020 7538 0102
29th July 2016
The property developer behind the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel is building Manhattan Loft Gardens, a 42-storey residential tower in Stratford close to the Westfield shopping centre. Harry Handelsman, who also developed the Chiltern Firehouse restaurant, is working with Burj Khalifa-builder SOM, interior designer Studio KO, and landscape architect Martha Schwartz on the site. Uniquely, the cantilever-supported building has three gardens cut into its side, and is clad in glass and vertical terracotta sun baffles. Two hundred and forty-eight homes are available off-plan, ranging from £500,000 studios to a £10m penthouse. Building is due to finish in 2018.
Evening Standard (22/07/2016)
29th July 2016
More than half of all young people say they know they will have to make sacrifices if they are to ever become homeowners, a report from First Direct shows. A poll of 18 to 34-year-olds saw 19% say they will only be able to afford their own home if they relocate, while others may have to downsize or cut costs by giving up hobbies and interests. The research shows 7% of those aged 18 to 24 currently own their own home – with this going up to 34% for those aged 25 to 34. A majority of the 2,000 respondents who are currently in rental property say they will be approximately six years over the national average of 30 before they can get a foot on the property ladder.
The Independent (27/07/2016)
29th July 2016
Halifax data shows that the number of first-time homebuyers rose 10% in the first six months of the year compared with the same period last year. The lender said an estimated 154,200 people entered the housing market in the first half, compared with 140,500 during the same period of 2015. The average first-time buyer home now costs £199,414 - a 12% increase compared with a year ago. Halifax figures also show that the deposit needed for a first-time buyer has increased by 14% in just over a year to £33,960.
The Times (23/07/2016)
29th July 2016
The Brexit effect on the housing market may take months to become clear, the Nationwide has said, as it reported a slight rise in UK house prices in July, the first property data since the EU referendum. Property prices rose by 0.5% in July compared with June, and were up 5.2% on a year earlier, meaning the average UK home was valued at £205,715, the Nationwide said. "Any impact from the vote may not be fully evident in July's figures, as there is a short lag between a buyer making the decision to purchase a property and applying for a mortgage. How the labour market evolves will be crucial in determining the demand for homes in the quarters ahead," said Robert Gardner, Nationwide's chief economist.
The Times (29/07/2016)
22nd July 2016
Galliard Homes has released the final phase of homes for sale at the 41-storey Maine Tower, at Harbour Central on the Isle of Dogs. The latest batch includes one-bedroom apartments with two- and three- bed units also available, together with penthouses, with prices starting at £699,000. The homes range in size from 558sq ft to 1,215sq ft, and feature walnut hardwood floors, fully integrated kitchen units, and custom joinery in the living areas. Residents will also benefit from a residents’ club that includes a library, gym, spa and cinema. Not far away, Telford Homes has put six two-bedroom penthouses at its 26-storey Horizons development in Yabsley Street on the market, with prices beginning at £995,000.
The Wharf (17/07/2016) The Wharf (16/07/2016)
22nd July 2016
Post-Brexit London property prices could fall by more than 30%, even halving in the most expensive parts of the city, according to analysts at Société Générale. Brexit could be the trigger to end London’s seven-year house-price boom as companies move employees out of the UK, forcing sales of high-end properties, the firm's real estate analyst Marc Mozzi said, citing a pre-referendum report by PwC that said Brexit could result in between 70,000 and 100,000 fewer people employed in the financial sector.
The Guardian (19/07/2016)