UK house price growth slows to lowest level since 2013 as uncertainty rattles market February 13, 2019 House price growth fell to its slowest pace in almost six years in December as uncertainty continues to weigh on the housing market. UK house prices rose just 2.5 per cent year-on-year, marking the slowest annual growth since July 2013, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Land Registry. [...]
Market challenges take their toll on estate agent Countrywide’s profits February 13, 2019 Beleaguered estate agent Countrywide’s profits halved last year, as the property group battled to keep its debt pile under control in the wake of housing market uncertainty and disruption from online rivals. Subdued activity in parts of the UK’s housing market in the last year has dented profits for the group, which has also struggled [...]
City Moves for 13 February – who’s switching jobs at Spotahome, Improbable and DAC Beachcroft? February 13, 2019 Who’s on the move today? Spotahome Spotahome has appointed Cleo Sham, who helped grow Uber’s presence in China to become the ridesharing app’s largest market and led the EMEA operations for the American company, as chief operating officer (COO) to oversee the Madrid-based property technology company's global operations functions to spearhead fast-growth.Sham started up at [...]
Law helping businesses receive insurance payouts after terror attacks passed February 12, 2019 Companies will be able to more easily buy insurance for business interruption in the case of terrorist attacks following the passing of a new law today. The passing of the Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019, which received Royal Assent today, followed an outcry in the aftermath of the London Bridge attacks where businesses [...]
President Trump to meet Xi ‘very soon’ as markets hope for end to US-China trade war, Conway says February 12, 2019 President Donald Trump wants to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping soon in an effort to end the trade war that has raged between the US and China, according to an adviser. Kellyanne Conway, previously Trump's campaign manager and now counsellor to the White House, told Fox earlier this week that Trump “wants to meet with [...]
London’s iconic department store Liberty ‘seeks £300m sale’ February 12, 2019 London retail landmark Liberty department store could be set for new ownership for the first time in nearly 10 years. Its largest shareholder, private equity firm Bluegem Capital Partners, has reportedly hired UBS to look into potential buyers for the business. Read more: West End property giant Shaftesbury posts 'resilient' retail demand The company, which [...]
Viventi in £100m UK build-to-rent investment after appointing FirstPort at partner February 12, 2019 US investor Viventi has said today that it is planning to inject £100m into the UK’s growing build-to-rent (BTR) market. In a bid to cash in on the rising demand for homes built specifically with a view to being rented out and professionally managed, Viventi Capital Management is moving into the UK properry market with [...]
You can now trade London skyscrapers on a real estate stock exchange – here’s how it works February 12, 2019 Down the years, through booms and busts, investment in property has always meant one thing – buying buildings. And whether it be a corner shop or a skyscraper, the principle has always been the same – it’s the whole building that you buy. We take that for granted. Read more: Sharp rise in property values [...]
TAG launches scheme to protect brands’ advertising amid crackdown on pirate sites February 12, 2019 The Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) today launched a new initiative to help protect brands from appearing on websites that post pirated material. As part of the scheme, known as ‘Project Brand Integrity’, the industry body will monitor adverts and alert brands if their campaigns are running on pirate sites. Read more: Government calls for probe [...]
London house prices: Prime postcodes dip as Brexit uncertainty weighs on market February 12, 2019 House prices in London’s most expensive neighbourhoods tumbled in the run-up to Christmas, continuing on a downward trend in the wake of uncertainty from both buyers and sellers. According to new data from Lon Res, prime property prices in the fourth quarter of 2018 fell 5.7 per cent when compared with the same period in [...]