Opinion: The Budget left out property and the housing crisis – but here’s what Philip Hammond should have done instead March 13, 2017 Apart from a nod towards business rates (the devil will be in the Finance Act detail), the Budget was almost a property-free zone. But Mr Hammond missed out on some much-needed blue-sky thinking, especially if the government is going to fix what it calls the ‘broken’ housing system. Here are some things that Spreadsheet Phil [...]
UK house prices: Rent increases have fallen to their lowest since 2013 – while London prices fell for the ninth month March 13, 2017 Rent increases for tenants across the UK have fallen to their lowest since 2013, new figures have shown, with prices in London dropping for the ninth month in a row. Rents rose just one per cent to £1,190 in the year to February, the lowest rise since April 2013, figures from Landbay showed. In the [...]
Other offers likely? This is how analysts are reacting to the Bovis-Redrow-Galliford Try love triangle March 13, 2017 Bovis Homes’ share price leapt this morning after it emerged over the weekend that it is involved in a love triangle with rivals Galliford Try and Redrow. Bovis yesterday confirmed it was in merger talks with Galliford Try and had rejected a bid from Redrow. However, Redrow this morning indicated it is holding out hope [...]
Bovis share price surges as Redrow holds out hope for deal despite official takeover talks with Galliford Try March 13, 2017 Bovis Homes remains in talks with Galliford Try on a possible takeover after the FTSE 250 firm rejected a bid from rival housebuilder Redrow. The confirmed all-share merger with Galliford Try, also listed on the FTSE 250, would create a £2.5bn company. However, Redrow is clearly still holding out hope for a deal. In a [...]
Generator Hostels has been snapped up by Queensgate Investments for €450m March 13, 2017 Private equity real estate fund manager Queensgate Investments has agreed to buy chic hostel owner and operator Generator Hostels for €450m (£395m). The design-led hostel owner, which operates a total of 8,639 beds in London, Paris, Copenhagen and elsewhere, was owned by Patron Capital and co-investment partner Invesco Real Estate. Generator Hostels currently earns revenues of over €70m with 14 predominantly freehold assets, two [...]
UK house prices grew at their fastest pace for 12 months in February yet annual rate of growth fell March 13, 2017 House prices grew at their fastest pace for 12 months in February, with average prices increasing 0.6 per cent. The average UK house price hit £297,832 due to strong performance in the east of England, new peak prices in Merseyside and Birmingham, and a return of growth in high value London property, according to Your Moves’ latest [...]
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) wins tax tribunal disputing stamp duty land tax scheme used by housebuilder Crest Nicholson March 12, 2017 Crest Nicholson has been told to pay £1.3m it unsuccessfully tried to keep under a stamp duty land tax (SDLT) avoidance scheme after a tribunal found in the taxman's favour. The FTSE 250 housebuilder had used the scheme to avoid paying SDLT, by transferring assets between two sub-companies, on three purchases of land for development in Kent, which cost [...]
Bovis Homes confirms merger talks with Galliford Try after rejecting Redrow offer March 12, 2017 Bovis Homes is in £2.5bn merger talks with fellow housebuilder Galliford Try after rejecting a bid from Redrow. FTSE 250-listed Galliford Try said the tie-up would create “a new major housebuilder with national scale and geographic coverage through the combination of the sixth and eighth largest UK housebuilders by completions”. Bovis, which is also on [...]
Focus On Kensal Rise: This north west London town ticks all the boxes for a place that’s due a price rise March 10, 2017 How can you tell if a place is about to get seriously popular? Well, there are a few signs that you can look out for; plenty of Victorian architecture; well-to-do neighbours; improving schools; green space; and a sudden proliferation of independent shops and restaurants. Kensal Rise in north west London ticks all of these boxes [...]
“There’s a rat in the room”: Nick Candy claims he has been misportrayed in £132m High Court extortion trial March 10, 2017 Property tycoon Nick Candy told a High Court judge this morning that he has been “misportrayed” in the £132m extortion case against him and his brother Christian Candy. He made the complaint at the end of the fifth week of a trial that has scrutinised the business dealings of two men at the centre of London’s [...]
