The cost of renting this medieval castle has fallen 14 per cent in 18 months February 9, 2015 It seems the cost of being an Englishman has fallen over the past two years, after the price of renting a castle has fallen 14 per cent. Or at least, that's if Bellister Castle is anything to go by: the property has just come up for rent, at a significant discount to last time it [...]
House prices climb over winter February 5, 2015 THE HOUSING market boom that saw price growth peak at 10.2 per cent year-on-year in July may not be over, according to one of the UK’s biggest mortgage lenders. House prices jumped two per cent in January – the biggest monthly increase since 2009, figures released yesterday by Halifax show. The average house price in the [...]
UK house prices come roaring back in January: Mortgage rates, stamp duty or just an outlier? February 5, 2015 The night is always darkest before the dawn, but house prices have skipped the daybreak formalities to come bouncing back. According to Halifax, the figures are bullish: 1.9 per cent quarterly growth hasn’t been seen since September, and the two per cent monthly bounce hasn’t been bested since last February. Annually, and perhaps most reliably, [...]
Hedge funds hit back at Labour over tax row after Ed Miliband queries stamp duty avoidance February 4, 2015 Hedge funds have hit back at Labour’s proposals to impose a new tax on them, after Ed Miliband called for a change in current stamp duty arrangements. During Prime Minster’s questions yesterday, Miliband repeatedly asked Prime Minister David Cameron about “hedge funds avoiding stamp duty on their share transactions”, prompting an angry response from the [...]
Focus on Beckenham: Rising London house prices make this a south east hotspot January 29, 2015 Moving out to the sticks to start a family is hardly a new phenomenon, but the rapid rise of inner city house prices means more people are re-evaluating where the sticks start and the rat race begins. As a result, areas like Beckenham, once the preserve of the affluent suburban family, are starting to appeal [...]
UK house price growth slowest since 2013 January 29, 2015 House prices in the UK have risen at the slowest pace in more than a year, according to the latest figures from building society Nationwide, a further sign that the UK housing market is cooling. Annual house price growth slowed for the fifth month straight to 6.8 per cent this month, down from 7.2 per [...]
Looking for a mansion tax loophole? If your house is worth less than £3m, don’t try splitting it up January 28, 2015 In the very late 17th century, when owners of large properties wanted to avoid paying a very unpopular tax, they bricked up their windows. And now, owners of properties that would be affected by Labour’s proposed mansion tax are already seeking ways to get around this 21st-century levy, even though it might not be imposed. [...]
Mortgage lending drops again – but BBA sees light at the end of the tunnel January 27, 2015 Mortgage lending in the UK fell in December for the six month in a row, with gross borrowing levels 12 per cent lower than they were a year ago. Figures published by the British Bankers Association this morning show that the total figure for mortgages stood at £10bn last month. House purchase approvals dropped [...]
Lack of housing hits first-time buyers January 22, 2015 Younger people are finding it difficult to get on the first rung of the housing market ladder due to a shortage of homes. A report by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published yesterday shows how the total number of houses built per year has fallen from around 250,000 in 1980 to between 150,000 to [...]
UK house prices pull away from Eurozone’s with 11.7 per cent on the year January 21, 2015 British house prices pushed ahead of those in other major economies towards the end of last year, official figures showed yesterday. While cheap money combined with growth in pay and rising employment has conspired to spark a housing market recovery in some countries, other parts of the EU are still falling behind. Only nations like [...]