First home, family home… then what? Maybe nothing, new research suggests1, with older homeowners standing their ground and not considering downsizing. Indeed, seven in 10 respondents said that they are not looking to downsize, in a survey of 1,000 homeowners. Moreover, although 29% do plan to downsize within the next five years, only 13% of […]
Author archives: matthew
A defining moment – FTSE 350 female board representation
Three years ahead of schedule, FTSE 350 companies have met the target of achieving 40% female board representation, according to the latest FTSE Women Leaders Review1. The report highlights ‘steady progress’ in getting women leaders to the ‘top table of business in the UK,’ with Nimesh Patel and Penny James, co-chairs of the Review describing […]
Economic Review – September 2023
Rate-hike pause as inflation dips Last month, the Bank of England announced a pause in its long run of interest rate rises following an unexpected dip in the UK headline rate of inflation and ‘increasing signs’ that higher rates were starting to hurt the real economy. Following its latest meeting, which concluded on 20 September, […]
Residential Property Review – September 2023
Economic uncertainty weighs on the residential market The most recent UK Housing Market Update from Savills has highlighted that buyers’ budgets continue to be impacted by higher mortgage rates, and although inflation has begun to move lower, core inflation remains ‘unexpectedly sticky.’ During July, with completed sales reducing by 18% on the 2017-19 average, market […]
Commercial Property Review – September 2023
Private investors acquire £1.3bn of London office assets over 12 months Knight Frank’s latest research report on the capital’s office market has highlighted that over the last year, family offices and ultra-high-net-worth individuals have purchased £1.3bn worth of London office assets. Such high transaction volumes by wealthy private investors have been a by-product partly of […]
How does age affect your life insurance?
Age is a key factor in determining cost when you take out life insurance. Generally, the younger you are when you purchase a policy, the less expensive your regular premiums will be, because younger people are statistically less likely to die than older people, so the risk to the insurer is lower. Assessing the risks […]
Joint mortgages for FTBs
Traditionally, when thinking about joint mortgages, most people picture a married couple. Increasingly, however, friends or siblings are taking out joint mortgages when they buy their first home together. Stronger together A joint mortgage is the most popular way for first-time buyers (FTBs) to fund their home purchase, with more than six in ten opting […]