Why Do You Need Quality in a Competitive Market?

If you’re looking to maximise your returns as an investor, understanding the right property type to fit your strategy is vital. There’s enough stock in the UK to suit any number of strategies and increasingly, the broad range of people that are looking for rental accommodation. As the rental market in the UK experiences a shift towards the European model, more people are inclined to rent indefinitely and enjoy the flexibility that affords.

This has completely changed the view of many Buy-to-Let investors on what their ideal investment looks like. With tenants now prioritising space, flexibility and nearby amenities – key benefits that renting provides – apartments in city-centres and towns have become popular because of the consistent returns they can offer alongside natural market growth.

Crucially as the market shifts, these ‘amenity’ led developments will become the norm – with lower quality developments being left behind in a competitive market.

This is why we’re starting to see penthouses growing in popularity – because of the ‘penthouse premium’ they can deliver. Premium products always attract a premium tenant, increasing yield security and thus building long-term returns, making them ideal within a wider portfolio.

It’s this idea of ‘long-term’ that’s most important when considering return on investment. The concept of prioritising longevity also matches the natural course the market is taking. While property always follows the steps of ‘right location, right time’, increasingly we’re seeing investors and tenants prioritise bigger ‘quality’ spaces that have surrounding amenities. 

As you’d expect, penthouses are a perfect fit for this type of market. While typically, investors will instinctively choose the lower cost option in an effort to find value upfront, this rarely works in achieving the real goal as these developments may not necessarily attract the same quantity or quality of tenant over the long-term.

Penthouses also tend to have amenities that help them ‘stand-out from the crowd’ – whether it’s the space that renters are looking for or the outdoor areas that are particularly appealing, especially in locations where green areas are not always available. This makes them particularly effective as an investment asset.

At the same time, the potential of these developments is rising as more and more of the British workforce look to relocate to prime towns and city cores. With nearly 50% of UK professionals saying they’d relocate in the country for work and 38% saying they’d move for better employment opportunities, the rise of ‘transient tenants’ is a vital signpost for investing in quality.

For a location such as Bracknell, which represents the heart of the UK tech industry, this rising transient population is a huge indicator of potential. The career opportunities that the city can provide are some of the best in the country and rental demand for quality accommodation is on the increase – reinforced by predictions that Bracknell’s population is expected to rise by 17% by 2039, increasing to 141,000. 

The Grand Exchange in Bracknell is a prime example of a quality development – built to the highest-standard with the facilities that the modern tenant is looking for. As the pinnacle of the development, the Penthouses at The Grand Exchange are designed to offer the ultimate in luxury at the centre of Bracknell, an emerging town outside of London. 

Part of a £770 million regeneration plan, the Penthouses at The Grand Exchange are meeting a very real need for quality residential accommodation that offers direct access to both jobs in Bracknell and easy commutes to London and Reading.