Research carried out by the Money Centre, and seen by the Move Channel, found that 73 per cent of landlords said their overall confidence in the UK rental market was 'good' or 'very good'.

This represents a two per cent rise since the Money Centre last carried out similar research.

The data also showed that landlords are becoming increasingly professional in their dealing - with 55 per cent saying they had invested in buy-to-let as a business to achieve a regular income.

"The change in approach is good for tenants as landlords are be keen to protect their investment with regular maintenance and improvements," Lynsey Sweales, marketing and PR director at the Money Centre, told the Move Channel.

"Higher interest rates may cause a little short-term pain for some landlords, but the majority know it’s an excellent long-term investment and are confident that it is still outperforming other investments, even in this higher-rate environment."

Recent research suggests that landlords have enjoyed yields of between 5.5 and six per cent so far this year.

A report from Paragon Mortgages shows that average rents in the UK rose for the sixth consecutive month in May.

During the month, the average rent reached £10,702 - one per cent more than in April and 9.7 per cent higher than in November last year.

"Rents continue their upward trend," commented John Heron, managing director of Paragon Mortgages. "It may be that higher borrowing costs are feeding through into rises in rents, but more likely it's a function of the strength of tenant demand.

"The number of people who want to rent continues to grow - due to a range of social, economic and demographic factors, including growth in the student population, more single person households and inward migration."

Indeed, 63 per cent of landlords reported that demand for their property was either stable or growing. As a result, many landlords said that they were looking to expand their portfolio of property.

Recently, ARLA reported that the private rental sector was set for continued growth. Its chief executive, Adrian Turner, said: "The private rented sector is continuing to provide choice in housing and a safety valve for the housing market, particularly now, at a time of mixed expectations for future strong rises in house prices."

A group of leading economic commentators have predicted that the buy-to-let market will remain steady in 2008, ifaonline.co.uk has reported.

At a debate held yesterday (Tuesday, March 18th), Michael Coogan, director general of the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), said that he felt the market was unlikely to experience a boom due to falling house prices.

However, he asserted that the demand for private rented accommodation would continue.

Mr Coogan commented: "I think a lot of people will seek rented accommodation while they save the money to buy, but I don't like to think of the market in terms of boom and bust and I expect it to remain steady."

Also speaking at the debate, David Miles, chief economist at Morgan Stanley, asserted that investors would remain in the market.

He said: "I think net new demand is unlikely to increase, despite the prospect of attractive yields, because capital is likely to depreciate in the short term.

"However, it’s too costly for those already in the market to get out, so I think most current investments will remain."

The review revealed that in the period of December 2006 to December 2007, buy-to-let investors saw an average total return of 16.3 per cent, representing an increase of 2.8 per cent on the figure for the previous year.

It was also discovered that the average buy-to-let property price rose to £154,795 last year.

Tim Hague, managing director of mortgages at Birmingham Midshires, said: "Total gross returns in the buy-to-let sector were a healthy 16.3 per cent in 2007. Buy-to-let house price growth has edged higher over the past year. Rents continue to rise across the country, boosting returns.

"The fundamentals underpinning the buy-to-let sector are sound. They include strong demand from higher immigration levels and housing affordability concerns for first-time buyers."

"However, we expect house price growth to be more subdued in 2008, largely reflecting the impact of higher interest rates."

A sign on the door simply informs its' customers 'Whitewoods have moved.'  To where, nobody seems to know!  Even their own bemused customers have come to us asking the very same question.

Parkers suspect that 'moved' actually means 'closed' and that their few remaining Totton customers will be left no alternative other than to conduct their affairs with Whitewoods remaining office, all the way over in Bitterne.

Needless to say, Parkers will be delighted to assist those let-down Whitewoods customers in any way we can, with four highly trained lettings staff, open for business six days a week!

Figures published by Hampton's Mortgages indicated that the number of buy-to-let mortgages increased by 23 per cent between December 2006 and last month.

As a result, buy-to-let mortgages taken out on residential lettings now account for 39.53 per cent of all home loans, while over the same period lettings for home purchases dropped by 23 per cent.

Commenting on the figures, Jonathan Cornell, managing director at Hampton's, said: "This year review of 2007 mortgage trends highlights a clear swap in popularity between residential and buy-to-let mortgages."

"Interestingly the trends reversed by roughly the same amount over the course of a year; as have trends for fixed and variable rate mortgages."

Figures published recently by the Association of Residential Letting Agents revealed that confidence in the market means 40 per cent of buy-to-let landlords plan to expand their portfolio this year.

The study found that some 60 per cent of respondents are still undaunted by such sentiment, with 95 per cent remaining positive when it comes to rental yields.

Separate research from the Young Group, published earlier this week, revealed similar sentiments when it comes to paying attention to such articles.

"These are the people on the ground who are researching their areas, taking out the mortgages, buying, maintaining the properties and managing the tenants, therefore their opinions are important," asserted Jeremy Law, head of buy to let at Bradford & Bingley.

"The social and demographic trends that have been driving the market continue to remain strong with rental demand remaining robust," Mr Law added.

That's the conclusion of a report from Rics, which looked at the affordability of the UK housing market.

The study found that cost of becoming a homeowner in the country rose by 8.4 per cent in the first half of 2007 and it now costs 350 per cent more to get on the property ladder than it did in 1996.

In addition, the cost of servicing a mortgage has also proportionally increased since 1996 - again making renting a more attractive option. Indeed, the data shows that a couple on lower quartile income now have to spend 44 per cent of their combined take-home pay on their mortgage.

"First-time buyers are facing an enormous struggle to access the housing market. This may worsen if the turmoil in the US market forces mortgageproviders to tighten lending criteria and demand even higher deposits," warned Rics senior economist David Stubbs.

"House prices have risen by over 11 per cent a year since 1996 whereas first-time buyer incomes have only risen by 3.5 per cent a year."

Recently, Halifax suggested that there could be a particular demand for rental accommodation in the countryside as housing there is becoming increasingly unaffordable.

For further information, contact PARKERS, Totton's Specialist Letting Agent, on 023 8086 8578.

So let's take a closer look...

We'll start with the latest quarterly lettings survey from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). It suggests that demand from tenants is rising fast thanks to the dual effects of a slowdown in the housing market and uncertainty over where interest rates will head next.

According to RICS, in the second quarter of the year, 29% more surveyors reported a rise in tenant lettings than a fall, up from 15% in the previous quarter. And new landlord instructions -- which are an indicator of buy-to-let activity -- rose sharply with 20% more surveyors reporting a rise compared with 8% in the previous quarter.

What's more, surveyors anticipate rental growth from flats in particular will surge into the autumn as first time buyers delay taking the plunge while they keep an eye on what's happening to house prices and interest rates.

And surveyors aren't the only ones who are bullish on buy-to-let. The Association of Residential Lettings Agents' (ARLA) published results this week which reveal tenant demand now outstrips supply in all areas of the rental market.

Higher interest rates "have no impact" on the long-term health of the buy-to-let market, a new survey by Bradford and Bingley claims.

In the "largest ever" survey of UK landlords since 1996, when Bradford and Bingley were the first to offer a specific buy-to-let mortgage, the group revealed that more than half of landlords plan to increase their property portfolios.

Contrary to reports of overstretched buy-to-let landlords, the survey of almost 5,000 landlords found that only 4pc plan to reduce their portfolio of properties in the next six months.

The survey's findings also dismiss claims that buy-to-letters are just in the market for a quick return, revealing that 50pc have been investing for more than five years, and only 7pc have been investing for less than a year.

The current most popular buy-to-let spot is Brighton, with almost a third of landlords owning an investment property in the region.

Hailed as the "jewel in the South East's crown", Bradford and Bingley claims Brighton is "enjoying the fastest rate of growth" at the moment, driven by its large student population and close proximity to London.

London follows Brighton, as the second most popular buy-to-let area of the UK.

The average landlord is "more Joe Public than Duke of Westminster"; typically male and aged between 36 and 45, with between one and five buy-to-let properties in their portfolios.

Only 10pc of the buy-to-let investors surveyed were full-time professional landlords.

The majority are "everyday people" seeking capital growth and a means to supplement their pension pots.

Andy Wiggans, director of mortgages at Bradford and Bingley, said: "Despite recent reports of a slowdown in the buy-to-let sector, our biggest ever survey of those at the heart of the market show it remains strong.

"Higher interest rates may have an effect on cash flow but they have no impact on long-term capital returns."

The most popular investment property is the terraced house, with 58pc of landlords questioned by Bradford and Bingley having at least one terraced house in their property portfolio.

According to the Council of Mortgage Lenders the average buy-to-let mortgage was £117,548 in the second half of 2006.

Parkers, Totton's Specialist Letting Agent, is delighted to be associated with Totton AFC.

We would like to wish the Stags the very best of luck in FA Vase final on Sunday 13th May 2007 at Wembley!

AFC Totton - V - Truro City. 

For further information, visit www.afctotton.co.uk

House price inflation hit double figures for the first time in a year, as three interest rate rises failed to dampen activity in Britain's robust property market, fresh data showed yesterday.
Halifax, the UK's biggest mortgage lender, said that prices jumped by 1% last month, taking the annual growth to 11.1%. The average price of a house is now just under £195,000.

The latest surge in property prices comes on the eve of the Easter weekend which marks the start of the spring house-buying season.

'We've simply outgrown our existing premises', director Richard Parker explains.  'The move to Salisbury Road Arcade represents a significant investment in our business to provide our customers with a comfortable place in which to do business.'

Richard continues, 'The move also secures our place in the heart of Totton for at least the next ten years.'

Click on this link to download a copy:

 http://www.parkerslettings.com/files/Parkers%20Residential%20Lettings%20Guide.pdf

Alternatively please contact us for your complimentary copy on 023 8086 8578, or email us at info@parkerslettings.com

We’ve grown by over 60% in the last year alone, with a high proportion of new business coming by way of recommendation.   Nothing makes us happier than delivering the very best service to our customers and we strive to achieve this in everything we do.

On the marketing side, as more and more tenants turn to the internet in their search for a new home, Parkers have committed considerable resource to advertising all available properties on the two leading internet portal sites, rightmove.co.uk and propertyfinder.co.uk.  This allows your property to be seen by the widest possible audience, capturing those customers from outside the immediate area. 

Our prominent office in Totton (next to Holts), has been refurbished with new displays and signage.  First impressions count and when you consider that 75% of all our tenancies agreed are as a result of walk in business, we consider it to be money well spent.

We’ve also invested heavily in our staff, ensuring that our customers get the service and specialist legal advice they deserve.  And we’re also here longer too with our new opening hours of Monday to Saturday 9.00am to 5.00pm. 

Parkers are now also regulated by the Financial Services Authority, allowing us to provide our clients with a wide range of financial and insurance products.

Hardly surprising then, but very pleasing to see customers returning to Parkers on almost a daily basis.

Its latest survey found that property investment is now the primary source of income for 28 per cent of landlords, and a secondary source for 71 per cent. Just under 40 per cent of landlords are self employed, but 19 per cent are employed in 'public administration, education and health, 15 per cent in construction, and 12 per cent in banking, finance and insurance.

Most do not regard being a landlord as being either a 'full time' or a 'part time' job. More than half said it was something they do in their spare time, generating and average 32 per cent of their total income. Residential property investment is the main business activity for only 28 per cent of respondents, with 71 per cent saying that it is a secondary.

A third of landlords are aged between 36 and 45 years, a further 31 per cent are between 46 to 55, and 26 per cent are over 55 years. Only 9 per cent are less than 35, and 'almost none' are under 25. The average age is 49 years.

The typical portfolio comprises 10.6 properties with an average value of £1.69m.

Landlords mostly invest for a combination of rental income and capital growth, and to contribute to their pensions, said paragon.

The average landlord has 10.6 properties, 76 per cent of which are mortgaged, with an average loan to value ration of 50 per cent. Mortgages are spread between an average 2.4 lenders. Deposits, however, are most likely to be sourced from savings (45 per cent) or by raising funds against existing property portfolios (44 per cent).

Some 45 per cent of landlords said they planned to grow their portfolios over the coming 12 months, with only 7.5 per cent planning to reduce their involvement, and only 2 per cent planning to leave the market.

Most landlords said they had invested in property simply because they preferred it over other types of investment. Many saw the investment as contributing to their pensions.

'Landlords come from many walks of life. Some may have a financial or building background, which is obviously useful to the successful day to day running of a buy to let business, but many bring skills and talents from other business areas', said Paragon's director of mortgages John Heron. 'They may be salaried or self employed. One consistent feature, however, is that they display a much stronger socio economic profile than the population as a whole

'Financially, landlords are cautious. They typically mortgage only half of the value of their property portfolio, and tend to use the equity in the portfolio to raise the deposit for new property acquisitions or otherwise draw this from savings. On average, they have a comfortable cushion in their continuing finances, with rental income exceeding mortgage payments by 30 per cent on average'.

Asda, the UK arm of the world's biggest retailer, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., said it had started a 10-store trial allowing shoppers to buy and sell their homes from its outlets.

The scheme involves properties registered for sale being viewed at computer terminals in Asda stores.

The commission charge is 1 percent of the home's sale price, less than the 1.5-2.5 percent commission charged by many estate agents, particularly in the southeast, where property prices are relatively higher.

Ray Boulger, senior technical manager, at independent mortgage advisers John Charcol, said the success of the property push would depend on Asda's ability to build its pool of properties for prospective buyers and secure decent sale prices.

"That is key and always the issue for anybody starting up. Clearly Asda have got the firepower to put some effort behind it," Boulger said

Asda said it would use a separate company, working just for the supermarket, comprising 40 valuers, surveyors and estate agents to handle home visits and viewings

The supermarket's push comes a week after, Rightmove, Britain's biggest property Web site, published its first trading update since floating in March and said customer growth was significantly ahead of previous expectations

Rightmove says it has three quarters of the UK online property advertising market with 10 million individual users visiting the site a month

"The challenge for companies is to get enough properties on the site to make it worth while for people to look at them," said Boulger.

Landlords are continuing to invest in the buy-to-let market as average rents achieved remain steady. That's according to the latest (June) Paragon Mortgages' Buy-to-Let Index.

The typical landlord earns a gross rental income on each property of £10,189, or just over £849 per month, a rise of 0.8%. This compares with April's figure of £10,113 and March's of £10,082.

At the same time, investment property prices continue to edge up, rising by 2.9% over the month, from £164,247 in April to £168,935 in May. The price at which landlords purchase properties has risen by 7.7% over the past twelve months, reflecting the relative buoyancy of the residential property market in late 2005 and early 2006.

Average rental yields meanwhile stand at 6.0%, although there continue to be variations between regions.

Regionally, yields tend to be higher in parts of the country where property prices are lower, while Greater London and the South East, where prices average £327,139 and £184,087 respectively, consistently have lower yields (5.7% and 5.8%).

For the second consecutive month, the East Midlands and the North West head the table as the highest yielding regions, at 6.6% and 6.6%. Prices in these regions are respectively 19.2% and 25.1% below the national average.

While Greater London has the lowest rental yield, the total return for the capital (based on property value appreciation and rental income) is strong. London has again this month generated the highest total return, of 36.3%, on a typical property purchased 12 months ago.

The capital was followed by the North at 34.7% and East Anglia at 28.4%. National total returns stood at 14.4%, unchanged from April.

Landlords of homes with occupants in multiple occupation need to be aware that, as of 6th April this year, they will need to apply for a licence in order to let their properties.

Landlords of homes in multiple occupancy (HMO’s), for example properties where five or more students or other sharers live in multi-storey accommodation, may well be required to fulfill certain set criteria and pay a licence fee in order to continue letting their properties. Criteria will vary from local authority to local authority.

The Government is implementing the licences as part of the Housing Act 2004, a main objective of which is to ensure that sub-standard properties are no longer being let, and that all tenants in the private sector are guaranteed safe living environments which provide a good quality of life. Landlords who do not comply with the new legislation will forfeit their right to serve section 21 notices, meaning that they will be unable to regain vacant possession of their property.

HMO licensing forms part of the Housing Act 2004. There are two types of HMO licensing. Mandatory licensing is required for all properties of three or more storeys and for all properties occupied by five or more people forming two or more house-holds. Additional licensing will be at the discretion of the local authority.

Richard Parker, director, comments: “Since the launch of our new website in January, we have seen rapid growth in the number of visitors.  More importantly, 79% of all our visitors subscribe to our emailing list providing our landlords with a rich resource of active tenants for available properties."  http://www.parkerslettings.com