The Market
Green Party pledges to cut VAT on housing repairs
The Green Party has offered up one of the property industry's most-demanded policy changes: a cut to VAT on housing repairs and renovations.
Cut & run or wait & hope? The doer upper’s pre-election dilemma
Success is all about luck and timing, says our resident doer upper Alan Page, as he rues the wheels of fortune that often deliver neither...
Shopping Around: Waitrose’ 12% house price premium (and Aldi’s 3% discount)
A local Waitrose adds 12% to neighbouring house prices, claims Lloyds, while a handy Sainsbury's is worth an extra 10%. Lidl and Aldi, on the other hand, apparently push prices down by 2% and 3% respectively.
Countrywide still on the prowl after buying four lettings businesses in Q1
Countrywide plc, the UK’s biggest integrated property services group, has been on a buying spree in the first few months of this year, acquiring another four lettings businesses in Q1 to "significantly…
Final approval for Mount Pleasant scheme
One of the most controversial projects in the capital - the proposed transformation of a massive Royal Mail site in Clerkenwell - has bagged final approval.
Prime country house price growth overtakes central London, but £5m+ values tumble
Prime country house prices increased by 0.9% between January and March, says Knight Frank, taking the rate of annual price growth down from December's +3.4% to a more modest +2.
Harrods Estates continues PCL expansion with new Kensington office
Harrods Estates will be throwing open the doors to its new Kensington base at the end of the month.
All Change In Nappy Valley: Where is the next Northcote Road?
The prime south west London market couldn't look more different than it did a year ago, says buying agent Sara Ransom...
Aston Chase strengthens lettings team
Regent's Park-based independent Aston Chase has boosted its lettings offering by hiring Marie Beirne from TK International.
A two-speed recovery: Global housing markets since the Great Recession
The world's property markets have aligned themselves into two fairly distinct groups since the Great Recession, says the latest global housing update from the International Monetary Fund:
Prime global rental growth hits five-year low
There's been "a notable slowdown" in top-end rents around the world over the last quarter, says Knight Frank, as the agency's Prime Global Rental Index records its weakest annual growth rate since 2009.
Crib Sheet: Scotland’s new Land and Buildings Transactions Tax
On the 21st of January 2015 the Deputy First Minister confirmed to the Scottish Parliament that the tax rates on residential property had been reviewed and revised.