Happy New Year and I hope that the snow and ice are not causing too many problems for you.

January is the ideal time to review, revise and implement your investment strategy.  We all need to concentrate on what we are trying to achieve with our investments, be it creating cash to pay school fees, planning for retirement or something completely different.

At the start of 2009, I predicted that the year would provide a great opportunity for the smart investor to buy bank repossessed properties at substantial discounts to current market value. I also predicted that the UK property market would not collapse from that point and that we were somewhere near a bottom. A few months later the market did bottom and eventually finished the year 5.9% higher than at the start according to the Nationwide’s statistics.

Those who invested in 2009 have made substantial returns.  One of our acquisitions in Liverpool was purchased at 40% discount to market value with a yield of 9.4%. These opportunities are rarely in the public market place and have taken considerable time and effort to find and secure.

So where does this leave us in 2010?

The main event in the UK this year will be the General Election which must be called before June.  After the election implementing policies to reduce the deficit will be the main effort of government, balancing reductions in public expenditure with recovery in the economy.  In the meantime, interest rates will remain low, wage demands likewise and unemployment will continue to rise, although at a lower rate than in 2009.

The UK property market will not collapse.  The same pundits who predicted a collapse in 2009 are predicting a collapse of 20% this year.  They got it wrong last year and they will be wrong again this year.  Given low interest rates, economic recovery (albeit weak) and growing confidence amongst business owners,  industrialists and bankers, I personally predict a rise in property prices in the UK  of up to 5%.

This is further supported by a recent report by property website Zoopla:  “Around 81% of people expect house prices to rise during the coming six months, predicting average increases of 5.4%.  The figure is a significant turnaround from a year ago, when only one in five people expected property values to increase during the first half of 2009.”

The two key factors supporting property markets are the availability and cost of finance as well as general consumer confidence. In both cases there have been substantial improvements since this time last year.  Not one investor has been refused finance to purchase one of our sourced properties and indeed one client refinanced a property in London for a £70,000 profit only 6 months after initial purchase.  The opportunities are still out there and Distressed Assets, one of the UK’s leading acquisition companies in the repossessed property sector, can help you take advantage of them.

There is still time to invest in repossessed property and achieve your wealth creation goals.

Repossessed Property Conference Sat 30th January – London

The aim of the conference is to show delegates the outstanding opportunities that are presently available in the UK bank repossessed property market and how to secure a great investment for your future prosperity. One of our clients recently wrote:

“Distressed Assets found me a property which I purchased at 40% below market value, with a gross yield of 9%.  Although it took some time to find me an investment property that matched my requirements it has proved well worth the wait.  If I remortgaged the property today I could release £50,000 of equity, nearly three times my initial investment - an excellent return by anyone’s measure. The service throughout has been extremely professional and thorough. Thank you”
Jon Cowan, London

And another:

“I’d like to thank Distressed Assets for sourcing me an apartment in Central London. The location is perfect with excellent rental demand and very close to all local amenities. It has a gross yield of 10% giving strong cash flow of £350pcm after all costs. I have recently remortgaged the property, and even with surveyors being particularly cautious in the current market, it was valued at £230,000.  That’s £65,000 of equity in just six months, a very good return on investment of over 150%.  I am now hoping to reinvest the £45,000 of equity which I have just released from the property.”
Richard Smith, Essex

The topics to be covered at the conference are:

• The economic outlook for 2010
• Why now is the time to make substantial returns from UK bank repossessed property
• How to buy repossessed property substantially below market value
• Avoiding the legal pitfalls and managing risk
• How to save tax when buying or investing in property
• Property investment strategies for a new era
• How to raise finance in 2010
• Renting your property:  getting the best from your lettings agent
• Ask the expert panel Q&A session

There will also be the opportunity to have a private consultation with a property expert or mortgage advisor.

This is a great opportunity to learn from experienced property professionals.  Distressed Assets has a proven track record in sourcing repossessed properties at a large discount to market value with strong cash flow.  The window for these investments is closing and, as the economy recovers this year, you will need to act quickly in order to secure deals like the ones illustrated above.

The Conference will be held in the London Hilton Metropole, Edgware Road on Saturday 30th January from 10.30am to 5.30pm and there will be networking in the evening with speakers and fellow delegates.

The cost of the 1 day Conference is £97 plus VAT per person.  Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

If you would like to attend, please fill in the form here or call Brice or Alun on 0151 243 5432

You can pay by cheque or bank transfer.  Alternatively if you pay online at www.distressed-assets.co.uk you will receive a 10% discount.

2010 will provide excellent opportunities to increase your wealth substantially and this Conference will show you how.  What’s stopping you?

Best wishes