Belgravia Flats & Houses For Sale & Rent

Estate Agents Remain Secretive About Fees

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:03:00 +0000

Estate agents are often secretive about what they charge sellers, it has been alleged, whilst there is great variation in the levels of fees that they charge.

A new survey found that only one agent in London – Winkworth – disclosed its fees on its website. About 20% of London agents refused to disclose their fees over the phone or via email.

The survey, by new estate agent comparison website ipostcode, looked at 250 agents’ fees across London and found that it is not necessarily in the most expensive postcodes where agents charge the highest fees.

Some of the highest average commissions are charged in the SE1 (Bermondsey), NW11 (Golders Green) and W6 (Hammersmith) postcodes, although agents in some lower priced areas – E8 (Dalston), N8 (Crouch End) and SE28 (Thamesmead) – offer some of the lowest commission rates.

The majority of the London estate agencies surveyed quoted 1.5% commission, but 15% of agents quoted 1%. The highest commission level quoted was 2.5%.

There were several postcode areas including Islington (N1) and Clerkenwell (EC1) where commission levels spanned the range from 1%-2.5%, which means that on a property priced at the London average of £342,749 (according to latest Land Registry figures), the seller could be paying anything from £4,113 to £10,282 including VAT to sell the same home.

Estate agents’ reputation for being guarded about their fees was borne out by the survey, with one in five of agents refusing to say what their fees were, either on the phone or via email. Only one agency, Winkworth, which has 43 London offices, displayed fees online.

One in four agents said that their fees are negotiable based on either a realistic valuation of the property or depending on the price range of the property. Many agents in the survey stressed that an agency should not be chosen simply on their commission rates but on service, track record and marketing.

The survey also found that estate agent fees in London at an average of 1.7% are more or less in line with the national average of 1.8% – contrary to the perception that London estate agent fees are the highest in the country.

Estate Agent Today

Off Plan London Homes Promise Higher Returns for Investors

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:31:00 +0000

Reuters reports that Cordea Savills, the fund management arm of British real estate consultancy Savills PLC, has launched a 150 million pound fund that will buy prime London homes, giving Asian investors an alternative way to invest in the sector.

Interest in London residential property has been on the rise in recent months among investors from China, Hong Kong and Singapore, spurred in part by state-led measures to cool real estate markets in Asia.

At the upmarket One Hyde Park development, for instance, Asian investors accounted for 30 percent of buyers.

Cordea Savills' new fund is expected to benefit from the strong Asian interest in London, and indications of interest have been strong so far, said Brian D'Arcy Clark, head of its residential acquisitions, especially on the back of strong demand from Chinese buyers.

"There's very good evidence that Chinese investors want to invest in London and there's pent-up demand from high-net-worth individuals from China to come into London," Clark said.

Cordea Savills expects its fund to see net returns of about 18-20 percent a year, and said investors who are keen on the fund will need to put in a minimum of 200,000 pounds.

The fund, which closes in January, will invest in London property by forming joint ventures with developers and by committing to acquire apartment units before construction to get better prices, Cordea Savills said.

Investing in the fund would allow investors greater diversification and higher potential returns as the fund would be able to acquire assets in bulk and thus at better discounts, Clark said.

Prime London Property Snapped Up By Nigerian Property Investors

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 09:45:00 +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

London Property 'Safe Haven' Status

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 13:04:00 +0000

As the perceived safe havens of US debt, Swiss francs no longer appear so solid, demand for central London property has soared among foreign investors seeking to preserve their wealth, reports Citywire.

But although central London real estate’s safe haven status is secure in the near term, managers of UK property investment trusts have warned that prolonged social unrest and further financial markets regulation could lessen its allure.

‘What we’ve seen throughout the whole of this year is that whenever there’s been a shock [abroad] of some sort ... there’s been another phone call to London agents saying: “We’ve got 30 or 40 million, which we’d like to put in the safe haven of central London,”’ said Jason Baggaley, manager of Standard Life Investments Property Income.

Speaking at an event hosted today by the Association of Investment Companies (AIC), he added: ‘On a global basis, London is seen as very much a safe haven for real estate.’

Richard Kirby, manager of F&C Commercial Property Trust, noted that central London had a ‘very strong’ local economy, an affluent population and a major role as an international centre. ‘And to that extent we’ve seen the numerous overseas buyers trying to buy into central London at some very, very hairy yields – but for them it’s a matter of wealth preservation,’ he said at the same meeting.

Belgravia and Knightsbridge Flats Performing Well in High End Property Market

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 08:58:00 +0000

Sales of London’s most expensive homes reached a record as foreign buyers dominate the city’s luxury residential market, Savills Plc (SVS) said.The number of houses and apartments that sold for more than 5 million pounds ($8 million) rose to 262 from 200 in the nine months through September, 31 percent more than a year earlier, the real-estate broker said today in an e-mailed report, reports Bloomberg.

Overseas buyers make up 65 percent of the market for homes costing more than 5 million pounds, according to the report. The costliest purchases remain concentrated in central London neighborhoods such as Belgravia, Knightsbridge and Mayfair, said Lucian Cook, Savills’s director of residential research.

“Knightsbridge and Belgravia have a high proportion of London’s best-performing flats,” Cook said in the report. “Mayfair has seen significant levels of capital investment and improved amenities which have underpinned price growth.”

International buyers are investing in London homes to protect wealth amid financial or political volatility at home. Europe’s sovereign-debt crisis may be worse than the Great Depression, according to Bank of England Governor Mervyn King, and uprisings in countries including Libya, Syria and Egypt have cost a total of $55.84 billion, consultant Geopolicity Inc. said today in a report.

Prime Property Rental Market Prices Rise due to Overseas Renters

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:16:00 +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.

Mansion Tax May Still on The Cards

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 08:30:00 +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.

Belgravia Property Investment Targeted By Investors Fleeing Eurozone

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 26 May 2011 12:14:00 +0000

Reuters reports that he tycoons of Europe's troubled southern periphery are buying up homes in London's billionaire enclaves and shifting cash to the City's banks as they flee the euro zone's debt crisis.

Estate agents report buyers from Spain, Italy and Greece are muscling in on the residential market in London's elite neighbourhoods such as Mayfair and Belgravia, joining established colonies of rich Russians, Indians and Gulf Arabs.

Data from upmarket British property consultant Savills (SVS.L) shows that buyers from Spain, Italy and Greece have increased their share of property purchases in central London's smartest neighbourhoods since the start of the year.

"Southern European numbers seem to have increased," said Yolande Barnes, head of Savills Research.

"In 2011, I suspect the lure of a 'safe', sterling denominated asset once again looks attractive as the financial markets in those countries... look particularly precarious."

The proportion of non-British western Europeans buying prime residential property in London has risen to 14 percent this year from 11 percent in 2010. Within this, buyers from Spain, Italy and Greece grew to 36 percent in 2011, from 25 percent.

Buyers from these three countries also make up half of all western European buyers of properties worth more than 15 million pounds, and 43 percent in the 5 million to 15 million pounds range, the research shows.

And London's private bankers -- specialising in clients whose wealth is measured in tens of millions of pounds -- also report they are booking more business in Europe's so-called sun belt, belying the region's financial crisis.

Million Pound Property Sales Highest Rise Since 2006

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Fri, 06 May 2011 08:36:00 +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.”

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Home Alternatives; a view from Seattle

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 03 May 2011 09:06:00 +0000

The Seattle Times Rules Out Belgravia as Royal Home!

A long-running fairy tale culminated at Westminster Abbey on Friday: A handsome young prince married a beautiful young commoner amid massive jubilation. And, presumably, they will live happily ever after.

But where, exactly?

As the world pauses for a few hours to feast on this morsel of rare, unadulterated good news before returning to reality, the question persists: Where will Prince William and Kate Middleton make their home after they are married?

Would it be a chic private flat in Belgravia, a district in central London? No, scratch that: too many security hassles. The Castle of Mey, the Queen Mother's windswept vacation home in northern Scotland? Too far from London, where all the young couple's friends are. A big "pile" — upper-class slang for a large family estate — with boxwood hedges, formal rose gardens and a helicopter pad?

Possibly, because William is a helicopter pilot, but that might seem profligate in this day of a newly cost-conscious monarchy. What about ample space for horses? Not necessarily: Middleton is said to be allergic to them, and William, while a fan of hunting, is by no means the polo fanatic his father is.

In the short run, the answer is well-known: the couple will live at a secluded, whitewashed farmhouse on the island of Anglesey in Wales, where the prince works as a Royal Air Force search-and-rescue pilot. They're said to be determined to give their marriage a good start by living as normal and private an existence as possible — the tranquil kind of life newlyweds Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip knew on the island of Malta, where he was stationed with the Royal Navy, a time the queen once described as the happiest of her life.

Royal Wedding Clean Up Preparations

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:01:00 +0000

Westminster Council is set to work throughout the night on the eve of April 29th to prepare for the Royal Wedding.

For the past weeks street sweepers, street inspectors and highways maintenance officers have been working hard to make sure the City is ready and at its best for the thousands of people expected in Westminster to celebrate the wedding.

Now the clean-up operation is gearing up for the weekend itself, when staff are expecting to clean up 140 tonnes of waste left by the well-wishers and visitors coming to enjoy the day.

Westminster Council will begin the clean-up of the route as soon as the couple leave the Abbey. Approximately 130 staff will be put to work on the route and the surrounding area.

But more work is being carried out even before the event has begun, with 15 sweepers and 3 flushing vehicles dedicated to final preparations for the wedding area on the Thursday night

London High End Property Prices Experiencing Astronomical Rise

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:19:00 +0000

Those interested in high end property sales and rentals have been warned that the prime London property market is currently "cutthroat".

Property expert Ed Mead commented that certain parts of the city are experiencing "astronomical" house prices while "everybody else [is] struggling".

The issue of prime central London property has been highlighted at the moment "by the fact that a lot of people are waiting until May", because of the late Easter and upcoming royal wedding.

"At the moment it looks like supply will increase by not a lot possibly in May or early summer," said Mr Mead."It is not a particularly good market for anybody at the moment."

His comments come after Buying Solution research showed prices for high end properties in London have risen by around ten per cent since the start of 2011, with demand growing for homes worth between £1 million and £3 million in particular.

London Housing Market News

London Luxury Property Will Remain Top Destination For Next Decade

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 16:48:00 +0000

London and New York have retained their leading positions in the luxury Property market survey carried out by Knight Frank. Amoung high net worth individuals, the report found that New York and London by virtue of their rarified status as true global commerce hubs will remain top destinations for primary and secondary residences in the next decade.

Paris and San Francisco were the biggest losers, sinking from third to ninth and 16th to 20th, respectively.

The Knight Frank surveys are based on the conclusions of a panel of experts who consider the cities "in terms of their importance to HNWIs," or high net-worth individuals. The agency has been compiling its surveys annually since 2008.

The survey noted that Russians were the most active buyers of luxury property in London until two years ago, but now rank fourth in that category, behind buyers from China, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

However the survey agency notes a general eastward shift in ranking that is expected to gain momentum rapidly. While seven of the top 10 cities in the 2011 survey are located in Western Europe, North America or Australia, another survey, called "Attitudes," focused on the future potential of the world's top cities, has only four non-Asian cities in its top 10 for 2020.

Belgravia Property is Twice the Price of Similar Pimlico Prime Property

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:08:00 +0000

The Move Channel reports that Pimlico is fast becoming a haven for London buyers seeking centrally located homes for often half the price of those a few minutes away in Belgravia, reports property consultants Cluttons.

With investors and international buyers competing fiercely for the limited property for sale in prime Central London, the increasingly family orientated market in Pimlico is attracting buyers seeking more affordable family homes in the capital with a long term view. They are relaxed about buying as an investment and tend to sell up only when they have children and leave the city.

Houses in Pimlico are selling for approximately £750 - £1,000 per square foot, compared to £2,000 per square foot just a short walk away in sought-after Belgravia, a hotspot for international investors and the ϋber-rich. This equates to around £2.5 million for a good quality family home in Pimlico, compared to £4 - 6 million in Belgravia.

Belgravia residents Live Longer!

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:04:00 +0000

The largest gap in life expectancy in the country is in Westminster – with some men living almost 17 years longer than others depending on their postcode, reports the Ham and High.

Health inequalities among the borough’s population vary widely between wards.

Residents in the borough’s more deprived areas, such as Church Street and Harrow Road, live to 75 years on average, while those in Knightsbridge and Belgravia reach 92.

The gap has grown from less than 14 years in 2002 to its current peak of 17 years. The NHS suggests it is a case of the richer living longer rather than the poorer living shorter lives.

The figures, revealed in a new government-commissioned report, have led to criticism of the council and the borough’s health services for not providing enough focus for residents most in need.

Belgravia Residents Congestion Charge

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 09:47:00 +0000

The Western Extension was removed from the charging zone on 4 January 2011. You don't have to pay the charge if you drive in this area Transport for London announced.

There is no charge for driving on the boundary roads around the zone, and the hours of operation aren't changing.

If you live in Belgravia which was once part of the Western Extension Zone you can't get the residents' discount anymore. You'll need to pay the full daily charge if you wish to drive within the congestion charging zone, during charging hours.

Estate Agents Licensing Introduced

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 10:08:00 +0000

Government plans to bring out a licence for estate agents will help to protect first time buyers and other property purchasers from unethical agents, the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) has stated.

Patrick Bullock, chair of the London NAEA, commented that while other professionals, such as nurses, lawyers and taxi drivers, are required to have licences for their work, estate agents are relatively free to operate without regulation.

"There are laws and things we have to comply with, and the Office of Fair Trading can enforce those, but the point is that we are just about the only country where you don't have to show you are qualified to be an estate agent," he explained.

The NAEA's licence will therefore drive more customers to look for licensed estate agents, with the view to using market forces to expand the regulatory system to all estate agent practices.

Housing minister Grant Shapps noted that this is "exactly the sort of measure the housing market needs" and said the licence is designed to deliver results.

NAEA News

Central London Regeneration Welcomes Business Rates Reforms

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 08:25:00 +0000

Radical reforms proposed for business rates, which could see councils keep money paid by local businesses and allow them to offer local discounts, would revolutionise the regeneration of central London.

Westminster City Council, which collects more business rates on half of the Government than any other part of the UK, and more than the City of London and Birmingham combined, said the proposals in a White Paper published today would enable it to invest in major projects to ensure central London's economy continues to grow.

The West End, which employs 300,000 people and supports a diverse economy of retail, theatre and creative industries - which together contribute £9billion per annum to the UK GDP - along with a substantial night time economy provided by 3,000 bars, restaurants and clubs.

It would also help drive more tourists to London, 98% of who visit Westminster.

Belgravia Streets Revamp Funding Agreed

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 08:51:00 +0000

A unique public-private partnership which will deliver £10m worth of improvements to streets in Westminster, at a fraction of the cost to local taxpayers, has been hailed as a model for local authorities across the UK to regenerate local areas.

In a ground-breaking funding arrangement, Westminster City Council provided property owner Grosvenor with £10m in capital for it to complete a major revamp of public streets around parts of Belgravia and Mayfair - which are public highways and not private land.

As part of the deal, Grosvenor repays the council's investment in full, five years after the works are completed.

Without Grosvenor agreeing to refund the total investment, the areas would not have benefited from such a significant transformation particularly in the current economic climate.

The advantage for Grosvenor, which owns a swathe of the property in the area, is that the works increase the value of their own holdings and they get to influence the final design of the improvements.

Best London Investment Property For Sale

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 08:02:00 +0000

Many individuals today look toward residential and commercial property as a long-term investment and pension provider. With this uplift in demand there is a need for informed and expert advice.

We will locate, negotiate and acquire commercial, licensed, industrial, leisure, office, retail, residential, healthcare and student property for the purpose of letting, although the service can equally be tailored towards those searching for a specific property in a given location.

Assuming you wish to appoint us we initially ask for the completion of a simple questionnaire in order to establish a basic working criteria. This provides us with enough information to commence the search for and draw up a short list of the best London property investments for sale.

We shall also provide estimates of gross and net returns that you can expect to achieve and provide practical advice on improvements that might affect or enhance these returns.

Apartments, Flats & Studios For Sale

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 08:19:00 +0000

It is for a buyer ultimately to decide. But as estate agents, our job in residential sales is to sell your property for the best price that we can get for it.

The first step in doing that is to value it i.e., make an assessment of what we believe we can sell the property for.

Some people think, from the variation in valuation figures given to them from different estate agents, that this is merely a question of popping along to meet the vendor, recalling the price that a property down the road sold for and coming up with an intuitive guess as to what could be achieved.

Follow the link for more advice on house and property prices in London

London Estate Agents and Surveyors

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 08:41:00 +0000

Estate agents and surveyors alike will start with a base line of comparative data; what are the most similar properties to the one being valued, what did they sell for and when.

Details are then considered to see what distinguishes the property in question to those that have been sold or are on the market. In making these comparisons and distinctions, square footage/figures are often used, again as a baseline.

If the property being valued is in better decorative order, well maintained and the garden has been properly landscaped these differences and market conditions mean that we may value higher or lower. Sometimes we will adjust our assessment after marketing of the property has started and we can gauge responses.

Follow the link for more information about London house & property prices

Grosvenor Group Lesley Knox as Chairman

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:49:00 +0000

Grosvenor Group has announced that Lesley Knowx has been appointed as Chairman, replacing Lord David Home. She will join the board in September, taking over as Chairman in January 2011.

The Grosvenor London estate comprises freehold properties in Mayfair and Belgravia.

Key locations in Belgravia are: Grosvenor Gardens, Motcomb Street, Elizabeth Street, Eaton Square, Pimlico Road, Ebury Street.

Key locations in Mayfair are: Mount Street and South Audley Street, Grosvenor Street, North Audley Street, Duke Street, Park Street

Property News; Time to Give Up Property Speculation?

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 08:40:00 +0000

The Guardian comments on a possible future property Boom;

Another dangerous property boomThe Duke of Westminster will cheer this house price bounce. For most of us it's divisive and unsustainable

The belief that the "property ladder" is the road to riches does all manner of damage. It saps long-term growth by diverting funds – and talent – away from productive investment. Three-quarters of bank loans go to the property sector; many would-be entrepreneurs become property developers instead. It also promotes an unhealthy reliance on the financial sector and debt-fuelled consumption. And it destabilises the economy, as euphoric booms are inevitably followed by nasty busts.

Rising house prices force many families to squeeze into smaller homes, prevent many people from buying a place altogether, and inflict long commutes on people who cannot afford to live near their workplaces in city centres. They transfer wealth from poorer young people to richer older ones. And they fracture society between property haves and have-nots.

The biggest beneficiaries are Britain's big landowners – the 0.3% of the population who own 69% of the land – who get richer each year without lifting a finger. The Duke of Westminster, who inherited 300 acres of what were once fields and are now Mayfair and Belgravia – the priciest parts of central London – is laughing all the way to the bank.

Central London Redevelopment Property For Sale

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:44:00 +0000

London Property for Sale for Re Development

Paramount Investments specialise in the sale of commercial, residential and licensed freehold property for investment and redevelopment in London.This property investments database offers hundreds of freehold property development opportunities for sale.

Paramount Investments can advise on overall site redevelopment or the conversion, refurbishment and modernisation of existing buildings such as pubs, hotels, hostels, care homes, petrol stations, factories, churches, hospitals, post offices and other former public buildings.

Subject to planning permission and change of use consent being granted, these distressed, run down, empty, or derelict properties may be suitable for refurbishment and redevelopment into offices, shops, HMOs, hostels, care homes, restaurants, flats or apartments.

London Property for Sale for Re Development