Days of soaring London house prices ‘are long gone’, says UBS September 30, 2019 The capital’s real estate market has moved out of bubble-risk territory for the first time in four years amid cooling London house prices, according to a new UBS report. An end to London’s housing boom has pushed the capital down a UBS index that ranks the cities with the biggest real estate bubbles in the [...]
How a tea estate is helping to conserve Rwanda’s rich biodiversity September 27, 2019 There are only two things that most people think about when they hear “Rwanda”: the country’s unfathomable genocide, the 25th anniversary of which is in 2019; and, to a lesser extent, the critically endangered mountain gorilla. But Rwanda is unrecognisable from how it was in the mid 1990s, and although the gorilla population is steadily [...]
Focus on Wapping: First-time home buyers are taking advantage of City connections and ‘sensible’ prices September 27, 2019 Located on the north bank of the Thames just to the east of Tower Bridge, Wapping is one of the few remaining postcodes where you can snap up a flat within walking distance of the City without a completely eye-watering price tag. Formerly the domain of dock workers, large swathes of the area have been [...]
The modular model: Can factory-built homes solve the housing crisis? September 26, 2019 picture a vast warehouse somewhere in the north of England. Workers in hard hats are poring over intricate plans against a background of humming machinery. Robot arms slice through sheets of metal and wood as they pass by on a conveyor belt, precisely cutting out shapes that look like huge versions of Airfix models. Across [...]
Mortgage approvals grow despite Brexit uncertainty September 25, 2019 The number of mortgages approved by banks grew last month despite the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Brexit. In total, 85,931 mortgages were approved by the main high street banks in August and mortgage approvals for home purchases were 3.2 per cent higher than the previous year as the 31 October Brexit deadline approaches. Read more: First-time [...]
Housing market uncertainty persists as property transactions remain flat September 24, 2019 Property transactions in August edged down slightly year-on-year, but buyers and sellers showed some signs of resilience despite the current Brexit uncertainty. There were 99,890 residential deals in August 2019, falling 0.9 per cent from last year but rising 15.8 per cent compared with the previous month, according to new HMRC data published today. Signs [...]
‘I bought in London using shared ownership – and cut my commute’ September 23, 2019 As a senior reporter for one of the UK’s leading national newspapers, covering stories across the capital and beyond, David Rivers needed a home that was well-connected to central London. After 18 months of renting in a shared house in Streatham Hill, he was keen to get on the property ladder and have a place [...]
‘It’s empowering to buy a shared ownership home’ September 23, 2019 Shared ownership helped West End actor Chris buy a place of his own in his beloved Islington Twenty-nine year old actor Chris Leask says that shared ownership was the “only way” he was ever going to be able to buy his own place in London. Chris, who is currently playing ‘Everyone Else’ in The Comedy [...]
All you need to know about shared ownership leases September 23, 2019 The legal side of buying a home can be daunting, especially for first-time buyers – but property solicitors and conveyancers are available to help. Lesley Price, head of shared ownership at Lawcomm Solicitors offers her tips for making sure you get solid legal advice, and have a good understanding of the terms of your lease. [...]
Is shared ownership right for me? Your questions answered September 23, 2019 Nick Lieb, head of operations at Share to Buy, explains who is eligible to buy a shared ownership home and what they should consider before they do Who is eligible for shared ownership?To be eligible for shared ownership, you must either be a first time buyer or you must not currently own a property. Purchasers [...]