Welcome to the Park Lane Estates Central London Property Guide.

Here we have compiled a wealth of information, links and resources to give you as much information as possible for you to make the most informed and well balanced decision on your purchase here in Central London. It can be a very daunting task when you first start to hunt for the perfect property so we have put together a guide that takes you through each step of the process, from working out what you need, what you can afford, how you can afford it, what to look out for along the way and also what you can do once you have moved in.

Central London has a unique property market

The Central London Market is very different to the rest of the country and is a very dynamic and complicated one to understand fully. Essentially central London acts as the real estate investment pot for the world. Due to the English language, strong property ownership laws, lack of purchase restrictions and historic importance many of the global wealthy elite and developing elite choose to buy and maintain property links in the Capital. 

Types of buyers

Unlike most of the rest of the country and other major global cities, Central London property is heavily influenced and owned by international and corporate investors. Many of them are cash buyers, and at the higher end of the market many use offshore and company purchases to conduct their investing. While domestic UK buyers are present, they are mainly made up of investors and City professionals from the higher earnings brackets. The core central areas have pretty much priced themselves out of the 'normal' domestic buyers reach, but this is largely because strict restrictions in building regulations and high demand will always result in over demand, by wealthy buyers for a severely undersupplied property stock.

Motivations

The keys reasons why there is such a strong international and wealth investment drive in Central London Property is largely down to legal, political and financial ingredients that are unique to London. Property law in the UK gives individual ownership strong legal rights that cannot be easily overturned by local authorities or even governments. In many countries ownership is something that corrupt and corporate powers can get around, here in the UK a single house owner can cause major hindrance to the powers that be if they choose not to sell up.

Politically the UK has a very stable and fair governmental system in comparison to other countries. Certainly, for its size and location this acts as a huge incentive as a safe destination for keeping investments out of harms way.

Financially the very fact that the UK still proudly uses the Pound Sterling keeps the currency flexible to the continued global fluctuations in world markets. Even when the UK economy is weak, the relative cheapness of the Pound against the Euro, Dollar and recently the Malaysian Ringgit and Hong Kong Dollar. This gives foreign buyers an added incentive to purchase as to them the real term prices are lower that if they were domestic earners. With the standard practise of spreading your wealth in different forms and different locations, London has ended up being the Capital of foreign sourced property investment capital.

Global Balance

Central London also does well out of its global position physically and also at the very heart of the financial and legal markets. Even when going through a short term hiccup such as the recent Credit Crunch, it is still a key player internationally, and with such a strong presence and heritage when other global powers get rich, Central London benefits from their business and investment here, even if the domestic market is weak. This is never more obvious than now, with domestic investment drying up, the Central London property market has remained buoyant and strong, with prices increasing and bidding wars between different keen and motivated buyers.

Also whenever there is a global crisis investors prioritise their investments into secure and safe products such as gold. Since central London property has a rarity and high demand, it can almost be said that the Central London property market could be likened to a global property gold reserve.

Restrictions on Expansion

In order for prices to remain strong and stable alongside demand you must also have a restriction on the potential oversupply. London has a strong history of limiting the heights of buildings due to historical importance on the preservation of the London skyline as well as limiting the spread of the city beyond its current borders. The London 'Green Belt' introduced in the 1930s is now a treasured asset and helps to keep the City close enough to the countryside to benefit all who live there. The downside is that the planning regulations and limitations around London are so strict that it is all but impossible to substantially develop housing to satisfy the huge and disproportionate demand in the South East of the country.

The other issue that also helps keep Central prices high, is the rather over stretched and expensive transport system. One of the core issues of developing the World's first over ground and underground networks is that it is by default going to be the most out of date, and designed for a very different city and population than today. Along with strict property ownership laws and high land prices, it is not a simple case of demolishing the old and replacing with a brand spanking new network. This compromise means that prices for travel will always be relatively high, and the system overcrowded and inefficient. The upside is that demand for Central London property increases as people prefer to avoid the commute and are happy to compromise on the costs. Recently this has lead to a strong resurgence in local communities and related businesses. Now most of the city centre neighbourhoods offer a wealth of local trades, bars and restaurants at competitive prices and very high standards to cater for the increase in Central London residents and visitors.

So now we understand why Central London is in demand, lets look at how you can find your perfect property.

Park Lane Estates is a Central London Estate Agent & Real Estate Brokerage that specialises in the sales and lettings of Central London (W1, SW1 & W2) and International properties. We cover Mayfair, Belgravia, St. James's, Marylebone, Bayswater, Westminster, Pimlico and Knightsbridge as well as most of the surrounding areas. 

If you are looking for a property to buy or rent or indeed have one you are considering selling or letting out, please call us for a free, no obligation appraisal and valuation. We are happy to be your one stop shop for all your London property needs.