Institutional investors muscling into your housing market

Who will be your landlord in future and what does it mean in the short and long term?

The Rise of Institutional Homeownership: Will Banks Become Your Landlord?

The traditional image of a homeowner – an individual or family purchasing a property for personal use – is undergoing a significant shift in the United Kingdom. Enter the institutional investor, specifically banks like Lloyds, venturing into the single-family home market on a grand scale. This trend, while nascent, poses intriguing questions about the future of housing affordability, rents, and the very nature of homeownership in the UK.

Banks as Landlords: A New Game in Town

Driven by factors like low interest rates, a perceived hedge against inflation, and the potential for stable rental income, institutional investors are increasingly eyeing the residential property market. Lloyds Bank, the UK’s largest mortgage provider, stands as a prime example. In 2021, they partnered with the housebuilder Taylor Wimpey to acquire thousands of newly built homes for rental purposes. This move isn’t isolated; similar initiatives are underway across the pond in the US, with major players like Blackstone and Goldman Sachs amassing vast portfolios of single-family homes.

Impact on Housing Prices: A Double-Edged Sword

The immediate impact of institutional buying on house prices is a complex issue. On the one hand, their deep pockets could inject significant capital into the market, potentially driving up prices, particularly in desirable locations. This could exacerbate affordability concerns, especially for first-time buyers already struggling with rising costs.

On the other hand, some argue that institutional investors might act as a stabilising force, purchasing excess inventory during market downturns and preventing price crashes. Additionally, their focus on energy-efficient, modern homes could contribute to long-term improvements in the housing stock.

Ultimately, the net effect on prices will depend on various factors, including the scale of institutional buying, government policies, and broader economic trends.

Rents on the Rise? Not So Simple Either

While the prospect of institutional landlords might raise concerns about rent hikes, the reality is likely to be more nuanced. Firstly, these investors are primarily interested in long-term, stable returns, which incentivises them to offer competitive rents to attract and retain tenants. Additionally, regulations like rent control measures could play a role in curbing excessive rent increases.

However, concerns remain. The sheer volume of homes owned by institutions could give them significant market power, potentially allowing them to exert upward pressure on rents, particularly in areas with limited housing options. Moreover, the focus on professional property management might lead to a less personal and potentially less responsive landlord-tenant relationship compared to traditional setups.

The Long View: Redefining Homeownership

The long-term implications of this trend are far-reaching. A future with a significant portion of homes owned by institutions could fundamentally alter the concept of homeownership in the UK. Traditional homeowner aspirations, centred around property ownership and wealth accumulation, might give way to a renter-centric model, where stability and affordability become the primary concerns.

This shift could have profound social consequences, potentially impacting wealth distribution, community dynamics, and even political landscapes. It’s crucial to have open and informed discussions about the potential benefits and drawbacks of this new paradigm, ensuring that policies and regulations are in place to protect tenants and safeguard a healthy housing market for all.

Beyond the Numbers: Humanising the Equation

In the rush to analyse statistics and market trends, it’s important to remember that housing is more than just an investment or a commodity. Homes are where families build memories, communities thrive, and lives unfold. As we navigate this changing landscape, it’s essential to keep the human element at the centre of the conversation. We must ensure that this new wave of institutional ownership doesn’t come at the cost of affordability, stability, and the very essence of what makes a house a home.

The rise of institutional homeownership presents a complex and multifaceted challenge for the UK. While it holds the potential to boost the housing market and offer stability, it also raises concerns about affordability, renter rights, and the long-term social impact. As we move forward, careful consideration, informed policy decisions, and a focus on human needs are crucial to ensure that this new chapter in UK housing benefits everyone, not just the bottom line of institutional investors.

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Higher UK Interest Rates Are Coming So Fill Your Boots With Cheap Money Now

UK Interest Rate Predictions

Current interest rate in UK is 0.25 percent but this is set to rise in 2017

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If the Bank of England pushes up UK interest rate, lenders will follow suit and it will cost you more money to buy a house build that extension lease a new car or invest in your business.

17th October 2017 UK Inflation Rises Even Further Beyond Bank of England Target of 2 percent

UK’s inflation reached 3 percent in September 50 percent higher than targeted according to the Office for National Statistics ONS.

3 percent is the UKs highest inflation level in since April 2012. This is a continuation a rising inflation trend in the UK. This validates the expectation of a UK interest rate hike in November 2017 especially as rising UK inflation should herald rising wages.

Pensioners will definitely win from September’s increase in inflation. UK state pension is linked to September’s inflation rate and this means pensioners will get a 3 percent wage rise next April 2018. The triple lock on pensions means that pensioners are guaranteed a minimum increase each year by whichever is the highest of Septembers inflation rate average earnings growth or 2.5 percent.

If you are planning on borrowing money in UK get in now whilst lenders rates are at their lowest

Could UK interest rates fall even further? Of course they could! Will they? Not on your nelly!

UK interest rate is currently at its lowest. The only way is up but when will they rise? They should have risen by now and as each day passes the likelihood of an increase in interest rate in UK increases.

Currently the UK manufacturing sector is selling more than it has ever done since 1988. Exports are at their highest since 1995. The UK manufacturing sector is trying to recruit more people.

Unemployment is at its lowest rate since the 1970s. Employment rate is at its highest ever. Millions of job vacancies are unfilled. Employers will have to increase pay to retain and attract staff and this will push inflation up higher.

Inflation is running at 2.9 percent and is probably already at 3.0 percent. The Bank of England has a KPI to trigger interest rate increases. Its 2.0 percent. UK inflation is currently 50 percent higher than the optimal inflation rate of 2.0 percent and if the Governor of the Bank of England was a balanced analyst he would know that he needs to help the Monetary Policy Committee to increase UK interest rate to 0.5 percent in 2017.

Mr Carney has today admitted UK businesses are investing more as the global economy is set to boom. The UK economy will probably grow at least as fast as 2016 and by the end of 2017 growth in UK will be a healthy 2.0 percent.

Increasing UK interest rate will support the value of the UK pound and this will make it slightly harder to export and slightly easier to import to UK which will help control inflation.

The UK needs to prepare for the next financial disaster that the financial services industry cook’s up. Part of the preparation is increasing interest rate towards the long-term UK average of 5.0 percent yes 5.0 percent not 0.5 percent. Even if the Bank of England did increase UK interest rate to 0.5 percent it would still be at a rate that is a tenth of the normal for the UK. Thats how far interest rates will go and it will go relatively fast to stop consumer bubble like that in car sales by finance.

So if you want to borrow money in the UK you will never get a better time to borrow than now. Mr Carney flip flops about when it comes to monetary guidance. One minute the economic data points to a UK interest rate rise the next Mr Carney thinks the same data points to maintaining UK interest rate, or even cutting UK interest rate. Mr Carney will soon be going on a mid career break with Mrs May. She will bore him to death about her policy of a strong and stable government, and he can bore her about his kangeroo petrol monetary guidance policy.

The new and enlightened and emboldened MPC should increase UK interest rate this year. If the MPC doesn’t then we need a new MPC.

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