How to build a hipster housing development in ten days September 19, 2016 Mike, 32, works as an accountant for an international development charity, but, despite having a healthy salary, he cannot afford a house in London. His story is unremarkable. Londoners have come to accept that owning a home is an ambition for later in life if they don't have help from relatives. Millennials like Mike aren't in desperate circumstances, but [...]
Focus On Barking: Will Khan’s approval for ‘Barcelona-on-Thames’ change the landscape of east London? September 16, 2016 It’s not often Barking – an industrial suburb of east London – finds itself in the spotlight. But that’s exactly what happened this month when Mayor of London Sadiq Khan approved “one of the largest and most ambitious regeneration schemes in Europe” on the north bank of the Thames. Barking Riverside, as it’ll be known, [...]
New homes on sale in Stanton William’s Riverwalk, the curviest towers on the River Thames September 16, 2016 Riverwalk, Westminster From £1.25m A scheme at Millbank on the north bank of the Thames is throwing open its doors this weekend to prospective buyers. Over 75 per cent of the homes have been sold off-plan at the Ronson Capital Partners development, which has 119 one to four bedroom apartments spread across two buildings. The [...]
Three signs the iPhone 7 will be a huge hit for Apple September 15, 2016 The iPhone 7 received a cautiously optimistic welcome when it was unveiled a week ago. While new features such as being waterproof and a shiny new jet black colour were largely surface changes rather than a revolutionary new direction for the brand, they were certainly likely to dazzle potential buyers, analysts thought. Apple has quite a bit riding [...]
Home purchase lending fell by 13 per cent in the month following the Brexit vote September 14, 2016 The first figures on mortgage lending to cover the full month since the Brexit vote show that lending to home owners fell 13 per cent month-on-month in July, and 12 per cent year-on-year. According to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), the amount of borrowing from first-time buyers has also declined month-on-month and the buy to let market has [...]
Are fears about the UK commercial property market overblown? September 14, 2016 As Columbia Threadneedle Investments prepares to join Aberdeen Asset Management and Canada Life in re-opening its £1.4bn property fund, doubts persist over the future of the UK’s commercial property market. The Brexit vote brought three years of double-digit returns from UK property investments to a juddering halt. By early July, panicked investors clamouring to withdraw their [...]
The housing minister just suggested the government’s 200,000 starter homes pledge might include rental properties September 13, 2016 The remit of the government's promise to deliver 200,000 so-called starter homes by 2020 could be expanded so it includes purpose-built rental homes in the figure, the housing minister suggested today. During a question and answer session at the Resi 2016 conference in Wales, Gavin Barwell said there was "a little bit of tension between the overall [...]
HgCapital investment trust’s share price soars on rising revenue and earnings September 12, 2016 HgCapital Trust’s share price jumped five per cent today after reporting revenue and earnings growth. The figures The company, which gives investors exposure to private equity firm HgCapital's portfolio, reported revenue growth of 12 per cent in the first six months of the year. Earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda), meanwhile, were up 22 [...]
Rent on the average UK one-bed flat has now surpassed £1,000 per month September 12, 2016 Have warnings over the government's attempts to reduce second home buying just come to pass? New figures have suggested the average UK one-bed flat now costs tenants more than £1,000 a month. Ouch. The figures, by Landbay, showed the average UK one-bed hit £1,010 a month in August, 67 per cent of the average disposable [...]
First time buyers still waiting for Brexit boost as banks demand higher deposits September 12, 2016 The Brexit vote has not been the boon for first-time buyers many forecasters expected it might be, new analysis of prices and mortgage data has revealed. In the aftermath of the referendum, many expected house prices across the country to dip, making it easier for hard-pressed savers to get a foot on the ladder. However, [...]