EU referendum: Why I identified 23 May as the date of maximum pre-referendum fear – and why it offers a great opportunity to buy up commercial property April 4, 2016 It is often said that if you repeat something enough, you will eventually come to believe it, even if you have forgotten its underlying truth. Saying it presents the risk of being called to account – as has been aptly demonstrated recently in the EU referendum debate. One such statement that I have made repeatedly is that [...]
JRP Group starts trading on London Stock Exchange following completion of Just Retirement Group and Partnership Assurance merger April 4, 2016 It's always nice to start the morning with a tale of a happy ending, isn't it? JRP Group, the result of the merger between Just Retirement Group and Partnership Assurance, started trading on the London Stock Exchange this morning. The newly-formed company, which has assets under management of more than £15bn, began its first day of trading [...]
Flood Re: What you need to know about the reinsurance scheme that launched today April 4, 2016 It's something of a catch 22 – those who are most in need of a good home insurance policy are often those least able to afford it, thanks to insurers needing to raise premiums to adequately reflect the risk they expose themselves to, or simply refusing to cover some areas at all. That's precisely why government-backed [...]
Why the greatest potential of virtual reality lies in business – and why not acting now could mean getting left behind April 4, 2016 We're only a quarter of the way through the year, and it’s already clear that the rise of virtual reality (VR) is one of the most talked about trends of 2016. Research from Deloitte shows that, while the technology may still be in the early stages of its commercialisation and development, it has reached a pivotal [...]
UK house prices: south east to outperform London in 2016 as buyers seek out more affordable homes, says Cebr April 4, 2016 House price growth will slow to 4.9 per cent this year, according to a new report out today, with the south east poised to outpace the capital as buyers look for better value elsewhere. The study, published by the Centre for Economics and Business (Cebr), says 2016 is turning into a year of two halves [...]
Area guide: Woolwich – why it’s tomorrow’s town April 1, 2016 It’s an unfortunate consequence of over-enthusiastic estate agents that an area described as “up-and-coming” is often, well, getting there but taking its sweet time about it. Woolwich was one such place for a long time, but 2016 is the year SE18 arrives on the property scene. “Woolwich has been touted as up-and-coming for the last [...]
EU referendum: Brit owners and buyers of European holiday homes adopt a “watch and wait” approach to Brexit April 1, 2016 Brits with holiday homes in Europe are adopting a "watch and wait" approach to the EU referendum. Hopefully from their sun loungers. A new poll this morning showed that while those intending to vote Leave or Remain is around even, there has been a reduction in those who believe the UK will vote to remain in the [...]
Stamp duty charges: The UK housing market needs more homes not more taxes April 1, 2016 Anyone waking up today who is planning or close to purchasing a second home may well feel as if an April fool's trick has been played on them. Whether helping a son or daughter get onto the housing ladder, investing in a buy-to-let property or buying a holiday residence, from today an additional three per [...]
City Moves for 1 April 2016 | Who’s switching jobs April 1, 2016 Squire Patton Boggs Squire Patton Boggs has announced that Andrew Herring has been appointed partner in the London office. Andrew, a well-known rail and transportation sector lawyer, will join the firm’s real estate practice, working with the global infrastructure and construction groups. He joins from DWF. He specialises in advising public and private sector clients [...]
Brockton Capital buys into Shoreditch Village scheme April 1, 2016 Two families regenerating a derelict site in London's trendy Shoreditch area have brought new investors on board after selling part of the scheme to Brockton Capital. The run-down site between Shoreditch High Street and Great Eastern Street was originally a Victorian timber yard and has been privately-owned by the Hall and White families for over 40 years. The proposed scheme, [...]