Tale of two cities: Winners and losers in the London housing market May 17, 2016 House prices in some of prime central London’s most expensive postcodes have plummeted by more than 10 per cent, while further out of town prices have powered ahead, resulting in a new two-speed market in the capital. The sea-change, caused by factors as diverse as stamp duty reforms and an economic slowdown in China, is creating [...]
This tiny London garage sold for more than the price of the average house May 10, 2016 A tiny garage in west London is the latest sign of the ridiculous scramble for prime property locations in the capital, after being bought up for more than the price of the average home in the UK. The 18ft by 35ft spot in Hammersmith and Fulham smashed the already rather steep £250,00 guide price, the Guardian reports. It went for [...]
The five best train journeys in the world April 29, 2016 Train travel affords a vision of the world that seems so much more interesting than road journeys; somehow you hardly ever see anything interesting from a motorway. As John Betjeman said, “you need never be bored in a train”. Train travel is liberating in the time it affords for oneself – to read, write, think, [...]
When Brent meets Chelsea: How buying property in all 32 London boroughs over the last 20 years would have made a savvy investment April 21, 2016 Judging which areas will generate the best returns over the next 20 years can be tricky even for the wisest property sage. Data from estate agent Knight Frank show that Hackney was the best performing borough during that time, with an annual price growth of 11.9 per cent, followed by Lambeth at 11.2 per cent. However [...]
London house prices: More than 35,000 high-end homes planned in next decade – just as the prime property market starts to falter April 11, 2016 London's prime residential market is already suffering from the early signs of a slowdown but a flood of new properties is coming in the next decade that could exacerbate it further. A new report out today suggests there are 35,000 prime London homes due for construction in the next 10 years – a 40 per [...]
EU referendum: Will leaving the European Union lead to more sovereignty for the UK? April 2, 2016 Prime Minister David Cameron lambasts claims by the pro-Leave campaign that leaving the EU will bring sovereignty back to the UK. He says that if Britain leaves the EU, you will end up with the "illusion of sovereignty, but not the power, you don’t have control and you can’t get things done". That stands in [...]
Prime central London house prices are being outpaced by outer boroughs, says Savills March 30, 2016 Prices of prime London residential properties dipped in the first quarter of the year, as uncertainty around the economic outlook and the EU referendum largely offset any investor or second home buyer rush to beat the buy-to-let stamp duty hike deadline. Values across the whole of prime London slipped by an average of 0.3 per cent in [...]
Terror in the heart of Europe: British security services on high alert after double attacks in Brussels March 22, 2016 British security services are on high alert after Brussels was hit by what are thought to be double suicide attacks, leaving at least 31 people dead. Police believe at least 11 people were killed in two explosions at Zaventem Airport. A further 80 people are thought to have been wounded in the blast. Belgian media reported that [...]
Brussels explosions: More than 30 dead, 130 wounded in attacks at Brussels’ Zaventem Airport and Maalbeek Metro station, American Airlines desk reportedly targeted March 22, 2016 As many as 34 people have been killed and more than 130 wounded in what is thought to be a pair of coordinated suicide attacks at Zaventem Airport and Maalbeek metro station in Brussels today. Police believe as many as 14 people were killed in two explosions at the airport, which is thought to have taken place near to an American Airlines desk. A [...]
M&G backs £200m Snowhill scheme in Birmingham, as part of a 20 year master plan to turn the area into a business hub March 16, 2016 Fund manager M&G real estate has swooped in to back the £200m construction of Birmingham's Three Snowhill, in what will be one of the largest city office schemes to be built outside London. The 420,000 square feet building, which is being built speculatively by developers Ballymore, is part of a wider 20-year master plan to [...]