Focus On Bermondsey: River views, great food, warehouse conversions – what more could you want in SE1? October 28, 2016 This ancient town, first mentioned in the Domesday Book as Bermundesy, has had a colourful existence on the south bank of the river Thames. For centuries condemned as a slum, this centrally located area in Zone One has blossomed in the last ten years into one of the most artistic – not to mention delicious [...]
Property of the Week: Pied-a-terres are a popular way of living close to the office. Here’s how Dr Clive Rankin chose his in EC2 October 28, 2016 Pied-a-terres are fast becoming the property a la mode in central London. For a fraction of the price of a family home – not to mention the stamp duty – you could live the high life in a studio in the city with a barely-noticeable commute during the week. Then spend the money you saved [...]
Opinion: As house prices outstrip salaries, why are we still chasing the dream of homeownership? October 28, 2016 It’s over. Britain will no longer be a nation of homeowners. Now property sales are heading for an 80-year low and rentals are surpassing purchases for the first time since 1930, according to Countrywide figures released last week. To top it all off, prices have never been higher. In the good days (circa 1997 – [...]
Get in the Halloween spirit – five haunted homes for sale in the UK October 28, 2016 Halloween is fast approaching, but if you're not in the mood for a party, why not go house and ghost hunting instead? Home services marketplace Plentific.com has put together a list of five haunted houses – complete with details of the properties’ spooky past (or present). These buildings are a bargain for buyers who are willing [...]
Property Entrepreneurs: London-based tech start-up Virtual Walkthrough has gone global after buyout by US firm Matterport October 28, 2016 You know you’re onto something when the big guys start taking an interest. And for James Morris-Manuel of Virtual Walkthrough, the last few months have seen proof that his concept of walking people through building interiors has reached the big time. Morris-Manuel has just sold his business to larger US company Matterport. The move means [...]
Interiors: David Bowie’s art collection is due to go under the hammer at Sotheby’s next month October 28, 2016 In two weeks’ time a vintage 1966 record player is coming to auction at Sotheby’s, a radio-phonograph by Achille and Pier Giacomo Catiglioni. At face value, it's worth an unassuming £800-£1,200; however, it will no doubt fetch much much more as it belonged to the late great David Bowie. The excitement around the sale of [...]
The City of London’s newest skyscraper has just confirmed its first commercial tenant October 28, 2016 Times, they are a-changing: once, the Lloyd's Building was the City's tallest (and most recognisable) tower – now the Square Mile's skyline is rising faster than Donald Trump's legal bill. The latest addition to the City's skyscraper family is the Scalpel, aka 52 Lime Street. Although it isn't due to be completed until December next [...]
London’s property market will be the last to recover from Brexit, say estate agents October 28, 2016 Estate agents are predicting that London's property market will be the last to recover from the Brexit vote. According to haart estate agents, branches 100 miles from the capital had an average 75 per cent increase in activity month-on-month in September, compared to an average rise of just 37 per cent in outlets 45 miles from the [...]
Don’t rely on downsizing to make up for your insufficient pension October 27, 2016 After years of runaway house prices, few will be surprised that a sizeable proportion of the UK’s net wealth is tied up in property. The latest ONS statistics show that dwellings make up a massive 62 per cent, or £5.5 trillion, of the country’s £8.8 trillion total. So it is also unsurprising that many see [...]
Land of Beds: Running a family business isn’t always bed-lam October 27, 2016 With any family business, when fresh blood comes along, they need to make their mark,” says Mike Murray, managing director of Land of Beds. In 2008, that’s exactly what he did when he joined the family business, embarking on the process of taking the reins from his father, Michael Murray (Senior) – who 30 years [...]