Outgoing BoE official says interest rates to rise “pretty soon” August 19, 2015 Outgoing Bank of England (BoE) rate-setter David Miles has said that the time for interest rates to rise from the record low is drawing closer. Speaking during an interview on BBC Newsnight Miles, who has already cast his final vote as member of the monetary policy committee (MPC), said that rates would rise "pretty soon", adding: "I don't think it's [...]
George Osborne facing pressure from UK building societies over ‘perverse’ bank surcharge August 19, 2015 The Treasury is under fire from Britain’s building societies, who say that a new tax will cost them at least £630m over the next five years – and choke off £20bn worth of lending. Mortgage lenders want the government to think again. “As you would expect the sector is positively engaging with HM Treasury,” Building [...]
UK house prices: Persimmon share price dips despite fecund first half August 18, 2015 Another day, another housebuilder boasting impressive growth, after Persimmon said profits rose 31 per cent to £2.72.8m in the six months to the end of June. The figures You read that right: profits before tax rose 31 per cent to £272.8m, up from £208.9m last year. Meanwhile revenues rose 11 per cent to £1.3bn, while underlying earnings per share [...]
Housebuilder shares drop on “vanilla” house price growth August 18, 2015 Shares in the UK's largest listed housebuilders fell today, despite official figures showing annual house price growth rose to 5.7 per cent in June. Shares in Barratt fell 1.45 per cent to 643.5p in late morning trading, while Berkeley Group was down just under one per cent at 3,422p. Meanwhile, shares in Persimmon, which posted [...]
“Summer boom” in upmarket central London lettings as Mayfair has post-election bounce August 18, 2015 It's not just super-rich property buyers who breathed a sigh of relief when the result of the General Election was announced: new figures suggest landlords were also pretty relieved, after corporate relocation enquiries for homes in Mayfair jumped 40 per cent in the past three months. Read more: One estate agent is enticing the super-rich [...]
London drives frenzy of global property deals August 18, 2015 INVESTMENT activity in commercial property rose sharply in the first half of the year, new figures show, with cities, including London, New York and San Francisco, continuing to steal the spotlight. Global investment in commercial real estate reached $318bn (£204bn) at the end of June, 15 per cent higher than the same time last year, [...]
UK house prices: Approvals of mortgages slip back in July as interest rate rise looms August 17, 2015 The number of mortgage approvals fell back in July against a backdrop of fears over a rise in the Bank of England’s interest rates, according to the latest Mortgage Monitor from e.surv, the UK’s largest chartered surveyor. There were 65,356 house purchase mortgage approvals in July, down 1.8 per cent from 66,582 in June and [...]
Government hires Lazard and Savills as multi-million pound sale of 36.5 per cent stake in King’s Cross Central kicks off August 17, 2015 The government has kicked off the sale of its 67-acre site around London's King's Cross station. Investment group Lazard and high end estate agent Savills are handling the deal. Interested parties have been urged to contact Lazard by 7 September. The decision to sell the government’s 36.5 per cent stake in King’s Cross [...]
Bovis Homes share price dips despite boost from UK house prices August 17, 2015 Shares in Bovis dipped 1.43 per cent to 1,183p this morning, despite its half-year results showing a sizeable boost from the strength of the UK's housing market. The figures Revenues at the housebuilder rose nine per cent to £350.7m in the six months to the end of June, the company said this morning, while profit before tax [...]
London house prices up nearly 10pc in August as first-time buyers hit hardest August 16, 2015 London house prices have had their most buoyant August for eight years, new figures show. Homes in Greater London are 9.7 per cent more expensive than they were in August 2014, property website Rightmove said today. House prices normally face a drop in August when compared with July, as the holiday period distracts buyers and [...]