Background
The value of Overseas and UK property continue to show strong growth, and they are increasingly considered a viable investment vehicle and/or supplement to personal pension plans. Popular TV programmes like Sarah Beeny’s Property Ladder, C4’s A Place In The Sun and even The Overseas Property Channel, a new Sky Channel launched this September, demonstrate how the property investment and development market are seen as a mainstream activities.

For many in the UK, the downside to this increase in value is that getting on to the property ladder is increasingly difficult. First time buyers are getting older, (which further fuels the rental market) and many find it difficult to find affordable property in the near vicinity to their workplace. For many services personnel, the increasing cost of a house purchase is a significant concern.

Course Overview
Understanding the Property Investment Business is a 1 week foundation course designed to enable attendees to understand how the international and national property markets operate and how to use this information to successfully navigate the hurdles, pitfalls and financial risk associated with buying to let investment or buying to sell development property in the UK and Overseas.

This course has been specifically tailored to equip services personnel with the skills and knowledge required to understand and operate in the burgeoning property market. If, in your Personal Development Plan, you are considering any of the following:

• Purchasing a property now, for example, to let to tenants before you leave
  the services and to subsequently live there
• Buying an overseas property for rental income and your own holiday
  accommodation
• Creating your own property portfolio
• Setting up a property related business

Then this course will give you the right grounding on which to properly base your decision making and will give you the tools you need to seriously consider setting up and operating a profitable property investment business for yourself.

Course Information
The course is 5 days, classroom-based training; a course is conducted with a minimum of 8 delegates and a maximum of 10. Courses to be held at The University of Westminster or The Oxford Science Park Business Centre. We supply accommodation with your own room, breakfast and working lunch.

University of Westminster is an ELCAS approved supplier; No:

Academic Level
This is a Level 3/Level 4 programme on the National Qualification Framework. Course validated and delivered by the University of Westminster. The University of Westminster will issue a certificate of attendance. To learn about making an ELC claim please visit http://www.courses4forces.co.uk/how_to_claim.php

Expected learning outcomes (course outline)
Delegates will be able to:

• Research and obtain relevant information for a range of different
  geographic markets for investment, including local research and
  living expenses
• Conduct environmental market analysis (PESTLE)
• Conduct SWOT analysis
• Conduct both technical and commercial sales investigations to evaluate
  the purchase of an overseas property
• Outline the sales process
• Construct a basic P & L account
• Construct a simple cash flow forecast
• Identify key differences in building design needs between UK and
  warmer climates
• List key aspects (without specific details) of tax and property ownership
  expenses in typical overseas markets
• Identify the main tools of marketing communications and describe some
  appropriate uses of each. (Advertising, Direct Marketing, Public Relations,
  Exhibitions & Seminars, Sales Promotion, Personal Selling, Internet-based
  marketing communications)

Course Content and Approaches to Teaching & Learning
Indicative content

• Researching overseas property markets to find material relevant
  for investors
• Analysis of the business environment
• SWOT analysis
• Basic accounting and reporting
• Elementary marketing & marketing communications
• Elementary business planning
• Aspects of overseas home building design
• Introductory taxation aspects in relation to expatriate property ownership

Assessment
Course delegates will be required to undertake a series of short in-class tests covering the following elements of the course:

1) Preparation of a PESTLE analysis for one chosen market
2) SWOT analysis for an intended market
3) Listing of SMART objectives for a potential business
4) Undertake a 'mock' technical and commercial sales investigation
    (working with a fellow delegate)
5) Draw up a simple business development plan for the initial year of a
    new business

Study Material

• Handouts containing copies of training session slides
• Written handouts and examples relevant to some of the topic areas
  covered
• Lists of sources to use in seeking research material
• Product specific data relating to their chosen business activities

Delegate time commitment
Delegates will be expected to attend for a total of 35 hours plus a further 4 hours of private study/homework exercises during the course of the one-week course.

Course review process
There is a continuous review process where every course is reviewed and evaluated shortly after it ends. Delegates will be asked to provide feedback in the form of a questionnaire prior to leaving the course venue and this data will be analysed to enable further development and improvement of the programme for future delegates.

About the University of Westminster
Founded in 1838 as Britain's first polytechnic, the mission of the University of Westminster is to provide high quality higher education and research in both national and international contexts for the intellectual, social and professional development of the individual and for the economic and cultural enrichment of London and wider communities. Responsible for MOD Languages Examinations at NATO SLP 3 and above, and for some EFL examinations. MA degrees in Diplomatic Studies, International Relations, War Studies, International Liaison and Communication (two languages required), and a wide variety of professionally accredited courses in law, business, cultural and media studies, and electronic engineering. More than 22,700 students, of whom 25% are postgraduates; more than 2,500 international (non-EU) students, from 148 countries, making Westminster one of the top 15 most popular UK universities for international students. The University’s Harrow Business School is one of the most truly international business schools in the UK, with a network of partner institutions that stretches around the World. Specialisations include global business, small business management and service sector management.

Website: www.wmin.ac.uk

About Invest 4 a Villa Ltd.
The founders of Invest 4 a Villa Ltd., Mike Pilgrim and Howard Mann, established Pilgrim Mann Properties Ltd in 2002 as a vehicle for purchasing investment properties. Having gained this experience for themselves, they set up Invest 4 a Villa Ltd., which acts on behalf of others so that they avoid any difficulties associated with inexperienced property investing. With fellow director Alan Limpkin they have an international and UK property portfolio of 21 properties with an estimated value of £3.2m.

Website: www.invest4avilla.com

Course Resources and Delivery
The principal trainer will be Jeff Holden, a Senior Lecturer at Harrow Business School. Dr Mark Patton, Dean of the Harrow Business School since 2001, oversees the course. He has a background in management within the cultural sector, but his current focus is on the development of trans-national approaches to business education. Other staff from the University of Westminster Law School and staff from the School of Architecture and the Built Environment will deliver the additional teaching sessions throughout the course. Members of Invest4avilla will deliver industry specific product knowledge sessions.

Tel: 0845 658 6950 for further details.

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