Finance

Lib Dem proposals for a new property wealth tax that would levy an annual charge on owners of prime properties, which Ed Balls last week called "serious", are now being championed by leading housing charity…

Berkeley Group's AGM, which happens today, will see Chairman Tony Pidgley confirm that long-term goals and shareholder expectations are all in-hand and hunky-dory.

A quick update on a story we featured in May...

Many buyers say they'll only consider a freehold or long-lease property, but that rules out a huge number of cracking homes, especially in prime central London.

Whether it is a genuine step to rebalance the books or a political gamble to regain the balance of power within the coalition government following the Liberals' defeat on Lords reform, Nick Clegg's proposal…

An odd proposition from Winkworth, but one that could prove mighty attractive to investors with a eye on the long term: they are marketing a property in South Kensington with a "deferred purchase agreement."

Mishcon de Reya has responded to the Government consultation document: "Ensuring the fair taxation of residential property transactions" (full version here) which covers:

The real flow of wealth from China to the West has not even begun, says Knight Frank's Andrew Shirley...  Everybody talks about the spending power of the Chinese.

Developer Derwent is set to reveal final plans for 14,000 square feet of resi (and 323,00 square feet of offices) at its much-anticipated Fitzrovia site, according to Building Magazine today.

Development Securities has completed on the disposal of residential and retail components at Westminster Palace Gardens, which sold for £21.9m (netting the developer a profit of £2m).

It's time to wake up and smell the Laffer-flavoured coffee, says Trevor Abrahmsohn... 

Shortly after a Gulf based investor took a 45% stake in the company, Native Land has exchanged contracts to acquire a prime resi development site at 30 Old Burlington Street, London W1 from Standard…