London Mortgages

The mainstream mortgage market in the UK has, in recent years, been beset by a number of crises brought on by the economic slump. This has made it difficult for ordinary borrowers to reliably access mortgages that would have been easy to secure a few years ago in better times. But, conversely, the high net worth mortgage market servicing those looking to borrow £1 million or more has not suffered in the same way and continues to prosper. With continuing economic uncertainty within the Eurozone and the wider global economy many overseas investors are buying property in London's most prestigious areas resulting in a London property market that is not suffering the same stagnation or downturn as in many other parts of the UK. High end estate agents and mortgage brokers are benefiting from these prosperous times whilst their counterparts in other regions are still feeling the pinch of the recession. However, there are only so many prime properties that are desirable to wealthy overs...

There is no denying that the trials and tribulations of the UK, European and Global economies in recent years have had a detrimental effect on the overall property market in the UK as well as the market for overseas buyers. There have also been changes in the tax laws governing UK property ownership and these changes specifically affect non-British property owners. Despite these factors, London is still a preferred location for international investors to buy property but what has actually changed in recent years and how will that affect the desirability of investing in the prime central London property market in the years to come? International buyers from Russia, China, Japan and the USA are likely to be high net worth individuals who are prepared to pay a premium (whether in property prices or in fees and taxes due) in order to own a home in London. That is not to say that they will not have a well thought out tax plan in order to minimise their liability to tax in the UK but it w...