The Market
Crystal Balls: What will 2014 hold for the prime property market?
The majority of prime resi's pundits are looking forward to this year - 2014 - with a sense of hope and vigour.
Sales values up an “astonishing” 17% in 2013 for D&G
2013 was "astonishing", says Douglas & Gordon's Chairman Michael Hodgson: sales values overshot forecasts by quite the margin, rising by 17% over the year, with transactions hitting their highest tally…
Domestic wealth means London prime is “exceeding all expectations” – Savills
Savills' Prime London Index posted a +2.9% rise in Q4, taking annual price growth to 11.
Plucking the Golden Goose: The pain, gain, and unintended consequences of property taxes
Mansion, Capital Gains, Stamp Duty & Land, Residency...
Parity Pledge: UK housebuilders promise end to ‘foreign first’ sales tactics
A bevy of big league resi developers have signed up to a new "voluntary commitment" that could affect the way new schemes are marketed from next year.
Capital’s capital growth doubles to 12.6% in 2013 – Cluttons
After capital value growth of +3% in 2013's final quarter, taking the annual rise to +12.6%, the average property in prime central London is now worth £1.
Hey Big Lender: Development finance landscape looking rosy – Knight Frank
The majority of lenders plan to up their funding of residential development funding over the next 12 months, continuing 2013's shift towards being more ready with the readies.
House prices to rise by 8% next year as new instructions “close to stagnating” – RICS
An "acute imbalance between burgeoning buyer demand and sluggish supply" will drive house prices up by 8% in 2014, according to the RICS, as new instructions to estate agents are "close to stagnating".
No Country for Old Glen: International businessmen dominate Scottish estate market
Scottish estates worth a combined total of £54m changed hands in 2013, according to the latest stats from Savills.
Aggressive expansion sees Countrywide buy two lettings businesses every month in 2013
This is buy-to-let on an industrial scale. Britain's biggest property services group, Countrywide plc, has acquired 28 lettings business throughout 2013, spending £23.
The Great Divide: House price schism “unbalancing the economy”
Despite pretty universal forecasting that the regions are now playing catch-up with London's runaway property values, "The Great House Price Divide" is bigger than ever and threatens the stability of the…
Living the Dream: “Lifestyle purchasers” return to rural market
2013 has been an "interesting" year in the market for farms and land, according to Chesterton Humberts (or "up and down" in other words).