Office Space: Behind the scenes of the Soho headquarters of games developer King, the creators of Candy Crush December 18, 2018 The bright yellow King logo above the entrance to a London office on Wardour Street must trigger some kind of Pavlovian response in the pedestrians who pass by it every day. King is the studio responsible for Candy Crush, which is less a game than a global phenomenon. Since its launch in 2012, games in [...]
House sales to continue declining in 2019 as Brexit uncertainty and lack of supply hinder activity December 17, 2018 House sales are to continue stagnating next year amid Brexit uncertainty and lack of supply, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). In its forecast for the year, the trade body said the UK housing market is unlikely to see much change in 2019, with sales volumes to weaken by around five per [...]
Opinion: Why we should follow the French by considering guardianship as a way to fill empty homes with those in housing need December 17, 2018 Christmas is the time of year when the misery of homelessness becomes apparent to everyone. Many homeless people are in this position as rising property prices and rents across London, combined with the housing shortage, has made affordable accommodation in decent locations a mere pipe dream for many young and low-paid people working in the [...]
Focus On Bow: A population boom and the commercial success of nearby Stratford is boosting plans for new homes in E3 December 17, 2018 It may seem like a distant memory now, but the London 2012 Olympic Games promised a lot in the way of legacy. It anointed six east London areas – Newham, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Greenwich, Barking & Dagenham and Hackney – ‘Growth Boroughs’ and predicted that the money pouring into Stratford would emanate out to [...]
2019 Property Forecast: Here’s what the experts are predicting will happen to house prices next year December 17, 2018 It’s that time of year again, when people guess what’s happening next year. Only, it’s particularly entertaining this year because no one really knows what’s going to happen next week. Still, most of the UK’s big estate agencies have had a go, looking at house price growth in the UK and abroad, what effect Brexit [...]
New homes: Our pick of the new builds going on sale in London this weekend December 17, 2018 New developments on the market this week Ternary Place, Ealing From £118,500 for 30 per cent of a one bedroom flat (fmv £395,000) Viewings for the last five apartments available to part-buy, part-rent are taking place this Saturday. There are 12 one and two bedroom flats on sale through Shared Ownership a four minute walk [...]
London house sales drop over political uncertainty, according to Rightmove data December 17, 2018 Londoners are hesitant to sell their homes due to political uncertainty, according to new research. The number of properties that were brought to market this month was down 19 per cent on the same period last year, leading to a smaller than usual December price drop of 1.8 per cent. Inner London home owners were [...]
Legal Q&A: I live outside the UK and I am considering buying a pied-a-terre in London. Would it save UK tax if I bought it through a company, or should I buy it in my name? December 13, 2018 Until a few years ago, the general advice for a non-UK resident buying UK residential property was often to buy through a non-UK company. A key benefit was that it would provide a shelter from inheritance tax (IHT). Non-domiciliaries only pay IHT on UK assets and if the property was held by a company, the [...]
Purplebricks cuts forecasts despite leap in revenue amid ‘challenging’ market conditions December 13, 2018 Online estate agent Purplebricks has slashed the upper end of its forecasts this morning, as the firm echoed the concerns of its industry rivals over the tough headwinds facing Britain’s property market. The Aim-listed firm said today that it was projecting full-year revenues of between £165-175m, compared with a previous forecast of £165-185m. However, in [...]
Brexit jitters dampen London property market as activity slumps, says Rics December 13, 2018 Fresh fears for the future of London’s subdued housing market have been brought to light this morning, with a new closely-followed survey suggesting that a growing number of the capital's buyers and sellers are sitting tight as Brexit jitters mount. Painting a downbeat picture for the upcoming months within London’s residential property market, the Royal [...]