The Market

John Swinney has followed George Osborne's lead, announcing a 3% increase in the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax rate for additional properties in Scotland, such as buy-to-let and second homes.

There are currently 622,939 "property millionaires" in Britain, according to Zoopla's latest estimate, 75,796 more than there were in January. A 14% rise over the last year now means that 2.

"The news is bleak" says the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) and National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) as it forecasts that home ownership will fall by 7% in the coming decade…

It's been reported that a monumental château outside Paris has just sold for $301m (about £200m), which would effectively smash the current world record.

Benham & Reeves has reported a wave of landlords approaching the firm about putting their property portfolio into a limited company in the wake of double whammy changes to mortgage relief and stamp duty.

As you may have noticed, house prices have gone up a bit in the last 20 or so years.

London's sales and lettings markets are beginning to look healthier, says Douglas & Gordon, as the firm reports that its sales applicant numbers are 50% up on last year's levels, and that it has seen…

The new 3% stamp duty surcharge on second homes and buy-to-lets "would be the equivalent to 11 months income for the average mortgaged landlord" says Countrywide Plc.

The biggest planning fine in history has reportedly been handed down to a private developer after a six-storey block of flats went up in Hoxton without permission.

Despite sitting on a giant war chest of institutional investment, the Build to Rent sector is finding it practically impossible to acquire suitable sites at the moment.

The "large volume" of new-build stock currently flowing onto the off-plan sales market in London could turn into a flood next year, according to Cluttons.

Tower Hamlets and Hackney have dealt Hammerson and Ballymore's controversial Bishopsgate Goodsyard scheme a hefty one-two by simultaneously rejecting the latest proposals.