This map shows the average rental price for a double room in every London postcode August 3, 2016 Renters of London, rejoice – for those punishing hikes in rent you've been experiencing since the downturn may have come to an end, new figures have suggested. The average rent in the capital increased just one per cent year on year in the second quarter of this year, SpareRoom's London Rental Index has shown, compared with [...]
Brexit doom-mongers are wrong: London house prices aren’t going to crash August 2, 2016 On the morning of 24 June, as Britain woke up to the reality that as a nation we’d voted to leave the EU, it may have seemed like the world was turning on its head. The pound was crashing, stock markets see-sawed, and the political landscape of the UK was irrevocably changed. Just over a month [...]
New York deli Dean & DeLuca is setting up shop in Mayfair August 2, 2016 Famous New York deli Dean & DeLuca is bringing its gourmet food offering to Mayfair. The shop – favoured by celebrities such as Taylor Swift and Helen Mirren – is opening on 117 Mount Street early next year, joining big name brands such as Christopher Kane and Roksanda. Read more: London's most exclusive postcodes now home [...]
Housebuilders’ share prices suffer after construction output falls August 2, 2016 The post-Brexit vote rollercoaster for UK housebuilders is getting a bit predictable. After disappointing construction data was released this morning – albeit not as bad as expected – the big housebuilders' shares have taken a hit once again. Read more: Construction output tumbles at fastest pace since 2009 At time of writing, Berkeley Group's share price was [...]
Home ownership has fallen to its lowest in 30 years across all major English cities – not just London August 2, 2016 Home ownership has fallen to levels last seen in the UK in 1986, a major new report has revealed – and it's not just in the capital where it's hitting hardest. The report, by think tank the Resolution Foundation, showed the proportion of Britons owning their own home has fallen eight percentage points since it peaked at [...]
Opinion: Why more transparency is needed on letting fees to make sure both landlords and tenants are getting a good deal August 1, 2016 There has been much debate in the press and both Houses of Parliament regarding the subject of letting agents’ fees and whether these are fair or reasonable. Unfortunately as far as I am concerned, they are neither. The all-too-common practice of asking tenants to pay exorbitant administration charges, and a host of other overheads, to [...]
New homes on sale in London: from apartments on London City Island to family homes in Edgware August 1, 2016 London City Island From £405,000 A summer party heralded the sale of 100 new homes on the enormous London City Island complex on Saturday. Developer EcoWorld Ballymore offered champagne ice pops, a BBQ and a DJ to entice prospective buyers to look at the studio to four bedroom apartments on the Leamouth Peninsula. There will be [...]
Building suppliers to provide health check for UK construction July 31, 2016 Two building materials suppliers' results next week will shed light on the outlook for the UK construction industry. Builders across the country rely on the likes of Travis Perkins and Ibstock for their bricks, cements and roofing materials — meaning their results act as a litmus test for the wider sector’s health. Read more: This company just proved bricks [...]
Westfield shopping centre in Stratford expects more visitors in 2016 than it received in the year of the Olympics July 29, 2016 Westfield's Stratford shopping centre is expecting higher footfall than it had in the year of the Olympics, thanks to regeneration in Stratford. John Burton, Westfield's head of development, said there had been a plan to have 4,000-5,000 new homes built in Stratford – but now, 10,000 new homes are expected in the Stratford City site. Read more: Westfield to create [...]
Mortgage approvals in the UK fell to a year low in June July 29, 2016 Mortgage approvals in the UK fell to their lowest point since May 2015 in the period leading up to the country's referendum on EU membership. According to the Bank of England, 64,766 mortgages were approved in June – down from the 66,722 approved in May. Read more: Everything you need to know about the UK's housing [...]