Author: Benjamin

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Residential property transactions increased by 104% year-on-year on a seasonally adjusted basis in March to 177,130 ahead of the stamp duty threshold change, the latest figures have revealed. According to HMRC, transactions were also 62% higher than the previous month. On a non-seasonally adjusted basis, house transactions totalled 164,650 – 89% up on the previous year and 80% higher than February. Nick Leeming, Chairman of Jackson-Stops, commented: “Buyer demand surged in March, driving completions forward ahead of new Stamp Duty rates taking effect, distorting the market somewhat. As we saw…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Sandy Bastin Aside from the obvious differences between HMO and standard property tenancies, there are several potential pitfalls that can catch a landlord or agent off guard. Some of these issues only become apparent at the end of the tenancy when a deposit claim is rejected – claims that might have been successful had the same dispute occurred within the context of a standard tenancy agreement. The dispute This month’s case study covers one such scenario. A tenant rented a room in an HMO property under the agreement that utilities…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Simon Bradbury According to Wikipedia… “Letting the cat out of the bag is a colloquialism that means to reveal facts previously hidden.” Here’s why that phrase is one of the most important colloquialisms an estate agent can ever use. Too many years ago I had the privilege of working alongside one of the best individual estate agents I have ever personally known. Caterina O’Dell was my business partner at Thomas Morris Estate Agents. She is in fact the late wife of Julian O’Dell who remains an excellent trainer and coach to…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Zoopla has been put up for sale with an asking price of around £500m, it is understood. CITY AM reports that the property portal has been put on the market by Silver Lake Partners which has owned the group it forms a part of following a £1.6bn deal in 2018, which at the time included the likes of Confused.com and Uswitch as well as Primelocation, Money.co.uk, Tempcover, Hometrack and Alto, along with Calcasa in the Netherlands. Zoopla declined to comment when approached for comment. Zoopla had returned to profit in…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: LRG has acquired Chancellors with more than 50 branches across Southern England and Mid Wales. The Chancellors Group, established in 1807, has a strong local presence in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Surrey, London, Herefordshire, Wiltshire, Worcester and Mid Wales. The acquisition of this major independent estate agency group adds significant growth to areas LRG already cover but is underrepresented in, supporting its continued growth plans. It is not clear at this stage whether the branches will remain under their current brands, although we suspect they will. EYE…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Nationwide’s April House Price Index has just been published revealing that the annual  rate of house price growth slowed to 3.4% in April, from 3.9% in March. According to the data, the average price of a residential property dropped by 0.6% month-on-month. Headlines Apr-25 Mar-25 Monthly Index* 539.3 542.4 Monthly Change* -0.6% 0.0% Annual Change 3.4% 3.9% Average Price (not seasonally adjusted) £270,752 £271,316 *Seasonally adjusted figure (note that monthly % changes are revised when seasonal adjustment factors are re-estimated) Robert Gardner, Nationwide’s chief economist, said: “April saw a slowing…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: The Equity Release Council’s latest quarterly market report for Q1 2025 showed that the market had a strong start to the year with £665m worth of housing equity accessed by customers.  This is a 32% increase in total lending when compared to Q1 2024 (£504m) and the fourth successive quarter of growth recorded by this market. Market growth has been driven by a significant increase in new customers (+14%) taking lump sums supported by improved product choice and positive annual house price growth1 (+2.8%). The number of plans taken out…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: L-R: Daniel Byrne, Peter Dack and Martin Growse Bernards, an independent estate and lettings agency group with six high street branches across Hampshire, has acquired Dack Property Management, a well-established block and property management firm based in Southsea. This strategic acquisition strengthens Bernards’ market share across the South Coast and brings together two complementary businesses, with further activity anticipated in the residential block and property management sectors. As part of the transaction, Peter Dack will remain with the company as director, alongside Managing Director Martin Growse, ensuring continuity for clients. Daniel…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Mark Ridley Savills has announced that Mark Ridley will retire as group chief executive at the end of 2025 after a 29 year career at Savills, seven of them as group chief executive, as well as 41 years in the industry. He will be succeeded by Simon Shaw, currently group chief financial officer of Savills, effective 1 January 2026. Ridley joined Savills in 1996 from Weatherall Green & Smith, where he had been a partner, to set up Savills Manchester office, before being appointed as head of Savills Commercial in…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Greg Tsuman Former president of ARLA Propertymark, Greg Tsuman, has warned that the implementation of the Renters’ Rights Bill is already causing problems in the private rental sector (PRS). According to Tsuman, there has been a notable hike in the number of early surrender agreements as tenants believe the new rules are already in place, meaning they can leave their tenancies just by giving two months’ notice. Tsuman said: “By getting rid of fixed term tenancies, tenants will be able to leave by simply serving two months’ notice, whilst landlords will…