Commercial

Office

Good quality refurbishments in the cores of the big seven regional cities will mirror the strong performance that has been seen on similar assets in London in recent years. In London, “future core” development in locations that offer cheaper rents looks persuasive.

Retail

Prime West End retail rents to continue to rise at over 6% per annum. The strongest locations will be emerging luxury submarkets rather than the traditional core streets. Outside London the best shopping centre and retail warehouse parks will be those that dominate their catchments.

Industrial

Still good opportunities in the core distribution markets if you can find the land. The biggest play in this segment may be in multi-let industrial estates in London and the South where the new permitted development rights could enable conversion to residential.

Residential

London hotspots

Though price growth across London as a whole is likely to be limited by mortgage regulation and interest rates, specific areas such as Ealing, Acton, Greenwich and boroughs such as Lewisham and Waltham Forest may buck the trend as they attract more affluent buyer groups.

Attractive commuter towns

These continue to offer good medium term price growth compared to more expensive London locations, particularly where travel times are shortened by rail improvements.

Graduate hotspots in regional cities

Good second hand stock in centrally located areas of regional cities that are favoured by graduates are likely to deliver higher yields than their London counterparts, without rental incomes being reliant on welfare payments. Improving regional employment markets should underpin tenant demand.

Agricultural

Residential/Amenity farms

These may offer opportunities as the economy improves especially where they are recognised as good value compared to arable land and where improvements will enhance future value.

Rural estates

These remain attractive to high net worth buyers as safe shelters for wealth that they can also enjoy; they are also partially protected from commodity price volatility being diverse in their sources of income generation.

Commercial farms

These offer the opportunity for top-quartile income potential whilst owning a tax efficient asset for the transfer of wealth and especially for farms in Scotland where values are more affordable compared with areas south of the border.

^{Source: Savills Research}