Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa February 2016 | Page 62

UK PROPERTY

Should you be buying

Property in the UK?
UK property investment
for South Africans
BY ANDREW RISSIK

T

he UK is as popular an investment destination
for South Africans as ever. If you are
considering making a large offshore investment
any time soon, you should think about investing in UK
property. Not only is it a great way to earn solid returns
in Pounds, but it will also help protect you from Rand
depreciation.

The English connection

South Africa and England have a shared history that
goes back hundreds of years. In more recent times, the
economic ties between the two countries have become
increasingly entrenched, even in the face of occasional
diplomatic frostiness. As South African citizens seek
to invest abroad to ameliorate Rand volatility, this
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FEBRUARY 016 SA Real Estate Investor

relationship has strengthened.
The UK has also been a popular investment
destination for South Africans who may wish to
emigrate there in the future. Investing in a country to
which you intend to move one day will make it easier
to get your life started in your new home. Securing a
mortgage or paying for school fees will be a lot easier if
you are already deriving a UK-based income.

Protect yourself from a declining Rand

Globally, South Africans have the second highest
proportion of their assets offshore; there is little
wonder as to why this is the case: Since 2011, the Rand
has devalued by more than 100% and, unfortunately,
there are no signs of improvement in the medium term.
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