‘The Commonwealth Games Effect’
Since 1970, the UK has hosted the Commonwealth Games four times, and in the year following each event, property values increased by an average of 14.9% across these host cities. Following Manchester’s 2002 Commonwealth Games, from the torch being lit at the opening ceremony to one year later, house prices rose by over 20%.
In 2022, the Commonwealth Games was hosted by Birmingham for the first time, putting the UK’s second city on the global map for an audience of over a billion people. JLL recently announced Birmingham as one of the leading UK cities for forecast house price growth over the next five years, citing the Commonwealth Games as a key driver.
As Birmingham’s reputation and job market thrives, rental demand is also increasing to record levels in the city centre. JLL predicts rents to soar by 19.3% by 2027 – a convincing message for investors considering Birmingham.
Other high-profile projects transforming Birmingham
High-Speed 2 (HS2)
The government’s GBP 106 billion railway will form the ‘backbone of Britain’s transport network’. Birmingham will be the central hub connecting London and the North, supporting the government’s ‘Levelling Up Agenda’ to improve connectivity and opportunities in regional cities.
The Big City Plan
The Big City Plan is ‘the most ambitious, far-reaching development project ever undertaken in the UK.’ The aim is to create a world-class city centre by planning for the next 20 years of transformation, including:
- Creating 1.5 million square metres of new floorspace
- Creating over 50,000 new jobs
- Contributing GBP 2.1 billion to the economy each year
Goldman Sachs
Global investment banking giant, Goldman Sachs, recently set up headquarters in Birmingham city centre as an alternative to the capital, boosting the city’s profile and attracting a talent pool of high-earning renters – the prime demographic of the build to rent sector.
Following suit with HSBC Bank, which set up headquarters in Birmingham in 2018, Goldman Sachs is influencing a growing trend of blue-chip employers choosing regional cities as an alternative to the capital.
Build-to-rent opportunities
Now 95% sold out in less than a year, our global investors are confident that Affinity Living Lancaster Wharf will revolutionise the Build-to-Rent market in Birmingham. Completing in 2025, you can benefit from 10% capital growth over the build period and projected rental yields of 6%.
With four completed Affinity Living developments in Manchester, we understand what renters want and go above and beyond to drive the highest returns for our investors. Reflecting this preference in the market for prime stock, JLL recently reported that average prime rents in Birmingham in the year to December 2022 rose 38% for one beds and 27% for two beds.
Get in touch to find out more about investing in the UK’s second city.
