Middle East expats rush back to London, luxury property rents spike April 10, 2026 An influx of people who have recently moved to the Middle East are now seeking short-term refuge in London, pushing up rents in the capital’s luxury property market – according to a leading estate agency. British, European and North American nationals have rushed to snap up short-term rentals in high-value London properties since the Iran [...]
Mood has shifted on housing market as rates rattle demand April 9, 2026 High mortgage rates are unlikely to deflate immediately even if the Iran ceasefire holds, property experts have warned, as rising rates stifle demand for houses. The number of Brits enquiring to buy a new home fell even further in March, down from negative 29 per cent in February to minus 39 per cent last month, [...]
House prices drop as Iran war shakes property market April 8, 2026 House prices fell in March as the uncertainty caused by the Iran war stifled the property market and spiked fears of interest rate rises. Average house prices fell 0.5 per cent last month, reversing the modest 0.3 per cent February increase, according to Halifax’s house price index. This is the latest signal that the Iran [...]
US markets hold steady after Trump’s expletive weekend ultimatum April 6, 2026 US markets held their nerve on Monday, as Wall Street traders returned to their desks for the first full session after President Donald Trump’s explosive, expletive-strewn demands for Iran to re-open the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude oil held the $107-a-barrel mark. But the global benchmark eased overall, by $1.50 to $107.54. European stock exchanges [...]
House prices pick up but property outlook remains ‘clouded’ March 31, 2026 House prices picked up in March as the property market gained traction after a slow start to the year, though experts warn the Iran war could “cloud” this momentum. The UK’s house prices rose by 2.2 per cent year on year in March, up from one per cent growth in the year to February, as [...]
Mortgage approvals bounce back after two-year low March 30, 2026 Mortgage approvals have bounced back after slumping to a two-year low last month, suggesting the property market was regaining momentum before the Iran war shocked global markets. The number of approved mortgages for house purchases increased to 62,600 in February, up from the two-year low of 60,200 in January, according to the Bank of England. [...]
How Bishopsgate became London’s Midtown Manhattan for law firms March 26, 2026 If you’ve had the pleasure of visiting a top law firm in London, you might mistake yourself for being in an episode of smash US legal drama (and Duchess of Sussex starring) Suits. Increasingly City firms’ offices have a more American feel to them. In the City of London, it is not just a race [...]
Rocco Forte: Inheritance tax grab has endangered my family firm March 25, 2026 With luxury outposts across Europe, and plans to expand to the Gulf, Rocco Forte Hotels has become one of Britain’s most successful hospitality exports. But after being hit by a wave of damaging policies – including a potentially existential inheritance tax crackdown – he tells Ali Lyon, he is more disillusioned with Britain now, than [...]
London skyscrapers under pressure as construction costs mount March 24, 2026 The cost of building London skyscrapers has soared by 40 per cent in five years as pressure on the capital’s high-rise property market mounts. The average cost of building a tower in the capital has increased from between £3,800 and £4,300 per square metre in 2020 to between £5,200 and £6,500 last year, according to [...]
Third of first-time buyers rely on bank of mum and dad March 18, 2026 Around a third of first-time buyers receive help from family and more than half rely on at least two full-time incomes, as access to first-time home ownership has collapsed this century. As many as 52 per cent of first-time buyers now rely on at least two incomes, up from just 40 per cent in the [...]