Author: Benjamin

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Paul Smith It’s no longer a question of whether video drives sales in estate agency – it’s fast becoming the frontline of how estate agents engage, differentiate, and convert. These days, buyers are far more likely to scroll before they call and sellers judge you before you’ve even knocked on the door. So video is your first impression – and it needs to be a good one. Whether it’s a slick social reel or a guided tour narrated with a bit of charm, the appetite for video is growing –…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Fergus Wilson, once known as Britain’s biggest buy-to-let landlord, has been left with a £60,000 repair bill after three of his former rental properties were turned into cannabis farms by drug dealers. The 76-year-old, who at his peak owned nearly 1,000 properties across Kent, gained infamy in 2017 after attempting to ban tenants he described as “coloured,” claiming they left behind the smell of curry. His discriminatory policies drew widespread condemnation, particularly after it emerged he had also instructed letting agents to refuse tenants with children, those on housing benefits,…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Agents Giving is inviting the entire property industry to take part in The Great British Property Cycle Challenge, taking place throughout the month of October. Whether you prefer a road bike, mountain bike, or a static bike at home, in the office or at the gym—this is your chance to get involved. The initiative encourages participants to “Get On Your Bike to be 1 in a Thousand”, with all fundraising proceeds going to support St Mungo’s, the homelessness charity. Open to everyone across the UK property sector,…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: David Alexander The chancellor’s plans to relax mortgage lending rules must be approached with caution, warns David Alexander, the chief executive officer of DJ Alexander Scotland. The agency, part of the Lomond Group, has welcomed efforts to support first-time buyers – but says reforms must be balanced with increased housebuilding, greater backing for the private rented sector (PRS), and safeguards against fuelling unsustainable market growth. The warning follows the unveiling of Rachel Reeves’ “Leeds Reforms”, which – while centred on revitalising the financial sector – also include a raft of…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Knight Frank’s Jack Mogridge joins United Kingdom Sotheby’s International Realty  Jack Mogridge United Kingdom Sotheby’s International Realty has appointed Jack Mogridge from Knight Frank as senior sales director (Consultant). With over a decade of experience in Marylebone’s prime residential market, Mogridge brings plenty of expertise having started his career with Foxtons. He later joined Knight Frank. Mogridge commented, “Prime real estate is an incredibly rewarding venture — we’re entrusted with one of the most significant chapters in a person’s life, a privilege I have embraced for the past 11 years. Joining…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Jonathan Morgan (centre) with his team eXp UK has unveiled its latest partnership under its fast-growing brokerage model, welcoming The Peter Morgan Property Group to its expanding network of self-employed estate agents. From today, the Welsh-based agency, established in 1980, is rebranding as MRE powered by eXp, marking a new chapter for the well-established firm. Jonathan Morgan, director of The Peter Morgan Property Group, will lead the transition and oversee the rebrand. The move is the latest milestone in eXp UK’s brokerage rollout, which offers independent and high street agencies…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: L-R: David Adams, Ben Roberts, and Nicola Blake Cavendish, which operates offices in Chester, Ruthin, and Mold, has acquired the lettings division of Connah’s Quay-based Keystone Property and Mortgage Centre. The acquisition marks a strategic step in Cavendish’s continued expansion of its property management services across the region. Meanwhile, the deal allows Keystone to focus on the rapid growth of its core estate agency and mortgage broking operations, which span North Wales, Chester, and the Wirral. Both parties have described the move as a positive development for their respective growth…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: The government has announced plans to build thousands of new homes on surplus railway land, as Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander unveils a major initiative to unlock brownfield sites across the country for development. A new public property company, Platform4, has been launched to lead the delivery of up to 40,000 homes over the next decade by transforming disused railway land into vibrant, connected communities. Platform4 will bring together the property arms of Network Rail and London & Continental Railways, streamlining efforts to regenerate underused sites and accelerating the delivery of…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: For the first time since September 2022, the average two-year and five-year fixed mortgage rates are identical, both standing at 4.52%, according to Rightmove’s daily mortgage tracker. This marks a significant shift in the market, with the two-year average now considerably lower than the 5.25% recorded at the same point last year. The narrowing gap reflects growing market confidence that interest rates will fall, with the Bank of England widely expected to cut the base rate next week. With borrowing costs already easing, further reductions in mortgage rates are anticipated…

[openai_chatbot] rewrite this content and keep HTML tags as is: Richard Donnell The value of all homes is over £10trn, according to Zoopla, that’s ten thousand billion, more than 3x the value of UK equities. Notably, 85% of this housing value is equity, mortgage free The taxation of housing varies across the world. Most countries have a form of council tax, on outdated values, and taxes on transactions. Nine countries have tried wealth taxes since 1990, but all but two have dropped them as they don’t deliver the expected outcomes. The tax raised from UK housing has increased over recent years. Most…