Prices on the rise: What next for inflation? February 23, 2017 Inflation is waking up Most of the major central banks are predicting rises in inflation. Price pressure was already beginning to build in 2016 as the world economy showed signs of improvement. Now the policies of a new Trump administration – lower taxes and increased government spending – could increase that pressure. The expectation among [...]
Opinion: A real estate legal specialist explains why using Brexit to get out of a property deal is a very bad idea June 30, 2016 Several days on from the result of the EU Referendum and, inevitably, many are wondering how leaving the EU will affect the London residential property market. First, it’s important to take a step back and look at what was happening before the referendum. The 15 per cent stamp duty and annual taxes for properties worth [...]
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 [...]
Home purchase lending drops in London as buyers are priced out August 27, 2015 LONDON’S rising housing costs are pricing people out of the market with fewer mortgages being granted. There were 18,800 home purchase loans granted from April to June, the Council of Mortgage Lenders said yesterday, marking an 11.3 per cent drop on the same period last year. The amount lent out for house purchases in London [...]
First-time home buyers should get a mortgage rather than rent, says Halifax February 15, 2015 Record low mortgage rates are contributing to a market where it is cheaper for first-time buyers to buy rather than rent. The average monthly cost associated with a first-time buyer buying a three bedroom house was £658 in December, according to figures released by mortgage lender Halifax at the weekend. It compares to an average [...]
The housing market was buoyed by mortgage momentum on the eve of the EU referendum July 21, 2016 Mortgage lending rocketed to an eight-year high before last month's EU referendum as the housing market showed few signs of pre-vote jitters Figures released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) showed £20.7bn was dished out to homebuyers and re-mortgagers in June – 16 per cent more than in May. The figure was an eight-year [...]
UK house prices are set to go through the roof, with the fastest growth in London September 18, 2015 House prices are growing at a robust pace this month while mortgage lending has surged as the housing markets heat up. Estate agent Knight Frank’s house price sentiment indicator today scored 59.3 for September, with scores above 50 indicating price growth. The fastest current growth is in London. Households’ overall expectations of [...]
Last remains of failed unicorn Powa Techologies to be sold this week April 19, 2016 Powa Technologies, one of the UK's first "unicorn" billion dollar startups, has found a buyer for the remaining part of its business after collapsing into administration earlier this year. Administrator Deloitte has found an as yet unnamed buyer for PowaPOS, the last of its three businesses, and is expected to finalise a deal by the end of [...]
Are fears about the UK commercial property market overblown? September 14, 2016 As Columbia Threadneedle Investments prepares to join Aberdeen Asset Management and Canada Life in re-opening its £1.4bn property fund, doubts persist over the future of the UK’s commercial property market. The Brexit vote brought three years of double-digit returns from UK property investments to a juddering halt. By early July, panicked investors clamouring to withdraw their [...]
Will Brexit knock house prices? Not in prime central London May 13, 2016 In a bid to sway voters, George Osborne is predicting Armageddon in every economic sector as the collateral damage of Brexit. This week he pointed the finger at property prices, predicting a significant dampening if the UK votes to leave. The chancellor is correct that the property market does stall in the face of investor uncertainty, [...]