Brexit: An opportunity or a threat?

07:40

A survey has revealed that investors are much more likely to see Brexit as an opportunity rather than a threat, in spite of factors like rising inflation.

Half of those surveyed said they considered the changing relationship between the UK and Europe to be an opportunity. Some shared the surprise and concern that dominated in the UK; in France, the feeling was largely one of incredulity that the UK was ruining the European dream. For Germany, it was seen as an opportunity to promote Frankfurt as a commercial market, while many Asian buyers and investors saw a decline in sterling as an opportunity.

In over three decades in property, UK undergoes crises and economic upheaval, but markets, particularly London, soon recovered – and often thrived.

It was on the late 1980s, when institutional investment in UK real estate came of age, when the big commercial businesses experienced some of their fastest growth and overseas investment from the likes of Japan, Sweden, and the Middle East began.

In the early 1990s, George Soros ‘broke the Bank of England’. It was also a time of chronic overbuilding and, early in the decade, sky-high interest rates – a challenge for overextended property firms. Yet by the mid-1990s, investors, particularly German firms such as Deka and Commerzbank, were piling into London property.

Finally, In 2008 and into 2009, the commercial property market was on its knees.

Whether, when and how we leave the EU may have significant, long-term implications for the economy, but the impact on commercial property is likely to be short-lived. Despite the uncertainty, the macroeconomic fundamentals remain strong. The economy is still growing, with 0.4% GDP growth in the latest quarter and employment at its highest since records began.

The property market is healthy. A no-deal Brexit could disrupt the market and affect yields, but over a period of months, not years. The market will bounce back, just as it always has done. For those with the right perspective, that’s not a disaster; it’s a buying opportunity.

Check back soon for more news from the UK property market. Read the latest property updates on the Junaid Iqbal Memon website here. Connect with property developer Junaid Iqbal Memon on Crunchbase here and get the latest property news on the Junaid Iqbal Memon Twitter page here.

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