Residential investment management

The Countrywide Residential Investment Management team has a strong track record in this nascent sector following the acquisition, asset management and disposal of the assets held in the Vista Fund. A joint venture investing in PRS (Private Rented Sector) with a focus on BTR (Build to Rent) with Countrywide co-investing. This included over 650 units across six buildings, which were exited with financial outperformance.

CRIM provides the following three main services:

1) Build to rent (BTR) and PRS consultancy

The team offers developers and investors advice throughout the lifecycle of a BRS asset from planning and feasibility through acquisition via a forward purchase to launch, lease up and then steady state.

• Site viability – advising on achievable rents, likely operational costs the target market's demographic and absorption rates of a scheme to understand the likely net operating income so that this can be used in appraisals.
• Schemes layout and unit mix - making sure that the potential rental income is maximised and building, can be run efficiently minimising costs resulting in the highest net operating income.
• Advising developers on sales to institutional purchasers on a forward funded basis, including clients who have not necessarily completed sales of entire schemes to institutional purchasers and need assistance on what is required for an efficient exit that maximises the return.

2) Investment management

CRIM will provide investment management services, acting in an advisory role from the deploying of capital into PRS/BTR to maximise returns within any clients risk parameters. Working closely with our colleagues throughout the assets lifecycle to maximise performance and reporting as required to the client constantly working within pre agreed budgets and offering well-tailored product to suit the local demographic to maximise returns.

Services include:

• Sourcing of opportunities.
• Analysing and modelling opportunities and making recommendations to suit the investors risk and return requirements.
• Coordinating and reporting on a full diligence process.
• Monitoring the build and advising on fit out and finishes, that maximise rental income, minimise on-going maintenance costs whilst being cost effective.
• Advising on furniture, undertaking furniture acquisition again making sure it is cost effective, attractive to the local market and robust.

Working with our colleagues to:

• Set up an operational building.
• Recruit an onsite team.
• Setting up the leasing platform using local offices with secondment to an on-site presence with the support of a centralised office.

Using Countrywide’s unique data and market knowledge to find underwrite and secure the best opportunities to maximise returns within the required risk parameters.

3) Investment agency - sourcing and selling

Countrywide has a significant branch network across the UK, with dedicated teams advising developers and dealing with land sales, so we are well placed to secure opportunities both on and off market. Currently we are working with a number of developers whose business model until now has been open market sale of single units – but are now considering BTR and PRS product exits for their schemes.

Advise investors on schemes and potential schemes looking at layouts, locations and viability, returns, target market and rental levels. Advising developers on the exit strategy of whole schemes on a forward funding or commitment basis effectively de-risking the development for the developer as they have a guaranteed sale price before they start.

Contact us

For further information, please contact Bobby Barnett MRICS, Investment Director, Countrywide Residential Investments on 07725 429015 or email Bobby.Barnett@Countrywide.co.uk