• Manchester offering strong returns on stylish homes (Surrenden Invest)
• Northern cities providing something ‘a cut above the average’ (Properties of the World)
• Liverpool flagged as 2017 property investment hotspot (Property Frontiers)

The much celebrated MIPIM UK property industry extravaganza will take place at London’s Olympia from 19-21 October 2016.

Sir Howard Bernstein, Chief Executive of Manchester City Council, will be among those attending, along with a strong contingent of his peers from the North of England. The Northern team will be attending en masse in order to show that the North remains open for business, despite the ongoing distraction of Brexit. Bernstein comments,

MIPIM is the first major real estate event since the EU referendum and I’m looking forward to reinforcing the importance of Manchester and the north to the UK economy. The event will be a great opportunity to discover the diverse investment and development opportunities the north has to offer.

Manchester is certainly generating some interesting real estate investment opportunities at present. In a prime position in the heart of the city, Halo epitomises the kind of modern, luxury development that investors are keen to be profit from and tenants are keen to rent. The high profile development boasts 66 stylish apartments, with projected 6.2% NET yield through Surrenden Invest.

Manchester, along with Birmingham and London, sits among Europe’s 20 largest cities, according to Centre for Cities. Investment opportunities there are attracting both domestic and international interest. Jean Liggett, CEO of visionary property investment consultancy, Properties of the World, offers several opportunities to investors keen to pick up northern real estate. She agrees that contemporary developments with a luxurious feel are prime targets for investors, commenting,

Northern UK cities offer rich pickings right now when it comes to real estate opportunities. Buyers are looking for something a cut above the average in excellent locations. Popular properties are those that are well located for both local employment opportunities and retail and leisure amenities. Salford Quays is precisely the kind of area that investors can’t get enough of.”

The popularity of design-led apartments such as those at The Element add weight to Liggett’s words. The stylish homes offer urban convenience at every turn, from their prime Salford Quays location to the availability of on-site parking – an important consideration that is often bypassed by such central city developments. Apartments at The Element start from £112,970 and offer 7% NET assured returns for two years.

But it’s not just Manchester’s real estate that has got investors so excited about opportunities in the North. Ray Withers, CEO of Property Frontiers, explains,

We’re seeing a lot of interest in the property investment opportunities available in Liverpool right now. Liverpool is a growing city and centrally located accommodation that offers something unique is winning over a lot of interest from investors. Liverpool’s prices are still a little below their 2007 peak and a lot of those in the industry are flagging it up as an investment hotspot for 2017.

Withers cites Parker Street Residences as an example of the kind of property that stands out from the crowd. Located within the central, L1 postcode area, the development has blended the exterior façade of the former Reece’s Ballroom with an ultra-contemporary interior. As well as a low entry point (studios are priced from £69,950 for cash buyers) and yields of 8% NET, investors can enjoy owning their own piece of Beatles history, as Reece’s was the location of John Lennon’s first wedding reception.

International and local investors flock to MIPIM UK every year for just these kind of investment opportunities and the message at the October show from the North of England will be clear: the real estate sector in the North is alive and well.