Summary
In this issue of RAPID we compare the average yields achieved from four types of residential investment at auction to the average buy-to-let mortgage and easy access saving rates available over the same period. We also look at recession recovery, and identify the pattern of recovery following the last major recession. Finally, we perform a new build study for several of the major UK city centres.

Highlights of Issue 6

• Levels of repossession sales at auction peak in Q4 08 but have been falling sharply since.
  
  
• Average UK house prices begins to rise in Q2 09.
  
  
• Volume of residential auction sales as a proportion of all recorded sales rises from 1.2% to 4.7% in Q4 08 but has since dropped back to 4.1%
  
  
• Majority (86%) of purchasers at Allsop residential sales are currently private investors
  
  
• Average AST gross yields in all four RAPID geographical regions are rising and are currently 8.5%
  
  
• Long term ground rents (800 years+) identified as the single area of residential investment to show value rises in last two years.