Landlords 'should consider specialist properties'

Landlords hoping to continue to earn good profits on their buy-to-let portfolios should consider buying property in niche and 'boutique' areas, an industry expert has said.

The head of Property Bourse, Robin Christie, told citywire.co.uk that that UK property lettings market has become increasingly "over-bought", meaning that it will become harder for landlords and letting agents to make the profits they have in recent years.

Despite this, Mr Christie pointed out that the success of buy-to-let meant that many people still wanted to have the chance to invest in the sector.

"The two biggest investment stories of the last ten years have been buy-to-let and hedge funds, both of which were completely unexpected," he told the site.

"Together, they suggest to me that high-worth individuals want to invest in property and that they value a skilled, hands-on approach to investment management."

To meet this demand, Mr Christie said that people would increasingly choose to buy specialist properties that they were sure had a good letting potential.

Recently, Chris Town, a spokesperson for the Residential Landlords Association (RLA), explained that landlords could still obtain good returns from student lettings if they choose the locations with care.

"There's still a good market for quality property," Mr Town said, "provided you do your homework".