Regents Park Flats & Houses For Sale & Rent

“Benchmark set” as central London’s public toilets, used by thousands, will remain open for at least next 10 years

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:56:00 +0000

Vital public loos across the centre of London will remain open for at least the next ten years as Westminster City Council is set to protect services and save money under innovative new proposals.

Plans are being finalised which will see the council’s 20 permanent facilities being leased out to a private provider and, as a result, safeguarded from any threat of closure. The contract will involve at least 50 per cent of the sites being free for all users with the remainder charging a maximum of 50p, set to be introduced in April.

Currently Westminster has one of the most extensive networks of public loos in the country, but that comes at a cost of £2.1m a year to the taxpayer to run the 20 sites. Even though local authorities have no statutory duty to provide public conveniences, Westminster has for many years ensured that these facilities remain open.

This is against a national back drop of a significant decline in the number of public conveniences with the problem particularly acute in London. In fact the capital has seen the biggest decline in the number of local-authority run public toilets – a closure rate twice that of the country as a whole.

Westminster is bucking the trend by providing a high quality and extensive network of public conveniences throughout which are visited more than 8 million times a year.

Foreign Investment in Central London Property Market

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:37:00 +0000

Investment from overseas is continuing to drive the housing market in the heart of London.

This is according to Naomi Heaton, chief executive of London Central Portfolio, who believes that the financial security of homes in the capital appeals to cash-rich foreign investors more than in other European cities.

"Inevitably, foreign buyers will dominate by virtue of the fact that there are far more wealthy people globally, than there are located in the UK," she said.

"London Central is increasingly seen as a safe haven market which offers capital preservation with long-term upside potential."

And it seems the figures back up her claims.

Recent statistics released by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) show that nationally property values have seen a slight decrease. But London has continued to buck the trend.

There's also good news for landlords in London as HomeLet's Rental Index for November showed that in some parts of the capital, rental values are 80 per cent greater than the national average.

London Property Market News

London Rental Property News: London rents are 80 per higher than the UK average

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 09:32:00 +0000

Rental values in London are 80 per cent higher on average than the rest of the UK, new figures show.

HomeLet’s Rental Index for November found that the average rental amount in the capital stands at £1,177 compared to £653 per month nationally.
Rents in London have risen by 13 per cent in the past 12 months. This is in contrast to other UK regions where rents are on average just 1.6 per cent higher than they were in at the end of 2010.

John Boyle, managing director of HomeLet, said: “The soaring cost of renting a home in the capital, compared to the rest of the UK, reflects how demand for rental properties is increasing due to people’s continuing struggle to get on to the property ladder.”

He added that London has also bucked the trend of rent values dropping in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

This goes against what property analyst Samantha Baden of Find a Property said earlier this month.

London Rental Property News

North West London's Paramount Property Maintenance

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 17:09:00 +0000

Paramount Maintenance Services are based in West End Lane, West Hampstead, North West London, providing a complete in-house letting, property maintenance and property management service to accidental landlords, investment companies, property developers, buy to let investors and corporate property portfolio owners.

Paramount Maintenance take on all sorts of renovations like kitchens, bathrooms, plumbing, electrical, handyman work, tiling, painting, plastering, carpentry, landscape gardening and roofing. They also specialise in the upgrading, renovating, refurbishing and repair of tired or run down rental properties to obtain the maximum benefit to the landlord, property owner or investor in the most cost effective manner.

'Running a professional property management business for professional landlords and professional tenants is a 24-hour a day responsibility, 365 days a year. Once a property is let it is only the beginning of the story and the obligations of a landlord must be executed in the most efficient way possible. Although good professional tenants are hard to find they are often quite demanding. They are looking for trouble free occupation in return for their hard earned cash.' explained Spencer Lawrence of Paramount Lettings based in West Hampstead.

Spencer continued, 'Breakdowns and breakages don’t happen nine to five and so Paramount’s management team doesn’t just happen nine to five either. Central heating boilers tend not to break down in the summer. They wait until the middle of the coldest night of the year. Window locks don’t just break. they wait until their owner or tenant is about to leave for a long weekend in Prague.'

'We not only value our tenants but also our landlords. We provide a property maintenance service second to none in North West London, ensuring that our landlords properties are maintained to the highest standard by arranging independent check-in and check-out. We also ensure rents are collected efficiently and on time and provide monthly statements confirming all income and expenditure. '

Here’s what some of our tenants say:

“Could you please forward my gratitude to your plumber who arrived at m y my property at 10am on Christmas day and fixed my boiler and saved the day as l had a house full with twelve for dinner.”

“Thank you for your swift response, l look forward to coming home to a warm flat.It has been a real pleasure dealing with Paramount. The professionalism they have show during and on completion of my tenancy has been superb, l look forward to renting from you again on my return from Australia.”

Follow the link for more on Paramount's managed property maintenance services in Brondesbury, Cricklewood, Hampstead, Little Venice, Kensal Rise, Kilburn, Maida Vale, Mapesbury Estate, Queens Park, St Johns Wood, South Hampstead, West Hampstead and Willesden Green.

London Christmas and New Year Events

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 16:56:00 +0000

As temperatures drop and the holiday season is upon us, the City of Westminster is set to be transformed into a festive landscape of entertainment, music, and exclusive shopping experiences to see you through the colder months. Check out our calendar of free and budget events:
Music and caroling:

Festive shopping to gospel tunes
Where: St. Martin's Courtyard, near Covent Garden

When: Thursday 15th December, 5-7pm

What to expect: Free roasted chestnuts and warm Pimm's whilst listening to the London Community Gospel Choir.

Christmas Carols by Candlelight
Where: St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 4JH

When: Thursday 15th December, 7.30pm

What to expect: Christmas carols by candlelight with the Vivamus Choir.

Shopping:
Christmas food market and reindeer
Where: Covent Garden

When: Saturdays, 12 noon - 5pm

What to expect: Make friends with reindeer and visit a festive Christmas food market.

Entertainment:
London theatre - Top shows from £10
Where: All over Theatreland

When:Sunday 1st January to Friday 10th February – booking open now!

What to expect: More than 50 shows are taking part including Les Miserables, Singin’ In The Rain, The Wizard of Oz, The Ladykillers, Noises Off, The Gruffalo, The Snowman, Matthew Bourne’s The Nutcracker and Tosca at the London Coliseum.

Ice skating
Where: Somerset House, Aldwych South

When: Daily from 10am to 10.30pm

What to expect: Skate on one of London's most atmospheric rinks. Free storytelling sessions for little ones by the Christmas tree. From £7.50 plus booking fee.

For little ones:
Children’s Christmas crafts and stories
Where: Maida Vale Library, Sutherland Avenue, London W9 2QT

When: Wednesday 21st December, 2.30-4pm

What to expect: Christmas stories for Westminster’s little residents, crafts and the opportunity to make your own tree decorations and greeting cards. Age: 5+

Puppet workshop
Where: Education Centre Foyer, The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN

When: 29th December, 11am-1pm and 2-4pm

What to expect: Join in and learn how to make shadow puppets, make your own and take it home!

New Year’s Eve:
New Years Eve Fireworks Display
Where: Best views to be had from Victoria Embankment!

When: Saturday 31st December, midnight

What to expect: Ring in the year of the London Olympics in style.

New Year's Day Parade and festival
Where: The Parade starts on Piccadilly outside The Ritz hotel. It then goes to Piccadilly Circus, Lower Regent St, Waterloo Place, Pall Mall, Cockspur Street, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall and Parliament Street.

When: 1st January 2012, 11.45am to 3pm

What to expect: The first official event of London's Olympic year has an Olympic and Diamond Jubilee theme. Watch 10,000 performers from 20 countries plus marching bands, acrobats, cheerleaders and much more.

Westminster Council

West End Parking for Night Shift

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:31:00 +0000

Westminster City Council’s parking team have been listening to the concerns of night workers and is pleased to announce a deal from Q-Park to make safe and secure parking available in the West End for only £2 per hour from 6.30pm to 7am and all night between these hours for £8.

There are currently 1000 spaces in the West End available in Q-Park’s central west end car parks every night, and a key part of Westminster’s forthcoming parking policy changes is to move traffic off the streets, easing congestion and helping traffic flow.

The goal is to ensure that Westminster remains a clean, safe and vibrant place to live.

Cllr Lee Rowley, cabinet member for transport and parking, said: “London is a global 24-hour city and is as busy at 10pm as it is at 10am. Having safe, secure and affordable parking for everyone is a key element in changing our parking policies.

“Using casino workers as an example of the night workers we have been keen to engage with, they can get to a safe car park within a five minute walk of work and, if parked all night, they could do so for 64p an hour.

“The council has worked hard in ensuring initiatives like this go ahead and we will continue to listen to the needs of residents and businesses as the changes come in.”
After working with Westminster City Council, Q-Park will be introducing new reduced parking tariffs on 9th January 2012 where evening visitors and workers in the West End can park for only £2 per hour from 6.30pm to 7am and all night between these hours for just £8 in Q-Park car parks at Soho, Oxford Street and Trafalgar Sq. This works out at 64p per hour for a whole night’s parking.

The company is also set to announce further discounts on Sundays for church goers.
New controls in Zone E and G begin on January 9, 2012 and include parking controls being introduced in the evenings from 6.30pm until midnight and on Sundays from 1pm until 6pm.

Click here for more details

North London Property Review 2011

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:45:00 +0000

This year’s property sales market has been healthy from start to finish with the average property going under offer in 4-6 weeks. Properties in great condition, property in need of refurbishment or with outside space are often going under offer within days and on the odd occasion going over the asking price. Agreed prices went up by 5% early in the year and have held all year so far.

2011 has been the year of the cash buyer with Paramount agreeing over 50% of its sales to cash buyers. These buyers have often been Parents from the UK, mainland Europe and Asia buying for their children who are based or will be based in London. These properties are going on the rental market for the interim periods.

We have also seen some buy to let investors return to the market, with the rental market’s being so strong they have achieved some great rents and are generally renting their flats within days of taking ownership.

With the lack of properties currently on the market and the amount of good quality buyers currently looking, 2012 looks like it is going to be a great year to sell your property in our local area.

What's been happening in 2011 in West Hampstead and surrounding areas for Paramount lettings?

In 2011, Paramount has seen unprecedented demand from applicants looking to rent in North West London. The cost of market entry for first time owner/occupiers is preventing many people from buying and so is boosting demand for rental property. A dearth of rental stock is pushing up rents and future prospects for rental growth are very strong indeed; the average rental income are up by 12% in the NW6 area. Landlords can “cherry pick” their ideal tenant with no worries of a void period whatsoever.

Given that yields have steadily increased this year, it has also meant the introduction of first time buy-to-let investors into the property market as well as existing landlords expanding their portfolios. There is no reason to suggest that in 2012 the rental sector will show any signs of waning.

Paramount Property News

Increased Cost of Living Will Impact on Property Prices

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 10:22:00 +0000

UK house prices are set to fall for another 11% in the next 5 years, according to property experts.

British broker firms believe that house prices in the UK will fall by more than 10% in the next 5 years back to the level seen a decade ago.

In the opinion of property experts, those are not only difficulties accessing mortgage finance and weak economic growth that will keep house prices down. Increased cost of living, especially in big cities like London will also negatively affect house prices growth.

According to brokers' estimates, house prices will fall to 170,000 in 2016, down from 184,000 in 2007.

Meanwhile, rent rates are expected to rise dramatically as many Brits will be unable to buy a property of their own.

City Bonus Cuts Impact on London House Prices

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:04:00 +0000

Job cuts and falling bonuses in the City could cause house prices to drop in London, according to a report, London Loves Business writes.

Bonuses in the Square Mile are expected to fall by around 40 per cent year-on-year while approximately 27,000 jobs could go in 2011, the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR) found recently. This could impact on houses prices in the capital and other areas in the South because it is believed a third of bonus money is spent on investing in property.

London is the only area of the country where house prices were higher last month than in October 2010, estate agent Chesterton Humberts and the CEBR’s House Price Poll of Polls found. Public sector cuts that have hit house prices in the rest of the country have not had such a large impact in London.

Chesterton Humberts CEO Robert Bartlett said: “London has been relatively unscathed by the recession and its aftermath. International buyers seeking a safe haven of value still equate prime London property with other secure portfolio investments such as gold. But the continuing economic turmoil in Europe and the perceived threat to the financial services sector will dampen traditional bonus purchases.

“London’s relative stability has masked the increasing divergence of prices between London and the rest of the country. Over the year to date prices have risen by 3.6 per cent in the most expensive fifth of property areas, all in London, and fallen by minus 4.5 per cent in the least expensive fifth.”

Nigerians Spend £87 million on London Property

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 10:48:00 +0000

Nigerians bought £87 million worth of UK million-pound properties in 2010, according to a research report published by Hawker Beechcraft Corporation, HBC, a world- leading manufacturer of business, special mission and trainer aircraft.

The report indicates that the total value of the purchase represents about 29 percent of the total purchased by Africans who spent a whooping £305.2 million.

The total estimates spent by overseas buyers according to the report was put at N900 billion £3.75 billion for the million pound London properties, which is over 50 percent of million-pound property sales in London coming from non-UK nationals.

The report comes amid wide spread discontent on the pace of housing development in the country and the recent down turn in the nation’s housing sector with most property value nose diving following pervading credit crunch.

Analysts say the huge London million-pound property investment by Nigerians reflect capital flight which became obvious at the wake of uncertainties in the financial system, with investors seeking safe haven for their money.

HBC believes that the large number of foreign buyers of prime property in London has contributed to an increase in business flights to some of the region’s main business airports.

Indeed, its analysis reveals that between January and September this year the number of business flights to Biggin Hill, London City and Farnborough have increased by 46 percent, 38 percent and 34 percent respectively.

In terms of the largest number of foreign buyers in the capital by country, Russian nationals top the league having acquired an estimated 266 prime properties worth around £429 million last year.

On a regional level, Europeans (excluding UK nationals) accounted for around £1.57 billion of million-pound property purchases in London last year – some 974 properties. This was followed by nationals from Asia Pacific and the Middle East , with 640 and 298 properties purchased respectively. Africans purchased a total of 189 properties.

Sean McGeough, HBC president, Europe, Middle East and Africa, said, “As one of the most desirable cities in the world, it’s no surprise that London ’s property market is attracting a large number of overseas buyers. Given that many of these individuals lead busy lives and often travel a huge amount, this helps explain the rise in flights to London ’s business airports.”

Businessdayonline

National Grid's London power tunnels project | In-depth | The Engineer

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:11:00 +0000

The 3m and 4m-wide tunnels will connect substations in Wimbledon in the south, Hackney in the east and Willesden in the west with St John’s Wood, just north of central London. They will run underneath the Thames, Regent’s Park and some of the most densely populated residential areas - and most expensive real estate - in the country. National Grid hasn’t attempted a project of this size and complexity since installing the SuperGrid in the 1960s, but it has some compelling reasons for thinking big.

Read more: http://www.theengineer.co.uk/in-depth/analysis/national-grids-london-power-tunnels-project/1010600.article##ixzz1bQgX1jTj

London Loses Top Spot for Property Investment

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:29:00 +0000

New York overtook London as the No. 1 destination for Property investment for the first time since 2007 after improved access to financing spurred more U.S. deals, Cushman & Wakefield Inc. said in a report today.

Buyers are drawn to cities like New York and London because of a greater focus on the “biggest and best,” Cushman said in the report. The trend will continue in the next six months, it said.

Chicago, New York, Boston and Atlanta made up four of the five fastest growing property investment markets by volume, the report said. Frankfurt and Germany’s Rhine-Main area ranked fourth, with growth of 126 percent.

London kept its spot as the top city for overseas property investment with $14.2 billion. That was a drop of 9.6 percent. One in every two dollars spent on real estate investment in London during the period came from abroad. Kelly said there has been a “resurgence” in interest in London from U.S. investors

London was followed by Paris, New York, Singapore and Beijing as the favorite destinations for overseas buyers.

London property Market Seen as Safe Asset During Financial Turmoil

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 08:52:00 +0000

September’s House Price Index found that new sellers have raised their asking prices by an average of 7.2% over the past year, a clear sign of the strength of the market in the capital. The average asking price for a property in London now stands at £427,889. With fewer new sellers coming to market than in the same period in 2010, this year’s autumn selling season looks to be starting with less fresh stock for London’s prospective buyers to choose from.

London buyers should also be aware that the average time on the market for a property in the capital currently stands at 96 days, and with just 98 days left until Christmas this leaves a very narrow window in which to tie up a deal in time for the festive season.

Miles Shipside, director of Rightmove comments: “After a pause for breath over the summer holiday months, London’s buoyant property market looks set for a brisk autumn as buyers chase a more limited choice of fresh properties than we saw last year. The extra bad news for buyers is that while sellers may be more subdued in numbers, their negotiating hand is strengthened as buyers have fewer alternative options”.

“With the continuing turmoil in the financial markets, and the threat of a Greek default, we are seeing a flight to safe assets and the London property market is benefitting from this trend.”

Rightmove

Camden and Regents Park Constituency To Be Created by Boundary Commission

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Westminster is set to be split into three constituencies as part of a boundary review.

Currently, the borough is divided into two constituencies - Westminster North, represented by Labour MP Karen Buck, and Cities of London and Westminster, represented by Conservative MP Mark Field.

This is likely to change under plans revealed by the Boundary Commission this week.

A new Paddington constituency is set to be formed of nine wards in north Westminster (Abbey Road, Bayswater, Harrow Road, Hyde Park, Lancaster Gate, Little Venice, Maida Vale, Queen's Park and Westbourne), and four in North Kensington.

A new Camden and Regent's Park constituency, formed mainly of wards in neighbouring Camden, would incorporate four wards in north-east Westminster (Bryanston and Dorset Square, Church Street, Marylebone High Street, Regent's Park).

In the south of the borough, seven Westminster wards (Churchill, Knightsbridge and Belgravia, St James's, Tachbrook, Vincent Square, Warwick and West End) will form part of the Westminster and Kensington constituency, with eight wards in Kensington and Chelsea.

Camden Council Ordered to Disclose Vacant Property

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 08:57:00 +0000

A judge has ordered a council to make public a list of empty homes after a squatting campaigner challenged its refusal to reveal the list under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.

Camden Council argued that disclosing the list could lead to organised crime in and around the properties.

However, the judge said any concerns were outweighed by the public interest in returning empty properties to use.

Camden has 28 days to comply with the FOI request.

The ruling was a victory for Yiannis Voyias of the Advisory Service for Squatters.

Mr Voyias argued that making the list public would "rejuvenate the empty homes debate" and put pressure on the government to tackle empty property.

He said academic researchers, homelessness charities - and even English Heritage - would benefit from disclosure of the number and location of unoccupied homes.

Camden's lawyers argued the disclosure of the list would compromise "the prevention or detection of crime".

International Tenants Take 60% of London rental Market

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 12:19:00 +0000

Propertywire reports that international tenants are taking 60% of prime London lettings, driving rents in the capital to new highs, according to the latest index from Knight Frank.

Rents in the sector have hit record highs having risen by 26.3% since June 2009, highlighting the dramatic turnaround in landlords’ fortunes on the back of new tenant demand from Asian and European tenants.

It shows that prime London rents have been rising for over two years and since January have risen by nearly 7%, including a 0.2% rise in August.

Despite the high levels of capital value growth in London over the past two years investors have been securing higher investment yields. Average prime gross yields have been pushed higher by rapid rental growth, moving from 3.3% to 3.6% in central London between June 2010 and August 2011.

Landlords are beginning to see increased competition, with new rental instructions higher by 23% in the three months to August, compared to the same period in 2010.

There is scope for more substantial increases over the next few months, with inspections of potential new rental properties up by 45%, according to Liam Bailey, head of residential research at Knight Frank.

Demand has also risen, offsetting the growth in supply, with an annual rise of 16% in new tenant registrations and a corresponding 17% rise in viewings in the three months to August.

Prime Property Tax Policy Continues to be Discussed

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 08:25:00 +0000

Business Secretary Vince Cable has signalled his continuing support for a new tax on high-value properties.

Mr Cable told Liberal Democrat activists that making the tax system more progressive - with a heavier burden falling on the better off - was "absolutely integral" to Government's economic reforms.

With high earners able in large measure to escape taxation by moving their wealth around the world, he said that targeting "property and land" was one way of ensuring they were made to pay.

In opposition Mr Cable had proposed a so-called "mansion tax" levied annually on properties worth more than £1 million - later raised to £2 million - but the policy quickly unravelled.

However addressing the Social Liberal Forum in London, Mr Cable made clear that he had not abandoned the idea of some form of new tax on property.

"As a party we have got to think through how you introduce a more progressive tax system in an environment where capital and, to some extent, people are mobile - certainly high earners," he said.

"I think this inevitably draws us back to property and land. We are going to have to address the issue of wealth, property, land as part of a fundamental progressive reform of the tax system.

"I see that as absolutely integral to delivering the combination of measures that we are really going to need to restructure the economy. We mustn't lose sight of that."The Treasury, however, has already ruled out a mansion tax and any alternative proposals for a property tax are likely to run into fierce opposition from Tories within the coalition.

London Zoo Hosts Wild Night Out

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:32:00 +0000

London Zoo hosted the first in a series of special late openings on Friday, reports the Camden Gazette.

The world famous zoo, in Regent’s Park, opened its doors for a unique mix of wildlife and nightlife at the launch of Zoo Lates.

Billed as a “wild night out with London’s biggest party animals”, it was a sold-out evening to which droves of over-18s came for the chance to see its inhabitants in a different light.

Rightmove Founder Announces Online Conveyancing Service

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Mon, 30 May 2011 08:53:00 +0000

Harry Hill, legendary former boss of Countrywide and the founder of Rightmove, scored a PR hit in yesterday’s papers by announcing his latest venture, an online conveyancing service.

The Mail on Sunday hailed the new venture, saying the multi-millionaire estate agent was back at work, ‘shaking up his trade again’.

In a news story and a page-length feature, Hill spoke of In-Deed as offering a distinctive new service to home buyers by charging them a fixed fee of £650 – of which the site would earn £200, the remainder going to conveyancers who had to promise to keep clients informed every 48 hours.

Hill’s new venture is backed by 3i, the venture capital group that also unsuccessfully backed his management buy-out of Countrywide (the group was sold instead to American venture capital group Apollo at the height of the market in 2008).

Hill told the Mail this weekend that he planned for In-Deed to take 10% of market share within five years, by doing ‘a better and faster job’. According to another newspaper report, in the FT, Hill's new business will launch on AIM.

Estate Agents Calls Down In April

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 24 May 2011 08:43:00 +0000

Figures released today by Moneypenny, a firm which handles inbound telephone calls for more than 600 estate agent businesses across the UK, show that calls to agents were down 24% in April compared to previous months.

The figures compare with signs of recovery in March when call levels were up by 22% on the previous two months.In February, Moneypenny handled an average of 87 calls to each agent; in March, the figure rose to 111; but in April, the figure sank back to 75.

The new figures show just how badly affected agency businesses were by the back-to-back bank holidays.

The figures, broken down regionally, give an illustration of how each area is performing. Some of the key findings include:

In Wales and Northern Ireland the market outperformed the rest of the UK. However, even here, calls were still down by 13% and 5% respectively.

Central London performed worse than the UK average, with calls down by nearly a third (29%).

The Midlands were particularly hard hit with calls down by 53% in the West Midlands and 35% in the East Midlands.

The South-East continues to outperform the rest of the UK; however, calls are still down by 18%.

Joanna Swash, director of Moneypenny, said: “It has been a tough start to the year for agents across the UK and it appears they have not been helped by the recent bank holidays. However, early indications are that things are beginning to pick up in May.

“The figures also reveal that there were pockets where agents were particularly busy, such as in coastal or resort towns and villages.”

Kings Cross Apartment for Rent WC1X

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Fri, 20 May 2011 14:27:00 +0000

Acton Street, Kings Cross, London, WC1X

A recently redecorated two double bedroom first floor apartment located five minutes from Kings Cross Thameslink. Benefits include a bright reception room with wood flooring, recently fitted kitchen with modern appliances, built-in wardrobes to both bedrooms, new bathroom with shower and wc, fully double glazed, part furnished, available from 11th June.

Apartment for Rent, Kings Cross

Regents Park Rental Values Peak

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 17 May 2011 08:32:00 +0000

Residential property rents are growing faster than sales prices in London with the private rented sector likely to account for one in five households by the end of 2016, reports Property Wire.

In Greater London average residential rents increased by 16% in 2010 and demand from overseas corporate clients is on the increase, the research found. It also shows that rents in East London have already risen by 4.3% in the first three months of this year and by 3.6% in North London.

These increases mean that rental values in St Johns Wood and Regents Park are now 15% above the peak prices of 2007.

The report from Savills points out that the cost of entering the property ladder in London for first time buyers is preventing many doing so and they are opting to rent instead. On top of this a dearth of rental stock is pushing up rents and the future prospects for rental growth are very strong.

Central London rents are traditionally driven by demand from corporate tenants from overseas which focuses on the high value prime areas and which has been on the increase since the recovery in the financial and business services sector in 2009, the report also shows.

Price growth has been particularly pronounced in locations where renewed City confidence has translated into boosted demand for good rental property, both from domestic and international tenants.

Westminster Property Management Contract Given to ...

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Mon, 09 May 2011 12:06:00 +0000

Bloomsbury Flats & Houses For Sale & Rent: Westminster Property Management Contract Given to ...: "Westminster Council has awarded Pinnacle PSG a new contract as part of its housing management restructure to save residents £500,000, it has..."

London Luxury Property Sales Rise by 4%

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 03 May 2011 08:16:00 +0000

The number of sales of homes costing more than a million pounds rose at its fastest rate for four years in 2010, Lloyds TSB found in new research.

There were 7,185 million pound property sales in Great Britain in 2010: 54% higher than in 2009. This is the largest annual increase since 2006 and suggests a real resurgence at the very top end of the housing market.

There are now an estimated 184,000 homes in Britain worth at least one million pounds.

Although the sales of these houses is rising fastest in the West Midlands, it is the wealth concentrated in London which is largely driving this market, as Suren Thiru, Lloyds TSB Housing Economist points out:

“A small number of areas in London still account for the lion’s share of all £1 million sales, with housing market activity in such locations continuing to benefit from strong demand from wealthy international buyers and limited supply.In contrast, the level of activity across the wider housing market remains subdued.”

Central London Parking Issues Review By Westminster Council

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:11:00 +0000

New research into parking in Westminster has revealed that a majority of people find it difficult to find a space in the city for their vehicle during the day and night.
Increases in traffic, population and visitors to central London over the last ten years have placed unprecedented demands on parking in the city with some streets struggling to cope with the sheer amount of congestion, according to the research by Westminster Council.

The last major review of parking in Westminster was 10 years ago and transport chiefs said they were now looking at a number of options on how to better manage the borough’s kerbside space including the possibility of extending hours of control in very busy areas such as the West End.

Published by the council today (28th April), the research revealed that over 70% of residents’ parking permit holders experienced parking difficulties on at least a monthly basis, with nearly 60% finding it difficult to park on at least a weekly basis during the day and night.

Residents’ visitors also find it hard to park - over a third of respondents (37%) believed that their visitors experienced difficulty finding an on-street parking space on at least a weekly basis.

Elsewhere, 72% of residents said they supported the need to limit or cap the number of resident parking permits issued to each household while 70% believed there was a case for second permits and subsequent permits issued per household to be charged at a higher rate.