UK house price growth slows as affordability concerns start to mount December 7, 2016 UK house price growth slowed in November to 0.2 per cent, as consumers start to feel the squeeze of prices rising faster than wages. Prices had increased by 1.5 per cent in October, which helped drive the annual rate of growth to six per cent, up from 5.2 per cent in the year recorded last [...]
Remortgaging valuations surge and drive rest of mortgage market as homeowners try to lock in low interest rate deals December 7, 2016 Homeowners scrambling to lock into mortgage deals before a rise in interest rates drove remortgaging valuations to surge almost 25 per cent year-on-year in November. Remortgaging outperformed all other mortgage market valuation activity last month, according to research from Connells Survey & Valuation, rising 4.9 per cent compared to October. Read more: Time to remortgage? [...]
Wanted: A bold government housing strategy that delivers for the young rather than the old December 6, 2016 If Brexit wasn’t dominating British politics, then one other issue would be: the lack of housing. If you know someone under 30, living in London and able to afford their first home, then your friend belongs to the country’s richest percentile. For most people, even for those on what used to be a decent median income, owning [...]
There will be a 30 per cent fall in property development activity in 2017 December 6, 2016 Commercial property development in the UK will slow substantially next year, Savills has warned, as lenders and borrowers seek to avoid taking any risks. The property firm said there will be a 30-40 per cent drop in development activity in 2017, with London being hit particularly hard. Read more: Risk of more pain for UK [...]
This is how far house prices in Chelsea have fallen this year December 6, 2016 House prices in Chelsea just keep falling. As George Osborne's stamp duty reforms and the Brexit vote continue to hammer the market, prices on high-end homes in Chelsea fell 13 per cent in the year to November. Read more: House prices are already shooting up along the Elizabeth line The figures from Knight Frank show that [...]
Civil servants are moving to Canary Wharf December 6, 2016 Civil servants are moving to Canary Wharf in a bid to save them from working in "ugly and expensive buildings". The 5,700 employees from various departments are moving from Whitehall to 10 South Colonnade, a building owned by Canary Wharf Group. The relocation should be completed by the end of 2018. Read more: This is what your [...]
These are the seven biggest risks facing housebuilders in 2017 December 6, 2016 Think housebuilders have had a bad year? Well, these analysts think 2017 could be worse. On the day of the Brexit vote, housebuilders were subjected to some of the most dramatic sell-offs of any stock. None of the big housebuilders have regained the ground they lost on the day. Read more: EU regulation protecting newts [...]
Planned City skyscraper 22 Bishopsgate taken down a notch over fears of plane crash risks December 6, 2016 A new skyscraper planned for the City has had to knock a few floors off the top, over fears that cranes used to build it could pose a risk to flights over London. New plans have been submitted to reduce 22 Bishopsgate's height by four floors, or 22m, according to Construction Enquirer, meaning the tower [...]
Institutional West End property sales sizzle to record high as investors capitalise on weaker pound and foreign interest December 5, 2016 Institutional sales of commercial property in the West End have topped £2.7bn in the year-to-date, the highest volume ever recorded, according to estate agent Savills. Standard Life, Aberdeen Asset Management, DTZ Investors, TH Real Estate, Blackrock and Aviva have each sold more than £100m of assets since January, with vendor institutions making up 55 per [...]
Interiors: Embark on a ‘tipples and trees’ tour to get festive inspiration from London’s hotels and restaurants December 5, 2016 Now the merry month of December is upon us it’s time to fire up the festive spirit and prepare to entertain descending hordes of relatives. But what to do with them? A Christmas-themed afternoon tea or a festive cocktail at one of London’s landmark venues is a surefire way to impress. This time of year, [...]