Attractive Investment Return in Resilient Reading Rental Market

by Mike Shearn, Chief Operating Officer of Haslams
Reading's largest independent estate agency

05 June 2020

Haslams is the leading lettings agent in Reading and even in lockdown, we have seen demand from tenants and I am delighted that the market has proved to be resilient and has bounced back with vigour in May.

This is because the fundamentals of Reading remain extremely strong and the area continues to outperform most locations in the UK due to it being the economic capital of the Thames Valley which in turn drives investment, skilled jobs, and local spending power.

A huge number of companies and industries are already based in Reading: from IT start-ups to global corporations such as Pepsi and Microsoft. New companies continue to move to Reading all of the time and I don't see this changing. Reading offers a great quality of life, value for money, it is amazingly connected and yet surrounded by beautiful countryside. This proposition is compelling for companies and individuals alike and consequently it also offers huge potential for investors looking for capital growth and strong income.

The growing population means that there is always strong demand for rentals and in particular for town centre apartments. In recent years there has been an under-supply of high quality town centre apartments which are in constant demand from young professionals.

Berkeley Homes' Huntley Wharf development responds really well to this market. The homes are high quality and built by a respected developer and the development itself offers valuable space, tranquillity and the ability to walk or cycle to large employment hubs. All of these aspects are emerging as a key requirements for tenants. We therefore expect apartments at Huntley Wharf to achieve some of the very best values anywhere in Reading, especially those with waterside views.