Transport for London’s much-awaited Elizabeth line is Opened on 24 May 2022, from Reading and Heathrow in the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east, ahead of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The Elizabeth Line’s opening has been a long time coming. Residents across the capital will benefit from the 10% rail capacity boost, the most significant single expansion of the city’s transport network in more than 70 years.
London commuters are also battling against rising property prices & rents along the Elizabeth Line.
Despite delays in the line opening, the number of buyers & renters looking to move near the Elizabeth line stations has steadily surged with competition now more than nine times that of ten years ago.
Competition, measured by the number of people enquiring about each available property in an area, has soared by 869 percent.
Tenants as many look to balance their commute into London with where they can afford, as rising rents in London have seen average asking rents reach a new record of £2,195 per calendar month, up 14 per cent compared to this time last year.
Not only this, but new working from home patterns since the pandemic started two years ago will have many people weighing up whether they are prepared to commute from further away if they need to do so less often.
Local areas around Maryland, Abbey Wood and Stratford stations like Barking, Romford, Illford, Dagenham have all grown in interest in the last decade, data from Rightmove shows.
Maryland Station in Newham, which provides an additional option for those commuting near well-connected Stratford, has seen the biggest jump in asking prices, more than doubling compared to ten years ago up to 108 per cent.
This compares to the London average increase over the past ten years of 55%
Various market-watchers predicted further rises, of up to 40% compared to non-Crossrail locations.
Areas further out from central London which have lower asking prices or rents, but are now more easily commutable will be attractive to tenants in search of somewhere affordable to live near the capital like Sudbury, Braintree, and Chigwell.
It just goes to show how important location is when looking to invest in a property for rental purposes.
You can also benefit from the new Elizabeth line in your property investments
As Property trends highlight the rise in prices & rentals along Elizabeth Line you can also get benefits through investment in properties near the line.
Individual property investors can also take advantage of this new investment opportunity in good target locations near the new line. If you want to know more about property investment opportunities near this new line, we can certainly help you with that!
If you’re interested to find out more, please get in touch or email our investment team at invest@plmd.co.uk. We would love to tell you more about our exciting investment opportunities near this line!
Due to the potential for losses, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) considers investments in bonds and private equity offerings to be high risk and complex.
What are the key risks?
1. You could lose all the money you invest
If the business offering this investment fails, there is a high risk that you will lose all your money. Businesses like this often use risky investment strategies and typically operate in competitive or uncertain markets.
Advertised rates of return aren’t guaranteed. This is not a savings account. If the issuer doesn’t pay you back as agreed, you could earn less than expected or nothing at all. Higher advertised rates often indicate a higher risk of losing your money. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
These investments are sometimes held in an Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA). While potential gains from your investment will be tax-free, an IFISA does not reduce the risks of the investment or protect you from losses.
2. You are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong
The business offering this investment is not regulated by the FCA. Protection from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) only considers claims against failed regulated firms and does not cover poor investment performance. Use the FSCS investment protection checker here.
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) does not consider complaints related to non-FCA-regulated firms. For FCA-regulated platforms, FOS may review certain complaints. Learn more about FOS protection here.
3. You are unlikely to get your money back quickly
Bonds, private equity investments, and other financial products backed by property projects may face delays or overruns, tying up your funds for longer than expected. In some cases, businesses may fail altogether and not repay your money.
Early cash-out options are typically unavailable. Secondary market sales, if allowed, may not guarantee a buyer or desired price.
4. This is a complex investment
These investments often involve complex structures that invest in other businesses, property, or projects. This makes it difficult to track where your money goes and assess risk accurately.
Investments in bonds or private equity linked to property can carry high levels of uncertainty and risk. Seek independent financial advice before deciding to invest.
5. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
Concentrating your money in one type of investment or business is risky. Diversify your investments to reduce reliance on any one to perform well.
A good rule of thumb is not to invest more than 10% of your total money in high-risk investments. Learn more here.
6. The platform could fail
If the investment platform or issuer fails, it may be challenging or impossible to recover your funds. Plans to handle such failures may not always work as intended.
7. The value of your investment can be reduced
If investment projects experience cost or time overruns, businesses may issue new shares or increase borrowings, potentially diluting your returns.
New shares or borrowings may also be prioritized over existing ones, further reducing the chances of a return.
For further information about bonds and private equity investments or to protect yourself, visit the FCA’s website here.
Learn more about minibonds here.
For details about investment-based and loan-based crowdfunding, visit the FCA’s website here.
