“The market appears to be showing signs of resilience” The UK experienced a modest rebound in house price growth in May, according to the latest Nationwide House Price Index, released on Friday. Prices rose by 0.4% month-on-month to reach an average house price of £264,249. The annual growth rate picked up to 1.3%, from 0.6% […]
Category archives: All
Making sure you have got your mortgage covered?
Taking out life insurance may not be a legal requirement if you have a mortgage, but it certainly is sensible to have. The benefits When applying for a mortgage, proof of cover could make you a stronger candidate in the eyes of a lender because they know that, in the event of your death, other […]
Wealth transfer gains momentum
Recently published research suggests the long-heralded ‘great wealth transfer’ is now firmly underway, which inevitably heightens the need for carefully considered intergenerational financial planning as assets continue to flow down the generations. The great transfer Dubbed by analysts the ‘great wealth transfer,’ the next two decades are set to witness the largest ever intergenerational transfer […]
Economic Review – May 2024
UK growth rate at two-year high Last month’s release of first-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) statistics confirmed the UK economy has now exited the shallow recession entered during the latter half of last year, while survey evidence suggests private sector output has continued to expand across the past two months. The latest GDP data published […]
News in Review
“I will fight for every vote” Last Wednesday, hot on the heels of fresh inflation data, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak took to a rain-soaked Downing Street podium to announce the date of the General Election – which is due to be held on 4 July. The countdown is on. The statement signals the start of […]
Residential Property Review – May 2024
Housing market latest The property market continues to find its feet after a difficult 2023, with buyers remaining cautious due to the higher cost of borrowing. Mortgage rates may not be as high as they were last summer, but they are still elevated. While most experts agree that Bank Rate will be cut this year, […]
Commercial Property Review – May 2024
Central London office market – a Q1 update Data from Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) shows that the central London office market had a slightly weaker start to the year. January to March saw the lowest quarterly leasing activity since Q1 2021, with 1.5m sq. ft transacted. This is nearly a third (31%) lower than the […]
News in Review
“The sheer scale of this near three-year inflation shock has reshaped the economy” New research from the Resolution Foundation has shone a light on the impact of inflation on the UK economy. The prolonged spike in inflation has ‘left British households spending less and saving more’ as elevated prices have affected spending behaviour, living standards […]
Buy-to-let landlords expanding portfolios?
New research1 indicates that more than half (52%) of buy-to-let (BTL) landlords have been actively expanding their property portfolios over the past year, with 25% acquiring one property and an additional 27% acquiring multiple properties. Looking at the next twelve months, 26% intend to acquire a single property, while another 26% plan to expand their […]
Record levels of IHT receipts
Figures released by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) show that IHT receipts have hit record levels while new data shows the taxman is hunting down thousands of families that have not paid the correct liability on inherited estates. Record sums In the first ten months of the 2023/24 financial year, HMRC collected £6.3bn in death […]