Tag Archives: property

Thoughts on the Spring Budget 2021 – still a little ‘Father Christmas’ but, thankfully, less ‘Mr Scrooge’

The House Whisperer

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You would think that the process of selecting a buyer for a particular property is important. You would also think that an appointment for them to inspect the property, is crucial. But, how many estate agents know how to get a deal across the line? This is a vital science, which is so important to the success of the process, yet many of them are clueless as to how to master it.

Over 41 years in the residential property business, I have been brought into ‘problem deals’ as a ‘Mr. Fix-It’ and we have the highest success rate of any agent in business. More often than not, it is at a crucial time where intransigence and obstinacy of buyer and seller, is at its peak and where the closing of the last 10% of the price gap, between offer and acceptance, is most difficult.
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Response to the Chancellor’s Budget, November 2017

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The abolition of Stamp Duty for first time buyers up to £300,000 is a very good initiative, however, whilst it is a very welcome £5000 gift for these vulnerable groups, it never the less may serve to ‘stoke up’ the market at the lower end, which could perversely, work against them.

The former Chancellor Osborne, reduced Stamp Duty at the lower end which exacerbated inflation in this sector from circ 5-8%, particularly in London, and this served to disenfranchise buyers at this end of the market since their deposits were not rising at the same pace as prices. Continue reading →

The new wave of Russian buyers descending on our shores

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Three years ago there were more Russians that you could ‘shake a stick at’ hoovering up a plethora of prime properties in London, with gay abandon. We not only thought ‘the Russians are coming’, it was an avalanche.

Originally, after the Cold War collapsed in the 90s, the first Russian families started to set up homes in Highgate, since this was near to the Russian Trade Delegation Compound, in Highgate West Hill, and strangely enough, close to Highgate Cemetery where ironically, Karl Marx is buried. It was interesting to note that when former Soviet spy, Alexander Litvinenko, died (he was allegedly murdered by drinking tea laced with Polonium 210, whilst being entertained by the Russian agent called Lugovi at the Millennium Hotel in 2006), his lead lined coffin was buried in the same cemetery.
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