One of the things I love most about property is that no two investments are ever quite the same.
Two houses on the same street can look almost identical, yet one could make an amazing investment, while the other might not be right at all. Why? Because the first question I think every investor should ask isn’t, “How much is it?” or even “What’s the rental income?” It’s…Who’s going to live here?
I think that’s something many people overlook, especially when they’re new to investing. Before I start thinking about offers, refurbs or rental income, I’m already picturing the person who’s most likely to call that property home.
If it’s a family, I’m looking at it through completely different eyes. Are there good schools nearby? Can the children walk there safely? Is there a park around the corner? Can someone nip to the Morrisons/Lidl or Aldi without driving halfway across town? Is it somewhere I’d be happy for my own family to live?
Now let’s imagine it’s a young professional. Maybe they work at the hospital, in the city centre or one of the many business parks we have here across the North East. Suddenly, good schools really aren’t the priority anymore. Now I’m thinking about transport links, bus routes, Metro stations, somewhere to grab a coffee on the way to work and whether getting home after a late shift feels straightforward and safe.
Then what if our ideal tenants are students? Again, everything changes. Being close to universities, shops, cafés, public transport and the city centre (for a good night out) often becomes much more important than having a big garden or being in a quiet cul-de-sac.
The property hasn’t changed at all, but the person living in it has. That’s why your questions should change too.
I think that’s one of the biggest reasons I enjoy what I do. As I always say, property isn’t just about houses, it’s about people and being able to understand what they need and how they live.
At JH Property Connect, we work with time-poor business owners and investors, who have the capital but not the time to spend hours researching areas or property portals, speaking with agents, or trying to work out whether a property is the right fit for them. We do all the thinking, all the searching, all the number crunching, all the viewings and the offers, so you know that every opportunity brought directly to you, is thoroughly considered with your end tenant in mind, not just the purchase price.
When you stop looking at a property as just four walls and start looking at the people who’ll hopefully choose to live there, you often make much better investment decisions.
And you may find that sometimes, the smallest shift in thinking makes the biggest difference.