London properties getting more attractive for Singapore Buyers: Survey

London properties near underground rail stations or universities are high on the wish lists of Singapore investors, according to a new survey.

But it also found that while location is important, investors here still want value for their money and are looking for yields of between 4.5 per cent and 5.5 per cent in the British capital.

The poll also noted that the number of first-time Singaporean buyers of London properties has been increasing in the past five months.

The (seventh round) of property cooling measures launched in January as well as the favourable exchange rate could have contributed to this trend was said at yesterday's Lend Lease briefing, for the launch of the 235-unit Trafalgar Place in central London.

Another factor has been the Singdollar, which has risen 62.5 per cent against the pound since August 2007.

Investors are spending more on London real estate. A January survey found that overseas buyers spent £2.2 billion (S$4.2 billion) in the capital last year, up 22 per cent from £1.8 billion in 2011.

Singaporean buyers were the most active of the foreign contingent, accounting for 22 per cent of all new central London properties sold last year, followed by Hong Kong buyers, who accounted for 16 per cent of transactions. British purchasers led the way with 27 per cent of the sales.

Source: The Straits Times –12 April 2013