LSL no longer hold shares in Zoopla

LSL Property Services plc  announced on Monday 31st October that it has sold, in aggregate, a further 3,533,786 ordinary shares in Zoopla Property Group PLC at an average price of £3.17 between the period from 19th September 2016 to 31st October 2016.   They mention in the announcement that  proceeds of the disposal will be used…

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An Englishman’s home is his castle

small house bird box

I am not sure  who gave us the the phrase ‘An Englishman’s home is his castle’ but it appears these days less and less in England or for that matter in the UK actually own their own home, official figures show that the UK now has the fourth lowest home ownership rate in the European…

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Governor of Bank of England to remain until June 2019

bank of england interest rate

Mark Carney the Governor of the Bank of England who was appointed to the position in July 2013 has reportedly confirmed that he will remain until June 2019, this dispells rumours that he was about to resign. Over the past month there have been conflicting newspaper reports suggesting that Mr Carney was about to resign,…

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Rental prices increase most in South East England

Statistical Bulletin from the Office for National Statistics released 28th October headlined ‘Index of private housing rental prices (IPHRP) in Great Britain: Sept 2016’ An experimental price index tracking the prices paid for renting property from private landlords in Great Britain. Annual rental rises in the South East of England are now outperforming London, new…

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Awareness for Zoopla Increases

New research released last Friday, conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of ZPG, reveals Zoopla’s total brand awareness is at an all time high and the gap over Rightmove has widened. Gareth Helm, Group Chief Marketing Officer for ZPG said, “I am pleased to see that since May we have again increased awareness for Zoopla…

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UK property market reverse ripple effect

According to Haart estate agents the London property market is predicted to be the last place in the UK to recover from the Brexit vote, the revival ouside the capital will “ripple” inwards rather than outwards. Paul Smith, chief executive of haart, reportedly said: “What is clear is that since June, Britain’s property market has…

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Agents returning to Zoopla

A recent news release from Zoopla Property Group says ZPG sees record levels of agents returning with over 40 branches returning from OTM in first half of October alone. Mark Goddard, Managing Director, ZPG Property Services, “Agents now firmly grasp the ZPG value proposition and cannot afford to be at a competitive disadvantage, using services…

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Government support to help reduce homelessness

Announcement on the Gov.UK website from Department for Communities and local government, The Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP and Marcus Jones MP headlines ‘Government to support new legislation to reduce homelessness’ The Homelessness Reduction Bill will significantly reform England’s homelessness legislation, ensuring that more people get the help they need to prevent them from becoming…

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91 days to sell a property

Recent report from the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) and Post Office Money Mortgages reveals that the average UK property takes 91 days to sell. The report, which examines the average time a property takes to sell in 20 major cities across the UK, found that sellers in Bristol and Edinburgh had the…

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Signs of Underlying weakness in housing market

The BBA today released the September 2016 figures for the high street banks. Gross mortgage borrowing of £12bn in the month was 2% lower than in September 2015, net mortgage borrowing is 2.6% higher than a year ago. House purchase approval numbers are 15% lower than in September 2015 and in the first nine months…

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Bradford and Bingley mortgage assets to be sold

The government announced yesterday that they have started the process selling £15.7bn worth of Bradford and Bingley mortgage assets. The sale of further mortgage assets that government holds from Bradford and Bingley has been launched by UK Asset Resolution Limited (UKAR), the Chancellor  confirmed yesterday (25 October 2016). The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond…

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Big Increase in supply of rental housing stock

Headlines to yesterdays press release from The Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) reads ‘Supply Of Rental Housing Has Increased To An 18 Month High’ David Cox, Managing Director, Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA), said: “This month’s findings paint a really positive picture for renters. Although demand is rising, we’ve seen this happen gradually…

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Housing is Londoners biggest concern

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, yesterday outlined his plans to create a better city for all Londoners, where no community is left behind and where everyone has the opportunities they need to fulfil their potential. Published yesterday the press release headlines , The Mayor plans to create ‘A City for all Londoners’, the  document is the first step towards the creation…

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Homes in UK smallest in Europe

An interesting article in the Guardian this morning, headlined ‘Rise in sale of smaller beds and sofas down to space saving, says experts’ They highlight the fact that sales of narrower beds and sofas are on the rise, reflecting the growing number of people in Britain squeezing into smaller living spaces, according to new figures.…

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From the football pitch to building homes

Rio Ferdinand’s career as a footballer for West Ham, Man Utd and England, is probably as good as you can get, I would say that having been a life long supporter of West Ham and a visitor to Upton Park on a number of occassions. He has now become involved in building homes, along with…

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