Debate: Should we be worried that some over-55s are using their pensions to help younger family members buy homes? August 30, 2019 Should we be worried that some over-55s are using their pensions to help younger family members buy homes? Yes – Helen Morrissey is a pension specialist at Royal London. While it is natural for people to want to help their children get a foot on the housing ladder, the worry is that they could damage [...]
London commuter belt house prices sink as train fares rise August 29, 2019 London commuter belt house prices have fallen while train fares into the capital rose, new research shows. Commuters making the journey from hubs such as Brentwood, Woking, High Wycombe, Southampton and Gillingham have seen the values of their properties sink over the last year. Read more: Grant Shapps indicates support for TfL gaining control of [...]
Brexit turmoil takes toll on FTSE housebuilder share prices August 28, 2019 Britain’s housebuilding stocks fell across the board this morning as Brexit turmoil dented investor confidence in the property sector. FTSE developer giants including Berkeley Group, Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon all suffered a drop in their share price as markets reacted to the news that Boris Johnson is planning to suspend parliament next month. Read more: [...]
UK mortgage approvals hit highest level in two years August 27, 2019 British high street banks approved the highest number of mortgages for house purchases in over two years in July, according to financial services body UK Finance, in a sign of life in a housing market which has struggled under the weight of Brexit. Read more: London house prices continue to slide under Brexit pressure There [...]
Shifting stamp duty burden would hurt first-time buyers August 23, 2019 It was an interesting idea – and sounded great for first-time buyers. On Saturday, Sajid Javid appeared to be considering switching the cost of stamp duty land tax (SDLT) from the buyer to the seller in England and Northern Ireland. On Sunday, in a tweet, he made it clear that he did not support the [...]
Property of the week: Celeb-spot in this historic Abbey Road church August 23, 2019 If you are looking for a home with an interesting history, you could do a lot worse than this penthouse apartment in St John’’s Wood. Not only does the flat sit within a converted, grade II-listed baptist church, but it is also located directly across the street from Abbey Road Studios where the Beatles recorded [...]
Here’s where you should buy a home for access to the best London schools August 23, 2019 As the summer holidays draw to a close and parents prepare their children for another academic year, would-be property buyers who have a young family – or are planning to start one – might be prompted to weigh up their options when it comes to local schools. For lots of families this means considering a [...]
UK’s most expensive cities becoming more affordable for homebuyers August 23, 2019 Houses in Britain’s most expensive cities have returned to levels of affordability not seen since 2015, according to new data released this morning. Weak house price growth and rising wages have boosted the chances for those wanting to buy houses in the country’s priciest cities, according to the latest UK Cities House Price Index by [...]
Spaces opens its largest London flexible office centre August 22, 2019 Spaces has opened its largest London co-working centre to date, in the latest sign of a current boom in demand from flexible workspace operators across the capital. Read more: Property developers urge calm as Hong Kong protests continue The office provider is occupying over 80,000 square feet across seven floors in London Victoria. Flexible workspace [...]
How the offices of tomorrow can prepare for climate change August 22, 2019 Until relatively recently, climate change was spoken about as an abstraction. We knew it was a serious problem, but most people put it to the back of their minds. It felt too distant, too remote. We would agree on the need for “action”, nod sagely, then get back to our day jobs. That time has [...]