The power of choice: Why May must back flexible right to buy October 23, 2018 He may not be well-known now, but former MP Noel Skelton probably had one of the most profound impacts on the guiding philosophy of the Conservative party. His series of pamphlets in the aftermath of the First World War explained clearly how the expansion of education and political rights, without the same expansion of economic [...]
Opinion: Would a People’s Vote inspire investors to take a punt on London or would it just cause more uncertainty? October 19, 2018 This weekend sees the People’s March come to London, with thousands of people set to take to the streets to demand a People’s Vote on the final Brexit deal. As a buying, I’m often asked about the impact of Brexit what the prospect of a People’s Vote could have on the prime London property market [...]
Property of the Week: Fleetwood Mac star’s penthouse, designed by Foster & Partners, is on sale in Battersea October 19, 2018 If you’ve got Dreams of owning a penthouse apartment by the river, now may be your chance – thanks to a former member of Fleetwood Mac. Christine McVie, one of three main vocalists and the keyboardist in the legendary band, is selling her £3.45m penthouse in Battersea, south London. Riverside One, Battersea, £3.45m Riverside One [...]
London house prices dip as growth slows to five-year low October 17, 2018 House prices growth in August dropped to its slowest annual rate in more than five years, as London's subdued housing market dragged down average property prices. New Office for National Statistics (ONS) data out today show house prices climbed 3.2 per cent in the year to August, marking the slowest pace of growth since August 2013. [...]
Prime central London house price growth to stay flat until 2021, thanks to stamp duty and Brexit October 11, 2018 Homeowners hoping to see a recovery in London’s high-end housing market may find themselves waiting a little longer, according to new Savills analysis that suggests growth will not return to the capital’s most expensive properties until 2021. Brexit uncertainty and a newly proposed stamp duty surcharge on foreigners is likely to “temper recovery”, with Savills [...]
DEBATE: Would a scheme encouraging landlords to sell to private renters help solve the housing crisis? October 9, 2018 Would a scheme encouraging landlords to sell to private renters help solve the housing crisis? Will Tanner, director of Onward, says YES. Britain’s housing market has many flaws, but one of its most pernicious is the never-ending treadmill of private renting. The average renter in London today spends 40 per cent of their post-tax income [...]
Interiors: The story of a Chinese twenty-something who created a best of British flat in Shanghai October 5, 2018 Anyone casting an eye around this spacious contemporary apartment would find its elegance reassuringly familiar. English joinery, heritage brands, bespoke handcrafted furniture – you could be visiting One Hyde Park. But look outside the 18th-floor panoramic windows and it’s not the sweeping green of central London you see, but the majestic Huangpu river, snaking through [...]
The guardians of the art industry: How a former trader is giving old buildings a new lease of life September 28, 2018 Scott Franklin is like the popular kid at school. When the former City trader shows me around the renovated Victorian warehouse in Clerkenwell, everyone we pass seems pleased to see him – which strikes me as unusual for someone whose role resembles that of a landlord. Franklin, who is the founder of Property Guardian [...]
Focus On Harrow: Why this west London suburb is popular with families and first time buyers September 28, 2018 With inner city London gradually dividing itself into a series of ‘villages’, mimicking the community, farmers markets and independent high streets of semi-rural life, what’s the point of suburbs anymore? Places like Harrow have traditionally been quite pedestrian places, attracting families to its healthy stock of semi-detached houses and good quality schools. The ultimate – [...]
UK mortgage approvals for new house purchases tumble despite growth in remortgaging September 26, 2018 The number of mortgages approved for house purchases was almost five per cent lower in August compared with the same time last year, providing fresh evidence of flat activity in London’s property market. Despite the fall in new mortgage approvals, remortgaging soared 9.2 per cent during the month, as a rising number of homeowners [...]