Government ‘failed to deliver starter homes promise’ November 5, 2019 Ministers failed to deliver on a promise to build 200,000 new starter homes, despite announcing a £2bn investment to support the project, according to the government spending watchdog. Starter homes were intended to be houses built for first-time buyers under the age of 40 and sold at a 20 per cent discount, and in 2015 [...]
No time to say goodbye? Four-fifths of entrepreneurs stay involved after selling their firms November 5, 2019 Entrepreneurs never really let go of their businesses – not even when they have sold them on. New research from private bankers Arbuthnot Latham has found that 83 per cent of entrepreneurs remain connected to their firms in some way after selling, most often as advisors or non-executive directors. Read more: Start-ups are seeking more [...]
Office Space: Inside the opulent Mayfair base of luxury property developer Clivedale November 1, 2019 Real estate firms’ offices tend to fit into one of two moulds: a converted Mayfair townhouse, an old-fashioned relic left over from the days where Hanover Square was overrun with estate agents in braces and pinstripe suits; or a clinical, corporate space interchangeable with that of any other property company, law firm or accountant. Super-prime [...]
Focus on Willesden: A well-connected area where North London buyers can upsize November 1, 2019 One of the universally acknowledged truths of the London housing market is that needing more space often means moving further out. But it need not mean going all the way out into the sticks – and the North West London neighbourhood of Willesden is testament to that. While it is on the zone two-three border [...]
Revealed: The London boroughs most likely to avoid a Brexit house price crash November 1, 2019 So you’re a first-time buyer who has finally saved up enough to get on the housing ladder. All that’s left now is to decide which corner of the capital you’re going to invest your cash in. That decision is arguably more important than ever, given that a recession is a very real possibility – particularly [...]
Opinion: Things are looking up for London renters as price increases slow November 1, 2019 London’s property prices have long been regarded as endemically high, preventing many first-time buyers from purchasing their first home and boosting demand for privately rented properties. The result has been the emergence of Generation Rent: the demographic prepared to live like students in shared accommodation so that they can afford to be close to all [...]
New rules announced to help UK mortgage prisoners October 28, 2019 The City watchdog has removed barriers to help trapped mortgage customers switch to a better deal. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) today confirmed the introduction of new rules to help so-called mortgage prisoners, which are consumers who would benefit from switching but are unable to change to a more affordable mortgage despite being up-to-date with [...]
The regulator’s intervention on car finance hides an underlying reality October 28, 2019 The UK’s car finance boom has been a cause for concern for some time now, and the regulator is finally cracking down on questionable practices. One common complaint of this sector has been the practice whereby a car dealer or broker will make commission on the interest rate of the loan. By setting a higher [...]
What are reservation agreements, and could they really stop gazumping? October 25, 2019 A sale falling out of bed at the eleventh hour is one of the biggest bugbears for those wanting to move home. But the government has now proposed a solution in the form of ‘reservation agreements’, which it now plans to trial early next year. Under this system, which is common in Europe, both buyers [...]
Opinion: Uncertain times are leading to London property ‘microclimates’ October 25, 2019 The fluctuations and instability experienced by the capital’s housing market continue to be underpinned by, for want of a better phrase, ‘Brexit uncertainty’. A market once dictated by patterns and trends has been shaken by political turbulence, leaving buyers and sellers with little direction on how to navigate it, which is ultimately resulting in inconsistencies [...]