Property Investment in Capital Cities

We believe that to make the very most from a property investment, a would-be buyer should look to urban centres rather than to holiday hot spots. While appreciating that in many traditional – and emerging - lifestyle markets there is still a buck to be made, it is away from the sun, sea, sand and snow that one can find the most profitable properties, and the most secure investments.

Consider this: for the first time in human history, over 50% of the people on this planet – in other words, well over three billion individuals - now live in urban areas. Cities are expanding at a faster rate than ever before; tens of millions of people each and every year move from rural locations into towns and cities, driven by the need for employment, resources and a better way of life.

In China alone, the equivalent of a city the size of Manchester needs to be constructed every single month to cope with the immense exodus from the countryside, and this situation is mirrored in almost every other country on Earth.

Demand for urban property has never been higher – and will continue to grow for decades. If the worlds leading economies take the hit which has looked on the cards for a while now, one of the first sectors to suffer will be the leisure and tourism industry.

Less spending money means fewer holidays; fewer holidays mean fewer holidaymakers; fewer holidaymakers mean a substantial drop in rental income – and for those reliant on that rental income to pay a mortgage the consequences could be catastrophic.

Property Investment in Maida Vale, London W9

Maida Vale is a charming residential area located west of regent's Park and north of Notting Hill. It is known for its picturesque streets in Little Venice that border the Regent's Canal.

Maida Vale has a variety of amenities appealing to both families and single professionals. There is an abundance of architecturally superb residential buildings, which include houses, conversions and mansion flats. There is a fine selection of upmarket shops serving the area's residents.

Maida Vale is popular with parents of children attending the nearby American School.

Maida Vale is well served by the tube and rail connections to the City and the West End (Marble Arch is a few minutes away) and there is an excellent bus network also.

Travel Links to Maida Vale

Paddington (Bakerloo, Hammersmith & City, Circle & District lines), Edgeware Road (Bakerloo, Circle & District lines), Maida Vale (Bakerloo line) and Warwick Avenue (Bakerloo line)

Paddington & Queens Park Railway Stations

Motorway Junction M1 Junction 1

Airport London City

Property Investment St Johns Wood, London NW8

Bordered by both Regent's Park and Primrose Hill, St John's Wood is excellently located. There are several mansion blocks with superb views over Regent's Park and Central London. Away from the park the tree-lined streets offer attractive properties including semi-detached and terraced houses and also a number of large detached properties standing in their own grounds.
The area is very central, smart and peaceful with good local amenities in St John's Wood itself and also in Swiss Cottage. The American School is nearby.

St. John's Wood and the surrounding areas that the St. John's Wood covers are very well established residential areas, with numerous shopping and leisure facilities. The rolling acres of both Regents Park and Primrose Hill, provide the area with wonderful outdoor recreational facilities. There are many architectural styles of property within the area, the main being Victorian, Georgian, Edwardian, Art Deco and Regency. The areas are well served by public transport to both the City and the West End, as well as within easy commuting distance of Heathrow Airport.

Architecturally, St. John's Wood retains pleasing styles from many different periods. There are classical Regency style houses - much sought after - with bow windows and elegant porticos; the stucco fronted houses so popular in Belgravia; beautifully proportioned Victorian houses, such as those to be found on Loudoun Road; and more recently built townhouses.

There is no doubt that this 'first suburb' of London will enter the 21st century as one of the most cosmopolitan areas of the Capital. Symbolically, the beautiful Georgian Parish Church, with it fine tower and cupola designed by Thomas Hardwick stands almost opposite the second largest mosque in Europe, built in 1973.

The area's villas were often the establishments for courtesans. In 1849, the Great Central Railway disturbed the calm of St. John's Wood and World War II destroyed many of the magnificent houses that once populated the streets. However, the 1950s and 1960s proved to be an era of regeneration.

Many of the older properties of Carlton and Clifton Hills were refurbished and smart townhouses sprung up from the rubble of the villas. Bordering Regent's Park in the Borough of Westminster, St. John's Wood remains much of the charm that still attracts prominent residents.

Travel Links to St Johns Wood

St Johns Wood (Jubilee Line)

South Hampstead Railway Station

Motorway Junction M1 Junction 1

Airport London City