One Third Of London Residences Are 2nd Homes

An interesting read was an International Herald Tribune story quoting brokerage house Savills market research that "one third of central London residences are now investments or holiday houses.
Kicking up the volume in transactions is momentum going into this year's Olympic games. Investor sentiment has also been keyed by a track record of sustained rental yields.
Holiday rentals typically are fully furnished, have Wi-Fi and personal belongings of owners are safely stored award. Commissions average 15% in this segment. One prominent business model mentioned in the piece was a company called One Fine Stay who specialize in the sector.
Viewing comments in the article ongoing yields range from 5-6% in the market but certainly bank financing and a stabilized environment continue to driver property investors to London.