London leads national house price growth March 12, 2015 London and the south east are leading national house price growth despite slowing substantially, new figures show today. Average UK house prices were 6.8 per cent higher in February than they were in the same month last year, according to figures released by property services firm LSL today. If London and the south east are [...]
Euro devaluation and low interest rates to fuel property investment in 2015 March 12, 2015 Investment in Europe’s property market is expected to jump by as much as 10 per cent this year thanks to low interest rates and the expected ongoing euro devaluation. Research published yesterday by Savills showed investment volumes could top €210bn (£150m) by the end of 2015, up five to 10 per cent on the €199.3bn [...]
Peer-to-peer needs its own Lending Isa: Anything else would fail consumers March 12, 2015 Politicians usually make decisions knowing that they can’t please all of the people all of the time. The Peer-to-Peer Finance Association’s recent survey of over 4,500 peer-to-peer (P2P) lending customers comes close to disproving that. Over 95 per cent of respondents support the chancellor’s commitment to include P2P lending within the Isa wrapper. It’s a [...]
The mansion made for Versace where Mayfair meets Milan March 12, 2015 Many houses are marketed as a fusion of the old and the new, east meets west or even luxury meets shabby chic. But 50 Charles Street is a rare fusion of Mayfair mansion and Milanese palazzo. This unusual combination is the result of one of London’s most ambitious conversion projects, designed to woo one of [...]
Focus on Battersea: Home of dogs, cats, families and riverside living March 12, 2015 Battersea’s venerable institutions – from its power station to its Dogs and Cats Home – often overshadow its considerable success as a residential destination. While houses easily soar over the £1m mark in this part of south-west London, UK buyers still account for 76 per cent of the market, 80 per cent of whom use [...]
Got $63m to spare? The most expensive New York City townhouse ever March 12, 2015 Feeling flush? Got $63m to spare? Then you could be the proud owner of the most expensive townhouse ever to go on sale in Manhattan. You do get rather a lot for your money – the six storey, 32ft-wide limestone mansion spans 17,850 sqft, including 10 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms and 2,300sqft of outside space. [...]
Amazing Spaces’ George Clarke on how to deal with empty homes March 12, 2015 Last week, over a thousand City workers stood at the bottom of Tower 42’s monumental staircase and thought, “Why did I sign up for this?” Joining them was City A.M.’s digital team and architect-turned-TV personality George Clarke, who reached the top of the skyscraper in a very respectable nine minutes and 29 seconds, all in [...]
Take the long view – bet on a new home before the election March 12, 2015 Savvy investors have been making bold decisions in downturns for centuries. For me, it seems only natural to buy when the market has hit a low, whether during a recession or in the lead up to a crucial event like a General Election. Contrary to what some think, the property market has not ground to [...]
Take a risk, invest in Ukraine says Kiev’s ex-boxer mayor Vitaliy “Iron Fist” Klitschko March 12, 2015 With the usual enormous Russian pavilion conspicuous by its absence at this year's Mipim property bash, Russians have all but deserted the event this year – but their warring partner Ukraine has arrived in force, with Kiev mayor and former world champion boxer Vitaliy Klitschko flying in yesterday to persuade institutions to invest in the [...]
John Lewis Partnership slashes bonus as Waitrose profits fall March 12, 2015 The John Lewis Partnership, known for its generous staff incentives, has slashed the bonus payout to its partners after a hit on profits at its upmarket grocery chain Waitrose. Staff will receive a bonus of 11 per cent of their annual salary, down from last year's 15 per cent – the third annual decline in a row. [...]