Archive

Esther McVey is to be the new housing minister - one of the most seasoned politicians to take the job in...

One of the country’s most respected agents has advised the agency industry to treat Boris Johnson’s pledges with real caution. Black Brick buying...

Our own industry’s upheaval over recent years has been no less dramatic than the turmoil at Westminster. The political earthquake has seen...

One of the country’s leading estate agents says shifting the burden of stamp duty away from the buyer - which is...

Conservative leadership frontrunner Boris Johnson's plans to reverse stamp duty changes could help to kickstart the prime property market, according to...

Theresa May arrived in Downing Street some three years ago - but her premiership has not been a smooth ride. As she...

If former Chancellor George Osborne thought his 2014 stamp duty reform would produce more income for the government, it appears he...

Newspapers are reporting that Brexit’s impact on house prices - especially if there is No Deal - are likely to take...

It’s Budget day and the government is once again on the receiving end of a blast from one of the country’s...

Few things anger the industry more than the effect of stamp duty and other costs on property transactions (well, maybe Purplebricks...

Landlords and letting agents might feel they’ve taken a bit of a battering from the government in recent years – and...

The buy-to-let sector, which has been under sustained pressure for a number of years now thanks to tax changes designed to...

Research by Estate Agent Today reveals that there have been 12 different stamp duty regimes in the UK since the Millennium. What’s...

One of London’s leading estate agents says Brexit has had at worst a neutral effect on the housing market and may...

The former Chancellor George Osborne - architect of drastic stamp duty reform - has come out fighting to defend the tax...

An outspoken high-end London estate agent says millionaire foreign buyers purchasing “cheap” properties in the capital represent what he calls “the...

One of the most influential select committees in parliament has told the government that it needs to do more - much...

What a year it’s been! Back in 2016 we had Brexit, a new prime minister, Donald Trump’s election, and so when...

The ‘lower priced’ 80 per cent of homes in prime central London are seeing price rises again, giving hope they have...

Being a leading world-class city comes at a price – they are the most expensive for occupiers and the most lucrative...

Gently rising house values in the mainstream market and problems facing the prime market in the capital mean that over half...

Trevor Abrahmsohn, one of London’s best known estate agents and a founder of OnTheMarket, says stamp duty should be split between...

Speculation has grown that the Conservatives may make a manifesto pledge to remove some family homes’ long-established exemption from Capital Gains...

The snap General Election on June 8 adds to uncertainty but does not significantly worsen the market for prime properties in...

In recent years the mortgage industry has gone through some testing times. Recession and regulation have led to more stringent lending...

Property Vision, one of the country’s oldest and most respected buying agencies, has added its voice to those saying that stamp...

Chancellor Philip Hammond delivered his first Budget this week pledging extra funding for the NHS, transport in the Midlands and the...

Looking ahead to the Spring Budget this week, the Chancellor Philip Hammond will be obliged to face up to the implications...

An estate agent and a building society have both advocated radical moves to reform stamp duty - and want Chancellor Phillip...

Over the past two decades, investing in buy-to-let has been a relatively easy way to make money, which is why so...

A London property investment firm says the government has enjoyed a tax take of £394m since introducing the Annual Tax for...

The Treasury should review the impact of stamp duty on London's market given recent political and economic changes according to London...

The extension of Inheritance Tax from April is likely to hinder the recovery of the battered prime central London market according...

Sales of homes in prime central London improved towards the end of 2016 says Savills - but only after prices were...

The government has announced that its next Budget will be on March 8 next year. Until recently, Budgets and their ‘mini-me’ Autumn...

New data revealed by investment consultancy Central London Portfolio claims that transactions in prime central areas of the capital have dropped 24...

Following a strong start to 2016, particularly in the lower to middle range of the UK housing market, that lasted up...

Forecasts are so last year: who anticipated Bowie, Brexit or Balls for example? Quotes, on the other hand, really ARE last year...

Strutt & Parker has seen a fall in revenue and profits for the year ending April 30 - and it puts...

Prominent top end London estate agent Trevor Abrahmsohn says some homes in the higher levels of the market may now have...

In case you missed it yesterday, here’s a summary of everything relating to property that was in Chancellor Phillip Hammond’s Autumn...

Phillip Hammond has delivered his first Autumn Statement, tackling amongst other things, what he called “the housing challenge.” The speech made no...

It may still be too early to start compiling a Christmas wish list, but it is the right time to provide...

London agency Stirling Ackroyd is the latest to call for reforms to stamp duty, with a claim that prices for the most expensive...

The Daily Telegraph has this morning launched a campaign calling on Chancellor Phillip Hammond to slash stamp duty. The newspaper - a...

The number of homes sold for £1m and above has risen by 12 per cent in the first half of 2016 -...

We are now less than a month away from Philip Hammond’s first Autumn Statement to the nation, depending of course on...

The huge consequences of the EU referendum, and the impending Brexit negotiations, have drawn into sharp light the consequences for a...

The almost non-stop series of tax changes affecting all aspects of the housing market in recent years looks set to continue...

Buy-to-let landlords may have failed in their recent legal battle against planned government tax relief changes for buy-to-let homes set to...

The Conveyancing Association says new Chancellor Phillip Hammond should use next month’s Autumn Statement as the opportunity to reverse controversial buy...

With the number of new homes being built across the UK still significantly below the level needed to meet demand, housebuilders...

The huge rush to acquire buy-to-let property in the first quarter of the year ahead of the stamp duty change deadline...

It’s been a heartening few weeks for those of us who thought that protest was dead – or, more precisely, that...

An influential backbench Conservative MP is the latest to speak out, urging the government to resolve the growing argument over the...

The National Association of Estate Agents has waded into the row created by the revelation that the government’s Help To Buy...

The Daily Telegraph appears to have exposed the government’s much-vaunted Buy To Let ISA scheme - billed as helping first time...

The morning after the EU referendum, and Westminster, Britain, Europe and the world were left in shock at the news that...

A housing body says that, rather than presiding over a worsening housing crisis as many suggest, David Cameron has actually left...

MP Bernard Jenkin, the chairman of the public administration committee, is the latest to raise concerns at the possible privatisation of...

Plans for the Northern Powerhouse scheme, designed to rival London and the South East as the main driver of economic growth...

Property prices were at the forefront of the EU debate in the run-up to the referendum, with the now former Chancellor...

Never in my lifetime have I seen so much enthusiasm and passion for politics. Brexit awoke the sleeping dog in almost...

The sense of gathering momentum for the Leave campaign ahead of the upcoming EU referendum is causing high levels of uncertainty...

A high end international London estate agent says a Brexit will lead to increased sales of homes in prime central London...

Property consultancy Arcadis, which monitors construction and development around the world, wants Chancellor George Osborne to offer temporary stamp duty relief...

As we have just passed the 6 month half way point of 2016 we thought it would be a good idea...

George Osborne has claimed that average house prices could fall by up to 18% if the UK leaves the EU following...

A property investment firm says a British exit from the EU may cause minimal damage to the prime London market and...

Chancellor George Osborne has moved his campaign for the UK to remain in the EU on to housing issues with a...

There was an extraordinary 70 per cent leap in residential transaction volumes in March this year compared to the same month...

It’s unlikely that this is what George Osborne wanted when he announced his stamp duty surcharge but its deadline for introduction...

The former secretary of state at the Department of Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, is to write to Chancellor George...

Savills says prices of homes in prime areas of London dipped in the first quarter of 2016 because of economic uncertainty...

The government - which controversially launched consultation on its stamp duty surcharge between Christmas and New Year - has now used...

When, during his budget speech, George Osborne announced Capital Gains Tax (CGT) was going down to 20%, I experienced a mix...

George Osborne has been busy over the last year. First came the General Election which had everyone on tenterhooks until the...

A group of leading tax experts claims the stamp duty surcharge coming into effect one week from today will hurt the...

The government’s official consultation exercise on the stamp duty surcharge - launched in controversial circumstances over the Christmas holidays - attracted...

Yesterday George Osborne delivered his eighth budget as chancellor, announcing an extra £3.5 billion in spending cuts by 2019-20. The Office for...

In today's budget, the Chancellor, George Osborne, has announced a number of measures which will impact the property industry.  The Chancellor confirmed...

Later today chancellor George Osborne will make his latest budget speech. The announcement is expected to confirm the details of the 3%...

When it comes to Budgets and Property, you have to hope that the old adage that ‘things happen in threes’ turns...

The Nationwide is warning that the busy start to 2016 in the housing market is driven at least partly by the...

Another online petition has been launched against one of Chancellor George Osborne’s fiscal measures seen as an attack on the private...

There has been a £620m decline in stamp duty income for the government in the first nine months of 2015 according...

An influential think tank says the levying of Capital Gains Tax on sales would deter volatile house price rises and could...

Scotland’s Land & Building Transaction Tax - its more radical replacement for stamp duty which still applies throughout the rest of...

A consumer group which supports the principle of a stamp duty surcharge on second homes and buy to let properties has...

There is less than a week to go before formal consultation ends on the introduction of the so-called stamp duty surcharge...

Landlords trying to beat Chancellor George Osborne’s stamp duty surcharge deadline are behind the latest upbeat assessment of the housing market...

The UK’s largest estate agency group has upgraded its profits forecast to the City - just over 10 weeks after issuing...

The housing market will slow in the next three years as affordability problems and buy to let taxes combine to offset...

Rightmove is reporting this morning that there has been a 6.6 per cent increase in the number ot homes with two...

The prospect of quarterly tax returns being imposed on some businesses - including small estate agencies and other small firms servicing...

My suspicion in my December Industry Views column that the Chancellor, George Osborne, holds certain types of property owners in contempt...

There is just four weeks left for the official consultation period set by the government over its controversial proposal to levy...

There are fears that a little-publicised proposal could mean some of the country's smallest estate agencies would have to file tax returns...

Controversy is growing over the government’s surprise consultation period for its proposal to levy a three per cent stamp duty surcharge...

It’s time to take a pause, to reflect and put into context—and what a year it has been for our industry...

The Scottish finance minister John Swinney is to introduce a three per cent surcharge on the full purchase price above £40,000...

A survey of over 1,000 adults by respected polling company Survation shows little public appetite for the privatisation of the Land...

The director of two major agencies says George Osborne’s stamp duty surcharge and stock at an “historically low level” will force...

I’m sure I’m not the only estate agent confused by the Government’s approach to residential property ownership. Many of the current ministerial...

You might recall a collective sigh of relief emitted by stakeholders in the housing market and private rental sector back in...

Countrywide says the current malaise in the central London housing market is not, as many agents and commentators suggest, simply down...

The Treasury has admitted that stamp duty ‘take’ is expected to soar from £11.2 billion this year to £17.8 billion in...

The possibility of the Land Registry being amongst £4.6 billion of public assets earmarked for privatisation has provoked protests across the...

Clearly no one has told George Osborne’s stamp duty officials but as far as estate and letting agents are concerned, it’s...

There’s been shock and anger from agents - especially those in London - at the surprise news of an additional three...

George Osborne has announced a shock additional 3.0 per cent stamp duty on second homes and buy to let properties. Details are...

It is anticipated that the government will reveal more details of how it proposes to simplify mortgage fees and make mortgage...

Chancellor George Osborne remains convinced that his stamp duty reforms of a year ago benefit over 95 per cent of home...

This month it was announced that Landbay mortgage lenders will release a new rental Index, alongside Zoopla and data-modelling experts MIAC.  The...

Knight Frank is the latest estate agent to admit that the prime London sales market is “subdued” - and it blames...

A new website has been launched to fight back against the attack George Osborne made in the Summer Budget on the...

A new campaign says it’s not just the buy to let sector that will be penalised by changes to landlord tax...

The recent changes in stamp duty means some investors in high value locations like London are splitting their purchases to reduce...

Credit rating service Moody’s is warning that restrictions on mortgage interest relief for buy-to-let landlords will slow house price growth in...

Consider the scene. It is July 8th and new Chancellor, Ed Balls, stands at the Dispatch Box giving his first Budget...

Estate agents have given an enthusiastic endorsement to Chancellor George Osborne’s proposals to help boost housing building totals through changes to...

In case we didn’t learn the lesson last time around, we appear to be on the brink of a refresher course...

This week the Chancellor, George Osborne, delivered the first Conservative Budget for almost 20 years. While Mr Osborne claimed that it marked...

Watch the latest weekly video round-up of news from Estate Agent Today and Letting Agent Today, featuring stories on George Osborne's...

Watch the latest weekly video round-up of news from Estate Agent Today and Letting Agent Today, featuring stories on George Osborne's...

The Chancellor, George Osborne, has announced a series of measures impacting on the property industry, including:   Mortgage interest relief for buy-to-let homebuyers...

Estate and letting agents and other figures in the property industry have been making their last-minute calls on Chancellor George Osborne...

The government says it will publish an action plan this week to explain how it is going to implement some of...

Prime central London house prices appear to have plateaued in recent weeks, failing to recover from the quiet pre-general election period...

Homeowners have saved £701million in the six months since the stamp duty system was reformed last December.   Research carried out by...

One of London’s biggest property sales of the year so far completed a few weeks before last month’s election, despite fears at...