The Market
£1m+ home numbers rise for the first time in five years
A sharp rise in 2020 means that Britain is now home to 53% more seven-figure properties compared to a decade ago - but 7% fewer than in 2015.
Mortgage approvals hit highest annual total since 2007
103,400 house purchase mortgages were approved in the last month of 2020, taking the year's total to 818,500 - the biggest number in one year since 2007, despite approvals hitting a record monthly low…
Watch: MPs discuss extending the SDLT holiday
"A tapered relief seems to be the most popular view," summarised Elliot Colburn MP after more than hour of discussions about the merits (and some of the pitfalls) of extending the current Stamp Duty holiday.
Government’s new national design code & Office for Place aim to ‘bring back beauty’
The Government has published a new set of national design standards for property developments, formally introducing the word "beauty" into planning rules for the first time.
Property exchanges were up 57% in January – will the stamp duty holiday be extended?
As MPs prepare to debate a petition to extend the stamp duty holiday by six months, it’s worth keeping an eye on two pieces of data that will play a crucial role in the eventual decision, says Tom Bill...
Jenrick signs off Mayor Khan’s London Plan; calls on Boroughs to go further
"You still have a very long way to go to meet London’s full housing need," Housing Minister Robert Jenrick told London Mayor Sadiq Khan, "something your plan clearly and starkly fails to achieve."
Cautious optimism is the name of the game in PCL
There most certainly is a market in Prime Central London, and a potentially strong one at that, says Simon Rose - but buyers need to maintain a level of caution, and sellers a level of realism...
Outer London’s top 10 retail-to-resi development hotspots
Planning changes have opened the door to the creation of over 16,ooo new homes across the capital's various "town centre" locations, says estate agency KFH, as it identifies London's top 10 areas for retail-to-residential…
Model tenancy contract updated to favour pet owners
Consent for pets is now the default position for tenancy agreements.
What’s next for the Prime Central London rental market?
As new data suggests a shift may be underway, former hedge fund manager Fraser Slater takes a detailed look at what’s happening in the PCL rental market right now - and explains why things are unlikely…
Housebuilders turn ‘an eye to risk management’ as land values tick up
Housebuilders reported strong sales rates in the second half of 2020 - but volumes are likely to return to "more normal levels", says Savills.
Zoning Out: How buyers are re-drawing the commuter belt
As the return of a "normal" commuting life seems less and less likely, househunters are ripping up their previous geographical property requirements, writes buying agent Charlie Rearden...