Brits push down house prices to dodge mansion tax February 26, 2026 House sellers are already pushing sale values below £2m in a bid to avoid the coming “mansion tax” on expensive homes. The high-value council tax surcharge (HVCTS) is not due to be implemented until April 2028 but estate agents Hamptons have found Brits are already taking steps to avoid the levy. The “mansion tax” charge [...]
Microsoft hops on Lizzie line in search for new London HQ February 25, 2026 Microsoft has hopped on the Elizabeth Line in its search for a new London headquarters, with the US tech giant eyeing up Paddington and Canary Wharf as potential homes. The tech firm needs upwards of 200,000 sq ft from its new office and is seeking advice from CBRE, according to the Financial Times. Office space [...]
The next shift isn’t about space. It’s about service. February 25, 2026 If 2026 is the year the office market resets, the next question is simple: where does the value actually come from? The answer isn’t square footage. It’s operations. For years, offices were treated as static assets. Build it, lease it, collect the rent. That model worked when capital was cheap and occupiers were less demanding. [...]
Third of London homes cheaper to buy than to rent as prices fall February 25, 2026 More than a third of London homes are now cheaper to buy than to rent as house prices in the capital shrunk in the last year. The proportion of London houses which are cheaper to buy with a mortgage has doubled since last year, from 18 to 36 per cent, while still lower than the [...]
Developers shrink Silk Street plans to dodge objections February 24, 2026 Plans for a huge new office development in the heart of the City have been shrunk in a bid to dodge objections raised by furious locals. The plans to redevelop the existing western building, located next door to the Barbican estate, will now see it stand ten metres shorter than initially planned, in response to [...]
Occupancy down at Unite Students, but demand surges at ‘elite’ universities February 24, 2026 Unite Students saw a slide in occupancy across its portfolio, offset by resilient demand at top elite universities. The student accommodation developer reported a 9 per cent increase in adjusted earnings to £232.3m for 2025. However, its statutory profit fell by 78 per cent due to a decline in the valuation of the property portfolio. [...]
The office isn’t broken. The model was. February 20, 2026 For the first time in a long time, the office market looks set to turn in 2026. Not because sentiment has suddenly improved, but because the fundamentals are finally lining up. Property cycles don’t reset on headlines. They reset when the maths starts working again, and that moment is approaching. Over the last decade, offices [...]
Segro boss David Sleath: AI data centre roll out a matter of life and death February 20, 2026 The roll out of AI data centres in the UK’s urban hubs is a matter of life and death, warehouse magnate David Sleath has said. In an interview with City PM, the chief executive of industrial property group Segro said developing data centres in urban areas is “critical” for relying on developments such as saving [...]
Here’s what the Square Mile skyline will look like in six years February 19, 2026 Canada Corporation has revealed a new CGI skyline showcasing the Square Mile skyscrapers set to be completed in the next six years. The computer-generated images were released to mark a record set of planning permission deals in 2025, which have included the decision to green-light what will be the City’s tallest building, [...]
UK house prices stall in February after record January surge February 16, 2026 The average asking price of a house dipped by just £12 in February, pausing after the largest January jump recorded in Rightmove’s 25-year history. New listings coming to market this month are priced at an average of £368,019, compared with £368,031 in January, according to the property giant. The marginal month-on-month change follows a £9,893 [...]
