Landsec profits rise despite retail’s property slump November 13, 2018 Property developer Landsec recorded a rise in profits in its half-year results today, despite a fall in property values caused by the struggling retail sector. The figures Profits before tax rose to £42m, up from £34m last year. Revenue rose 10.3 per cent to £224m compared to the same period of 2017. Dividend per share was [...]
First time buyer mortgage approvals dropped in September November 13, 2018 The number of new first-time buyer mortgages dropped by 4.5 per cent in September, driven by a slump in consumer demand due to affordability constraints in London and the south east. New home mover mortgages fell by 8.6 per cent compared to last year, with a decline in value of 5.8 per cent year-on-year, according [...]
Foxtons closes six London branches as challenging market flattens revenue growth November 13, 2018 Estate agent Foxtons has today confirmed the closure of six London stores, amid a downturn in sales that has led to a "challenging" market. The closures came as part of a cost-cutting drive at the firm to meet market conditions. Branches in Beckenham, Enfield, Loughton, Ruislip and Barnes, as well as its flagship Park Lane office, have [...]
Don’t like new build homes in glass towers? We round up the best conversion homes in characterful period buildings November 12, 2018 You want to buy a new house, but you don’t want to live in a soulless shell. There’s good news: the historic conversion market is continuing to boom, with London’s ancient buildings being scaffolded as we speak. Hampstead Manor, at the heart of which is white-stucco mansion Kidderpore Hall, is one such development. It’s being [...]
New homes: Our pick of what’s going on sale in London this week November 12, 2018 New developments on the market this week Aviator Place, Acton From £150,000 for a 40 per cent share of a one bedroom apartment Get onto the property ladder a share at a time by purchasing one of these Shared Ownership homes going on sale in west London tomorrow. Acton is an up-and-coming part of Zone [...]
Top of the class: London retailers post best results in Europe to push Paris into second place November 12, 2018 London’s West End has weathered problems on the high street to keep its position as the top of the European retail league, while seven of the top 10 shopping centres are in the UK. Shoppers spent almost €10.4bn (£9.1bn) on and around Oxford Street, Knightsbridge and Kensington for the year ending November, a 12 per cent [...]
Break the chain: Spotify backers fund estate agent Nested November 11, 2018 An estate agent that helps homeowners buy their next property chain-free has received £120m from the backers of Spotify, Betfair and Revolut. Nested gives homeowners a cash advance of up to 94 per cent of their property’s value, allowing them to buy a new home before completing a sale. The rest of the value is [...]
Thousands of stores fall off high street as retail woes worsen November 9, 2018 Fresh evidence of the retail woes facing Britain’s shopkeepers emerged this morning, with more than 2,500 stores vanishing from the high street over the first six months of this year. Some 14 stores have closed every day in the first half of 2018, as stiffer competition and higher costs make the retail struggle for survival [...]
Beazley hit with $105m hurricane costs November 8, 2018 Lloyds of London insurer Beazley today said it expects costs of roughly $105m after a series of natural disasters in the US and Asia. Beazley said the payouts following hurricanes Florence and Michael and typhoons Jebi and Trami are in line with expectations. But the insurer, which covers a range of areas including kidnapping and [...]
The government is finally turning its attention to the housing crisis, but what’s missing? November 8, 2018 There's no question that the housing market is in need of drastic reform. So it was welcome news last week when the chancellor announced that the government was turning its attention to reforming the supply side of the market through a £500m Housing Infrastructure Fund and British Business Bank guarantees for SME house builders. In broader terms, there seems to [...]