I absolutely agree with all that Roy but it doesn't change what I said in response to your comment that it would take
17 years to get your £100k back as that £100k is invested in the property and would be returned if you sell it so rental is income just as much as if you got interest by investing the lump sum.
Nobody with any sense would do that if their
only income would be the rental. Of course there's a risk in buying property just as there is if investing in the stock market and if you put your £100k in the bank it would have lost money in real terms. Quite right about location, I live in Northumberland and my house would be a kings ransom in the South East but the flip side is that the £100k would have bought 2 properties and probably a higher rental yield.
As I said, I researched it and didn't do it in the end though looking back I regret not doing so at the time, too old now for it to make sense.
Why would you want to move back to the south btw?