Government’s starter homes programme won’t help London’s first-time buyers August 27, 2015 Londoners hoping to buy their first home will not get much help from the government, according to a new report out today. In the report, Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity, takes issue with the government’s affordable house building policies, saying its flagship “starter homes” programme will fail to help most first-time buyers. Prime Minister [...]
Home purchase lending drops in London as buyers are priced out August 27, 2015 LONDON’S rising housing costs are pricing people out of the market with fewer mortgages being granted. There were 18,800 home purchase loans granted from April to June, the Council of Mortgage Lenders said yesterday, marking an 11.3 per cent drop on the same period last year. The amount lent out for house purchases in London [...]
Perfect timing August 23, 2015 Harriet Green talks pub food, capitalism and the importance of shiny things with Watchfinder’s Lloyd Amsdon When I ask Lloyd Amsdon’s seven year-old step-daughter if she knows what an entrepreneur is, she draws a blank. It may be age-related, but there’s no reason why she would have heard the word. “I’m only an entrepreneur when I’m [...]
Have we hit peak smartphone? Global growth hits two-year low as China’s sales decline for first time ever August 20, 2015 Is Peak Smartphone upon us? Drooping sales in China have caused smartphone sales to hit the brakes with the slowest growth rate since 2013, according to Gartner’s latest report, released today. In China, the world’s largest market, sales have fallen for the first time ever, with a four per cent decline year on year. Anshul [...]
The super-rich paying a £50,000 deposit to RENT in London August 20, 2015 With rising house prices placing home ownership out of reach for many and overseas investment rife, London’s lettings market is booming. But the commonly-painted picture of young professionals struggling to pay for their grotty house share in Dalston only tells one side of this increasingly complex story. For competition isn’t only fierce at the affordable [...]
Persimmon bucks summer slowdown with profit jump August 19, 2015 PERSIMMON yesterday became the latest housebuilder to boast an impressive jump in first-half profits as would-be homeowners regained confidence following the outcome of the General Election. The York-based housebuilder said profit before tax rose 31 per cent to £272.8m in the six months to 30 June, compared with £208.9m last year on revenues up 11 [...]
London drives frenzy of global property deals August 18, 2015 INVESTMENT activity in commercial property rose sharply in the first half of the year, new figures show, with cities, including London, New York and San Francisco, continuing to steal the spotlight. Global investment in commercial real estate reached $318bn (£204bn) at the end of June, 15 per cent higher than the same time last year, [...]
London house prices up nearly 10pc in August as first-time buyers hit hardest August 16, 2015 London house prices have had their most buoyant August for eight years, new figures show. Homes in Greater London are 9.7 per cent more expensive than they were in August 2014, property website Rightmove said today. House prices normally face a drop in August when compared with July, as the holiday period distracts buyers and [...]
M&A takeover prices rise again after buyers scramble for deals August 13, 2015 COMPANY takeover prices have edged up amid growing competition from buyers, figures out today show. The average multiple of a takeover – which tracks the link between the takeover price and the target company’s operating profits – rose to 10 times earnings for trade buyers this year, according to BDO. The figure is up on [...]
Maximum excitement on Man City v Chelsea August 13, 2015 SOME teams have already suffered surprise disappointments this campaign, but losing this one will be a big blow to either Jose Mourinho or Manuel Pelligrini. These are the best two sides in the league and they have been very evenly matched in recent seasons with four Chelsea wins, three Man City wins and three draws [...]