Economic uncertainty weighs on the residential market The most recent UK Housing Market Update from Savills has highlighted that buyers’ budgets continue to be impacted by higher mortgage rates, and although inflation has begun to move lower, core inflation remains ‘unexpectedly sticky.’ During July, with completed sales reducing by 18% on the 2017-19 average, market […]
Author Archives: natalie
Commercial Property Review – September 2023
Private investors acquire £1.3bn of London office assets over 12 months Knight Frank’s latest research report on the capital’s office market has highlighted that over the last year, family offices and ultra-high-net-worth individuals have purchased £1.3bn worth of London office assets. Such high transaction volumes by wealthy private investors have been a by-product partly of […]
A defining moment – FTSE 350 female board representation
Three years ahead of schedule, FTSE 350 companies have met the target of achieving 40% female board representation, according to the latest FTSE Women Leaders Review1. The report highlights ‘steady progress’ in getting women leaders to the ‘top table of business in the UK,’ with Nimesh Patel and Penny James, co-chairs of the Review describing […]
Achieving real financial empowerment
Traditionally, people might have assessed their financial health by simply checking the balance on their bank account or totalling their amassed level of wealth. In recent years, however, a different measure has emerged which seeks to balance financial stability with emotional wellbeing. Financial empowerment This new concept places greater emphasis on goals and developing a […]
Investment myths debunked
To many, the world of investing is shrouded in mystery; the realm of financial whizz-kids and the super-rich. In reality, however, this is not the case and, once myth is separated from reality, it should be clear that investing is actually accessible to all. Can’t invest, won’t invest! Research1 has highlighted several reasons why people […]
Residential Property Review – August 2023
Demand down but activity remains robust The residential sales market experienced further negative indicators in July, according to the latest UK Residential Survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), with new buyer enquiries and agreed sales volumes continuing their decline. At the national level, new buyer enquiries recorded a net balance of -45% […]
Commercial Property Review – August 2023
Higher interest rates dampen investment The results of the Q2 2023 RICS UK Commercial Property Monitor point to a renewed setback for the commercial property market, with an upward shift in interest rate expectations weighing on investor demand and placing downward pressure on capital values. The survey shows a clear majority of respondents (68%) are […]
Economic Review – July 2023
UK inflation rate declines Data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the UK inflation rate fell by more than expected in June, leading analysts to predict that interest rates are now likely to rise less sharply than previously feared. The latest inflation statistics revealed that the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) 12-month rate […]
Summer retirement round-up – developing a coherent strategy
The last few years have created an increasingly complex backdrop for retirement planning. Not only has the post-pandemic era seen attitudes to work alter significantly, but macro-economic headwinds from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the cost-of-living crisis have created significant unhelpful market volatility. In combination, this has inevitably heightened the need for everyone to engage […]
Residential Property Review – July 2023
RICS survey shows demand falling Activity in the residential sales market deteriorated in June, according to the latest UK Residential Survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), with negative net balance readings returned across many indicators. New buyer enquiries fell to a net balance of -45%, compared to -20% recorded in May, the […]
