FIRST TIME BUYERS HURRY TO BEAT STAMP DUTY DEADLINE February 13, 2012 THE HOUSING market saw a jump in activity in December and January as first-time buyers snapped up houses before the stamp duty exemption runs out next month, data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) showed yesterday, and Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) today. Loans to first-time buyers were up 14 per cent on [...]
First time buyers rise ahead of stamp duty increase February 13, 2012 The number of first-time buyers purchasing property increased by seven per cent at the end of 2011, fuelled by the impending increase in stamp duty. There were 18,700 mortgages – worth a total of £2.3bn – issued to new purchasers in December, an increase of seven per cent by volume and ten per cent by value [...]
Back Pietersen to be thorn in side of Aussie bowlers July 17, 2013 Kevin Pietersen will have mixed emotions about his Test match debut against Australia at Lord’s back in the heady and historic summer of 2005. It was all going swimmingly when Steve Harmison ran through the tourists, taking 5-43 and restricting them to just 190 on day one. But when Glenn McGrath skittled England for an [...]
Housing lifted by government scheme boost November 8, 2012 MORTGAGE lending climbed rapidly through the third quarter and into October, two sets of data showed yesterday, as the Funding for Lending scheme finally appeared to be having an impact on lending. This came in tandem with a reversal in the downward house price trend of the past few months, revealed by another set of [...]
Inside Africa’s megacity: God, oil, and traffic chaos in Lagos November 29, 2013 From the Nollywood film industry to shanty-dwellers with a line in tech imports, Nigeria’s biggest city reveals its secrets to Alex Dymoke NO ONE knows quite how many people live in Lagos. Nigeria’s 2006 census put the official figure at just under 8m. The UN estimated the number for 2011 at 11.2m. Others say it’s [...]
Our at-a-glance guide to Osborne’s mini-budget December 5, 2013 Growth up, borrowing down, yet the debt is still rising. Another raid on the banks, but shops to gain from reduced business rates THE UK ECONOMIC OUTLOOK● The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has revised up its forecast for economic growth and revised down its prediction for inflation. It expects unemployment to drop quickly next [...]
House prices up on high volume of transactions December 13, 2012 HOUSE PRICES managed to creep up in November, after the month saw uncharacteristically high activity. Prices were up 0.2 per cent on the month, according to data from LSL Property Services and Acadametrics, on the back of a five per cent rise in the number of transactions compared to last November. This put prices up 3.3 per [...]
Surveys reveal housing sector activity boost November 12, 2012 THE UK’S ailing housing sector has begun to show signs of life, according to two widely-regarded reports released yesterday and this morning. Interest in residential properties from potential buyers grew at its fastest rate for nearly three years in October, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) revealed this morning. The number of agreed sales [...]
Nationwide survey reveals fall in house prices for September October 2, 2012 HOUSE PRICES slipped in September, according to Nationwide’s house price index, released yesterday, adding weight to other studies showing downturn during last month. The average house price fell 0.4 per cent over the month, after the 1.1 per cent gain seen in August, and contributing to the overall 1.4 per cent fall seen over 12 [...]
Nationwide survey reveals fall in house prices for September October 2, 2012 HOUSE PRICES slipped in September, according to Nationwide’s house price index, released yesterday, adding weight to other studies showing downturn during last month. The average house price fell 0.4 per cent over the month, after the 1.1 per cent gain seen in August, and contributing to the overall 1.4 per cent fall seen over 12 [...]