Property website Rightmove has reported a 2 per cent increase in property prices year on year, but this is largely due to a rise in the price of luxury homes in London. The 2 per cent increase in November 2012 compared with the previous year, is the highest annual rate of increase since 2007. Across [...]
UK property prices are unlikely to return to the peak levels seen in 2007, until 2019, according to international property consultancy Knight Frank. This would represent the longest period between price peaks since records began sixty years ago. Although property prices in central London have grown substantially, prices for the market as a whole have [...]
The government has outlined plans to boost Britain’s house building industry, including changes to planning regulations. The current restrictions on extending homes and businesses will be relaxed for a three-year period. This will allow detached homes to be extended by up to eight metres without the need for full planning permission, while all home owners [...]
The first quarter of 2012 saw 9,600 homes repossessed, the same as in the first quarter of 2011, breaking a run of year-on-year increases. According to the latest figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), repossessions were 10 per cent higher than in the fourth quarter of 2011, when 8,700 homes were repossessed. However [...]
The number of houses sold in the £1 million to £2 million price bracket fell by 5% to 6,911 in 2011 according to a report from Lloyds TSB based on figures from the Land Registry. The figures represent the first annual fall in million-pound sales since 2009. In contrast, sales of homes priced above £2 [...]
House prices increased by 0.2 per cent across the UK in March, according to property analytics business Hometrack, representing the first price rise in 20 months. The increase was helped by increased demand from first time buyers, a scarcity of homes on the market and strong interest in properties in London from overseas buyers. First [...]
House prices have fallen for the first time in six months, with the decline attributed to changes in stamp duty. The average house price in March was £163,327, 0.9 per cent lower than in March 2011. It was the largest fall in house prices since June last year. Nationwide’s figures showed a fall in nearly [...]
UK house prices increased by £3,687 to £236,939 in March, a 4.9 per cent increase compared with the 2011 first quarter. The figures, from Rightmove’s house price index, represent the largest first-quarter rise in property prices since 2004, boosting hopes for an continued improvement in the market for the rest of the year. In London, [...]
House prices fell 1.1 per cent in February according to The Halifax, contradicting earlier figures from Nationwide suggesting that property prices have increased. According to the Halifax’s three monthly index, house prices were 1.1 per cent lower in February than in the previous three months. The mortgage lender’s annual index showed that property prices fell [...]
Manufacturing activity in China eased last month, two separate surveys have revealed today. Firstly, the official China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) said its purchasing managers index (PMI) fell to 50.9 in June from May’s reading of 52 – the lowest level since February 2009. The reading was also lower than expectations of a [...]
Manufacturing activity in China eased last month, two separate surveys have revealed today. Firstly, the official China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) said its purchasing managers index (PMI) dipped to 52 in May from 52.9 in April. While the reading was better than expectations of 51.6, it represented the lowest for nine months. Secondly, [...]
The National Bureau of Statistics has today revealed Chinese property growth eased in March. China‘s property prices have remained stubbornly high despite several Government incentives to avoid a property bubble. The country continues to grapple with high inflation in property and food prices. However, property prices slowed in March with fewer cities recording an increase, [...]
China‘s property prices have remained stubbornly high despite several Government initiatives to avoid a property bubble. The Government recently announced plans to introduce a property tax. Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng said it is preparing for the “trial reform on property tax as required by the central Government”. It has also made it more expensive to [...]
The property market has become unbalanced, caused by excessive lending, and low interest rates. Both of which have allowed for a surge in property prices over the past decade as people were able to buy in excess of their means. The current state of the market, where First Time Buyers are excluded, is a symptom [...]
China, which is the world’s second largest economy, experienced growth of 10.3% in 2010 – much higher than expected, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. While the growth is staggering, it has again raised fears of the economy overheating, which is adding to inflation pressures. In addition, fourth quarter growth was better than expected, [...]
China’s property prices rose for the fourth consecutive month in December, albeit at a slower pace. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, prices rose 0.3% in December, taking the annual rate to 6.4% – although this is half of the peak reached in April 2010 – when prices surged 12.8%. However, prices have remained [...]
As Ireland looks set to accept a multi-billion euro loan, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and EU officials have commenced their investigation of Ireland’s bank books. Yesterday, Governor of the Irish central bank, Patrick Honohan, said the country is expected to accept a “very substantial loan”. The news comes as speculation has been mounting all [...]
There is speculation that Ireland is looking to its banks for emergency funding – the Irish Independent reported on Monday. The report comes as Ireland’s Government continues to reject claims that it is seeking emergency financial support via the EU rescue fund – established by European Governments and the International Monetary Fund after the Greek [...]
It appears the world’s third largest economy is cooling after official figures revealed Chinese annual GDP slowed from 11.9% in the first quarter to 10.3% in the March to June period, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said today. The reading was marginally lower than the 10.5% expected by analysts. China’s economy has been growing [...]
Gender directive could slash men’s annuity payouts
The EU Gender Directive, which came into force today, could see men losing up to £10,000 from their annuity payouts, according to research by PricewaterhouseCoopers. Under the new rules insurers are no longer allowed to take gender into account when setting annuity rates and premiums on insurance products. Men previously enjoyed higher annuity rates than [...]
Home rental costs down in November
The cost of renting a house in England and Wales fell by 0.4 per cent in November, its first dip since March, according to a survey by LSL Property Services. Average rent was £741m during the month, returning to the level seen in September. However, it was 3.4 per higher than in November last year. [...]
Lloyds TSB halts sale of packaged accounts in branches
Lloyds TSB will stop selling packaged account in its branches from 1 January 2013, until its sales procedures are brought into line with those operated by sister bank The Halifax. Lloyds TSB is one of the main providers of packaged accounts in Britain, with around one in three of its customers choosing to pay fees [...]
Housing market recovery to continue next year
Recent improvements in the housing market should continue into next year, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) Gross lending is estimated to have increased to £12.9 billion in November, helped by the Funding for Lending scheme which provides banks and building societies with lower-cost funding, which they are then supposed to pass on [...]
Newcastle Building Society exits interest-only mortgages
Newcastle Building Society has stopped offering interest-only mortgages to new borrowers, following the lead of the Royal Bank of Scotland, Nationwide, Co-operative bank and Coventry Building Society. The decision will not affect existing Newcastle customers and applications for interest-only mortgages received before 14 December will still be processed. Prior to the credit crunch, interest-only mortgages [...]
Less than half of Brits considered creditworthy
Fifty-seven per cent of UK adults are at risk of having an application for credit turned down by a mainstream lender according to a new report. The ‘Mind the Credit Gap‘ report commissioned by aqua credit cards suggests that even people with a good credit rating and earning more than £50,000 could have a credit [...]
Monthly incomes £22 lower in 2012
The average monthly income of UK households fell by £22 in real terms compared with last year, according to a survey carried out for the Bank of England (BoE) by NMG Consulting. People on lower incomes have seen their income eroded more than higher earners and households still have high levels of debt the BoE [...]
Savers dig deep to fund Christmas
New research from the Halifax suggests that savers are funding their Christmas spending with money set aside for other purposes. Thirty-seven per cent of 2,138 savers surveyed by the bank at the end of November had withdrawn savings in the last three months. The average amount withdrawn was £1,186, more than double the average savings [...]
Financial data at risk from unsafe passwords
According to a survey by the Payments Council the problem of having to remember a different password for several accounts means that many internet users are compromising the security of their financial data. Internet users have 22 password-protected accounts on average and many use the same log-in details for more than one account, even though [...]
Wonga launches Paylater loans on retailer website
Payday loan company Wonga has launched a new Paylater service on furniture firm Cotswold Company’s website. The service, which allows customers to “buy now, pay later” will be introduced on other retailers’ sites in the near future. Although the Paylater branding is similar to Wonga’s, the Wonga name only appears in the small print. A [...]
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