In December 2015 Fergus and Judith Wilson began to take\u00a0their\u00a0last steps off the UK property ladder, putting their\u00a0900 UK buy-to-let\u00a0properties up for sale\u00a0to a pool of foreign investors.<\/p>\n
A recent report with Britain’s biggest landlord has revealed some of his\u00a0insights on the UK property market.<\/p>\n
On exiting the UK property market<\/strong><\/p>\n Mr Wilson told the Telegraph: “Buy-to-let became an obsession for me. I am a self-confessed junkie. Each day I must have my daily fix. I look up prices and say to myself what a lucky man I am.\u201d<\/p>\n At the age of 67, Mr Wilson said he was sorry to be giving up on his properties but he was not\u00a0\u201cgetting no younger\u201d and\u00a0 \u201ccommon sense must prevail\u201d.<\/p>\n It may be be a good time for Wilson to exit the market, especially with a potential\u00a0\u00a3200m in profit (once fully sold and after repaying\u00a0about \u00a345m to 14 lenders).<\/p>\n Insight: While most landlords and investors won’t be able to exit market\u00a0\u00a3200m in profit, a solid property\u00a0investment\u00a0portfolio will\u00a0pay off in the long run.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n On the\u00a0end of the “amateur landlord”<\/strong><\/p>\n In a recent interview with the Financial Times<\/em>, Mr Wilson lamented the end of the “amateur landlord”. Talking about his early steps in property, he said: \u201cIf you were an amateur landlord in those days, as long as you could spell your name, you would get a mortgage. No one appeared to check anything. I wouldn\u2019t say it is impossible but it is much tougher. Some [banks] are offering loan-to-value of only 60 per cent.<\/p>\n \u201cIs it the wrong time to be an amateur landlord? Yes. Some people will succeed but ‘on the whole’, too many amateurs walk into pitfalls\u2026\u2009The day of the amateur landlord is over.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr Wilson told The Telegraph <\/a>of the couple’s success: “It was remarkably easy because no-one knew what they were doing. I didn\u2019t care if I didn\u2019t make a profit as long as I owned the properties. I knew they would rise in value eventually.”<\/p>\n Insight: The ‘hay days’ of the 90s are long gone, leaving only professional \u00a0investors and landlords. The UK property market is no longer a hobby; it’s a serious business.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n On the\u00a0EU Referendum<\/strong><\/p>\n In the same interview he said he believed the Brexit vote would ultimately bolster the selling process. \u201cI think foreign buyers are saying at the moment that Brexit helps as it is cheaper [property] in their money [after the fall in GBP]. Many\u2009\u2026\u2009are trophy hunters \u2014 they want to impress their friends with a photo of the house they own in Britain.\u201d<\/p>\n M<\/span>r Wilson told The Telegraph\u00a0he did not vote in the EU Referendum, but if he did, he would have voted Leave.<\/p>\n Insight : When one door closes another opens, reports support Mr Wilson’s assumptions may be correct with the BBC Reporting an increase in overseas investment.<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n