House prices dip in May after stamp duty change June 6, 2025 House prices in the UK fell slightly in May after market activity dropped following the end of the stamp duty holiday earlier this year according to the latest data from lender Halifax. Prices fell by 0.4 per cent in May after rising 0.3 per cent in April, putting the value of an average UK home [...]
Government warned over demand for landlords to retrofit homes June 5, 2025 Government plans to improve the energy efficiency of private rented housing are “unachievable” due to a shortage of skilled workers, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has warned. Under current proposals by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), which are aimed at keeping homes warm and energy bills low, landlords have until [...]
Estate agency Foxtons targets commuter towns in drive for growth June 4, 2025 London’s biggest estate agency, Foxtons, expects ever-rising demand for rental homes in and near the capital to help it double its profit in the medium term. The sales and lettings agency outlined plans to double its profit to £50m over the medium term by acquiring estate agents in commuter towns, integrating AI, and enhancing consumer loyalty. Chief [...]
MJ Gleeson: Shares plummet after profit warning as property market struggles June 3, 2025 Housebuilder MJ Gleeson has warned of a 15-20 per cent hit to its profit this year due to a slow housing market recovery and the collapse of a land sale in Yorkshire. The company told markets this morning that the pace of housing market recovery in the UK has “not been sufficient” to offset the [...]
Build-to-rent: UK boom in purpose-built properties June 2, 2025 The number of build-to-rent completions in the last year has shot up in another sign the sector is here to stay in the UK. Completions of built to rent properties – which refers to purpose built, institutionally owned and professionally managed residential blocks of flats – have risen by 16 per cent year on year, [...]
Mortgage lending plummets in April as estate agents cross fingers for rate cut June 2, 2025 Mortgage lending dropped in April after the market ‘reset’ following the end of the stamp duty holiday, according to new figures. Net borrowing of mortgage debt decreased sharply by £13.7bn to -£0.8bn in April, according to the Bank of England’s latest data. Net mortgage approvals for house purchases also fell for the third consecutive month, [...]
Lazard relocates UK headquarters after 20 years June 2, 2025 Financial services firm Lazard has opened a new UK headquarters in Marylebone as it looks to extend its presence in London. The new, larger site at 20 Manchester Square will become one of its three major global offices alongside New York and Paris. CEO Jeremy Taylor said the site was “more than just a new [...]
Relaxed mortgage rules could increase first-time buyer deals by a quarter June 2, 2025 Changes in the way lenders stress test borrowers for mortgages could lead to a huge jump in the amount of first-time buyers able to access the housing market, according to Savills. Savills’ analysis found first-time buyer transactions could increase by up to 24 per cent over the next five years if lending rules continue to [...]
Property transactions falter despite rise in number of homes available May 30, 2025 Homebuying in the UK slowed in April after the end of the stamp duty holiday, despite an uptick in the number of properties available. The number of UK residential transactions in April 2025 was 64,680, 28 per cent lower than April 2024 and 64 per cent lower than March 2025, according to official statistics. Estate agents attributed [...]
Avison Young loses over £100m for a second year as more jobs cut May 29, 2025 More than £100m has been lost for a second consecutive year by the UK and European arm of global commercial real estate services firm Avison Young as it continued to cut jobs, it has been revealed. The Birmingham-headquartered division has reported a pre-tax loss of £101.8m for 2024, having posted the same total for 2023. [...]