Philip (London sales manager at Benham and Reeves)

As a thriving business and financial district alongside London’s historic docklands, Canary Wharf has been a centre of trade and commerce since the 19th century. The gleaming skyscrapers, many of which house the swanky offices of European and American corporations, employ over 120,000 people, creating a massive housing demand in the E14 and neighbouring postcodes. …

Continue reading “Attractive rental yields and growing demand for properties in Canary Wharf”

Buying your first home in London is an exciting time. However, as a first-time buyer, mistakes like overshooting your budget by not factoring in the additional costs of property purchases or rushing with the due diligence process can prove expensive in the near and long term. To avoid the common mistakes many first-time buyers make …

Continue reading “Dos and don’ts for first-time London home buyers”

Given its popularity and soaring demand, selling a home in London can be an opportunity to make real profits on an appreciating asset. However, sellers need to get two things right – the timing of the sale and an accurate valuation of their property. Here is where the real challenges arise, as many sellers make …

Continue reading “What are the common mistakes sellers make in selling London homes, and how can they avoid them?”

Usually, a property purchase in the UK can be financed in two ways. You can either ask a bank or private lender for help to obtain a mortgage or buy it straight with the liquid funds in your account. Although your situation and financial strategy will guide you, there are certain advantages and disadvantages you …

Continue reading “Cash buyer vs mortgage buyer – Which one is suitable for you?”

According to official figures just out, the average UK house price was £294,000 in December 2022 – down from £296,000 in November 2022. However, this is £26,000 higher than the same period a year ago. So, what does this tell us as we emerge from a winter of high bills and inflationary pressures?

Demand for housing stock and the continued investment from overseas investors: these trends continue to act as twin shock absorbers, shielding the UK housing market from sharp swings or sudden drops.

The start of 2022 saw a return to normality for the London residential property market as both homeowners and investors proved keen to resume their property buying plans now that Covid lockdowns are firmly in the past.

It’s no secret that the UK has seen its share of political upheaval over the last few weeks. But as we see a new Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, taking the reins at Ten Downing Street and bringing stability and confidence to the UK once again, many overseas investor clients have been reviewing their portfolios and asking us about new opportunities to invest in London residential property.

A somewhat turbulent end to September (to use the Government’s own description) finds the London property market having to deal with the opposing forces of stamp duty cuts and interest rates increases. The stamp duty tax cut announced on the UK Government’s recent ‘mini-budget’ will raise the threshold at which the levy becomes payable from …

Continue reading “Weak pound will continue to stimulate activity among overseas buyers”

We’re seeing good demand from domestic buyers looking to find a new home, as London’s professionals continue to re-assess their lifestyles and adapt to new post-Covid ways of living and working.

The desire to buy property in London remains strong and the market is fast-moving. Our London estate agents have some good stock coming onto our books and we have very motivated sellers who are keen to make their next move. This will ease stock levels a little over the coming weeks however realistically we don’t expect the impact to be significant and property shortages will remain a challenge.

There’s a sense of optimism in the London property market right now, with demand from buyers strong, despite uncertainty caused by interest rate rises and the increasing cost of living. Yet confidence remains high and these issues don’t seem to be detracting from the desire to buy a property in London.