When is the Right Time to Invest in Property?

Investing in property can be a smart long-term move, but timing is everything. Understanding market trends, your personal financial readiness, and regional demand can significantly impact the success of your investment.

Whether you’re eyeing a buy-to-let or your first home, knowing when to act is key. It’s also wise to assess expected returns using tools like a rent yield calculator, particularly if you’re looking for steady rental income. This guide will explore four essential factors to help you identify the right moment to take the plunge into property investment.

Understanding the property market cycle

Before you decide to invest in any property, you need to understand the property market cycle. Typically, the property market has an 18-year cycle, consisting of a boom, bust, and recovery.

Boom

This period usually lasts for around 7 years, and house prices tend to increase sharply. These prices are driven by credit expansion. This is the perfect time to sell a property, as it gives you access to unusually high prices.

Bust

After a boom, there is a bust period, which lasts for around 4 years. During this time, the market corrects itself and house prices fall. This can be triggered by a financial crisis or rising interest rates. This can be a good time to buy, as property values are much lower.

Recovery

After a bust, the market enters a recovery phase. This also lasts for around 7 years, and offers steadily rising house prices, alongside easier financial options. This is another great time to buy a house, especially as it’s just before the boom phase restarts.

Evaluate your financial position

Something else you need to do before you commit to purchasing a property is to evaluate your financial position. This involves reviewing your savings, credit status, and borrowing options.

When buying a house, you typically need to pay a deposit on the house and get a mortgage for the remaining value. While this deposit can be as low as 5% from some lenders, your mortgage will be substantially higher to cover this.

On the other hand, a higher deposit will reduce the cost of your mortgage.

Analyse rental return potential

If you’re buying property as an investment, you might be interested in renting it. This can help generate additional income, while your property continues to grow in value. Of course, knowing whether a property is viable to rent can be difficult, especially if this is your first rental property.

To help you make the best financial decision, we recommend using a rental yield calculator. Rental yield tools can help you predict your expected costs and revenue, helping you to decide if renting is the best option for your property.