Baby Boomers worth their weight in gold

Although it is the Generation X population, which consists of adults between the ages of 31 and 45, that are leading the property market recovery,  baby boomers are making their presence felt in the market, says Adrian Goslett, CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa.

Goslett says that as more and more South African consumers reach retirement age, downsizing boomers aged between 47 and 65 years old could bring about further resurgence in the property market. “With many of these homeowners having built equity in their homes over the years, as well as other investments, boomers may be the first demographic to move in the emerging market when other ages groups are still struggling to meet the stringent lending criteria required by banks,” he says.

Goslett notes that because their children have moved out of home, the boomer generation is expected to trade their suburban homes for lifestyle options that meet their current needs. This, coupled with that fact that many boomers are looking to buy additional property as an investment to supplement their retirement income, or are assisting their children in making property purchases, makes them a valuable asset to the economy. “Many of the real estate agents have baby boomer clients who already own property and are looking to purchase an investment or retirement property. A number of these buyers are purchasing property that they can rent out to generate an income or to move into once they reach the age where they wish to retire,” says Goslett.

Statistics show that the population demographic in South Africa sees baby boomers making up a much smaller percentage of the population than Generation X.  Between the years 1950 and 1965 there were 13,5 million births in South Africa (baby boomers) compared with the 18,74 million births (Generation X) between 1965 and 1985. According to John Loos, FNB Home Loan Strategist, while the most noticeable increase in the property buying share was among the Generation X group who made up 28,1% of the total purchases in the first quarter of 2011, the Baby Boomers buying share increased to 21.17% of the total purchases in the first quarter of this year, despite being a demographically smaller group.  The FNB Property Barometer for the third quarter of 2011 stated that 22% of all buyers gave downscaling with life-stage as a reason for selling their property.

Trends show that boomers tend to favour areas that attract a wide variety of people and they generally purchase property that is close to their original homes or primary residence. Boomers seem to like open-floor plans, lots of storage space and specifically his and hers master bedroom cupboards and gardens featuring decks. Other amenities on the must-have list include fireplaces and bars.

“The baby boomer generation has driven the South African economy for years and continues to contribute towards the property market’s recovery in their retirement.  Many of these investors are looking at buying properties based on the rental income they will generate and not necessarily for their resale potential. The baby boomers are a very diverse group and cannot be described in generalities, but those boomers who are financially secure are actively seeking to buy property and they are taking advantage of the opportunities and value available in today’s market,” Goslett concludes.

Link

London Property ‘in crisis’ as Foreigners buy Property

Britain will soon become a nation of tenants as huge deposits, high house prices and strict lending criteria combine to leave millions unable to climb onto the property ladder. Meanwhile foreign investors are buying up large chucks of London real estate as they seek a haven for their wealth amid the increasing risk of a global recession.

Britain’s housing market is “in crisis” as millions are forced to rent and the government must urgently act to increase the supply of homes, an alarming new report by Oxford Economics warned last month.

The housing study, commissioned by the National Housing Federation (NHF) warned that home ownership in England will fall over the next decade to the lowest since the mid-1980s as property ownership remains out of reach for many. It predicts that the proportion of people living in owner-occupied homes will decline from its 73 percent peak in 2001 to just 64 percent in 2021.

In London, it predicts that the majority of people will rent property, with home ownership in the capital falling to just 44 percent by 2021. That means around six out of every 10 Londoners will live in rented accommodation.

Meanwhile, the average house price looks set to rise by 21.3 percent over the next five years. The group, which represents housing associations in England, says a chronic shortage of housing is to blame. Only 105 000 homes were built in England in 2010/11, the lowest level since the 1920s.

“Home ownership is increasingly becoming the preserve of the wealthy and, in parts of the country like London, the very wealthy,” says NHF chief executive David Orr.

Adding even more upward price pressure is the fact that wealthy foreign buyers have flocked to London in record numbers, buying up large chunks of property in the city’s most desirable neighbourhoods. The number of international buyers viewing prime central London properties increased by 23 percent in the three months through July, as the increasing risk of a global recession prompted investors to seek a haven for their wealth.

“We’ve had the US debt crisis, the eurozone debt crisis and financial market turmoil but none of these issues have touched London’s property market,” says Mike Smuts, managing director of Smuts & Taylor, a South African investment firm that specialises in helping rich South Africans buy property in London.

Smuts, who first predicted in February 2010 that Britain was fast becoming a nation of tenants, says that although Russian, Chinese, Indian and buyers from the Middle East account for most of the foreign purchases of London properties, wealthy South Africans have also been very active.

“Since the Reserve Bank relaxed exchange controls last October we have seen a large influx of clients who are looking for safe-haven investments amid the financial market turmoil and the alarming calls locally for nationalisation and the redistribution of land without compensation,” he says. “London property is fast becoming the ‘Swiss bank account’ of the 21st century.”

Buh-Rein Estate - Cape Town, South Africa

Award-winning Buh-Rein Estate has been designed to offer you a richly enjoyed lifestyle, protected by state of the art security. There is simply nothing like it on the market.

First phase units starting at R442k for 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom and includes a parking bay. R10k deposit secures so hurry and Contact us today !