Help to Buy: Most popular London locations for first-time buyers revealed December 6, 2019 South London dominated the most popular locations for Help to Buy home purchases, new research has found after the government ISA scheme came to an end. Lewisham, Deptford and Croydon were all popular with buyers seeking to get on the property ladder, as first-time home owners were priced out of previously popular locations such as [...]
Focus on Lewisham: New social scene sparks interest from first-time buyers November 29, 2019 One might assume there is something in the water in Lewisham. Although it is a relatively unassuming corner of South East London, it has been the birthplace of a wealth of musical talent: Cream drummer Ginger Baker, Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman and Sex Pistols frontman Sid Vicious were all born there. The town’s own [...]
Napoleonic cellars and Peaky Blinders: How the old merchants of St James’s Street are fighting to stay relevant November 28, 2019 Reserved, polite and unashamedly old-fashioned, the shop-owners of St James’s Street do not offer many similarities with the brash retail bosses we so often see in the news. Unlike Mike Ashley or Sir Philip Green, they are not waging takeover wars or stirring up corporate controversies. They are cautious in their ambitions, and conservative in their tastes. But just [...]
Google’s research reveals how millennial shopping habits are changing November 25, 2019 The Christmas season is a time for family and cheer. But for brands and retailers, the time between late November and early January represents the most crucial — and most competitive — period of the year, accounting for up to 30 per cent of annual sales. As journalist Katharine Whitehorn once said, “from a commercial [...]
General Election 2019: What we know about the Conservative Party manifesto November 22, 2019 This weekend the Conservative Party manifesto is expected to launch ahead of the general election on 12 December. Jeremy Corbyn unveiled Labour’s manifesto on Thursday following on from announcements by the Lib Dems and Green Party earlier this week. The Brexit Party is due to reveal its policies later today. It will leave just the [...]
Shazam’s ex-CEO Andrew Fisher joins Rightmove as chairman November 22, 2019 The old boss of music recognition app Shazam has been appointed Rightmove’s new chairman. Andrew Fisher will replace Scott Forbes when he retires from the board at the end of December after 14 years at the helm. Read more: UK house prices won’t catch sluggish inflation rate until 2021 Fisher, who was behind Shazam’s international [...]
Property focus on Sloane Square: This 1980s hotspot is experiencing a revival November 22, 2019 It may be famed for being the social epicentre for the young and blue-blooded in the 1980s, having lent its name to the Sloane Ranger set which included Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson. But the area around Sloane Square is now getting a modern makeover – and vying with other parts of Chelsea and Mayfair [...]
General Election 2019: Tories to up stamp duty for non-UK residents November 22, 2019 Foreign residents will be slapped with a higher rate of stamp duty than UK home-owners under a Conservative government, as part of efforts to tackle the country’s housing crisis. A three per cent surcharge will be levied on companies as well as individuals buying property who are not UK tax residents, the Tories will announce [...]
Countryside reports profit jump as CEO announces exit November 21, 2019 UK housebuilder Countryside Properties reported a jump in profits as it announced chief executive Ian Sutcliffe is set to step down next year. The figures The developer said profit for the year ended 30 September was £168.4m, up from £148.6m the previous year. Read more: Poll: UK house prices won’t match low inflation until 2021 [...]
General Election 2019: Conservatives go head-to-head with Labour on housing November 21, 2019 The Conservatives are hoping to take Labour head-on with a series of pledges designed to tackle the housing crisis. Jeremy Corbyn will today unveil a flagship policy that includes plans 100,000 council homes a year by the end of the five-year term, an increase of more than 3,500 per cent. Read more: Sadiq Khan to miss his [...]