Christie’s announces record-breaking sales of £3bn January 27, 2011 AUCTION house Christie’s notched up £3.3bn of sales in 2010 – the highest total in its 244-year history – as the art market continued to defy the global slump. It was a year of record-breaking firsts for the auctioneer, with global sales up by 53 per cent. Pablo Picasso’s Nude, Green Leaves, and Bust fetched [...]
PROPERTY NEWS January 27, 2011 HOME MOVERS DESERT CITIES The rising cost of living is pushing city dwellers into suburbia and beyond, according to a house-moving website. Figures published by reallymoving.com show that significantly more people moved away from UK cities than moved to them in the last quarter of 2010. Canterbury and Cardiff were among the most popular areas [...]
European stocks drop as UK and Spain falter January 25, 2011 EUROPEAN shares fell yesterday, as confidence in Britain was shaken by an unexpected drop in fourth-quarter UK growth figures and with Spanish banks down on concerns new capital requirement rules may not be tough enough. Britain’s economy unexpectedly shrank 0.5 per cent in the last three months of last year, the first quarterly drop since [...]
BHP eyed as potash bidder January 18, 2011 MINING giant BHP Billiton might finally get its chance to buy part of a major potash producer after agribusiness Cargill yesterday signed a deal to sell off its majority stake in fertiliser producer Mosaic. Cargill plans to offload its 64 per cent stake in Mosaic, valued at about $24bn (£15bn), to free up cash for the [...]
What the other papers say this morning January 16, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES RBS DIRECTOR TO STEP DOWN FROM BOARD One of the last Royal Bank of Scotland directors to remain on the bank’s board from the days of Sir Fred goodwin is poised to step down from his role. Colin Buchan, 56, a former UBS investment banker who until recently was chairman of RBS’s remuneration [...]
Bovis warns over weak mortgage volumes January 14, 2011 Bovis Homes expects full-year profit to come ahead of estimates on higher selling prices and plans to restart dividends, but the housebuilder warned of a subdued year ahead. “Mortgage approval volumes remain weak, with mortgage providers requiring high levels of deposit, particularly from first time buyers,” the company said in a statement. British homebuilders are [...]
BASILDON January 13, 2011 BEECHWOOD VILLAGE Price: £234,000 A contemporary four-bedroom home with style and eco-credentials. Its slick interior belies this property’s energy-efficient design which promises reduced carbon emissions and a sizeable dent in your energy bill. Leafy avenues, a cycle lane and an ecological park comprise this house’s idyllic environs. Contact: Swan New Homes on 08000 195005 or [...]
PROPERTY NEWS January 13, 2011 REMEMBER THE RIGHT TO MANAGE Leaseholders should “take control” of their properties and stop getting “ripped off” by managing agents, says block management specialists Urban Owners. Over 70 per cent of lease-holding flat owners are unaware of the Right to Manage – government legislation which gives them the right to take over the management of [...]
BUYING January 13, 2011 MANAGING PARTNER OF BLACK BRICK PROPERTY SOLUTIONS LLP Q.Q: What are your predictions for the 2011 property market? Will there be more stock? When is a good time to buy? A.The prime central London property market has constantly suffered from a shortage of stock, and our advice for potential buyers looking for a home is [...]
United set for another away day stalemate January 13, 2011 TOTTENHAM vs MANCHESTER UNITED SUNDAY – 4.10PM SKY SPORTS 1 SOMETHING is going to have to give at White Hart Lane on Sunday afternoon if either Tottenham or Manchester United are going to walk away with a victory. United are still unbeaten in the league this season, while Spurs have lost just once on home [...]