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Em Morley

The Average Property Price Across the Night Tube Lines

Published On: August 19, 2016 at 9:33 am

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The Night Tube has finally arrived in London! With services set to commence on the Central and Victoria lines tonight, eMoov.co.uk has revealed the average property price across the network.

The Tube will run past midnight tonight (Friday 19th August) for the first time on the Central and Victoria lines, with the Northern, Jubilee and Piccadilly lines set to follow in the autumn.

Online estate agent eMoov has taken a look at the average property price across the two lines due to open tonight, as well as the increase in value over the last year and the hottest locations for housing demand.

Night Tube Property Prices

The average house price across both the Central and Victoria Night Tube lines is £883,690 – around £300,000 more than the London average.

However, the average house price along the Central Night Tube line comes in just shy of this, at £858,034, while the Victoria line is the more expensive of the two, at an average of £939,812.

The Highest

Unsurprisingly, the Zone 1 stations across the lines dominate the top ten most expensive stops. At a whopping £2.5m, Marble Arch is the most expensive Tube stop across the new service, with Bond Street (£2.3m), Holland Park (£2.3m) and Notting Hill Gate (£2.3m) also exceeding the £2m mark.

Oxford Circus is the fifth most expensive stop on the Victoria line, at £1.9m, joined by Tottenham Court Road, at £1.9m. The Victoria line’s other entries in the top ten most expensive stations are Pimlico, Victoria and Green Park, all with an average property price just below £1.7m. At £1.4m, Holborn completes the top ten across both lines.

The Lowest 

Although the general price of London property is high, there are still a number of affordable options for those hoping to take advantage of the new Night Tube service.

Despite boasting the highest average price, the Central line is also home to the majority of the top ten cheapest stops.

However, the Victoria line hosts the cheapest station, with an average house price of just £347,389 at Tottenham Hale. Blackhorse Road and Walthamstow Central (both at £435,906) are the only other Victoria line entries in the most affordable stations, in ninth and tenth place.

The Central line fills out the rest of the top ten, from second to seventh, with Gants Hill (£362,303), Newbury Park (£362,303), Stratford (£362,886), Barkingside (£368,933), Fairlop (£368,933), Hainault (£368,933) and Leyton (£400,885).

The Average Property Price Across the Night Tube Lines

The Average Property Price Across the Night Tube Lines

Property price changes

Property prices along the Central and Victoria Night Tube lines have increased by an average of 3% in the past year.

The Highest

Warren Street and Euston, both on the Victoria line, have enjoyed the greatest price rises in the last year, of 8%.

The Lowest 

However, Chancery Lane (-6%), Holborn (-5%) and Bank (-5%) have all experienced significant falls in value over the past 12 months. Vauxhall (-0.4%), St Paul’s (-0.1%) and Liverpool Street (-0.1%) have also suffered marginal declines.

Property demand

Property demand across the two Night Tube lines is currently at 25% – just 3% below the rest of the Underground network.

Tottenham Hale is currently the most in demand area across the initial Night Tube service, with property demand at 56%. The Victoria line also accounts for the fourth and fifth hottest Tube stops, with Blackhorse Road (48%) and Seven Sisters (46%).

However, the majority of the most in demand stations on the Night Tube network are located along the Central line.

Woodford (51%) and Leytonstone (49%) are the most in demand stops on the Central line Night Tube service, with Loughton (45%), Barkingside (45%), South Woodford (44%), Snaresbrook (42%) and Leyton (42%) all in the top ten.

The founder and CEO of eMoov, Russell Quirk, says: “In London in particular, property close by to a good transport link, such as an Underground station, will always command more where price is concerned. In fact, transport links have almost become an additional feature of the property itself and a great bargaining chip during the house selling process.

“The introduction of the Night Tube service should only help boost the value of the properties surrounding stations due to benefit from the service. The great thing about the Underground and the night service itself is that you don’t have to live centrally to benefit; you can live out in Zone 4 or beyond and still benefit, not only from the Night Tube, but the cheaper cost of property.”

He explains: “Take the likes of Barkingside for example. It is situated on the Central line, has one of the lowest average house prices on the initial Night Tube network, but is also the seventh highest level of demand, and as a result, has enjoyed one of the largest price increases over the last year.

“The average property in Gants Hill will only set you back just over £360,000, but has also seen the third largest value increase across the Central and Victoria lines. Even Loughton out in Zone 6 is a promising prospect for homebuyers, with demand at 45% and price seeing a 5% increase in the last 12 months.”

Landlords, if you’re looking to take advantage of high tenant demand across the Night Tube network, consider one of the great value locations uncovered by eMoov.

Northern property market in ‘good health’ after Brexit

Published On: August 19, 2016 at 8:59 am

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A Northern property firm specialising in buy-to-let investment says that the negativity surrounding Brexit is far from accurate.

Instead, Sequre Property Investment has reported that the property market in the North of England is actually in ‘good health.’

Increases

The firm has reported a 12% rise in the number of sales recorded during July in comparison to June, alongside a 5% increase in enquiries.

A range of housing, commercial and retail development projects in Manchester and other Northern locations suggest that it is business as usual, according to Sequre.

One of these projects is the recently announced doubling in size of the MediaCityUK in Salford, west of Manchester city centre. Also driving business is the proposed 64 storey Owen Street skyscraper.

Investment opportunities

Graham Davidson, managing director of Sequre, said, ‘the reasons for investing in property remain the same-whether looking to generate additional income to top up your pension or investing in your children’s future.’[1]

‘Bricks and mortar remain one of the most rewarding investment choices, as increased volatility in the stock market means that tangible assets are now more important than ever,’ he added.[1]

Continuing, Davidson said that he feels the media have been too busy focusing on the impact of Brexit in London and the South.

Northern property market in 'good health' after Brexit

Northern property market in ‘good health’ after Brexit

He feels that, ‘in the north, there are still excellent opportunities. With entry prices as low as £75,000 for a one-bedroom apartment, strong capital growth can still be attained-the likes of which is simply now unattainable in the capital.’[1]

Student success

A separate set of figures released yesterday revealed that the north of England also offers the best rental yields for student properties. The North East was the best performing region, with Sunderland and Middlesbrough performing well.

[1] https://www.propertyinvestortoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2016/8/northern-property-market-performing-strongly-says-investment-firm

Just 1.6% of Households in Right to Buy Pilot Apply to Buy Their Home

Published On: August 19, 2016 at 8:37 am

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Just 1.6% of the households in the Right to Buy pilot scheme areas have applied to buy their social home, according to new figures.

Just 1.6% of Households in Right to Buy Pilot Apply to Buy Their Home

Just 1.6% of Households in Right to Buy Pilot Apply to Buy Their Home

The National Housing Federation (NHF) revealed this week that the five social landlords operating the pilot scheme have only received 790 applications.

The 1.6% figure is much lower than the 7% take-up rate projected by academics at Sheffield Hallam University in February, and considerably down on the 20% estimate made by a committee of MPs in October.

The Right to Buy pilot scheme is currently underway in parts of the South East, London, Norfolk and Merseyside – details of the number of applications in each area are not available.

Under the pilot, tenants are required to have lived in social housing for at least ten years.

However, many homes, including those built through section 105 planning obligations, were excluded from the pilot. In the main scheme, many of these tenants will be granted a portable discount.

The 790 applications represent just 5% of the tenants eligible for the scheme and living in a home that was not excluded, according to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

A spokesperson for the DCLG states: “We have always been clear that this is a small sample to test the new scheme before we roll it out nationally.”

The Government is yet to confirm the precise eligibility criteria that will apply in the full scheme.

The Chief Executive of Notting Hill housing association, Kate Davies, believes that demand is limited in London, due to affordability issues and high property prices.

Just 600 of the 790 applications were authorised under the pilot scheme, but unless more than 75% of the applications turn into completed sales, this allocation will not be taken up.

However, the Director of Strategy at pilot landlord Riverside, Hugh Owen, said in June: “We have had to carefully manage numbers throughout the pilot, but we are getting a sense that there is genuine pent up demand, and it is sobering to note that the survey reveals that more than 60% of those who have expressed an interest but not applied claim they will.”

Do the new figures prove that the scheme will be a failure?

Property prices in Scotland recovering

Published On: August 18, 2016 at 11:52 am

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Latest data from Your Move has indicated that property prices in Scotland have recovered to maintain an annual growth rate of 4%. This is the largest growth rate since May 2015.

The report shows that prices slowed slightly in the lead up to the EU referendum vote. In addition, the most recent Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) survey indicates that new buyer enquiries and new vendor instructions were also down.

Trends

Your Move thinks that this flattening of the market is a result of common seasonal trends. June often sees a slowdown in activity in the school holidays, but the fundamentals of the market remains strong.

An average property north of the border was worth £170,404 in June, 0.97% greater than the start of the year. What’s more, the Index shows that house prices and transactions were boosted in the second quarter of the year, with buyers looking to complete before the 3% increase on ‘second’ and investment properties.

In March, transactions were nearly 100% higher than they were in February, the largest peak since November 2007.

Property prices in Scotland recovering

Property prices in Scotland recovering

Distortion

Christine Campbell, Your Move managing director in Scotland, said, ‘June was the first month that the spike in house prices as a result of the 2015 LBTT changes dropped out of the annual figures. This previous distortion in property prices goes some way to explaining the seemingly significant annual price increase we saw this June. Whilst market sentiment remains strong, with continued demand from both buyers and sellers, it will be interesting to watch how potential Brexit implications play into transaction and price figures over the coming months.’[1]

‘Long term, the outlook for the housing market looks favourable. However, with housing demand continuing to vastly outstrip supply, it is important that we see a concerted focus on building new property to ensure there are enough homes for potential buyers across the country,’ she added.[1]

[1] http://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/property/scottish-house-prices-bounce-back.html

 

Manchester Mayoral Candidate Calls for Homes for All

Published On: August 18, 2016 at 10:52 am

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As part of his plan to create homes for all, Manchester mayoral candidate Andy Burnham has called for councils to receive a fund to help them purchase private rental homes in a poor state of repair.

The Labour MP also pledged to introduce a licensing scheme for private landlords across Greater Manchester, and gain powers to regulate rent rises and property standards, if he is elected as mayor.

In a blog for Inside Housing magazine, Burnham proposed measures to tackle the housing crisis and drive out the “scourge of absent, private landlords that bedevils much of Greater Manchester”.

Manchester Mayoral Candidate Calls for Homes for All

Manchester Mayoral Candidate Calls for Homes for All

Burnham suggests that councils should be provided with loan finance to buy out private landlords if they believe they are not keeping their properties up to the decent homes standard.

His plans for a community buy-back fund would “have a number of benefits”, he says.

He explains: “First, it will quickly expand public housing stock. Second, it will bring rents down to an affordable level. Third, it will enhance the ability of councils to turn around struggling neighbourhoods. Fourth, it will bring down the housing benefit bill.”

However, the Head of Policy, Public Affairs and Research at the National Landlords Association (NLA), Chris Norris, has hit back at the suggestions of rent controls and licensing scheme.

“What is disappointing is the almost immediate reversion to policies of intervention and control, which are both outmoded and proven to fail,” he says. “The people of Greater Manchester deserve better than promises to seek powers to cap rents and drive investment from the area by licensing the good and well-meaning whilst the criminally negligent continue to ignore the law.”

But Norris adds that Burnham was “right to recognise the paramount importance of having a home” and to create homes of different tenure.

He seemed to applaud the policy to buy out rogue landlords, but is cautious: “We might question whether the local community will thank Mr. Burnham for effectively rewarding the poor and sometimes criminal performance of bad landlords with a golden handshake.”

Norris suggests that Burnham may be better to work with good landlords in Manchester and ensure they are “treated like the valuable part of the community they are, so they could help lead the local buy-back he so desires”.

Burnham also wants to increase council and social housing across Greater Manchester’s ten boroughs by extending the £300m housing fund to pay for these homes. Currently, the fund is limited to commercially-led housing development.

He believes that the majority of the fund should help provide loans and guarantees to councils and housing associations to build more affordable homes to rent.

“A small proportion of the new homes will be designated rent-to-own; available on a long-term lease to people under 35, and giving hope of homeownership to generation rent,” he states.

The Manchester mayoral election will be held in May 2017. Burnham’s opponents are yet to be announced.

How has Brexit impacted on Leave and Remain regions?

Published On: August 18, 2016 at 10:19 am

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An interesting new report from independent estate agent haart has looked at the impact on property prices in areas that voted differently in June’s EU referendum.

The investigation reveals that areas that voted for the UK to leave the EU have seen a positive effect in the property market. However, those who voted to remain have seen a substantial fall.

Brexit

Figures from the report show the impact on property market confidence following the vote. Haart looked at registrations, listings and sales across 20 of its local branches.

Results indicate that ‘Remain’ branches saw a 6% drop in the number of listed properties. ‘Leave’ on the other hand saw a slight 1% increase. In fact, six out of ten Leave branches saw a rise in new listings.

However, the number of registrations fell in both Leave and Remain regions, down 30% on average in Remain locations and 23% for Leave areas.

Sales shift

The number of sales found to have fallen through in Leave branches was 2% lower than before the referendum. For Remain, sales falling through increased by more than 50% on average in the weeks following the historic vote.

Doncaster for example, where 69% of voters opted to Leave, saw a 25% rise in the number of new listings following the result. Wisbech, where 71% of people voted to Leave, saw a 9.6% rise in listings.

On the other hand, Great Shelford in South Cambridgeshire, where 60% of people voted to Remain, has seen a 42% drop in registrations. Similarly, Bristol, where 62% voted to Remain, saw a drop of new listings.

How has Brexit impacted on Leave and Remain regions?

How has Brexit impacted on Leave and Remain regions?

Referendum reality

Paul Smith, CEO of haart, observed, ‘it’s clear that the winners of the EU referendum are feeling much more confident about the future of the property market than those who voted Remain. The doom and gloom of the campaign has obviously had a lasting impact on how Remain voters feel about the economy and the property market, while Leave voters are much more relaxed. The areas that had the strongest Leave vote are even seeing a small surge in activity.’[1]

‘The reality is that we have a property market heavily driven by sentiment, and it’s the confident Leavers who are currently keeping the market afloat. If the government can continue to provide a strong vision for the UK’s post-Brexit future and a clear timetable for an EU exit, greater stability and confidence will follow, which might reassure Remainers. However if they can’t be convinced we could see the market and wider economy flat-lining for some time. Nevertheless the fundamentals of the residential market are strong, with people more determined than ever to get on to and move up the ladder, so we have every reason to be confident. When it comes to Brexit, it seems the only thing we have to fear is fear itself,’ he concluded.[1]

[1] http://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/property/leave-or-remain-which-areas-have-the-highest-property-sentiment.html