020 7538 0102
3rd February 2017
Two property companies have announced plans to build around 500 homes in London. Telford Homes hopes to build up to 200 homes on the former London Electricity Board HQ development site near Bethnal Green tube station in east London, while Redrow has bought a site in Southall in west London where consent is in place for 302 luxury flats.
Evening Standard (01/02/2017) The Times (01/02/2017)
3rd February 2017
New research suggests more than 1m people in London trying to buy property were gazumped by a rival buyer in 2016. The survey of almost 2,000 people by bridging lender Market Financial Solutions indicates that over £4.4bn in intermediary fees were lost last year as a result of property deals falling through at the last minute.
Evening Standard (31/01/2017)
27th January 2017
The Evening Standard profiles Canning Town, recently named as the most affordable location for property on the Jubilee Line. The area will soon be home to the English National Ballet and the London Film School, at London City Island. The 12-acre site sits in a loop of the River Lea, with new apartment blocks bordering lush gardens, and a footbridge across the water leading to the nearby tube station, within easy reach of both Canary Wharf and the soon-to-open Crossrail station at Custom House. Prices start from £440,000. Alternatively, Help to Buy flats at East City Point, in the heart of Canning Town, can be had from £320,000.
Evening Standard (23/01/2017)
27th January 2017
CBRE has been looking at how the ethos of "wellness," usually the preserve of luxury properties, can be applied to more typical homes - and in particular, new-build developments, reports the Daily Telegraph. Lisa Hollands, MD of Residential at CBRE, notes that facilities, acoustics, layouts, the flow of air and natural light all play a vital role in how well we feel, live and sleep in our homes – and pinpoints Berkeley’s South Quay Plaza in Canary Wharf as the epitome of the approach. The development offers a 9,000 sq ft health club, huge outdoor terrace, and even a full-time “community organiser” to manage residents’ social lives. Prices start from £675,000.
The Daily Telegraph (24/01/2017)
27th January 2017
Research from consumer group Which? has identified Barking and Dagenham as London’s biggest baby boom hotspot, saying it has the capital’s highest birth rate and its most affordable house prices. Property values in the borough average £287,978 while its birth-rate is 19.1 per 1,000 residents. Newham, where the average home value stands at £366,485, took the second spot, with Waltham Forest, Greenwich and Hackney making up the top five. David Blake, principal mortgage adviser at Which? Mortgage Advisers, commented: “Starting a family is often a time when people consider moving. Our research gives an indication of some of the most affordable places to buy”.
Evening Standard (23/01/2017)
27th January 2017
Building societies are currently offering better fixed mortgage rates than banks, a study has found. Across different types of mortgage, building societies' rates are on average up to 0.66 percentage points lower than banks' equivalent rates. The biggest gap is where borrowers with a 25% deposit opt for a five-year fixed rate deal; the average rate offered by banks is 3%, while building societies' equivalent rate is 2.34%. Charlotte Nelson, finance expert at Moneyfacts, said that at the moment five out of six two-year fixed rate "best buys" were from building societies.
The Daily Telegraph (25/01/2017)