). Our projects are concentrated in high-growth areas with great educational, infrastructural and job growth potentials. We aspire to make a difference in the lives of our clients by helping them achieve their investment goals through strong market research backed by third party experts. 

Disclaimer: CSI Prop does not provide tax & legal advice and accepts no liability. Readers are encouraged to consult a qualified tax or legal advisor for a thorough review.

Need advice or clarification? Call us for more information and/or to find out about our projects! Hotline: 03-2162 2260

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Student Property: Where in the UK?

Categories:Reading and Research

Lifestyle: While centrally located digs matter to university students,  facilities like quality living space, high-speed bandwidth and communal sections that encourage optimum interaction are now highly ranked, too.

Where in the UK to invest?

If there’s one thing that has UK Inc. stamped all over, it’s Britain’s world-class education. Yep, British universities are in rip-roaring health as eager beavers continue to cram the hallowed halls of renowned UK institutions, while other industries suffer.

Knight Frank and Savills have both reported that student property now stands as the fastest-growing property sector in the UK, with demand consistently exceeding supply. Indeed. There are some 2.3 million students (and counting) in the UK now, and the number of international students is predicted to rise by 20% – 30% in the next 5 years according to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in 2013. These are amazing times for investment!

It is, however, crucial to invest wisely.

Putting your money in any old property located within minutes from a city area, isn’t the way to go. You won’t get great returns investing in student digs in townships where unknown universities are located. Conversely, it is cities like Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield that have been touted as the best places to invest in UK student property. One common thread shared between these cities is that they each serve as the location for a Russell Group University. As a rule, universities that rise rapidly in the UK league tables attract higher enrolment, thus creating greater demand for accommodation. Ergo, the more renowned the university, the stronger the rental market.

Cambridge university students, for instance, are brainy and make formidable cash cows. The university is constantly expanding; the city population is expected to increase by more than 20 per cent in the next 10 years, driving the student rental sector in the area to boom. Newcastle is another example. The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) has ranked Newcastle University (another Russell Group Uni) as5th in employability, top 12 for research power in science and engineering and 8th for medical research power. It is also one of the largest universities in the whole of UK with more than 31,000 students from 130 countries.

It is also prudent to invest in student accommodation built by credible developers that have vast experience in the business.  At the risk of being repetitive, we prefer developers that build where top universities are located, and with enough monetary clout to develop on a site that’s mere minutes’ walk away from universities, city centres and amenities – i.e. where demand is highest.

Purpose Built Student Accommodation

Which is why Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) has been increasing in popularity.As global, regional and virtual boundaries continue to blur, students want to remain connected. In this hurry-up world, they want to have anything and be anywhere, instantly. Research shows that students have become more discerning, and want to be treated like true customers. Thus, while prime locations matter, facilities like quality living space, high-speed bandwidth and communal sections that encourage optimum interaction are now highly ranked, too.

This bodes well for the mass investor market. PBSAs – formerly the domain of institutional investors – is now the focus of the smart individual investor because, with the right developer, the rewards are enormous. VITA Student, the luxury student accommodation development arm of UK’s renowned Select Property Group, has had 10 years’ experience in the market, with their projects fetching annual rental yields of up to 10% and guaranteed returns of minimum 7% for five years.

Thank you for reading this article, Student Property: Where In The UK? Please share it by using the social media buttons below.

Further Reading:

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CSI Prop proudly promotes international investment property with high yields at low risk. Our portfolio comprises residential property in cities across the United Kingdom (London, Luton, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, York, Glasgow, Scotland; Sheffield, etc); Australia (Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane) and Thailand (Bangkok). Our projects are concentrated in high-growth areas with great educational, infrastructural and job growth potentials. We aspire to make a difference in the lives of our clients by helping them achieve their investment goals through strong market research backed by third party experts. 

Disclaimer: CSI Prop does not provide tax & legal advice and accepts no liability. Readers are encouraged to consult a qualified tax or legal advisor for a thorough review.

Need advice or clarification? Call us for more information and/or to find out about our projects! Hotline: 03-2162 2260

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Property Investment Tips

Categories:Reading and Research

There’s been a lot of on investment these days. Unit trust, the stock market, shares, fixed deposits, land, agar wood – anything, it seems, can be a form of investment. The key, though, is to invest wisely and with the occasional derring-do. Get this equation right, and you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank.

Perhaps the safest, risk-free form of investment with sure returns is property investment. The stock market is an unplumbed avenue with far too much risk. Unit trust is not tangible; fixed deposit interests are negligible and agar wood is, well, only for the true believer JProperty investment is, by contrast, predictable, tangible, easily understood.

Here’s why: with the booming global population comes a growing need for food and industry which translates to an increase in the need for jobs, schools and higher learning institutions. This has a direct effect on housing. And as such, buying property for rental can be a great source of income.

The thing is where and what to buy. Buying locally for investment is not quite an option – at least not in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore – what with the respective federal governments tightening the noose on housing regulations, and property prices skyrocketing at an absurd pace and altitude.

The alternative is to invest in property overseas. We are firm believers of buying in locations where there is job and industry growth, schools and higher learning institutions, and where the local municipality/councils are making concerted efforts to improve the locality.

Property Investment Tips

Here are some helpful property investment tips, especially if you are a first-timer.

 

• Follow the money

Again: buy in locations where there is job and industry growth, schools and higher learning institutions, and where the local municipality/councils are making concerted effort to improve the locality.

 

• Leave the past in the past

Just because a certain place is new or never had a great reputation in the past, doesn’t mean it has not or won’t improve. We could name some not-so-desirable places off the cuff that are now booming or starting to: Jurong and PasirRis in Singapore; Sentul and Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur (on that note: did you know that Bangsar used be water-logged, full of rats and flood-prone at one time? It’s now one of the most expensive places in KL!); Gastown in Downtown Vancouver, Canada, and more.

Don’t be quick to accept what others say of a certain location. Just because it looked bad when they visited 10 – 20 years ago, doesn’t mean things have not changed.

You want to research and find out what the local councils have planned for expansion of the area, what improvements have taken place and are taking place in the future, and the developers that are zooming in on the area.

 

• Buy the type of property that is most “lettable”

In some places, two-bedroom houses and flats appeal to the widest range of potential tenants. Try not to go for large family homes.

 

• Don’t be restricted to your own immediate area/ expensive areas only

Just because the property price in your area is expensive, doesn’t mean it will fetch good rental prices. Property in some towns located further away may cost cheaper, but will fetch a better rental yield. Cheaper purchase price, but higher rental price – you do the math. Make your money count.

 

• Ensure the locale is a thriving one for tenants

Convenience – supermarkets, nearby universities, walking distance to amenities… these are where demand will be highest.

 

• A letting agency is a good thing

Do your homework and allow your property be managed by a good letting agency. This way, your property is well-managed and hassle-free.

 

• Check out the developer

It is prudent to invest in property developed by a developer with sound credentials. This is not to say that you ignore new developers entirely just because they have no company track record. While it may be the case of luck or trial by error when it comes to new developers, you might want to pay attention to their joint venture partners, financials, and/or study their choices in location.

 

Thank you for reading our property investment tips. Please share this article using the social buttons below. For more tips, check out http://bit.ly/1Enykco

Next: Student Accommodation. Why?

Previous: UK Inc.

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CSI Prop proudly promotes international investment property with high yields at low risk. Our portfolio comprises residential property in cities across the United Kingdom (London, Luton, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, York, Glasgow, Scotland; Sheffield, etc); Australia (Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane) and Thailand (Bangkok). Our projects are concentrated in high-growth areas with great educational, infrastructural and job growth potentials. We aspire to make a difference in the lives of our clients by helping them achieve their investment goals through strong market research backed by third party experts. 

Disclaimer: CSI Prop does not provide tax & legal advice and accepts no liability. Readers are encouraged to consult a qualified tax or legal advisor for a thorough review.

Need advice or clarification? Call us for more information and/or to find out about our projects! Hotline: 03-2162 2260

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UK Inc.

Categories:Reading and Research

UK Inc

TALK about the United Kingdom or England – in any language and to anyone – and you’d be hard pressed to find a clueless response. More than any country in the world, including the United States of America, the UK has succeeded in stamping its mark in the global arena in more ways imaginable.

Even the Union Jack has become a trademark (!) – as a motif on t-shirts, on the covers of mobile phones and other mobile devices, on bags and as key chains. Some supermarkets have even taken to branding some of their shelves with UK-imported items!

With world class education, retail, fashion, food, the English Premier League, music, the UK has made its home in the hearts of global citizenry, including Malaysians.

Some trivia here – as of October last year, there are about 70,000 Malaysians living in the UK, including students, according to the Malaysian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Datuk Seri Zakaria Sulong.

In 2012-2013, the number of international students going to study in the UK still surpassed the 300,000 mark – this despite stricter visa restrictions imposed by the Home Office.

Zooming in closer to home, the number of Malaysians studying UK qualifications currently hovers around the 50,000 mark. Meanwhile, the number of Malaysian students studying tertiary courses in the UK is at a staggering 14,500 in 2013, making Malaysia one of the largest overseas student groups in the UK, and making the UK the country with the second most number of Malaysian students.

With the high number of international students in the UK and insufficient accommodation catering to demand, UK student property has become a profitable venture for investment. With people become more affluent, there is even a demand for more luxurious student accommodation. This would include features like a fully-equipped gym, yoga/Pilates studios, 24-hour concierge, more spacious rooms, etc (yes, seriously!)

What does UK Inc. mean to you? Is it Manchester United or Liverpool? TopShop or Karen Millen?Marks & Spencer or Tesco or Waitrose? LSE, Oxford University or the University of Kent? Or is it the beautiful landscapes of Canterbury and Scotland, the historical cities of London and Bath, or the incredible sounds of the Beatles, Arctic Monkeys and Mumford & Sons?

Share with us your views and comments below. You may also share this UK Inc. article using the social buttons.

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CSI Prop proudly promotes international investment property with high yields at low risk. Our portfolio comprises residential property in cities across the United Kingdom (London, Luton, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, York, Glasgow, Scotland; Sheffield, etc); Australia (Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane) and Thailand (Bangkok). Our projects are concentrated in high-growth areas with great educational, infrastructural and job growth potentials. We aspire to make a difference in the lives of our clients by helping them achieve their investment goals through strong market research backed by third party experts. 

Disclaimer: CSI Prop does not provide tax & legal advice and accepts no liability. Readers are encouraged to consult a qualified tax or legal advisor for a thorough review.

Need advice or clarification? Call us for more information and/or to find out about our projects! Hotline: 03-2162 2260