Property Investment News and Analysis from Dominic Farrell.
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View Article  Sterling hits a high against the Euro

Robust UK housing datapropelled sterling to a 15-month peak against the euro yesterday.

Already on the front foot after data from Hometrack, a property website, showed UK house prices rising at their fastest pace for two years in October, the pound extended its gains after the Bank of England said ...   more »

View Article  UK mortgage approvals hit 2 year high

The number of mortgage approvals in September were at their highest in more than two years, the Bank of England said yesterday, reinforcing expectations its monetary policy committee will increase interest rates to 5 per cent next month.

The loan data are considered by analysts to be a good lead ...   more »

View Article  UK interest rate 'must rise twice' to tackle inflation

Interest rates will need to rise to 5¼ per cent in the coming months if inflation is to fall back to its target by the end of next year, a respected economic think-tank says today.

In its latest forecast for the UK and world economy, the National Institute of Economic ...   more »

View Article  Spain: property groups build in risk of a slowdown

Over the past five years the Spanish real-estate market has exploded amid a fertile construction sector, historically low interest rates and record investment from within the country and abroad.

Lately, property companies have embarked on a slew of takeovers, initial public offerings and foreign acquisitions. Some observers attribute the activity ...   more »

View Article  UK GDP growth beats expectations
The UK economy grew at its fastest rate for two years in the third quarter of this year, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said.

UK GDP grew by 0.7% between July and September, compared with the previous quarter. A rate of just 0.6% had been expected by forecasters. ...   more »

View Article  Assetz warn of hype in Bulgaria's property market

Stuart Law of Assetz warned yesterday that there was too much hype involved in selling Bulgarian property, a view we have held at Bewarethesharks.com for the past 2 years and consequently we advised investors to avoid this market.

 

"There have been massive amounts of misinformation because people have thought ...   more »

View Article  German economy is growing at its fastest rate since 2000

The German economy is growing at its fastest rate since 2000 and companies have begun to re-hire after five years of downsizing.

The German government will on Friday add just less than a percentage point to its gross domestic product growth estimate for this year, underlining the robustness of the ...   more »

View Article  UK inflation figures boost sterling

The pound jumped to one-week high against the dollar and climbed against the euro on Tuesday after UK inflation data provided support for market expectations that the Bank of England would raise interest rates in November.

 

Official data showed that consumer prices rose 2.4 per cent in the year ...   more »

View Article  FT Index shows a rise in UK property prices

London house prices have surged by nearly 10 per cent in the past year, driving up property values across England and Wales in spite of August’s interest rate rise, according to the FT house price index.

Prices levelled off over the summer, but have bounced back to rise by 0.5 ...   more »

View Article  The rise of the landlord millionaire

Research published by Paragon Mortgages shows the remarkable growth of the buy-to-let business in just ten years.

The average professional buy-to-let investor now owns 12 properties, usually flats or houses in city centres, worth £1.54m.

To qualify as a 'professional', they have to own at least three properties and have ...   more »

View Article  Poland, Hungary and Czech Republic cannot afford to delay Euro

We all had a good laugh at the admission by Ferenc Gyurcsány, the Hungarian prime minister, that he lied morning, noon and night. But it is worth stepping back to look at the story behind the lies, and beyond Hungary. The 10 accession countries enjoyed seemingly miraculous economic runs through ...   more »

View Article  UK country house prices soar 13% in a year

Country houses in the Home Counties are the latest beneficiaries of a recovery in the housing market, with values rising at their fastest level for six years.

Rural homes of the sort favoured by City commuters leapt in value by 12.6 per cent in the past year, according to figures ...   more »

View Article  Dominic Farrell - Global interest rates, Eastern Europe and Cyprus

Another busy, but enjoyable week goes by.  Monday we had an evening seminar in Liverpool which was well attended with some investors flying in for the night – a classic “Ryanair effect”  I had 2 days in London, on the radio for one of them which I enjoyed ...   more »

View Article  European Central Bank raises rates to 3.25%
European Central Bank rasies rates by 25bps to 3.25%   more »
View Article  Bank of England leave rates unchanged at 4.75%

The Bank of England left interest rates unchanged at 4.75 per cent on Thursday, but the City expects another quarter point increase before the year is out.

The Bank's decision to stay its hand was forecast by economists, but a recent Reuters poll showed almost unanimity in the belief that ...   more »

View Article  "Substantial correction" in US property market - Fed Chairman

A "substantial correction" is under way in the US housing market but it has not so far had a big effect on the rest of the economy, Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, said on Wednesday.

The Fed chairman told the Economic Club of Washington that the decline ...   more »

View Article  UK property market up 1% in September

UK house prices rose by 1 per cent in September, but activity may have reached a plateau, Halifax said on Wednesday.

The stronger-than-expected figure confirms that homebuyers have yet to be deterred by August’s surprise rise in interest rates and the firm trend will not be lost on the Bank ...   more »

View Article  Martinsa bids for Spanish rival Fadesa

Martinsa, a Spanish property group, has announced an offer to buy rival Fadesa for €4bn ($5bn), potentially securing itself a stock market listing and joining a list of real estate companies seeking to raise their profile ahead of a shake-out in the overheated market.

The unlisted group, led by Fernand ...   more »

View Article  Dominic Farrell - the effect of politics and economics on Poland

In the Jet-to-Let Bible I examine the importance of political stability and the role of government and the economy in driving sustainable property markets. I have also cautioned investors to carefully consider any investment they make in emerging markets and take investment appraisals written by companies which want to sell ...   more »

View Article  Market Preview: ECB expected to raise rates this week

The latest interest rate decisions by the Bank of England and the European Central Bank, due on Thursday, provide the central events of interest this week but there will be plenty of economic data for investors to absorb.

The ECB is widely expected to raise eurozone rates to 3.25 per ...   more »

View Article  Nationwide reports jump in house prices - fastest rise since February 2005

The UK’s housing market, like the weather, remained unseasonably warm in September, with August’s rate rise failing to cool the pace of house price inflation according to the latest figures from Nationwide released on Thursday.

 

The building society said house prices rose by 1.3 per cent in September ...   more »

View Article  Jet to Let joy as sterling hits a 2 year high
Sterling hit a two-year high against currencies of major trading partners and a 15-month peak versus the euro, buoyed by expectations the Bank of England would raise interest rates in November, but may be due for a correction if it does not manage to break 1.9040 against the dollar. Recent ...   more »
View Article  Slower growth seen in Eurozone property prices

Eurozone house price growth is cooling markedly in parallel with a slowdown in US housing markets, according to bankers and economists.

The deceleration in the eurozone has gone largely unnoticed, partly because of the lack of up-to-date and comparable statistics in the 12-country region, and is probably not as pronounced ...   more »

View Article  Dominic Farrell warns against "blind" property investing

I have returned from the idyllic island of Cyprus and fabulous temperatures in the mid 30 degrees centigrade and have just completed a “Fundamentals…” course in London over the weekend. I really enjoy these opportunities to interact with so many people who have the common goal of creating wealth through ...   more »

View Article  More Jet to Let buyers opt for local lenders

A growing number of overseas property buyers are financing purchases with local currency mortgages, writes Sharlene Goff in London.

Lenders' criteria have been relaxed in relation to the established markets such as France, Spain and Italy, although obtaining finance in areas such as Bulgaria and Turkey is still quite tough....   more »

View Article  Cyprus property price inflation accelerates in August

Residential house prices rose for their sixth consecutive month in August.

Prices increased by 1.6% month on month in August.

On a year on year basis, prices are accelerating. Residential house prices rose by 10.3% year on year in August--the highest year-on-year growth on record.

Source:  Financial Mirror

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View Article  Halifax reports strong UK property price growth

UK house prices rose at a blistering rate in August, suggesting the Bank of England’s interest rate rise at the start of the month has so far done little to cool the property market.

Halifax, the country’s biggest mortgage lender, on Thursday said prices rose 1.0 per cent on the ...   more »

View Article  Bank of England hold interest rates at 4.75%

The Bank of England held interest rates at 4.75 per cent on Thursday, choosing not to shock markets with a rise for the second month running.

Economists and investors in financial markets expected the Bank to sit tight this month and had been betting that there was almost no chance ...   more »

View Article  Cyprus economy continues to grow strongly

Cyprus economy continues to grow strongly

 

Cyprus GDP grew in real terms during the second quarter of 2006 by 3.7% year on year.  This continues the robust performance of the economy and is in line with expectations.

 

Indicative indices on the performance of various economic activities during ...   more »

View Article  Dominic Farrell urges caution on some Eastern European markets

We are now back from our August break and looking forward to the rest of the year and all the investment opportunities it will bring. We had a fabulous time over the last three weeks and met some great people on our travels from Johnny Ball to P.D. James and ...   more »

View Article  European Central Bank hints at interest rate rises

The European Central Bank stepped up its inflation warnings on Thursday as it hinted strongly that interest rates would rise in October, and probably again in subsequent months.

Jean-Claude Trichet, the bank's president, announced significant upward revisions to the ECB's inflation forecasts for this year and next. He said "strong ...   more »

View Article  Eastern European property investment - avoid the hype

We are now back from our August break and looking forward to the rest of the year and all the investment opportunities it will bring.  We had a fabulous time over the last three weeks and met some great people on our travels from Johnny Ball to P.D. James ...   more »

View Article  We are now on holiday until the end of August

The team at Bewarethesharks.com are taking a well earned holiday and will be back in late August with all the latest topical issues which affect property investors.

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View Article  UK inflation to reach highest level under Brown - 5.5% base rates?

INFLATION is set to hit its highest level since Gordon Brown became UK Chancellor. Soaring energy costs and university top-up fees are to blame, a leading investment bank is warning this weekend.

The consumer price index (CPI) will hit 2.8% by the year’s end, the highest since December 1995, and ...   more »

View Article  Sterling to assault the $2 dollar mark

Sterling stole the headlines in the currency market this week, surging 1.7 per cent to a 16-month high in trade-weighted terms after a surprise UK rate rise.

Some even saw the pound as primed for an assault on the near-mythical $2 mark, a level last reached in September 1992 prior ...   more »

View Article  Councils woo UK buy-to-let landlords with lure of steady income

Buy-to-let properties have become an important source of supply to the private letting market over the past 10 years. Could they play a similar role in the public sector housing market?

Some buy-to-let owners are reluctant to take on tenants from the public sector, fearing they might be less able ...   more »

View Article  Home offices add value to your property

Running a business from home not only saves on the cost of office rental, it can add value to your property, according to figures compiled by Redbrick, a consultancy for homeworkers.

A comparison of house prices undertaken by Redbrick and Homefinder UK, the property search service, found home offices add ...   more »

View Article  Central Banks act to curb inflation

Reacting to fears of rising inflation, central banks across the world raised interest rates this week.

Australia raised rates to 6 per cent and the Bank of England unexpectedly raised its main rate to 4.75 per cent. Jean-Claude Trichet (above), European Central Bank president, followed shortly afterwards with a move ...   more »

View Article  Beware non-regulated property investment funds

I am often asked, "What do you think of XYZ property investment fund?"

My answer is always, "Is it regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA)?

If the answer is "Yes" I will then ask for the details, pricing, weighting, fund manager's experience etc..............make a few comments and then invite ...   more »

View Article  Lending data confirms pick up in UK property market

The renewed vibrancy of the UK housing market was confirmed on Monday after official data showed the number of mortgages granted at their highest level since the start of the year.

However, the same report also showed that consumers are proving ever more reluctant to borrow on their credit cards....   more »

View Article  UK, US and Eurozone interest rates outlook

The European Central Bank is set to step up the pace of monetary tightening this week with a rise in eurozone interest rates widely expected but the UK rate decision is a much closer call.

The latest data received by the Bank of England showed rising headline inflation, strong retail ...   more »

View Article  Caveat Emptor

A couple of investors today forwarded a property investment deal that they had received in their inbox.

 

The “deal” is overseas in a country that I know particularly well.

 

The inaccuracies in the factual information were astonishing and one particular claim was either misleading or showed a complete ...   more »

View Article  The longtime legendary appeal of Swiss franc loses its legs

With conflict raging in the Middle East, it might have been expected that the Swiss franc would benefit from its legendary safe haven status.

But the Swissie has remained weak as it has been much of this year. The franc on Wednesday was hovering close to the near-eight year low ...   more »

View Article  Property market pushes UK wealth to £6,000bn

Britain is now valued at more than £6,000bn on the back of a rejuvenated housing market, according to official data released on Monday.

In its annual calculation of the nation's wealth, the Office for National Statistics said that during 2005 the UK grew in value by £119bn to £6,012bn as ...   more »

View Article  China limits foreign investment in property

China's efforts to damp speculation in its property market took aim at a new target on Monday when the State Council approved a series of measures to restrict foreign investment in the sector.

The new package of rules – the latest in series of moves undertaken by Beijing in recent ...   more »

View Article  Record mortgages could nudge up UK interest rates

Would-be homebuyers should be careful not to over-borrow on their mortgages, experts warn, as the booming market in home loans becomes the latest factor adding to pressure for an early rise in interest rates.

Record mortgage lending figures may be good news for a resilient housing market and estate agents, ...   more »

View Article  London property investor networking - Wednesday 2 August 2006

The next London property investor networking event will be held on Wednesday 2nd August 2006 in Central London and is an open event.

For further details e-mail rebecca@bewarethesharks.com

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View Article  Liverpool property investor networking - Thursday 21 September 2006

The next Liverpool property investor networking event will be held on Thursday 21st September 2006.

For further details e-mail rebecca@bewarethesharks.com

 

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View Article  UK economy grows at fastest pace in 2 years

The UK economy grew at its fastest pace in two years in the second quarter, driven by robust service sector growth, according to official data released on Friday.

In its preliminary calculation of gross domestic product, the Office for National Statistics said output expanded by 0.8 per cent between the ...   more »

View Article  Sterling extends gains despite neutral MPC

Sterling continued to strengthen in European morning trade on Wednesday despite signs that the Bank of England was in no hurry to raise UK interest rates.

The minutes of the Bank's monetary policy committee's July meeting showed all seven members voted to keep rates on hold at 4.5 per cent. ...   more »

View Article  HIP - Apparent Changes on Home Information Packs Cast Doubt.
The news that the UK government is still hesitating about the introduction of Home Information Packs (HIPS) will not come as a surprise to many.  Pressure from estate agents and the industry as a whole will have had a significant part to play in the latest development, with HIPs becoming ...   more »
View Article  Boom in London House Prices

Fast growth increases North-South Divide, reports Luke Moore

 

According to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the difference in house prices between London and the rest of England and Wales is the highest it has seen.

The property market in London and the South East seems to be ...   more »

View Article  Home prices 'to rise 50% by 2011'

Average house prices in England could rise from £195,000 to nearly £290,000 by 2011, research from Oxford Economic Forecasting (OEF) has said.

Under-supply of new housing will fuel house price inflation, the OEF added.

Getting on the housing ladder will become even harder, it said, as house prices rise from ...   more »