You might immediately be scared off because you can’t afford to climb the property ladder in the first place, but before that knee-jerk reaction kicks in, give this a read.

It’s very easy to spend money. It’s a lot harder to save it. If you’re dedicated enough to squirrelling away your spare change, you’re in the minority. A recent study revealed that millions of people across the UK have less than £100 in savings. (1)

But hiding your savings under your bed means you’ll only ever have as much as you hide away. When you choose to invest your savings, on the other hand, you give your money the chance to grow.

If you’re new to investing, it might sound a bit daunting. You might think its solely reserved for people who studied economics and now wear suits to work. In fact, a recent poll revealed that 60% of women under the age of 35 matched the term “investor” with an “old, white man.” (2) But everything seems scary at first. However, not only can investing be incredibly simple, it can also be for everyone.

There are 5 main types of investments (also known as asset classes). Each one can offer you different levels of risk and different levels of reward. These include: cash, government bonds, equities, commodities and property.

Let’s take a closer look at the last asset class – property. It’s likely you’ll find it to be pretty straightforward. Unlike the share markets where you might find yourself chewing on complex jargon, we believe everyone speaks property. Chances are, you know what a house is, you know what rent is and you know that house prices can go up as well as down.

Jargon busting aside, how beneficial is property investment?

Well, every type of investment involves risk. There is no guarantee that you will make a profit, but you’re opening yourself up to the possibility of it. It’s also important to remember that you could even lose some of what you put in. But, there’s a comfort to be found in property investment: losses only really count once you sell the property. You can ride out blips in the market just by sitting tight and waiting for house prices to float back up.

Other comforts include:

  • Property investment is said to be “the most risk-averse, hands off and financially rewarding option.” (3)
  • It’s one of the best performing asset classes. When compared to UK shares, government bonds and cash ISAs, buy-to-let property offered the highest returns in a study published in April 2015. (3)
  • It will always be in demand. Even during tough economic times, people will prioritise paying their rent or their mortgage. (4)

How can your savings track UK property prices?

Before we get on to that, let’s talk about why you might want your savings to track UK property prices in the first place. Property’s appeal aside, we believe there are three main reasons. Firstly, it can make things simple. If you turn on the news and see that house prices have risen, you’ll know that your money pot should have grown. Secondly, it might be less of a headache. You won’t have the hassle of hand-picking promising shares, nor will you have to pay an active fund manager a hefty amount to organise your portfolio. Thirdly, UK property prices have increased by 267.45% in the last 20 years.* That means if you bought a house for £200,000 in 1997, it could be worth £734,900 today. Selling it would give you a profit of over half a million pounds. (5)

But I can’t afford to get on the property ladder…

That’s entirely understandable. Countless individuals have been locked out of the property market. Unless you’re sitting on a large amount of cash, you might be starting at a dead end.

In an ideal world, everyone would be able to pool their spare change together, buy a house and earn proportionate rental income.

Well, thanks to property crowdfunding, that’s now possible.

At Property Moose, for example, they allow you to invest in hand-picked properties from just £10. You don’t need to worry about mortgages or down payments, either. You simply buy a slice of a house (or multiple slices if you want), along with a crowd of other people, just like you.

They are trying to give you the opportunity to start climbing the property ladder, one brick at a time, whilst also giving your savings the chance to grow. Let your spare change track UK house prices today.

Sources

  1. www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37504449
  2. learn.stashinvest.com/millennials-dont-invest
  3. www.sequre.co.uk/investor-advice/why-invest-in-property
  4. www.yourinvestmentpropertymag.com.au/news/why-property-really-is-the-best-investment-188624.aspx
  5. www.zoopla.co.uk/market/uk/

Written by Property Moose

Disclaimer and Legals

Property Moose does not provide any advice in relation to investments and you must rely on your own due diligence before investing. Please remember that property prices can go down as well as up and that all figures, rates and yields are projections only and should not be relied on. If in doubt, please seek the advice of a financial adviser. Your capital is at risk if you invest. This post has been approved as a financial promotion by Resolution Compliance Limited.

Property Moose is a trading name of Crowd Fin Limited which is an Appointed Representative of Resolution Compliance Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (no: 574048).