CONTENTS: INTRODUCTION - ASHFORD, KENT - BATH, SOMERSET - BECKENHAM, KENT - BEDFORD, BEDFORDSHIRE - BILLERICAY, ESSEX - BIRMINGHAM CITY CENTRE, BIRMINGHAM - BOURNEMOUTH, SUSSEX - BRENTWOOD, ESSEX - BRIGHTON, SUSSEX - CAMBRIDGE, CAMBRIDGESHIRE - CANTERBURY, KENT - CARDIFF, WALES - CHELMSFORD, ESSEX - CLEETHORPES, LINCOLNSHIRE - COLCHESTER, ESSEX - EPPING, ESSEX - GRANTHAM, LINCOLNSHIRE - GREAT YARMOUTH, NORFOLK - GUILDFORD, SURREY - IPSWICH, SUFFOLK - KETTERING, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE - KINGS LYNN, NORFOLK - LEICESTER, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE - LIVERPOOL CITY CENTRE, LANCASHIRE - LUTON, BEDFORDSHIRE - MANCHESTER, LANCASHIRE - MILTON KEYNES, BEDFORDSHIRE - NORWICH, NORFOLK - OXFORD, OXFORDSHIRE - PETERBOROUGH, CAMBRIDGESHIRE - READING, BERKSHIRE - ROMFORD, ESSEX - SOUTHEND-ON-SEA, ESSEX - ST ALBANS, HERTFORDSHIRE - STANSTED, ESSEX - SWINDON, BERKSHIRE - WELWYN GARDEN CITY, HERTFORDSHIRE - WISBECH, CAMBRIDGESHIRE
| Area: | READING, BERKSHIRE | |||||||
| Category: | C | |||||||
| Investor Profile | Pension, University and Cash&Equity | |||||||
| Population aged 15+: | 178,448 | |||||||
| Actual | National Average | |||||||
| Percentage Class ABC1: | 60% | 44% | ||||||
| Crime: | Violence | Sexual | Burglary | Motor | ||||
| Per 1000 population | 13 | 1 | 13 | 10 | ||||
| Yield Range: | 5.3% - 8.3% | |||||||
| Price Ranges | Low £ | Hi £ | Low £pw | Hi £pw | Low | Hi | ||
| Flats&maisonettes | 92,800 | 139,200 | 148 | 201 | 7.5% | 8.3% | ||
| Terraced | 111,200 | 166,800 | 150 | 203 | 6.3% | 7.0% | ||
| Semi-detached | 146,400 | 219,600 | 165 | 224 | 5.3% | 5.9% | ||
| Detached | 206,400 | 309,600 | 293 | 396 | 6.7% | 7.4% | ||
| Valuations above the national average by: | 42% | |||||||
| Actual | National Average | |||||||
| Capital growth last 12 months: | 17% | 18% | ||||||
| Capital growth last 4 years: | 93% | 74% | ||||||
| Large employers in the area: | BG(HQ), Compaq, Energis, Foster Wheeler, Scottish Courage Brewing, Gillette, ICL, JD Edwards, Microsoft (HQ), Oracle (HQ), Prudential Assurance, Racal (HQ), Seagate Software (HQ), Thames Water, Thorn UK, Yellow Pages | |||||||
| Demand For Letting: | Excellent | |||||||
| Average void period: | 1 week | |||||||
| Total (out of 10) | Capital Growth (out of 5) | Yield (out of 5) | ||||||
| Out of 10: | 8 | 5 | 3 | |||||
| Summary: | The UK’s future version of Silicon Valley | |||||||
| Description: | Reading, at the centre of the Thames Valley, is a fast growing city. It is one of the fastest growing in the UK for retail, businesses, transportation and leisure – and there is no evidence of a slow down. The recent dramatic expansion of Reading’s shopping facilities by the creation of The Oracle Shopping & Leisure Destination has led to Reading being the 13th top shopping centre in the UK. It is predicted they will go top 10 by 2004 with over 100 retailers queuing to get through the door! Reading intends to go international and it has already attracted several major international hi-tech companies, including Microsoft, Compaq and Worldcom. Also due to Reading’s large catchment area (around 1.7m people) and great transportation links it has successfully attracted the national headquarters for a number of financial and commercial organizations. Under expansion is a major business park, Green Park, which will make this park one of the largest in the UK providing 2.25m sq ft of office space. Reading’s workforce is predominately business services or finance thus attracting a higher earning individual with 35% of the workforce holding down a managerial or professional job. The University of Reading also produces a highly skilled workforce who usually stay on and live in the area due to the excellent facilities the city provides. Unemployment is extremely low, at around 1.7%, the population is growing and so is the local GDP – so all the key statistics point in the right direction! | |||||||
| Mainline railway station: | 30 minutes to London Paddington | |||||||
| Road Access: | Main access A4, A33, A329(M) & M4 41 miles west of London 4 miles from M4 | |||||||
| Local Newspaper | Reading Evening Post 0118 9183000 | |||||||
| Estate Agents: | Name | Address | Tel | Web | ||||
| Warmingham & Co | 4 & 5 High Street Reading Berkshire RG8 9AT | 01491 874144 | ||||||
| Patrick Williams | 303-305 Oxford Road Reading Berkshire RG30 1AU | 0118 957 3579 | www.patrickwilliams.co.uk | |||||
| Letting Agents: | Name | Address | Tel | Web | ||||
| Parkers Lower Earley | 34 Maiden Lane Centre, Kilnsea Drive Lower Earley Reading Berkshire RG6 3HD | 0118 935 1700 | www.parkersproperties.co.uk | |||||
| Kings Property Management | 46, Prospect St Caversham Reading Berkshire RG4 8JL | 0118 946 2323 | www.kings-lettings.co.uk | |||||
| Jon Hallett Ltd | 2, Kings Walk Reading Berkshire RG1 2HG | 0118 959 5858 | www.jonhallett.com | |||||
| Romans | 23, Market Place Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1AP | 0118 953 8710 | www.romans.co.uk | |||||
| Countrywide Residential Lettings | 147, Friar St Reading Berkshire RG1 1EX | 0118 950 9901 | www.rightmove.co.uk | |||||