020 7538 0102
2nd June 2017
Demand for homes is stuttering amid increasing uncertainty around the General Election, according to the National Association of Estate Agents, which has said buyers are stalling until the result is clear. There were 381 house hunters per branch in April compared to 397 in March, the property body found, and close to 425 in January and February each. Supply of homes also fell with 36 properties available to buy per branch in April versus 39 in March. The number of sales agreed per branch fell from 10 in March to eight in April, while the proportion of sales made to first-time buyers stayed the same at 25%. The NAEA noted that its figures do not account for buyers registering at more than one agent, meaning the number of house-hunters could be even lower.
The Times (30/05/2017)
2nd June 2017
UK house prices fell for the third consecutive month in May, according to Nationwide, the first time prices had fallen for three months in a row since 2009. Prices dropped 0.2% in May, while the annual rate of price growth slowed to 2.1% from 2.6% in April. The average home is now valued at £208,711. Nationwide said the figures are further evidence that the housing market was "losing momentum" and “may be indicative of a wider slowdown in the household sector”.
The Daily Telegraph (01/06/2017)
2nd June 2017
Data compiled by GlobalData WealthInsight has shown that London is home to more multimillionaires than any other city in the world. The number of multimillionaires living in the capital has grown by 3.4% to 4,549 in the past year. London was followed by Tokyo, Singapore and New York. Dublin is also becoming more popular with the world's wealthiest.
Independent I (29/05/2017)
26t May 2017
Developer St George City has launched Emery Wharf, a 12-storey building in Wapping, at the entrance to London Dock - the village being built on the site that was formerly home to News International. Close to Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, and St Katherine Docks, the Patel Taylor-designed building was inspired by the nearby Grade-II listed Pennington Street Warehouse; each of the one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments feature open-plan kitchens finished with integrated black appliances and bathrooms with black framed bath and shower screens. All residents will have access to a gymnasium, swimming pool, sauna, steam room, virtual golf suite, and two private roof gardens. London Dock will eventually host 1,800 homes and over 200,000 sq ft of shops, restaurants, workshops and a secondary school for 1,200 pupils. On completion it will feature six acres of public space, including landscaped promenades, water gardens and Gauging Square – a piazza with a choreographed water feature. Prices at Emery Wharf start at £539,950.
BBC News Daily Mail (23/05/2017)
26th May 2017
EcoWorld Ballymore’s London City Island development on the Leamouth Peninsula has scooped the top prize at this year’s London Evening Standard New Homes Awards. As well as winning the Grand Prix, it also took the trophy for best regeneration project. When completed, there will be 1,700 homes within contemporary glazed-brick apartment blocks, overlooking lush gardens and an exotic outdoor swimming pool. The judges also singled out Mount Anvil’s Dollar Bay 31-storey project as a Development of Outstanding Architectural Merit, and Peabody’s Upton Village in Plaistow as Best Development in the Affordable Homes sector.
Evening Standard (22/05/2017)
26th May 2017
The number of residential property transactions in the UK dropped by 22.5% between March and April, according to HMRC. The number of sales fell from 107,090 in March to 83,010 in April on a non-adjusted basis – with it noted that March saw increased activity as a cut to relief on second homes came into force at the start of April. Once seasonal factors are taken into consideration the number of transactions fell by 3.2%. Quarterly transaction levels were also down, with 291,710 recorded transactions in Q1 2017 compared to 306,360 in Q4 2016.
BBC News Daily Mail (23/05/2017)