UK house prices: First-time buyers force growth surge as buy-to-let investment tails off April 6, 2016 Buy-to-let purchases might be tailing off – but the number of first-time buyers in the UK property market has surged, pushing prices up as demand intensifies. Figures out from estate agents Haart this morning showed that while average house prices climbed 4.1 per cent in the year to February 2016, the average first-time buyer house price jumped 9.8 per [...]
London homes now more expensive that two thirds of world’s private islands, says Labour’s London mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan April 6, 2016 Wouldn't it be nice to live on your own private island. Nice – nice and cheap. London homes are now more expensive than two thirds of the world's private islands, says Labour's London mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan. He's looked at data from global property consultancy Knight Frank, which shows 65 per cent of private islands currently [...]
City Moves for 6 April 2016 | Who’s switching jobs April 6, 2016 Matthews & Goodman National commercial property group Matthews & Goodman has appointed three new staff members following its acquisition of niche London firm Sinclair Clark Allegra. Nigel Watson has joined the firm as LLP member, Linton Brander as senior associate property manager, and Sabina Joyeux as property management accountant. Nigel and Sabina have joined Matthews [...]
The EU is adding fuel to the Brexit fire through new burdens on technology startups April 6, 2016 You might think, given Europe’s anaemic rate of growth and enduringly high levels of unemployment, that Brussels would be doing all it can to encourage small tech businesses to grow. After all, the evidence shows that SMEs are the motors of job creation and technology companies provide the best chance of new high-value, high-wage employment. [...]
East London is propping up slowing central London housing market, JLL report shows April 6, 2016 East London residential property prices jumped by seven per cent in the year to March, helping to shore up a slowdown in other parts of the capital hit by uncertainty in the market, new research from JLL today shows. The property firm's latest central London development report shows a slowdown in sales activity in the first quarter of the [...]
US investor Cain Hoy buys historic Mayfair block for £80m April 5, 2016 Cain Hoy, US investment firm backed by Guggenheim Partners, has snapped up a historic building in one of Mayfair's luxury shopping streets for £80m. The five storey terracotta building at 19 South Audley Street dates back to 1845 and is best known for housing china and silverware retailer Thomas Goode's emporium since that time. It also has offices and flats on the [...]
Blackrock’s biggest risks in the second quarter for investors April 5, 2016 The world's largest asset manager has flagged the biggest risks investors must watch out for in the second quarter of this year. Blackrock's quarterly global investment outlook, written by its global chief investment strategist, Richard Turnill, and his team, highlights some of the hurdles which could rile global markets. Chinese yuan devaluation They warn global markets could [...]
Supermarket sales rise over Easter – but prove egg-sasperating for Tesco, Morrisons and Asda April 5, 2016 It could have been so easy for supermarkets. Not only are prices at an all-time low, but an early Easter pushed sales up compared with last year, new figures have shown. But while the Easter bunny hopped along to most of the nation's retailers, the big four continued to struggle. The figures, by Kantar Worldpanel, showed sales [...]
Property tech start-up Settled wins backing from lastminute.com investor and launches £1m fundraise April 4, 2016 An online property platform aiming to shake-up the traditional estate agency model by encouraging landlords take control of their own sales has launched a £1m funding round, after winning the backing of one of the UK's leading tech investors. Settled was launched last year by brother and sister team Gemma and Paul Young, who wanted to create an online business that put aspiring homeowners directly [...]
Panama papers: Reaction to the massive data leak from law firm Mossack Fonseca detailing how global elite protect their riches April 4, 2016 News that a number of world leaders, as well as other global public figures, have been linked to tax evasion and money laundering has been met with calls for a crackdown on secretive international financial systems. A leak of 11m documents from Panamian law firm Mossack Fonseca has revealed that the company has helped clients launder money, [...]