Holiday Homes: Finding a property investment at Courchevel 1850 on the slopes in the Rhone-Alpes that will pay off March 14, 2017 In the rarefied air of Courchevel 1850, known as France’s ski playground for the wealthy, the word “only” quickly takes on a new meaning. A burger, for example, is “only” €30 on the slopes, and a duplex apartment is “only” €9.65m. But in the Rhone-Alpes prime real estate hotspot, where high-end chalets up to 3000sqm [...]
New stamp duty rules annihilated buy-to-let mortgage borrowing in January March 14, 2017 The amount borrowed by prospective landlords fell 16 per cent in the year to January, as strict new rules on buy-to-let homes took their toll. Figures by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) showed would-be landlords borrowed £800m to buy new homes in January, down from £1.4bn the year before, and £900m in December. The [...]
Quintessentially Group’s estates arm is expanding to New York City March 13, 2017 London-based global property group Quintessentially Estates is expanding its international referral network to New York City in a collaboration with an estate brokerage in the Big Apple. The firm is owned by Quintessentially Group, a concierge service for billionaires that's also behind the world's biggest yacht. Its estates arm specialises in sales and acquisitions of prime residential properties in [...]
Opinion: The Budget left out property and the housing crisis – but here’s what Philip Hammond should have done instead March 13, 2017 Apart from a nod towards business rates (the devil will be in the Finance Act detail), the Budget was almost a property-free zone. But Mr Hammond missed out on some much-needed blue-sky thinking, especially if the government is going to fix what it calls the ‘broken’ housing system. Here are some things that Spreadsheet Phil [...]
UK house prices: Rent increases have fallen to their lowest since 2013 – while London prices fell for the ninth month March 13, 2017 Rent increases for tenants across the UK have fallen to their lowest since 2013, new figures have shown, with prices in London dropping for the ninth month in a row. Rents rose just one per cent to £1,190 in the year to February, the lowest rise since April 2013, figures from Landbay showed. In the [...]
Other offers likely? This is how analysts are reacting to the Bovis-Redrow-Galliford Try love triangle March 13, 2017 Bovis Homes’ share price leapt this morning after it emerged over the weekend that it is involved in a love triangle with rivals Galliford Try and Redrow. Bovis yesterday confirmed it was in merger talks with Galliford Try and had rejected a bid from Redrow. However, Redrow this morning indicated it is holding out hope [...]
Bovis share price surges as Redrow holds out hope for deal despite official takeover talks with Galliford Try March 13, 2017 Bovis Homes remains in talks with Galliford Try on a possible takeover after the FTSE 250 firm rejected a bid from rival housebuilder Redrow. The confirmed all-share merger with Galliford Try, also listed on the FTSE 250, would create a £2.5bn company. However, Redrow is clearly still holding out hope for a deal. In a [...]
Generator Hostels has been snapped up by Queensgate Investments for €450m March 13, 2017 Private equity real estate fund manager Queensgate Investments has agreed to buy chic hostel owner and operator Generator Hostels for €450m (£395m). The design-led hostel owner, which operates a total of 8,639 beds in London, Paris, Copenhagen and elsewhere, was owned by Patron Capital and co-investment partner Invesco Real Estate. Generator Hostels currently earns revenues of over €70m with 14 predominantly freehold assets, two [...]
UK house prices grew at their fastest pace for 12 months in February yet annual rate of growth fell March 13, 2017 House prices grew at their fastest pace for 12 months in February, with average prices increasing 0.6 per cent. The average UK house price hit £297,832 due to strong performance in the east of England, new peak prices in Merseyside and Birmingham, and a return of growth in high value London property, according to Your Moves’ latest [...]
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) wins tax tribunal disputing stamp duty land tax scheme used by housebuilder Crest Nicholson March 12, 2017 Crest Nicholson has been told to pay £1.3m it unsuccessfully tried to keep under a stamp duty land tax (SDLT) avoidance scheme after a tribunal found in the taxman's favour. The FTSE 250 housebuilder had used the scheme to avoid paying SDLT, by transferring assets between two sub-companies, on three purchases of land for development in Kent, which cost [...]