UK property prices: A third of all house sales are now to first time buyers March 30, 2015 A third of all house sales are now made to first-time buyers, a new report has found, suggesting the UK's housing market is becoming less hostile towards those attempting to climb the first rung on the property ladder. The report, by the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), said 30 per cent of all house [...]
Dumbed down Brexit row patronises voters June 3, 2016 Like clockwork, yesterday brought another slew of extreme projections about the impact of Brexit. It would “destroy” young people’s hopes of getting on the housing ladder, says Remain, apparently forgetting George Osborne’s warning last month that house prices could fall dramatically if the UK quits the EU (surely a boon for first-time buyers). Leave has [...]
How to buy a classic car: The Ferrari 328 GTS is a sound investment and a surprisingly sensible classic January 30, 2017 Welcome to the first in an occasional series of classic car reviews. We’ll highlight some of London’s most desirable used cars, classics that are great to drive and likely to offer a healthy return on investment. And where better to start than with one of motoring’s blue-chip brands? Ferraris make up seven out of the [...]
Rightmove: Cheapest boroughs fuel 11 per cent rise in London house prices as one agent warns it now takes 46 years to save for a deposit March 21, 2016 London house prices have climbed 11 per cent over the last 12 months, with the cheapest boroughs rising at the most rapid rate. The fastest growth was in Barking and Dagenham, according to the data published today by property website Rightmove. Asking prices in the borough, the capital’s cheapest, are 23.5 per cent higher this [...]
David Cameron courts first-time buyers as 50,000 sign on to home discount scheme April 3, 2015 Over 50,000 people have signed up to the government's programme to give first-time buyers a 20 per cent discount on their new home. An extension of the controversial Help to Buy initiative, the programme means new properties up to £250,000 and £450,000 in London will be subject to deep discounts. However, only those under the [...]
UK thinks it is “in the throes of a housing crisis”, according to new poll May 1, 2016 By now most are all too aware of the soaring cost of housing, leading to "generation rent" and pushing people outside city centres. But a new poll has revealed the extent to which people are concerned about the housing crisis. According to a poll for the Observer on attitudes to housing, 69 per cent of [...]
UK house prices: Let down the ladder – how property crowdfunding could help fix the housing crisis February 22, 2016 There were positive headlines last week which suggested that the government may finally be making modest progress in its battle against the housing crisis. For the first time in a decade, home ownership rates remained stagnant, rather than falling. Yet younger generations still have huge issues with the housing market. Ownership rates continue to fall [...]
UK house price growth has edged up from its November low December 29, 2016 December may traditionally be a bad time to try to sell your house – but UK house prices bucked the trend this month, with growth edging up from their low in November. Nationwide's house price index showed prices rose 4.5 per cent in the year to December, up from 4.4 per cent in November, its [...]
Focus On Twickenham: Families flock to TW1 for period houses, riverside walks, and a 25min commute March 17, 2017 As the Six Nations tournament comes to a close this Saturday, all eyes are on Twickenham. This leafy south west London suburb may buzz with life around match days – with the thoroughfare between Twickenham station and the stadium getting particularly boisterous – but the rest of the time, it’s the picture of modern, aspirational [...]
Budget 2015: “Saving revolution” as Osborne pledges first-time buyer Isa March 18, 2015 George Osborne unveiled a Budget aimed at helping savers, first time buyers and pensioners today, with measures including a "Help to Buy Isa". Under the new rules, the government will contribute £50 for each £200 saved by first-time buyers. Savers who put away £12,000 could stand to make as much as £3,000 Just before he [...]