Housebuilders pledge to end advance sales of homes overseas December 18, 2013 A TOTAL of 11 housing developers have signed a pledge to market their properties to UK buyers first, or at the same time, as marketing abroad. Concerns about properties being sold to foreign investors who then choose not to live in them have led to claims that many London streets are unoccupied while demand in [...]
Labour’s land grab will only exacerbate our housing crisis. Here’s why December 16, 2013 Ed Miliband is set announce details of how a Labour government would intervene in the housing market to boost supply. A Labour government would give local councils the power to purchase land or charge fees to believe developers are hoarding land. The Labour leader will say in a speech on Monday: We will back home [...]
Carillion lands Sunderland contract worth a potential £800m November 29, 2013 Construction services company Carillion has been selected by Sunderland city council to form a strategic partnership and deliver a range of property services for the city's regeneration plan. The contract will focus on the redevelopment of sites across the city, worth £100m in the first eight years and potentially £800m over the next 20 years. [...]
Barratt bullish after sales rise November 13, 2013 BARRATT Developments said yesterday it expects to deliver “substantial improvements” in its full-year performance, as the sector continues to benefit from government efforts to free up mortgage lending. The housebuilder reported a 31.5 per cent rise in the number of private reservations per site at 0.71 per week in the 19 weeks to 10 November. [...]
Help to Buy boosts Barratt sales by 47 per cent November 13, 2013 Barratt Developments has praised the government's Help to Buy scheme for playing a large role in the rising activity in the housing market, reportinga rise in private forward sales of 46.7 per cent, or £1.1bn, for the period of July to November. The company's interim management statement, released on Tuesday, said: The Government's Help to [...]
London Report: Carney likely to bear good news about inflation November 10, 2013 GOVERNOR of the Bank of England Mark Carney is likely to be the bearer of good news when he presents his inflation report on Wednesday, with the growth rate heading up and the unemployment rate coming down. Carney pledged in August not to raise rates until unemployment fell to at least seven per cent, a [...]
Our guide to the best investments November 7, 2013 London property prices are sky-rocketing, so what better time to invest with the rest? RIGHT now, investing in a London home looks like a pretty smart move. Asking prices saw a 10 per cent increase last month and, with low-deposit schemes like the government’s Help to Buy initiative, more people are looking to invest in [...]
London house prices to keep rising due to chronic undersupply October 28, 2013 The London housing market will continue to experience significant undersupply in the coming years and will retain its robust stance, according to research by Deutsche Bank. The bank expects UK listed house builders with scale and history in the region to see strong returns in their London divisions. It also expects new entrants such as [...]
Move into the heart of city living October 24, 2013 Make a smart international investment or simply live among some of the world’s most famous landmarks There are certain things non-Londoners take for granted that seem like every-day miracles to those living in the capital. Walking to work is one of them – the morning commute is inescapable in the Big Smoke. You can also [...]
Gas and construction man Mark Clare joins United Utilities October 18, 2013 The group chief executive of Barratt Developments Mark Clare is joining United Utilities, the UK's largest water company, as a non-executive member, said the water company today. (Release) Clare, who has held his position at Barratt since 2006, was executive director of Centrica and managing director of the British Gas Residential Energy operation before moving [...]