Apple under pressure to make a big money deal November 1, 2010 APPLE has $51bn (£32bn) burning a hole in its very deep pockets. This has led to rumours it is about to buy anything from a small European nation (possibly Belgium) to a terracotta army fashioned in the image of its iconic leader Steve Jobs. Most persistent, though are the whispers that it is fallen Japanese [...]
The housebuilder who is ready to take the long road back to recovery October 31, 2010 DESPITE the generally depressed state of the housebuilding and residential property market, Taylor Wimpey’s chief executive Peter Redfern says he is pretty pleased with business. But sitting in the boardroom of his London office, his mood appears more reflective than upbeat. “Prices are very stable at the moment,” says Redfern. “Stable is good for us. [...]
House prices fall yet again October 28, 2010 THE average house price fell 0.7 per cent in October, equivalent to a drop of £2,376, Britain’s biggest building society said yesterday. Nationwide building society said the value of the average home is now £164,381 compared to £166,757 a month ago. Over the last three months house prices have fallen 1.5 per cent, marking the [...]
Find yourself the perfect snowy bolthole October 28, 2010 AFTER reports this week that the UK economy has sharply bounced back from recession, confidence has returned to the second home market and those with a penchant for skiing can’t help but turn their attention Alps-ward – especially as the first snowfall of the season came two days ago. “We’ve seen an increase in demand [...]
PIMCO’S GROSS ISSUES WARNING OVER A BRAZEN PONZI SCHEME: QE October 27, 2010 PIMCO’S resident bond expert Bill Gross yesterday, in his usual verbose fashion, issued a stark warning over the upcoming second round of quantitative easing (QE) in the US – dubbing it no less than a “Ponzi scheme” on the part of the Federal Reserve. “Check [sic] writing in the trillions is not a bondholder’s friend; [...]
FOCUS ON: BOW, E3 October 21, 2010 PACIFIC COURT, CASPIAN WHARF Price: Three-beds from £404,950. Due for completion in 2012, these apartments are now for sale. They include a concierge service and underground parking. Contact: Berkeley Homes on 0844 800 1152, www. berkeleyhomes.co.uk PARNELL ROAD Price: £575,000 Close to Victoria Park, this three-bed modern house has an open-plan living area and kitchen [...]
BUYING October 21, 2010 RUSSELL HUNT MANAGING DIRECTOR, PROPERTY HUNT Q.Dear Russell, I am a first-time buyer, please can you advise me on the buying process? A.Before you have found a property and agreed to buy, you need to make sure that you have your finances all in place. It is also really important to have your solicitor set [...]
PROPERTY NEWS October 21, 2010 HOME BUYERS GO GREEN It appears that Britons’ global conscience is alive and well. A new survey commissioned in advance of Energy Saving Week (25-31 Oct) says that over half of people are attracted to a new home because of its energy efficiency. Well, ok, maybe there is a little bit of self-interest there: the [...]
Outlook for housing market uncertain as remortgaging falls to ten-year low October 12, 2010 THE days of excessive mortgage lending seen prior to the credit crunch will not return, the Council of Mortgage Lender’s (CML) director-general, Michael Coogan said yesterday, as its latest figures showed remortgage activity had fallen to its lowest level in over a decade. August saw 25,000 remortgages advanced by lenders, accounting for 25 per cent [...]
House prices rose 8.3% year-on-year in August October 12, 2010 HOUSE prices grew 8.3 per cent year-on-year in August, slightly down on July’s figure of 8.4 per cent, official figures showed yesterday. Property prices rose 0.7 per cent in August, helping the annual rate of growth recover some ground after July’s 0.3 per cent fall. The Department of Communities and Local Government said the average [...]