UK house prices: 20pc discount offered to first-time house buyers in England February 28, 2015 From today, first-time house-buyers under the age of 40 can register for a 20 per cent discount on certain properties in England. The offer is taking place under a new government scheme called “starter homes”, which aims to make more affordable housing for young people on disused brownfield sites. “With average house prices for [...]
UK and London house prices: More proof of a property market slowdown in latest Land Registry figures February 27, 2015 House prices continued to rise at a slower rate than last year – another sign the property market is losing some steam. In January, house prices were up 1.3 per cent on December, however, year-on-year growth of 6.7 per cent for the first month of 2015 signalled a slowdown compared to December when annual growth was [...]
General Election uncertainty spooks service firm Countrywide February 26, 2015 PROPERTY service provider Countrywide saw profits soar in 2014, but warned impending uncertainty due to May’s General Election will take its toll this year. The company continued to diversify last year, with the acquisition of 38 new businesses at the cost of £48.8m with 40 per cent of last year’s profit being derived from these [...]
Last chance to buy at Bentley Priory RAF base: Mews house played key role in the Battle of Britain February 26, 2015 It’s customary in London’s energetic property market for buildings to change uses several times. But few have had multiple lives like Bentley Priory. The former mansion house in Stanmore, north west London, was originally a grand, private home designed by legendary architect Sir John Soanes, whose work also includes the Bank of England and the [...]
London Barometer: What’s happening to the capital’s house prices? February 26, 2015 There is clearly now much more activity in emerging prime areas than prime central London, with ongoing political uncertainties and the recent Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) changes alluded to in our last Barometer now having a marked effect. More sellers coming to the market would seem to imply that high SDLT has been a [...]
Focus on Hammersmith: The town where prices have grown by half February 26, 2015 When it comes to neighbours, Hammersmith has struck lucky. There can’t be another location in London that’s surrounded by such a cluster of affluent residential neighbourhoods. With Kensington to the east, Chiswick to the west, Fulham to the south and Shepherd’s Bush to the north, it’s a wonder this area is still known primarily as [...]
Estate agents charge more than lawyers and private doctors February 26, 2015 Proof that £300 to print a contract is extortionate? High street estate agents charge more per hour than doctors, lawyers and electricians, new research has found. According to online estate agent eMoov, the average high street agent spends between five and 15 hours selling a property – valuing it, marketing it online, hosting viewings and [...]
UK property prices: Three quarters of homes sold for less than their asking price in January February 26, 2015 Here's another sign the UK's property market is losing some of its pizzazz. A new study has found three quarters of homes sold for less than their asking price in January. That's 17 percentage points more than during the same period last year. The January housing market report, by the National Association of Estate Agents [...]
Countrywide predicts rocky 2015 for property market despite record profits February 26, 2015 The figures The UK's largest estate agent, Countrywide, whose brands include Bairstow Eves, Hamptons and John D Wood, announced a 20 per cent rise in total income to £702.2m in its first year as a publicly listed company. Profit before tax rose 63 per cent to a record level of £102.4m, from £62.9m at the same stage [...]
Agnelli family to sell Cushman and Wakefield February 25, 2015 ITALY’S Agnelli family has put real estate advisory giant Cushman & Wakefield up for sale in a deal that could fetch up to $2bn (£1.3bn) Exor, the investment arm of the Agnelli family, has approved management’s hiring of bankers Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley to help find a buyer for the business. “As is the [...]