"Time to invest in London is now”- Hindu Times

The British Pound has plunged, the famously expensive London property market has crashed and thousands of highly skilled people have lost their jobs. According to London’s official marketing agency, all that is good news — for potential Indian investors.

“You can take advantage of the downturn to leverage new business opportunities,” Paul Bromelow, the global sales director of Think London, urged a group of Indian tech executives in Chennai on Wednesday. “But the window of opportunity won’t stay open forever…We’re estimating that it will last for another 12 to 18 months. So, the time to invest is now,” he said.

He pointed out that property rates in the West End area of London had fallen 38 per cent. “It’s best to get on the elevator now, when it’s at the lowest floor and ride it up as growth returns,” he said.

Hindu Times

Central London Short Term Lets

If you are looking for somewhere to stay in central London, a short term let can prove to be much cheaper than a central London Hotel. Renting allows you the freedom of home away from home, to relax and eat what you like rather than eating or entertaining in expensive restaurants.

There is so much choice around now for the renter, with many new properties to let on the market due to the economic climate. Many serviced short lets offer the benefits and luxuries of a top hotel but still with that extra freedom and the flexibility you require.

Rathbone Lofts, Rathbone Street, London, W1T
This second floor flat is quietly situated at the rear of this handsome 1920′s building. Apart from high ceilings and an outstanding finish this loft apartment offers 2 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and 2 terraces. Available either furnished or unfurnished.
Rathbone Street is a quiet side street within the thriving ‘urban village’ of Fitzrovia in the heart of the West End. Rathbone Lofts is within easy reach of the City, minutes away from the theatre district and surrounded by some of the best bars, cafés and restaurants in town.
Available Now.

Public Transport
The area encircling Fitzrovia is dotted with tube stations. Bus routes regularly traverse Tottenham Court Road, Euston Road, Great Portland Street, Portland Place and Oxford Street.
The Nearest Tube Station to this property is Tottenham Court Road.

About Fitzrovia
Fitzrovia is bounded on the east by Tottenham Court Road, south by Oxford Street, west by Portland Place and on the north by Euston Road. While only a few minutes walk from bustling Oxford Street, Fitzrovia enjoys a certain deserted charm. One of the areas main focal points, Charlotte Street, runs perpendicular to Goodge Street and is the main focal point for wining and dining. The other main focal points are based around the café and restaurant societies of Great Titchfield Street and Great Portland Street, with more gastronomic rivalry close at hand over by Oxford Circus at the Market Place.

2 DOUBLE BEDRROMS
2 BATHROOMS
OPEN-PLAN RECEPTION ROOM
BALCONY
SECOND FLOOR
EASY ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Contact Details
Telephone: 020 7580 1010
Fax: 020 7290 0595
E-mail: info@ldg.co.uk

West End Historic Buildings To Be Given Green Overhaul

HISTORIC buildings in Soho and the West End could be made more environmentally friendly according to a new study from the University of Westminster.
Of the more radical recommendations to make Georgian and Victorian buildings greener is a heating system where hot air is pumped into the ground and stored up until it is needed.
Other improvements include solar panelled roofs, creating “model” buildings and greater incentives to reward landlords and tenants who make strides to reduce their carbon footprints.
The report, published last week, recommends setting up an umbrella organisation consisting of major landowners, community groups, English Heritage and the council, to manage the proposals and tackle greenhouse emissions.
Robert Davis, deputy leader of Westminster Council said: “Westminster’s rich historical heritage plays an essential role in contributing to its unique character.
“Adapting existing buildings to meet green requirements is a challenge but we consider sustainability and heritage to be mutually compatible in the future of the West End, which is why we commissioned this report.
“Working with property owners, academics, developers and industry leaders, we hope to come up with practical ways of finding long-term environmental design solutions that are in accordance with the character of each historic building.”
Tony Lloyd-Jones, director of research at the Max Lock Centre at the University of Westminster, who led the research team, said: “Soho lies at the heart of London’s West End and is the principal centre for creative industries in London and the UK.
“As such it can set a highly visible example of how historic mixed use, commercial core areas can be made more sustainable.
“These areas, with their attractive and lively streets and spaces, are immensely valuable in cultural and economic terms. Their buildings are very adaptable to a range of uses, and so tend to stand the test of time.
“We need to work with them to get the best out of them for the environment. We believe we have shown this is possible given better understanding of retrofitting measures by local authorities, property owners and tenants and the use of green leases to overcome potential conflicts of interest.”
The study was jointly funded by the council, the Soho Community Environment Fund, English Heritage and the Crown Estate.

Curb bus congestion in West End, plead Oxford St retailers

BUSINESS leaders in the West End are demanding a swift end to rising congestion caused by buses.

Firms including Austin Reed, Debenhams, Habitat, Hamleys, Selfridges and Marks and Spencer are calling on the Mayor to cut the “large number” of buses they say are bringing parts of the area to a standstill.

The letter is signed by 30 senior figures including Charlie Mayfield, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, Hugh Seaborn, chairman of Westminster Property Owners Association, and Richard Pulford, chief executive of the Society of London Theatre.

It says: “In recent years a range of surveys and studies has shown that improving the pedestrian environment is a top priority for visitors. This can only be achieved by reducing the large number of buses in the area.”

The letter also signed by the divisional director of Boots and the property director of Great Portland Estates cites an Evening Standard poll showing more than 70 per cent of respondents wanted fewer buses in Oxford Street.

It points to an analysis by business group London First which showed there was a “practical way to help achieve this objective in the short term by making alterations to bus routes in Oxford Street and Regent Street.”

Baroness Valentine, chief executive of London First, said: “The West End should be a welcoming environment for visitors, not an open-air bus depot. By reducing the number on Oxford Street we can free up subsidy for less well-served areas at the same time as improving the pedestrian experience.”

A London First report this month said 24 bus routes were sending 330 vehicles an hour along Oxford Street and 220 an hour along Regent Street. It described jams made up almost entirely of buses.

London First found that terminating six routes in the Marble Arch and Tottenham Court Road areas would cut bus traffic in Oxford and Regent Streets by 20 per cent. They claimed only five per cent of passengers would have to switch routes and Transport for London would save about £3 million. A TfL spokesman said: “The Mayor has made clear his commitment to making Oxford Street as attractive and easy to access as possible. We will be looking at how to make improvements to the flow of buses.”

West End Property Sales: Location Trends

It is a well-known axiom that location is one of the most important elements in the value of a property.

Let’s take that one step further. A good investment buy would be a sound property in a “so-so” area that will increase in value in the future.

Buying into an area that is strongly on the comeback is one way to shorten the odds for success. Trend is everything.

The trick is not to get in so early that you are one of the earliest pioneers, but early enough that there is still plenty of appreciation left.

Being a pioneer is fine if you are a gambler with a lot of patience. It is safer to buy into an area after the restoration trend is unmistakably established.

A neighbourhood that is a good candidate for restoration must have an intrinsic location advantage, such as being in a school district that has high test scores or in a good walk-to-work location.

It must also have good basic homes. Can we help you find a winner?

Soho and Covent Garden West End Focus

In the 17th century they were worlds apart: one a hunting ground for London’s aristocracy; the other a farmers market. Times haven’t changed a lot in almost 400 years. Even now you’re bound to pass the odd queen in Soho; while Covent Garden’s Italian-style piazza has long been a hive of activity.

These two eclectic districts of the capital still draw a diverse populous to their pulsating pavements. Soho’s narrow mosaic of streets and hidden alleyways are the epitome of London cool, where artists, tailors, media workers and musicians collide, allured by the area’s creative, edgy nature.

And while soulful Soho is synonymous with style, Covent Garden’s leafy quarter is a cosmopolitan village of culture and colour. Crowds of tourists, theatre-goers, caffeine junkies and market traders pack themselves into ‘Theatreland’ each day, where the area prides itself on being the nurturer of the newly renovated Royal Opera House and a string of prestigious theatres.

These vibrant neighbourhoods, however, have never lost their hardy residential community.

Property is at a premium and everything is within an easy stroll of the sights. Those that can afford to live in Soho and Covent Garden have the West End and all that it offers right on their doorstep, including über-trendy clothing stores, funky jazz clubs, cutting-edge production houses and a throng of bars, pubs, open-air cafés, restaurants, cinemas, theatres and art galleries.

Well-served by public transport, Soho has set the trend for London loft living. A large cross-section of potential tenants, from celebrities to city high-flyers, are moving into prominent locations (such as Wardour Street’s Soho Lofts and above the Soho Theatre) as well as the quieter back streets.

Hidden away in Covent Garden are fabulous innovative penthouses with roof terraces and converted period buildings in quaint streets. Easy to navigate and with a consistently strong rental market, the area is within close proximity to The City offering convenient access to London’s financial district.

West End Housing Associations and Planned Communities

If you are considering buying a home in a planned community, be sure that you understand the owners’ association rules.

These covenants usually cover a wide range of subjects, including exterior paint, parking or where you can walk your dog, and sometimes even the kind of shrubs or flowers you may plant.

Such restrictions are attractive to many home owners because they don’t have to worry about their neighbors doing things that they find offensive.

If you are an individualist, however, and don’t want community interference in your lifestyle, such restrictions could cramp your lifestyle.

Be sure that you read and understand the rules and regulations governing a planned community before you make an offer on a property

West End Buy to Let Property Investments

Statistics from the Council of Mortgage Lenders confirm that buy-to-let investors are starting to struggle. The number who were behind on their mortgage payments by three months or more increased by 25% in the fourth quarter of last year, and repossessions rose by 26%. According to Moneyfacts, the number of available buy-to-let mortgages stood at 3,362 last August but had plummeted to just 926 by the start of April. So if you want a buy-to-let mortgage today, you would have 73% fewer deals to choose from.

Iit is worth remembering that buy-to-let properties should be viewed as long term investments, whose benefits will be felt over a period of at least 5-10 years. So where are these 926 savvy or brave buy to let investors looking for returns in the future?

Ben Everest of West End Estate Agents, LDG, reports,’ The West End still offers long term possibilities for buy to let investors and is an attractive hunting ground for would-be investors who have finance in place. Our lettings department is experiencing record demand, in particular in the West End area’s of Fitzrovia, Soho and Covent Garden. Our property finder service has also been retained by a number of investors who are looking for LDG to hunt on buy-to-let investments for them.

Successful property investment is a long term game and LDG our currently reminding their West End clients that property is a long term investment and that they should hold property for a minimum of 5 years. “We recently valued an old clients portfolio in Fitzrovia and the West End. The growth over the last 5-10 was fantastic and now our client is achieving great rental yields” said Ben Everest of LDG.

West End Rent Deposits Protected with LDG!

Conforming to new government legislation LDG are participating in the deposit protection scheme (DPS).

The scheme safeguards the tenant’s deposit in cases where there are disputes relating to damage, costs or charges incurred during the tenancy.

Call LDG lettings advisors Tony or Javier on 020 7580 1010 for further information.

Fitzrovia hip as Marylebone

With the release of the proposed designs for the Middlesex hospital, Fitzrovia’s reputation as the “hip Marylebone” continues to grow, and with an office situated in the heart of all the excitement, there is no other agent in the West End better placed or more experienced to take advantage of this growth says Ben Everest of LDG.

With this year being their 20th in Fitzrovia, LDG have a large number of buyers eager to move into the neighbourhood. The last three agreed sales west to best bids and LDG expect to continue achieving record prices for their vendors.

Read more about Fitzrovia