New Builds: New homes on sale this weekend in London in East Finchley, Stratford, Greenwich, Hampstead and Notting Hill February 3, 2017 Ethan Drive, East Finchley £1.25m to £1.75m Sporty families will like these new four and five bedroom detached houses opposite the Chandos Lawn Tennis Club. Finchley Cricket Club and Pure Gym, where buyers will get a year’s family membership. Set in a private gated road, they come with modern luxuries like Hacker kitchens, underfloor heating [...]
Number of new homes registered in London dropped by a third last year February 3, 2017 New home registrations in London dropped by a third last year as developers put the brakes on building following stamp duty reforms and the Brexit vote. The number of registrations – or homes developers plan to build – dropped from 25,760 in 2015 to just 17,322, according to figures from the National House Building Council [...]
In our rush to solve the housing crisis, we’re forgetting about one thing February 3, 2017 Greenwich Peninsula has never been thought of fondly. Once desolate marshland, by the turn of the 20th century it was best known for the difficult-to-love Blackwall Tunnel. A century later, the controversial Millennium Dome had joined it, along with the fiscally-questionable Emirates Air Line cable car. So yesterday’s high-profile launch of 600 shiny apartments on the [...]
Output in the UK’s construction industry grew unexpectedly slowly in January February 2, 2017 The pound fell off its highs this morning after figures revealed output in the UK's construction industry had grown unexpectedly slowly in January – suggesting the sector's tentative recovery is swiftly running out of steam. Markit's purchasing managers' index for the construction industry dropped to 52.2 in January, from 54.2 in December and against expectations of 53.8. Any figure [...]
Cheeky IPO? Nando’s is considering a float January 30, 2017 Nando's, the South African restaurant chain famous for its spicy peri-peri chicken, is reportedly considering a cheeky initial public offering (IPO). Sources told Bloomberg Nando's is in the process of speaking to advisers and planning a share sale. Among its options, the Johannesburg-based company is mulling a London listing, the unnamed sources said. In a statement, a spokesperson [...]
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 [...]
New Builds: New homes are on sale in Finchley, Woolwich, Golders Green, Kew and Croydon January 27, 2017 Mantle Developments, Croydon From £430,000 and £875,000 (Help to Buy available) Buy a home and get a Michelin-starred meal cooked in it by chef Jean-Christophe Novelli. Buyers who snap up a property in one of two schemes in Croydon by the end of January through Countrywide will be able to take up the tasty offer. [...]
Bonus season: If you’re thinking of spending it on property, here are the top London hotspots you should be looking at January 27, 2017 It’s bonus season in the City and now you’ve got the enviable task of deciding what to spend it on. Historically low interest rates means putting the whole lot into an ISA isn’t quite as appealing as it once was. But house price growth particularly in the outer boroughs – Newham, Havering, Brent and Croydon [...]
The Magical Lantern Festival returns to London for a spectacular Chinese New Year celebration January 26, 2017 The Magical Lantern Festival has returned to illuminate Chiswick House Gardens with a spectacular fairytale world of light inspired art and sculptures. Taking place until 26 February – the garden’s 65 acres have been decorated with over 50 illuminated, brand new installations in celebration of the Chinese New Year of the Rooster. This year’s theme [...]
Mortgage lending hit a nine-month high in December January 26, 2017 Mortgage approvals hit a nine-month high in December, and overall in 2016, gross mortgage lending increased 12 per cent. Figures from the British Bankers Association show that gross mortgage borrowing increased by 3.6 per cent year-on-year in December, reaching £12.6bn, with remortgaging approvals jumping 30 per cent to their highest level since October 2008. Read more: Restaurateur [...]