Building a lucrative art scene in the Middle East October 16, 2015 The world’s tallest building, most expensive hotel, fastest rollercoaster, and the largest mall – the list is long. The United Arab Emirates is a country of superlatives. It’s got the money, power and everything that comes with it. But perhaps nothing can better shape a nation’s identity and affirm its arrival on the world stage [...]
The Beatles’ John Lennon’s school detention slip up for sale September 24, 2015 There’s a divide amongst the City’s better known CEOs. First there’s the Cambridge mafia; those with old school ties, spotless school records and fine art collections. Then, of course, there’s the boys-done-good, who left school at 16 and worked their way up from the bottom. While you’re more likely to find the City’s university alumni [...]
London’s housing problem doesn’t need another government scheme: It’s time to slaughter sacred green belt cow – The City View October 7, 2015 During his time at 10 Downing Street, David Cameron has presided over a number of deeply complex attempts at helping Generation Rent climb the first rung of the housing ladder. NewBuy came first, guaranteeing 95 per cent mortgages for first-time buyers on new-build properties. That was followed by Help-to-Buys one and two: respectively, equity loans [...]
The Long Weekend: Cwmain Cottage, North Wales November 6, 2015 The weekend: It’s your choice whether you prefer a dreamy wander around North Wales’ romantic countryside, or a punishing hike up some of the UK’s most challenging mountains. The rest of this weekend will be spent recharging by a crackling log fire and getting to grips with the local beers in a nearby pub. WHERE? [...]
The National Association of Estate Agents: Number of house hunters hits an 11-year high July 29, 2015 The number of people hunting for a new home in Britain hit an 11-year high last month amid a dwindling housing stock and sky-high prices. Figures released today by the The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) showed around 439 house hunters were registered to each estate agent branch in the UK last month. This [...]
These are the 20 London streets where estate agents are making the most money June 9, 2015 It turns out London’s streets really are paved with gold – for estate agents, anyway, who have earn £10m in fees for sales in London’s 20 most expensive roads over the past 18 months. According to research from website HouseSimple, 80 properties sold in the top 20 prime locations sold for an average of £5.3m, [...]
The government’s RBS share sell-off is about to begin: Here’s what you need to know August 2, 2015 This week, George Osborne is due to kick start the government's sale of its 78 per cent stake in Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). Read more: Mansion House Speech 2015: Chancellor George Osborne will start government RBS sell-off as soon as possible The chancellor's plan to offload the shares was announced during his Mansion [...]
London property sales account for almost half of stamp duty revenue August 2, 2015 Almost half of all stamp duty revenue across England and Wales is collected from property sales in London, according to data showing the impact of last year’s rise in rates for the most expensive homes. Research by estate agent Knight Frank shows London accounted for just 13 per cent of all property transactions for the [...]
Cameron’s kowtow: Submission is not the route to success in China October 22, 2015 It was 2012 when I was first asked to make a bribe in China, just shy of a year after moving there. On the counsel of a business licence consultant, I was “advised” to offer remuneration to a mid-ranking member of the local Communist Party Neighbourhood Committee for swaying a potential decision in our favour. [...]
Fed’s decision gives housing stocks a boost – New York Report September 20, 2015 THE FEDERAL Reserve’s decision not to hike interest rates may have brought renewed volatility and a stock market selloff, but it also carved out breathing room for a couple of sectors: dividend payers and housing stocks. With 10-year Treasuries now yielding around 2.14 per cent, the 2.2 per cent dividend yield of the overall S&P [...]