B&C and Together to host virtual roundtable on changing asset acquisition and loan purpose trends




Bridging & Commercial will be hosting its next virtual roundtable on 29th June, in partnership with Together.

The interactive event, which is part of a series launched earlier this year, will focus on how asset acquisition and loan purpose trends are changing post-Covid.

The roundtable will start at 11am and be moderated by Medianett’s editor, Beth Fisher.

Together’s underwriting specialist manager, Tanya Elmaz, and regional key account manager, Lorenzo Satchell, will be joined by Chris Oatway, owner and director of LDNfinance; Paul Elliott, managing director at Propp; Nicholas Christofi, managing director at Sirius Property Finance; and Miranda Khadr, CEO at Yellow Stone Finance.

The panel will discuss which sectors have the biggest requirements for specialist funding, where the gaps are for certain loan purposes, and whether the recent delay with the lockdown easing has altered attitudes towards lending, risk and borrowing.

The experts will also share their views on the upsides and downsides of advisers encountering a greater number of diverse and specialist cases that they may not have dealt with before, and how the end of the stamp duty holiday will change the demand for bridging finance later this year.

Registration is open and free to attend by all professionals working in the sector. 

The panel will be taking questions during the session and attendees are encouraged to get involved. 

The event will also be available to watch after 29th June on B&C.

Commenting ahead of the event, Lorenzo said: “The high street will undoubtedly change as we emerge from Covid lockdown; we’ve already seen some major retailers including well known department stores disappear, and I believe we will see fewer acquisitions of traditional shops, with more leisure spaces and mixed-use developments, such as cafes with flats above.

“Developers are now looking to acquire commercial assets with the intention of change of use as the government relaxes planning laws and increases the use of permitted development powers, which will further change the face of our town and city centres in the future.”

He added that the lender has seen increasing demand from clients for holiday let purchases, particularly in UK tourism hotspots, as well as more demand for home improvement loans following a greater emphasis on home working.

“In the short term, we’ll see continued purchase demand from first-time buyers, home-movers and BTL investors to meet the stamp duty holiday deadlines,” he continued.

“We are also expecting clients to buy in the suburbs, rather than in central London, because of changing working patterns.”

Miranda also highlighted the growing interest for certain types of industrial assets throughout the UK. 

“The strong demand and weakening supply of sizeable warehouses will cause rents to continue to rise for well-situated assets adjacent to cities, urban areas and other strategic last mile delivery hubs.

“However, there is no doubt that the retail sector is being viewed in a more negative light.  

“This pressure will result in a preference for turnover leases and a shift towards lease structures that are shorter and with improved flexibility for tenants. 

“Excess retail space and dropping values generate opportunities in the short- to medium-term for retail assets to be repurposed to include alternative uses, such as innovative pop-up retail, co-working spaces and mixed-use schemes.”

Paul added: “Shifts across both the borrowing and lending landscape due to Covid have meant we’ve had to find creative solutions to a host of unique situations. 

“As we take steps forward out of the pandemic and furlough comes to an end, we expect the impact of a potential increase in unemployment will present fresh challenges and requirements for borrowers and lenders alike, and it’s our responsibility to navigate these as an industry.”

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