The City must continue to fight to restore its reputation for integrity June 7, 2015 This week at the Mansion House, I will host one of the Square Mile’s biggest events of the year. The annual Bankers’ and Merchants’ Dinner provides an opportunity for the chancellor and the governor of the Bank of England to speak in front of an audience of senior business leaders, captains of industry, regulators and [...]
Housing recovery lifts builders’ firm Grafton May 12, 2015 BUILDERS’ merchanting and DIY group Grafton yesterday posted upbeat results for the first four months of the year, as the continuing recovery in the economy and housing market helped boost demand for repair and improvement jobs. The company, which trades under brands including Plumbase and Selco in the UK, Ireland and Belgium, said that group revenue [...]
Bank of England backs move for greater powers over mortgage lending as it warns over financial instability posed by housing market October 2, 2014 The Bank of England has warned that the UK housing market represents a continued risk to financial stability, backing government calls for greater powers to cap mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties. The BoE's Financial Policy Committee has come out in support of George Osborne's suggestion, which was initially put forward over the summerand reiterated [...]
The rental revolution: changes in the private rented sector June 25, 2015 The UK’s rental market is undergoing a transformation as it continues to grow New investors including pension funds Legal & General and M&G are entering the sector, promising to add scale through major new apartment developments. And the government is backing the private rented sector as a key provider of new homes. Alongside UK developers [...]
Brits spent £7.5bn on moving house last year: That’s £23,000 in stamp duty, surveyors and other fees if you live in London April 17, 2015 The average cost of moving house in London shot up to £23,000 last year – that's higher than the average (median) UK annual wage. The figures The price of moving house in the UK rose by £431 last year, bringing the average total figure to £8,698 in 2014, up from £8,258 in 2013 and £7,552 in [...]
A place in the sun: Your guide to buying a home in Spain October 5, 2015 Many Londoners have a hankering to buy a second home abroad, and Spain ranks as one of the most popular places to own one. There are officially 750,000 British people living in Spain, and thousands more who own property but live in the UK. Spain’s economy was hit hard by the financial crisis, and [...]
Interior designer Lisa-Marie Mosca on bringing Gatsby glamour to London in Sophia House April 23, 2015 SOPHIA HOUSE, ELLERTON ROAD, WIMBLEDON, £6.95M On a quiet private road bordering the Royal Wimbledon Golf Course, there’s a pocket of 1920s Parisian glamour. Opulent light fixtures and plush upholstery welcome prospective buyers to Sophia House, one of two six-bedroom family houses recently built by luxury developer Newcourt Residential. From the outside, it looks [...]
UK property prices: House price growth still falling – but mortgage approvals are up April 9, 2015 Growth in house prices fell again in the three months to March, to 8.1 per cent, down from 8.5 per cent in January, research by Halifax suggested today. That puts growth at a "similar" rate to September 2014 – although it's now "significantly" below July's peak of 10.2 per cent, it added. Month on month, [...]
Persimmon profits rise on UK housing boom August 19, 2014 Persimmon is the latest housebuilder to benefit from the UK's housing market recovery, reporting a sharp rise in profit before tax for the six months to 30 June. Pre-tax profit went up by 57 per cent to £208.9m for the period, compared to £132.9m the year before. New home sales went up by [...]
Rent, happiness, love and Instagram: These four charts sum up life as a Londoner June 9, 2015 Which (if any) boroughs could shrink my monthly rent bill? Where should I move if I want to be happier? And where's the best night life? Read more: London's next Mayor must harness the City to tackle the housing crisis These are all questions that have rolled around the minds of Londoners at some point. [...]