It has been a challenging year for many people for a variety of reasons and we have experienced a once-in-a-generation pandemic, with another lockdown currently in place. But what is the outlook for 2021 for the rental market in particular? In early December we saw the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine administered in Scotland. This resulted in a rise in demand for rental property, in particular good quality homes with space for working from home and access to a garden, as we look towards spring and those who have delayed previously seeking accommodation. There is an increase in demand for space – much like we saw in July 2020 following lockdown when people were confined to their homes. Gardens and roof terraces were in high demand as were spare bedrooms and larger living spaces to accommodate home working. Last year’s restrictions on socialising may well push demand for homes with space for entertaining as people look to make up for lost time. Summer 2021 could see a sharp rise in people looking for larger kitchens and dining areas in which they can entertain friends and family. During lockdown the demand for pets has been unprecedented. As a result, there will be an increase in demand for pet-friendly properties. Google recently reported a record number of pet related searches – and as well as homes that accept pets, there will be a requirement for access to parks and trails. Google searches for rental properties with outdoor space has increased and allotment waiting lists are higher than ever before. This year could be a year that homeowners reconnect with nature. Recent research from Howsy has shown that houses are in higher demand than flats. However this isn't as pronounced in Glasgow which shows that demand for houses is 59% whilst demand for flats is 41%. The current pandemic has shifted tenant demand but the demand for flats in Glasgow still appears to be robust especially given the number of university students moving to the city. The average university rental yield is 4.4% across the UK, with the top three results found in Scotland. The University of Dundee came top with an average rental yield of 7.2%. Second and third were the University of Aberdeen and the University of Strathclyde with rental yields of 6.8% and 6.62% respectively. The University of Glasgow had a rental yield of 4.4%. Students will be searching for accommodation now that they have more information regarding their results and the influx in demand is positive news for buy-to-let landlords in Glasgow. Talk to us if you are considering investing in rental property in Glasgow.

Whether you are a seasoned or novice investor, it’s important to talk to the experts for the right help and advice according to your individual circumstances. In the meantime, we have put together some information that may help you to scale your portfolio in the right way. This year the UK went into a recession following the pandemic. However, unlike previous recessions this one isn’t driven by finance - instead it has been caused by a health crisis. This is a once-in-a-generation event and although many people have found this year challenging, one area that has remained buoyant is the property market. When the market re opened in June, all aspects of buying and selling property remained active even throughout the current tier restrictions. With built up demand, the news of the LBTT holiday until March 2021 and a change in buyer/tenant priorities, activity in the market has been unprecedented. Demand for buy-to-let is still high and it appears that property prices have been unaffected – in fact, house price growth predicted to sit at around 4% by the end of the year and is currently around 2% to 2.5% in Glasgow.

Location, location, location

It’s always going to be a safe bet investing in city centres and University towns. At present, houses are more in demand than apartments as people are looking for the option to work from home. According to recent research from Zoopla, five out of the top ten hotspots where landlords can find better rental returns are in Scotland. The property portal compared average rents across the UK for two-bedroom properties with how much they would typically cost for landlords to purchase and found that strong rental yields are clustered in Scotland and the north-east of England. Landlords in East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, Inverclyde and Middlesborough can typically generate rental yields of 7.7%. In Glasgow and Stirling, typical yields were calculated at 7.6% and 7.5%. Scotland has some of the UK’s most affordable buy-to-let property, although it does depend on how big a house you’re looking for. Zoopla found that out of the top 10 affordable cities in the UK, four of them were in Ayrshire.

Diversify

It’s wise to spread your risk across different properties in order to offset any issues you may have with one of your rental properties. You could also diversify by looking at other asset classes within the property market such as HMO’s (which tend to offer very high rental yields) semi-commercial units which will help you to benefit from the stamp duty surcharge which is normally levied on investment properties. You can also consider diversify the geographical area – the location is vital and it’s worth looking at which cities and city regions are performing well.

Mortgages

Major buy-to-let lenders have launched some new products over the last few months, and increased the loan to value of their mortgages with some 75% deals available. Getting advice from an independent mortgage broker is key.

Investing through a Ltd. company

There is an increasing number of landlords who are choosing to register as a limited company to manage their portfolios. When the limited company owns the properties in a portfolio, the company also owns the profits – so as a landlord you may have to pay income tax on any money they’re paid by their limited company. Limited companies pay corporation tax, not income tax and these rates are lower. As a director of a limited company you must keep accounts detailing all income and expenditure, and all purchases using company money must have a demonstrable benefit to the business. Talk to us at Newton Letting about managing your property portfolio.