The £100,000 Question


Talk about being flattered. Not only have I been asked to tell the FT how I’d invest £100,000 in property, but I’ve been asked by Catherine Moye, right, one of the very best of my journalistic colleagues (and not just because she has quoted me in her story). It’s not often that a wizened hack like me feels humble…

This is what I said.

"I would look to London, Paris, New York or Shanghai with my £100,000, to buy one or two mid-quality second-hand apartments in classic student enclaves. Even cash-strapped governments remain committed to ambitious education targets for their young citizens. When the going gets tough, the jobless increase their skills or learn new professions, so education stays a strong driver for renters. The big cities in particular attract lucrative international students renting year-round, not just term time, pushing up yields and reducing voids."

Anyone following my advice and doing well out of it, should feel duty-bound to share their gains with me. If the advice turns out to be unwise, remember property prices can go down as well as up….as if we didn’t know that already.

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