Hold that thought: inside the ‘national scandal’ of leasehold properties

April 13, 2017

Hold that thought: inside the ‘national scandal’ of leasehold properties

Over 75 per cent of apartments in Hampstead are leasehold, whilst investors are cashing in by buying up freeholds in new builds throughout the capital. Here’s what you need to know about owning a leasehold property in north London

Do you really own your own home? The UK’s official rate of homeownership has fallen from 72 per cent in 2003, to 64.6 per cent in 2014. Excluding leasehold properties that are not legally owned by owner-occupiers, the true rate is 58.9 per cent, just 0.9 per cent higher than in 1981. In Hampstead and Kilburn 76.6 per cent of apartments are leasehold, according to the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership, 2014.

‘Homes Held Hostage’, a new HomeOwners Alliance report illuminates a lack of consumer understanding and malpractice in the sale of leasehold tenures, with under half of flats listed by agents clearly displaying the status of the tenure. Leasehold properties are now ubiquitous in the capital, with the number of new builds sold as leasehold almost doubling since 1996 to 43 per cent. 42 per cent of leaseholders surveyed did not know the time remaining on their leases.

“Unscrupulous and avaricious actors within the property industry are using sharp leasehold practices to line their own pockets and fleece householders,” says Paula Higgins, chief executive of the HomeOwners Alliance.

The report hits out at agents who fail to display the tenure offered and the length of the lease. It found that across 100 flats listed on a property search website, only 24 per cent of adverts placed were specific about the length of time left on leases.

“The situation is exacerbated by the fact that many estate agents are themselves ignorant about leasehold and fail to inform and educate their customers properly,” said Higgins.

One problem with a short lease is that lenders might not lend on a property that has fewer than 50 years left.

“Never rely on an estate agents estimate on what a lease extension might cost you,” advises Camilla Dell, managing partner at Black Brick Property Solutions. Her advice is to ensure to ask estate agents what the length of the lease is.

“It’s the estate agents job to accurately state this, along with the service charge and ground rent on the sales particulars,” she explains.

So what is all the fuss about? Leasehold tenures are sold as a lease from the freeholder to use a property for a number of years. Leaseholders pay an annual ground rent, maintenance fees, service charges and buildings insurance. ‘Ownership’ is undercut since permission from the landlord often has to be granted to own pets, sublet rooms or make changes to the property.

“It is a national scandal,” says Sebastian O’Kelly of the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership.

“No other home owners in any jurisdiction are so disempowered as those buying leasehold property in England and Wales – the only jurisdiction in the world that has it.” Even in Scotland, leasehold is a rare phenomenon, but in London the market is booming.

There are currently 5 million occupied leasehold flats and maisonettes in England and Wales, meaning that young buyers who often occupy them are disproportionately affected. In contrast, there are just 432,820 owner-occupied leasehold houses. There are currently 1.144 million privately-owned, owner-occupied leasehold flats or maisonettes where a share of the freehold is not held by the leaseholder.

The government has recognised the need to tackle the issue of leaseholder abuse, so far with little progress. Sajid Javid said in a statement on the Housing White Paper in February: “We will tackle the scourge of unfair leasehold terms, which are too often forced onto hard-pressed homebuyers.”

HOA’s recent Homeowners Survey showed that 49 per cent of leaseholders said they had experienced problems with their freeholder, and almost a quarter complained about the cost of fees and building works.

“This report shines new light on the difficulties faced by some home-owners who own their home on a leasehold basis often in the dark about the exact terms of their lease and currently unprotected from punitive terms including huge rises in rip-off ‘ground rents’,” says Labour Shadow Housing Secretary, John Healey.

42 per cent of those surveyed did not know the length of their lease. Of those that knew, almost one in four properties has less than 80 years remaining. Lease extensions can be carried out if the homeowner has occupied the property for more than two years, at an estimated cost of £4 billion to leaseholders as a whole. The complex process includes valuations and legal fees costing upwards of £500 and £750 respectively depending on quality, location and the existing lease.

Camilla Dell advises that buyers should feel happy to proceed with purchasing properties with at least 80 years or more left on the lease, although short leases needn’t be avoided.

“In fact,” she explains, “they can even be quite good as investments as you pay a lower price for the property to reflect the shorter lease. And if you plan on renting it out, the yield will be higher.”

High yields are certainly on the minds of developers, with four in 10 new builds offered leasehold. “Developers and estate management companies rely on leasehold to bamboozle consumers, charge exorbitant administration fees, ever increasing ground rents and render properties unsellable,” argues Higgins. The HOA demands new builds be mandatorily sold as commonhold, allowing buyers a freehold tenure with common responsibility. Yet given skyrocketing ground rents, developers are reluctant to offer tenures which rid them of freehold privileges.

“Developers and anonymous investors, often offshore, see the value of residential freeholds to blocks of flats,” explains O’Kelly. “Developers have increased income streams to the freehold to the highest degree possible.” He argues that high ground rents, short leases, fees and commissions and controlled management of blocks fundamentally disempower residents.

The homeownership crisis grows worse year on year as young people struggle to get a foothold on the housing ladder, and are excluded from a housing market which has forgotten them. Those who do stump up the cash to buy a leasehold tenancy do not own their own home and are stuck in a rut of ever-rising ground rents which prohibit them from purchasing freehold. “An entire generation of home buyers are seeing wealth erosion: they buy homes, but investors hitch a ride at their expense by owning the freeholds,” says O’Kelly.

With the explosion of buy-to-let and the failure to build good quality new and affordable homes, the housing market is failing young people and committing them to the label of ‘generation rent’ forever.

Leasehold in north London

Leasehold flats, maisonettes and apartments are disproportionately found in inner city areas in the capital. Half of London’s housing stock by number of properties is leasehold, with a third of all leasehold in England and Wales found in London.

Hampstead and Kilburn: 76.6 per cent

Westminster North: 85.5 per cent

Hornsey and Wood Green: 59.3 per cent

Finchley and Golders Green: 48.4 per cent

Source: Leasehold Knowledge Partnership, 2014

Right or Wrong?

The leaseholder has to take responsibility for common parts of the property. Wrong: this is the responsibility of the landlord.

An incoming leaseholder is not liable for outstanding charges. Wrong: check with a solicitor, as buyers can be liable for outstanding service charges and ground rent associated with the lease.

Leaseholders can sublet as they chose. Wrong: they must seek consent from the landlord.

The landlord can enter as they choose. Wrong: leaseholders have the right of quiet enjoyment without unreasonable interference.

The landlord can carry out works whatever the cost. Wrong: the landlord must consult on major works costing more than £250 to each leaseholder.

The landlord can make long-term contracts to the leaseholders cost. Wrong: the landlord must consult the leaseholder if expected to go on for longer than 12 months at more than £100 a year to the leaseholder.

The landlord can sell the freehold as they choose. Wrong: leaseholders have right of first refusal and the landlord must offer the freehold to leaseholders first (with some exceptions).

Leaseholders can have pets and make changes to their property. Right and wrong: permission must be granted by the landlord first.

Leaseholders can group together to buy the freehold. Right: satisfying certain conditions, the sale of the freehold can be enforced.

Leaseholders can do nothing about management if nothing is wrong with it. Wrong: they can group together and use the right to manage if they want to change the management whether deficient or not under a ‘no fault, no compensation’ process. If management is deficient, leaseholders can apply to the First Tier Tribunal for an appointed manager.

The landlord must provide his contact details. Right.

Leaseholders can challenge service and administration charges. Right: they can apply to the First Tier Tribunal whether already paid or not.

Leases cannot be varied. Wrong: with the agreement of all interested parties, it can be varied.

Leaseholders can extend the lease. Right: you can add 90 years to the existing lease with price agreed with the landlord.

Nothing can be done about poor management. Wrong: landlords must belong to a government approved redress scheme.

Buy-to-let landlords need these 10 contacts

June 05, 2017

Buy-to-let landlords need these 10 contacts

By Zoe Dare Hall

To make a landlord’s life easier, here are the 10 invaluable people they should have at their fingertips.
Here are the 10 people buy-to-let landlords ready should have on speed dial.

1. The lettings agent
If time, patience and know-how are lacking, landlords need a good lettings agent registered with the Association of Residential Letting Agents on side. “Are you really going to call the tenant’s last employer and previous landlord, for example? We get one forged passport a month and fraudulent bank statements every other week. Most landlords wouldn’t pick up on that,” says Marc von Grundherr, lettings director at Benham & Reeves.

2. The insurance company
Like the mortgage deal, the decor and the property itself, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the perfect buy-to-let – and it’s the same with landlord insurance. It is essential to have a policy that applies specifically to buy-to-let properties to cover both landlord and tenant arising from a range of incidents, such as an injury to the tenant, damage to the property or legal costs to repossess it.

3. The accountant/solicitor
Landlords would be wise to keep a solicitor at close range to call upon if things go wrong and to oversee all aspects of paperwork – including being able to act quickly when purchasing a new property. A specialist accountant is similarly vital. “The rental income generated is taxable and they will take away the headache of managing your payment commitments,” says Ali Carter, lettings manager at Russell Simpson.

4. The tradespeople
Having a trusted plumber, electrician and handyman on speed dial is essential to sort small problems before they escalate. There are simple things a tenant should do themselves, such as change a standard light bulb, says Mr von Grundherr. “But I’d rather spend £100 a month on a handyman and keep the tenant happy than focus on getting every last penny,” he adds.

5. The watchful neighbour
A trusty neighbour can keep a watchful eye on your property, take in deliveries and hold a spare key – “a real asset for you and your tenant”, says Richie Tramontana, founder of Red Property Partnership. In leasehold flats, he adds, it is also easier to get property maintenance or action from the local council if you present a collective voice with your neighbours.

6. The estate agent/buying agent
Making money from buy-to-let is becoming harder owing to higher stamp duty and changes to landlord tax relief. There is also a third more rental property available today compared with a year ago because of a weakening sales market, says Camilla Dell, managing partner of Black Brick buying agency, so it is important to know which areas are undersupplied and to buy the right kind of property.

“A third of our clients are BTL investors. Buyers often fall into the trap of believing what the selling agent tells them the property will rent for in order to make a sale, so we spend a lot of time advising clients on the rental market and collecting comparable rental data,” says Ms Dell.

7. The tax adviser
With ever-shifting sands around landlords’ tax liabilities, have a friendly expert who can keep up to speed with all the legislation and who will think ahead. Steve Bolton, founder of Platinum Property Partners, says: “How you set up your property business today may impact how you can draw an income or pass it on in the future.
“There are several business structures available that allow for buying and managing a buy-to-let portfolio and what works best for you will depend on your individual goals and circumstances.”

8. The mortgage broker
Greater than lettings fees, sudden repairs or void periods, the biggest cost a landlord usually faces is the mortgage. “With a wide range of products available, it’s always good to form a strong relationship with an expert mortgage broker. They can keep track of the best mortgage deals and advise on the right product, as different types of BTL property may require a different mortgage product,” says Mr Bolton.

9. The cleaner
First impressions count, so do not sacrifice a good tenant for a dirty flat. More landlords are insisting on including a cleaner as part of the tenancy now – either paid for by the tenant or included in the rental price. Penny Mosgrove, of Quintessentially Estates, says: “It’s a godsend to any professional tenant who is too busy to clean themselves. It’s also a way of having someone to keep an eye on the property for you.

10. The property manager
While a letting agent will find a tenant, the property manager will look after the tenant and property. Some agents wear both hats, but they are distinct roles. “The property manager keeps the landlord/tenant relationship on the right foot and the landlord on the right side of the law,” says Ms Mosgrove.

For landlords who consider it an unnecessary expense, Jo Eccles, managing director of Sourcing Property, adds: “Anyone who has been caught out will know it can more than pay for itself.”

Safer buy-to-let investment
Whether you are thinking of investing or are already a landlord, the Telegraph, on behalf of Direct Line, has created useful information on the ever-changing buy-to-let market.

Direct Line landlord insurance is five-star-rated by Defaqto (Defaqto is an independent researcher of financial products) and has more than 250,000 landlord customers. It has been crowned What Mortgage Landlord Insurance Provider of the Year for four consecutive years.

Why the Russians want Mayfair

June 09, 2017

Why the Russians want Mayfair
By Carol Lewis

The Russians are back buying luxury properties in central London and beyond. Favourable exchange rates and a rise in the price of oil mean that international buyers, particularly those from the Middle East and Russia, are spending millions on large homes in high-end neighbourhoods.

Camilla Dell, the managing partner at Black Brick Property Solutions, says her buying agency has had a 22 per cent increase in the number of Russians buying in central London this year compared with last. This includes a family who bought a large detached house in the heart of Kensington for £37 million and another who bought an apartment in a Mayfair development for £21 million. “The Russians have been our biggest spenders, paying an average of £18.5 million for their properties. They have been buying homes in prime central London, with a preference for Mayfair and Kensington. Their reasons for buying are relocating to London for family, better quality of life, safety and education. Brexit has not been a factor, although currency has,” Dell says.

The main nationalities buying in prime central London last year, according to the Mayfair-based agency, were British, Indian and Middle Eastern. This year the balance has shifted to Russian, French and Middle Eastern. Dell’s biggest sale this year was a £55 million house in Belgravia to a Saudi Arabian family. Savills also reports that super-prime sales, properties worth more than £10 million, are robust.

The estate agency reports there were 120 sales last year of properties in London worth more than £10 million.
While transactions were down a little on the previous year, slightly more was spent. In total about £2.5 billion of property worth more than £10 million sold last year, of which £1.5 billion was invested in properties worth more than £20 million, according to a report, Spotlight: Prime London & Country 2017, by Savills.

The agency also reports an increase in high-end sales in the home counties. There were four sales of more than £10 million in St George’s Hill in Surrey. High-spending buyers came from Europe, the Middle East, the Far East and Russia.

According to data from Hamptons International, the strengthening of the rouble against the pound means that property is 45 per cent cheaper than it was in January 2016 for Russian buyers. It also shows that international buyers accounted for one third of sales in London in the first three months of this year, up from 22 per cent in the last three months of last year, with the proportion of overseas buyers in the most expensive London neighbourhoods totalling 49 per cent. However, this is well below the peak of 60 per cent, achieved right after the European referendum when the pound was weak.

The proportion of EU buyers in prime central London has fallen from 33 per cent last spring to 8 per cent at the start of this year. It is the first time that European buyers are not the largest group of overseas buyers — overtaken by those from the Middle East, who accounted for 10 per cent of all purchases in prime central London. However, sales to European buyers in affluent London suburbs are rising; from 6 per cent at the end of last year to 10 per cent of all sales this year.

Johnny Morris, the research and analytics director for Countrywide, says: “Europeans are attracted to wealthy suburbs such as Wandsworth, Richmond and Wimbledon — driven by the exchange rate and market sentiment.”
The spike in international homeowners selling property in London, which occurred just after the Brexit vote — in London 46 per cent of sales were by foreign owners; in prime central areas the figure was 68 per cent — appears to have eased; now foreign owners selling accounts for 20 per cent of sales across the city, and 40 per cent in the centre. However, Morris says that a weak euro and Brexit uncertainty has contributed to an increase in sales by EU owners in prime central London.

Focus On Clapham: Commons, good schools and cosy gastropubs means families stay put in SW4

By Melissa York

Clapham is not a straightforward neighbourhood. Unlike Dalston, it isn’t synonymous with hipsters; it isn’t known for its international wealth like Knightsbridge; and it isn’t the naturalised home of the English gent like Hampstead. It’s best described as a south London suburb that has welcomed wave upon wave of migration from other boroughs.

The Georgian villas surrounding its famous Common welcome the overspill from Battersea and Chelsea, while its terraces are overflowing with young families and fresh-faced 20-somethings, often renting their home with many others.

“It is estimated that a quarter of Clapham’s buyers come from one of three boroughs: Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, and the City of Westminster,” says Lauren Atkins, MD of The Malins Group, which is currently selling 24 apartments it’s built in an old metalworks in the area, “and there is a growing trend, for people searching between Chelsea and Marylebone, to end up buying in Clapham Old Town.”

According to Land Registry data, the average house price made its biggest leap in 2014, when it rose from £714,555 to £744,616 in a year. The average property currently sits around £760,600, with a year-on-year increase of 0.6 per cent, sitting slightly below the London average of 0.8 per cent.

This slow down is being seen in areas considered part of Prime Central London in particular, and though Clapham has not traditionally been seen as a paid-up member of that exclusive club, the Old Town, Abbeville Village and the streets running off Northcote Road (known by some as Nappy Valley) are certainly resembling them more and more.
“Having operated in Clapham for the past 10 years, I’ve seen the area change from being a new Londoner’s temporary ‘stop point’ to an established neighbourhood in its own right,” says David Law, sales manager at Foxtons’ Battersea office.

“Ten years ago, Clapham’s demographic comprised mainly of first-jobbers in their early 20s, buying or renting their first property with the help of mum and dad, and happily frequenting the likes of the local O’Neill’s on Clapham High Street.” Now, O’Neill’s is a Byron, its neighbour is Trinity, a Michelin-starred restaurant, and it’s surrounded by gastropubs with leafy gardens like The Stonhouse, The Jam Tree and The Calf.

This newfound gentility has led to more people climbing the property ladder within the area, Law adds, “so there’s a sense of growing up locally.” However David Fell, analyst at Hamptons International, says people are also staying put because of tough conditions in the prime market generally.

Families are also drawn to the area for good private and state schools and the active outdoor lifestyle afforded by the Commons. “We have bought there for many British and several French families, most of whom worked in banking or law and were upsizing from areas like Chelsea and Pimlico. The jump in house and garden sizes were really difficult to resist as they got so much more space and value for their money,” says Jo Eccles, MD at buying agency Sourcing Property.

Another buying agent, Black Brick, says Clapham is a “very diverse area”, from maisonettes and flats for around £600,000 to period family houses that command from £4m around the edge of the Common. “Indeed, an original 9,000sqft Georgian villa is currently available for £12m,” says partner Caspar Harvard-Walls.

Area highlights
Grab a well-earned moment to yourself in the triangular oasis of Clapham Common. There are cafes, a number of sports facilities, two playgrounds, a skate park and its bandstand is the largest in London. It’s also surrounded by a number of excellent gastropubs and restaurants. Among the latter is Dairy, a local favourite serving up British food from a robata grill with homemade bread in a trendy, upcycled setting. Afterwards, head to Venn Street Records for cocktails, live music and and sourdough pizza. For the perfect produce for your famous dinner parties, Venn Street Market offers fresh groceries, meat and seafood from independent suppliers from 10am to 4pm every Saturday. For gastropubs, you’re absolutely spoiled for choice; from the quiet cool of The Abbeville, to the colourful beer garden of The Falcon, to the much-loved Sunday roasts at The Railway Tavern, there’s one for every occasion.
Area guide

House prices Source: Zoopla
DETACHED
£1.136m
SEMI
£1.324m
TERRACED
£1.280m
FLATS
£584,563

Transport Source: TfL
Time to King’s Cross: 19 mins
Time to Liverpool Street: 22 mins
Nearest train station: Clapham Common
Best roads Source: Hamptons International
Most Expensive: Liston Road: £2,630,000
Best Value: Paradise Road: £247,750

Opinion: Important advice for the Bank of Mum and Dad – do your research and think about what your child wants, too

By Melissa York, City A.M.,

Rising house prices, together with stagnated salary inflation, have meant that more first time buyers are struggling to afford to get onto the property ladder, particularly in London where Hometrack data shows current property values are 85% higher than they were eight years ago. As a result, the “Bank of Mum & Dad” has become much more prevalent in helping their offspring onto the ladder, with the average hand out per child in London amounting to £24,800. So far this year, 20% of our clients have been buying for their children and we predict that this will increase by 10-15% over the next two years.

For those who plan on helping children financially, the first thing to work out is affordability. Some parents will have savings but others will need to borrow to help their children out. There are several ways to do this, for example, by remortgaging, or apply for a loan. Whatever option you decide, it’s a good idea to seek independent financial advice first.

For parents who want their children to repay the loan at some point in the future, drawing up a loan document is straightforward and it should set out the repayment terms, and any interest payable. It needs to be signed by both parties.

A common preference for parents buying for children is two-bedroom homes, and within close proximity to good transport links and other amenities. These offer a good future investment due to their broad appeal either for buy to let, first time buyer or professional couples. Areas such as Ladywell are proving particularly popular for first time buyers who are looking for value for money and within easy reach of Central London; we recently bought a two-bedroom property there for a client for £370,000. While there is a demand on new builds from first time buyers, we are seeing more of an interest in second hand properties which are often less expensive due to the premiums attached to new builds.

With so many ways to help your child get onto the property ladder, it’s important to put the time in to properly research the various options that are available. I would strongly advise carefully reviewing all potential risks and benefits and speak to your son or daughter about the option that is best suited to their needs as well as your own.
For further information on Black Brick, please visit www.black-brick.com

For further press information, please contact Emma Horton or Clodagh Foley at Foundation PR Ltd on: emma@foundation-pr.co.uk / clodagh@foundation-pr.co.uk or telephone: 020 7580 2492 / 07989 979693.

‘Look at the property’s value in 2014, take off the additional Stamp Duty, and use that as a benchmark’ – Black Brick

Prime London’s market seems to be bottoming out, agrees Camilla Dell
by PrimeResi June 6, 2017

Thing are looking up in the Prime Central London property market, says Black Brick boss Camilla Dell, despite all the uncertainty swirling around the General Election and Brexit negotiations.

Dell’s calling of the bottom of the market (or at least the beginning of the end of a downward run) chimes with analysis from a fleet of other key players including Cluttons, Knight Frank, JLL, Savills and – most emphatically – Humberts.

But Dell’s gone a bit further, offering up a practical insight into how one benchmarking play is getting decent amounts off those unrealistic asking prices for its clients: 2014 prices, less the value of George Osborne’s additional stamp duty, seems to be the magic formula for buyers.
Black Brick says it has negotiated below asking price on 67% of the properties recently purchased on behalf of clients, with an average reduction of 7%.

We are seeing vendors and agents become more realistic with pricing, and the market has now largely absorbed the Stamp Duty increases that came into force last April, so buyers are wanting to get on and purchase.
The falls in Prime London pricing over the last 12 months or so correlate very closely with the Stamp Duty increase
We don’t expect prices to fall much further. Indeed, the falls in Prime London pricing over the last 12 months or so correlate very closely with the Stamp Duty increase. Those properties at the lower end of the market, where Stamp Duty was basically unchanged, have held their value well. However, for more expensive property, price falls tend to mirror the increased Stamp Duty charge.

This has given a useful yardstick on which to negotiate with sellers – we can look at the property’s value in 2014, take off the additional Stamp Duty, and use that as a benchmark. It’s proving a successful approach for us and our clients. It’s in a flat market like this where a buying agent can really help – we are going in, negotiating hard – and it’s working.

The fall in sterling has seen cost reductions in the 30-40% range for dollar buyers which is partly the reason why these buyers are keen to invest. Many have decided that this is the year to add to their London portfolios and we have been instructed by a number of families to start the property search. Based on a Conservative win on 8th June, we don’t expect to see any material effects on the London property market as a result of the general election.
Camilla Dell is Managing Director of Black Brick
black-brick.com

More realistic prices sees pick up in central London prime property market

Sellers and estate agents in the prime central London property market are being more realistic with asking prices and as a result there is movement in what has been a stagnant market.

The market has largely absorbed the stamp duty rises introduced in 2014 and for international buyers currency exchange means they are getting more value for their money, according to property search firm Black Brick.

There is strong interest from buyers in the Middle East and Asia and this could be due to them not being as affected by Brexit as would be buyers from Europe.

‘We are seeing vendors and agents become more realistic with pricing, and the market has now largely absorbed the stamp duty increases that came into force last April, so buyers are wanting to get on and purchase,’ said Camilla Dell, managing partner of Black Brick.

‘We don’t expect prices to fall much further. Indeed, the falls in prime London pricing over the last 12 months or so correlate very closely with the stamp duty increase. Those properties at the lower end of the market, where stamp duty was basically unchanged, have held their value well. However, for more expensive property, price falls tend to mirror the increased stamp duty charge,’ she pointed out.

‘This has given a useful yardstick on which to negotiate with sellers. We can look at the property’s value in 2014, take off the additional stamp duty, and use that as a benchmark. It’s proving a successful approach for us and our clients. It’s in a flat market like this where a buying agent can really help. We are going in, negotiating hard and it’s working,’ she added.

Black Brick has negotiated below asking price on 67% of the properties recently purchased on behalf of clients, on average by 7%. There are currently a range of buyers in the market from all nationalities particularly British and Middle Eastern of which almost 50% are owner/occupiers, with 25% investor led.

‘The fall in sterling has seen cost reductions in the 30% to 40% range for dollar buyers which is partly the reason why these buyers are keen to invest. Many have decided that this is the year to add to their London portfolios and we have been instructed by a number of families to start the property search,’ Dell concluded.

Focus on Marylebone: No longer a modest pocket of London, W1U is now as expensive as Mayfair

It’s hard not to think about the Monopoly board when considering what the most salubrious areas are in London. Park Lane and Mayfair may be the highest prized, but in reality, they’re being outstripped by a train station.
Over the past 12 months, Marylebone has been the top performing area in Prime Central London, according to data by Knight Frank. From March 2016 to March 2017, house prices have risen by 0.7 per cent, which may not sound like much until you factor in that prices have dropped by 6.4 per cent on average across PCL.

“During a more challenging market, we found that buyers look outside their traditional locations,” says Christian Lock-Necrews, partner and office head for Knight Frank’s local branch. “Many found Marylebone in that period to be an area of London that represented best in class properties in a central London location, yet it allowed them to get more for their money than Mayfair or Knightsbridge.”

Indeed, Knight Frank’s report found that UK buyers were generally downsizing from Hampstead and Highgate or relocating from Mayfair, with some agents now saying it’s more popular than the toast of the Monopoly board.

“Marylebone used to be the ‘forgotten’ postcode and property prices were typically 30 per cent lower than Mayfair,” says Camilla Dell, managing partner at buying agency Black Brick. “There is now very little difference in pricing between the two.”

Data from David Fell, research analyst at Hamptons International, puts half of all sales at over £1m, with the most expensive property ever sold going for £12.75m on Blandford Street in 2014, which is surprising for an area not known for large houses, but its converted apartments in Georgian mansion blocks and Victorian terraces.

“Unlike most of its neighbours, Marylebone was never built for the super-rich,” adds Fell. “Terraces and squares were colonised by the comfortably well off. Homes were built one bay window wide with porchless entrances and few stucco details. Prices remain reflective of this social divide to this day with Oxford Street presiding over one of the largest price gaps anywhere in the capital.”

Historically, new builds have been relatively thin on the ground – there was a boom in the late 90s when the sidings of the railway station were converted into 380 flats – but a recent slew of high end homes have undoubtedly changed the character of the area. Notable schemes include Galliard’s The Chilterns, Ronson Capital Partners’ Chiltern Place, The W1 on the high street and Park Crescent overlooking Regent’s Park.
Portland Place has been singled out by Simon Deen, director of Aston Chase, as the most desirable street, saying it’s “fast becoming the Park Avenue of London.”

The retail offering in Marylebone is another big draw to the area for domestic buyers. Landowners Howard de Walden Estate and Portman Estate have been hugely influential in this area, curating a village atmosphere and a retail mix that’s 71 per cent independent. There are an impressive 83 restaurants in the area, including celeb-haunt Chiltern Firehouse, only pipped to the post by estate agents, of which there are 84.

The area’s increasing desirability (not to mention Crossrail, which will fling frequent flyers to Heathrow in under 30 minutes) has attracted a lot of new overseas buyers, too, largely from the Middle East, India and South Asia, according to David Adams, director of Humberts, who has been working in the area for over 30 years.
He adds that international investment has been fuelled by George Osborne as much as anything else. “The high stamp duty on property discourages British homeowners from moving locally, but it is more affordable for international investors buying with US-backed currency and those from low-tax regimes such as Dubai.”
Foxtons says its values the average one bed flat in Marylebone at £800,000, while family houses are commanding prices of over £2.5m.

Area highlights
Famous things first: the Chiltern Firehouse has overtaken The Ivy in recent years as the go-to place for celebrities to be papped. Yet, it’s not the only restaurant that’s been creating a stir; L’Autre Pied, Trishna and Orrery all have Michelin stars and Artesian has claimed the title of world’s best bar twice. Selfridges, while hardly a hidden treasure, is still an impressive local department store to call your own. It’s the second largest in the UK after Harrods in Knightsbridge. For a touch of culture, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre is nearby and has become a fixture of summer in the city, fitting 1,200 people for each performance. Wigmore Hall is also on your doorstep, an intimate Victorian concert hall hosting chamber music and lunchtime recitals. Visit one of Europe’s finest art galleries in Hertford House. Admission to the Wallace Collection is free and is also home to a world class armoury.

Area guide

House prices Source: Zoopla
DETACHED
£1.196m
SEMI
£1.413m
TERRACED
£2.221m
FLATS
£1.383m

Transport Source: TfL
Time to King’s Cross: 12 mins
Time to Liverpool Street: 21 mins
Nearest train station: Marylebone

Best roads Source: Hamptons International
Most Expensive: Wyndham Place: £5.325m
Best Value: Frampton Street: £408,000

The play’s the thing: developers appeal to culture vultures by building theatres right next door to home

By Nicola Venning

There are many reasons for buying a home: location, size and lifestyle all spring to mind. But equally important, though more elusive, is a sense of community. For Sarah and Justin Savage, who work in the theatre industry, that comes from a vibrant arts scene with pop-in-for-tea neighbours and a friendly local.

“We are used to having a community and chatting to our neighbours, and want to carry on doing that,” says Sarah. “As well as being close to a good theatre.”

Sarah and Justin, both 60, first met four years ago – after finding each other on the Telegraph dating website – at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, west London, where early episodes of Doctor Who, Hancock’s Half Hour and Play School were made.

Sarah, a former actress and scriptwriter, and Justin, a theatre producer, married two years later and started the hunt for a home for their new life together.

When the newly-weds discovered that Riverside Studios was being redeveloped as an arts hub in conjunction with a new apartment complex, Queens Wharf, they realised they had found their “forever home”.
“It was a no-brainer, really,” says Sarah. “It enabled us to have access from our building to the cinema, theatre, restaurants, bars, and have places to take clients. It is the perfect spot for us at this stage in our lives.”
The couple – who now run their own theatrical management agency, Savages, representing actors – bought a three-bedroom apartment with a large terrace, and plan to move in this November.

A flat at Queens Wharf, sold through CBRE Residential. Two-bedrooms start from £1.15 million, rising to £1.425 million for a three-bedroom flat

Queens Wharf has 165 apartments, which are being sold through CBRE Residential; two-bedrooms start from £1.15 million, rising to £1.425 million for a three-bedroom flat.

Creating cultural spaces within new apartment blocks is a growing trend as developers have realised they help sell homes and create communities. “People want to live and work in a place where things are happening: arts exhibitions, music venues, street parties and celebrations in the community,” says David Twohig, chief development officer at the group overhauling Battersea Power Station.
Twohig is tasked with the challenge of creating a sense of community in the sprawling, shiny new development.

Arts spaces and socialising are incredibly important for all areas, but particularly new ones. They enable people to come together and help build community. It is the stuff of life David Jubb, artistic director and the boss of Battersea Arts Centre.

Battersea, which will ultimately have 25,000 people living and working within its 42 acres, will have 250 shops, cafés and restaurants and nine entertainment “platforms”, which include open squares, parks, playgrounds and indoor areas. The Village Hall, a rather bucolic-sounding name for an urban community space, sits within Circus West Village, the first phase of 865 apartments where prices start from £400,000.

Events there are being curated with the help of local Battersea Arts Centre, and are designed to draw in the wider community as well as new home owners. A choir is already up and running while theatre, stand-up comedy, Ted talks and local celebrations such as weddings are in Battersea’s vision.

“Arts spaces and socialising are incredibly important for all areas, but particularly new ones,” says David Jubb, artistic director and the boss of Battersea Arts Centre. “They enable people to come together and help build community. It is the stuff of life.”
A vibrant cultural centre also helps create a sense of place. As well as several restaurants, a pool and gym, One Tower Bridge by Berkeley Homes will include a new theatre alongside its 376 apartments.

The 900-seat Bridge Theatre, run by Sir Nicholas Hytner and Nick Starr, both veterans of the National Theatre, opens this autumn. Not only will it add glam to the already high-end apartments (with prices starting at £1.475 million), but it will enhance a relatively overlooked section of the South Bank.

Increasingly, creative outlets are the amenity of choice. Brewery Gate, a development of 28 family homes by St James’s in Twickenham, has foregone a gym in favour of a community hub and 320-seat theatre. The success of an arts – and indeed any – public venue depends heavily on how it is run, and this facility, where homes start from £1.55 million, will be managed by St Mary’s University.

Such venues also transform the merely interesting into the highly desirable. Television Centre is generally regarded as “one of the coolest and hippest new developments,” says Camilla Dell, managing director of Black Brick, a buying agency. And that is despite being in less-than-fashionable White City. Formerly part of the BBC, the much loved Grade II listed building is being turned into 950 homes. Prices start from £750,000 for a one-bedroom apartment.

It includes a host of the usual amenities (health club, hotel, cinema), but it is the building’s television history and its three soon-to-be-reopened studios (home of Strictly Come Dancing, among others) that make it stand out. Wander down from your flat to a live recording of your favourite show – how’s that for local culture?

Focus on Clerkenwell: The City’s cooler cousin is celebrating its Design Week and anticipating price rises after Crossrail

By Melissa York

From 23-25 May, Clerkenwell Design Week will be upon us again. The annual event, with its artisan furniture makers and 3D-printing architects, will be the eighth celebration of the area’s transformation from post-industrial, City backwater to the home of more creative businesses and architects per square mile than anywhere else in the world.

And it hasn’t just found favour with businesses, but residents too, as increasing numbers of Londoners look to the design district as a desirable place to live. The local branch of Dexters estate agents says Clerkenwell “is the high-end face of edgy east London, with its eclectic mix of loft-style apartments, period homes and modern blocks within a commercial setting.”

The only thing to say about Clerkenwell’s housing stock is that it’s incredibly diverse. Foxtons notes that only 12 per cent of the property portfolio is freehold, which accounts for the popularity – and higher asking prices – for apartments and terraces. Property prices vary enormously, depending on the particular dwelling. This variation is due to the absence of a single masterplan to develop the area, as it was owned by over 100 different estates.

“Narrow streets lined with old industrial buildings saw Clerkenwell give birth to loft living in London during the early 90s,” says David Fell, research analyst at Hamptons International, who marks Manhattan Loft Corporation’s first project in Summer Street as a turning point. “Local developers were quick to follow, with warehouses vacated by artisans converted into flats for the legions of new City workers created by the 1980s Big Bang.”

The number of conversion schemes has meant two thirds of sales sold last year were new homes. While these conversions are still wildly popular, they are not all created equal. Jamie Burnhope, a buying consultant at Black Brick, says, “In the 80s and 90s, developers did not spend a lot of money maintaining the integrity of the buildings, and as a result, many lost their original character. There are only a few buildings that deliver the type of flat associated with the area, including 190 St John Street, Paramount Building, Ziggurat Building, 1-10 Summers Street and Warner House.”

But it’s not just the architecture that draws people to live in Clerkenwell; it’s the social life. Restaurants, gastropubs, boutiques and theatres have come moved in, and 80 per cent of its retailers are independents. “The main difference between what it used to be five years ago and now is how cosmopolitan and upbeat the area has become,” says Foxtons’ Josh Walsh. “It used to be seen almost as an extension of the City, buzzing during weekdays, but quiet at weekends.”

The area’s newfound vibrancy means it’s seen year-on-year house price growth of 7.7 per cent, according to Hamptons International data, which also recorded 102 sales of over £1m in 2016. Your average two bedroom flat will cost in the region of £950,000, around £2,500pcm to rent, proving a solid buy-to-let investment, according to Jo Eccles, managing director at Sourcing Property.

“Gross rental yields are much higher than other parts of London; we’re achieving on average 3.4 per cent for the landlords whose properties we manage and the investment properties that we bought have all let extremely quickly, typically to finance, tech and media tenants.”

Work is also nearly complete at Farringdon for the new Crossrail station, which is expected to arrive in 2018.
“From here you can walk into the City but creating that link between Farringdon and Canary Wharf is going to provide a huge change,” says Chris Rowe, sales manager at KFH Clerkenwell. “No one’s buying now knowing that they’ll then be able to get to work in a year’s time. People want to move in when the transport links are there, so I don’t think we’ll really see that jump [in prices] until it’s here. But they are definitely going to jump.”
But until that time comes, Clerkenwell will have to settle for being the City’s cooler, creative cousin.

Area highlights
There are more great local restaurants in Clerkenwell than you can wave a greasy spoon at. The Hawksmoor team are behind Foxlow, a modern European restaurant that loves its meat, while fancy French can be had at the Bleeding Heart, and its neighbouring pub and bistro. For a cracking brunch, head to The Modern Pantry, serving up cooked combinations that are a mile away from your standard eggs benedict, or go bottomless at the Bourne & Hollingsworth Building at the weekend. Smithfield, London’s oldest meat market, is as popular as ever, while Exmouth Market, on a semi-pedestrianised street, is its trendier neighbour. See some of the best dance companies in the world perform at Sadler’s Wells, the sixth theatre on the site since 1683, while the Charles Dickens Museum, near the border with Holborn, is also worth a look-in for original manuscripts and personal artefacts.

Area guide
House prices Source: Zoopla
DETACHED
£279,082
SEMI
£366,196
TERRACED
£934,883
FLATS
£803,010
Transport Source: TfL
Time to King’s Cross 3 mins
Time to Liverpool Street 5 mins
Nearest train station Farringdon

Camden named amongst top five property investment hotspots, but London prime property market remains hard to predict

By Frankie Crossley

Camden is fourth in a list of property investment hotspots across the UK, with prices predicted to rise 33.9 per cent over the next five years.

The borough placed behind Richmond upon Thames, St Albans and Three Rivers.

The Barclays UK Property Predictor indicated prices would increase at a rate of 6.02 per cent a year..

London as a whole is predicted to see an average annual increase of 2.27 per cent, or 11.88 per cent by 2021.

As for the UK as a whole in the next five years, Barclays expects the average annual price increase to be 1.31 per cent a year, or 6.1 per cent by 2021.

The report estimated a nationwide price rise of 6.1 per cent by 2021, bringing the average property value to just shy of £300,000.

Average house prices are expected to rise to £290,714, up £16,714 from today’s average.

38 per cent of high net worth investors (HNWIs) anticipate a price hike in the north of the country, spurred on by high employment, increasing average earnings and promising business start-up rates outside the capital drawing entrepreneurs looking to make better profits than overhead heavy London.

Not often the focus of housing optimism, millennials are purportedly behind the predicted buoyancy of the investment market according to Barclays, that’s provided they have refrained from splurging on avocado toast and have a cash to splash.

Property made up 41 per cent of the portfolios of those surveyed, 18 per cent more than over 55s.

Younger HNWIs were also more optimistic, with 75 per cent aiming to increase the proportion of property in their portfolio by 2021. Just one in 10 over 55s said the same.

The bank of mum and dad is clearly paying dividends to well off property pundits who benefit from a plumper purse. Indeed, young HNWIs were more likely to own more than one property than their older counterparts.

The rental market is prime property for millennial investors, with 65 per cent of those looking to buy doing so in anticipation of rental rises.

23 per cent said they would use a buy-to-let mortgage to fund procurement, in contrast to just 7 per cent amongst older investors. Just under half (48 per cent) of their annual income was generated from rent.

Dena Brumpton, CEO, Wealth & Investments at Barclays, said: “It’s encouraging to see that property is still viewed as an important part of the investment portfolio with high net worth investors typically owning three properties and over a quarter planning to buy property because they believe that it offers long-term investment security.”

Camilla Dell, managing partner and founder of Black Brick Property Solutions is less encouraged. “I would say [this] is quite a simplistic way of looking at the market because the London property market is not homogenous; different parts of the market will behave and do very different things in the next five years,” she said.

“Savills are actually predicting Prime Central London growth of 21 per cent over the next five years cumulative, so quite a bit more than what Barclays’ price predictor is showing. Knight Frank are suggesting that east London will increase far more than more traditional west London and Prime Central London postcodes. So there’s quite a big discrepancy in their data.”

Unfortunately, the buying agent is also less convinced that Camden will perform better than elsewhere. “I’ve seen lots of research around HS2, Crossrail 2, east London because of all the technology companies investing there but I can’t say I’ve come across anything that says Camden is a hotspot,” says Dell.

Instead, Dell offers that the most growth will be seen in the market below £1 million outside Prime Central London. “That’s where we see the most growth happening over the next five years where we still continue to see supply and demand in balance and first time buyers competing with investors.”

Predicting the future in today’s turbulent market is quite the challenge given the number of known unknowns: Brexit and next week’s General Election to name but a few, and agents will no doubt be reluctant to put figures on future sales in a market which is already suffering the consequences of confusion and uncertainty.

“Most forecasts actually are predicting that London will flat line over the next two years because of uncertainty over Brexit,” said Dell.

“Actually, the market could fall in certain areas and certain price brackets if we suddenly see large numbers of people leaving the city. Potentially we might see price falls in certain parts of the market; that market between £2,000,000 to £5,000,000 is particularly vulnerable.”

Barclays’ report is the latest in a line of optimistic property reports which agents claim have no stake in the reality of a market encumbered by sluggish sales and slashed asking prices as a result.

“Sellers in the current market are having to cut their asking prices in order to get people in through the door,” explained Dell. “We see that more and more, particularly on properties priced from £2,000,000 upwards in central London. That’s been the part of the market that’s been the most susceptible to things like Stamp Duty increases.”

The very top end of the market is a “micro market” that operates independently and is less susceptible to political and economic fluctuations due to the availability of capital to buyers in the £20,000,000 plus market.

As for the future, Dell was cautious rather than pessimistic. “I think in the next two years there’s a lot of uncertainty because of Brexit which is likely to affect London more than any other market,” she said.

There is a silver lining to the great Brexit stormclouds brewing in Brussels, however. “Potentially that uncertainty brings opportunities for buyers because they can take advantage of that and that’s certainly what we’re doing at the moment for our clients.”

Sealed bids and gazumping return to central London in boost for property market

By Jonathan Prynn

Sealed bids and gazumping have returned to central London in a remarkable spring revival of a market in “deep freeze” for two years.

Buying agents said the number of clients looking for “Brexit bargains” in areas such as Knightsbridge and Canary Wharf had soared by as much as a third in recent weeks.

Interest is most intense in the sub-£1 million bracket where stamp duty rates are lower, but also in the £3 million to £5 million range, with Chinese buyers particularly keen to invest.

Prices in prime central London areas have fallen by an average of 12.5 per cent since they peaked in late 2014, when former chancellor George Osborne increased stamp duty on properties over £1 million, according to agents Savills.

This, combined with a 16 per cent fall in the value of the pound against the dollar since the EU referendum last June, means that the London market is now around 30 per cent cheaper for a foreign buyer — and as much as 50 per cent less expensive for some individual properties.

Trevor Abrahmsohn, managing director of agents Glentree International, said: “We’ve been through a torrid time but Brexit has saved the property market at the higher end. I am delighted to say we have agreed £30 million of sales in the past two weeks. We had a run of seven sales in the £3 million to £5 million range and are now short of stock.”

The recent stability in the pound has also persuaded some investors that it is now “safe” to plough their money back into London bricks and mortar.

Jo Eccles, of buying agent Sourcing Property, said: “The market is definitely picking up across all price brackets. We have been bidding on a family house in Knightsbridge for just under £5 million, there is competition from another buyer and the vendor has this afternoon asked to go to sealed bids.

“We have seen nearly 35 per cent increase in the past three weeks in the number of buying clients we are representing and a 60 per cent increase in serious enquiries from potential buying clients over the past two weeks.”

Camilla Dell, managing partner of agent Black Brick, said: “We are also seeing a return of competitive bidding across the spectrum, particularly on property that is priced correctly in line with the current market.

“We have also seen a return of gazumping. We recently secured a flat in Canary Wharf for a client at £1.48 million. Our initial offer of £1.44 million was accepted but we were gazumped by another buyer who offered £1.5 million. Luckily, we managed to re-agree the sale at the original asking price as our client was a cash buyer.”

Cherie Blair was allegedly gazumped by a British actress after trying to buy a five-bedroom house in Marylebone for her daughter. The barrister, 62, is said to have had an offer of £2,765,000 accepted for the Georgian property, only to be outdone by a higher offer from St Trinian’s star Talulah Riley. The actress, 31, who divorced tech billionaire Elon Musk for the second time last year, reportedly paid £3 million.

Another factor has been the closing of the price gap between central London and the suburbs where there have been double-digit annual rises in prices over the past two years. An example of prime property being snapped up is a five-bedroom townhouse in Highgate that was on the market for £6,950,000 and is now under offer.

Jonathan Hopper, managing director of the buying agents Garrington Property Finders, said: “Prices in the outer boroughs will never catch those in prime London, but the boom in the ’burbs is narrowing the gap with the flagging centre — and making properties of all sizes in desirable postcodes appear better value.”

‘Very British and very discreet’: the revival of London’s St James’s

By Nicola Venning

In its heyday, dukes, dandies, artists and politicians all lived and socialised in St James’s, London. The district, convenient for both St James’s Palace and the Houses of Parliament, was the height of fashion. Gladstone, Sir Isaac Newton and William Thackeray all lived here.

The Earl of Shelburne, later Marquess of Lansdowne and Prime Minister, liked St James’s so much he even founded his own club, Boodle’s, in 1762.

There are still nine private members’ clubs and hotels in and around St James’s Street. The area, which is only now beginning to return to its residential roots, was the place for the wealthy gentleman.

“It’s old English posh,” says Peter Byfield, a restaurateur and entrepreneur who moved to St James’s from Mayfair 18 years ago and has lived there ever since. “St James’s is an incredibly old-fashioned and dignified place to be.”

After the Second World War, the area gradually became more commercial and, with fewer people living there, St James’s lost some of its charm. Now, however, a change in planning rules, allowing office-to-residential conversion, is creating more homes and giving the district “a new lease of life”, says Simon Burgoyne of Knight Frank. “The quality of the apartments is attracting both the British and the international market.”

One such development is Dukelease’s Beau House in Jermyn Street, named after the Regency dandy Beau Brummell. The socialite’s fastidious dress sense and patronage of the local tailors helped make Jermyn Street famous – and the new homes reflect this. The eight apartments are as bespoke as a handmade suit and with the same attention to traditional detail.

A two-bedroom apartment in St James’s Chambers is on the market with Knight Frank for £3.25 million

The many unique features include leather-panelled walls, walnut cabinetry and herringbone-pattern oak floors. There are Calacatta marble floors, Boffi kitchens and Romana Salperton wall lights.

Prices start from £1.85 million for a one-bedroom apartment over 657 sq ft, and rise to a sizeable £15 million for the three-bedroom furnished penthouse, which comes with a TV-equipped roof terrace and views of Christopher Wren’s St James’s church. The homes are being marketed by Knight Frank.

Jermyn Street’s distinctive shops, some of which are still owned by the descendants of the original families that established them, have been frequented by Diana, Princess of Wales, Ted Heath and Joanna Lumley.

Its ‘olde worlde charme’ and postage-stamp size mean that buying a home in St James’s is not easy

“Jermyn Street is a curiosity area,” says Richard Harvie, owner of Harvie and Hudson shirtmakers. “People love going into old family businesses that have not changed a lot, with slightly creaky wood floors, and which do not exist anywhere else in the world.”

However, St James’s “olde worlde charme” and postage-stamp size (it is wedged between Piccadilly and the Mall) means that buying a home here is not easy, as “there are very few flats”, says Caspar Harvard Walls, partner with the buying agency Black Brick.

Westminster council estimates that there are just 7,239 households in St James’s. Unlike Mayfair or Knightsbridge, there are few large blocks of serviced apartments and even fewer with fancy hotel facilities, gyms and spas.

“St James’s is not showy; it’s very British and very discreet,” says Harvard Walls. “It appeals to a certain type of buyer.”

A bespoke decorated flat in Dukelease’s Beau House in Jermyn Street, on the market with Knight Frank from £1.85 million

The majority of developments are boutique, with clusters of (generally small) one- and two-bedroom flats for between £1 million and £2.5 million – roughly £2,000 to £2,500 per sq ft. Newbuild apartments, often behind elegant Georgian and Victorian listed facades, are pricier and reach £3,000 per sq ft and more. Knight Frank is selling The Pall Mall Collection and three of the four apartments remain; a three-bedroom flat is £4.95 million and a four-bedroom penthouse is on the market for £8.95 million.

House prices there are not all in the millions, as Horne and Harvey is selling a one-bedroom flat on the fourth floor of a portered building in Duke of York Street for £950,000.

“The streets are quite densely packed and often people want to be higher up, on the second floor or above, as it can be quite dark lower down,” says Harvard Walls.

The Crown Estate, which owns around 50 per cent of the buildings in the area, is halfway through a £500 million refurbishment programme of its St James’s portfolio, which, although it consists mainly of retail such as St James’s Market, includes some new homes as well.

There’s a lot of demand, too: recent redevelopments such as Cleveland Court, near St James’s Palace, have all swiftly sold.

Forthcoming apartments, which will only be available to rent, include huge, lateral three-bedroom flats and a five-bedroom penthouse in 30 St James’s. All will be available at the end of this year.

Surrounded by art galleries and smart restaurants, with the West End and the park within strolling distance, St James’s appeals to the buyer who “has a house in the country and wants a pied-à-terre in London”, says Harvard Walls, “so they can walk to work and to the opera”.

Virtual reality tours for house hunting? We aren’t convinced!

By Annabelle Williams

Estate agents are investing in headsets, but not everyone is convinced.

Estate agencies are spending tens of thousands of pounds developing virtual-reality tours of high-end properties, so buyers can privately gaze at the interior of immaculate homes, including those yet to be built, in their own time.

JLL, the property consultant, is working with a virtual-reality company to offer virtual tours of properties for sale, or to let. It says the tours, available this spring, will be “fully immersive and as close to reality as possible”.

“The benefits include saving time,” Tim des Forges, a director at JLL, says. “Rather than the buyer being taken to see 20 flats, they can view them virtually and perhaps opt to see only their top three in person. Some may buy or rent only after seeing the virtual tour.”

The estate agency Carter Jonas is going one better. Using new technology, it has launched what it believes is the first virtual-reality tour to include an estate agent — viewers can follow an agent through a house, yet virtually look around and turn away from them. Carter Jonas says you would not let a buyer wander round your home without guidance, so why would you do so virtually?

The prototype is being used for a development in Leinster Square, in Notting Hill, west London, and is expected to be offered at two other central London developments, and one outside the capital. “The difference [with our technology] is that I’m in the video speaking,” says Amelia Blake, a London residential sales specialist at Carter Jonas.

Virtual-reality technology has been around for decades, but has not yet been good enough, nor cost-effective, for general use. Yet it has made big leaps in portraying spatial depth, which buyers can’t gauge from a floor plan or pictures.

Tours typically will be offered through an app downloaded on to a smartphone and viewed through a headset.

In Asia, however, tours are often viewed on tablets.

“Some clients do not want to put goggles on their head,” says Alex Newall, the managing director and founder of Hanover Private Office, a property consultancy.

The technology is often aimed at overseas investors. “In the prime central London market, international buyers are crucial to the business so we do what we can to accommodate their needs,” Blake says. Virtual reality has been vital for developers selling off-plan apartments, says Newall, and at a time when high-end property sales have slowed, estate agents might consider investment in virtual reality money well spent.

However, not all experts are convinced that virtual-reality viewings, however high-tech, are going to catch on for properties already built. “They are fun gimmicks, but anyone who is going to buy a house will visit it,” says Newall. “It doesn’t sell the house.”

He says that investment in drone photography has been more revolutionary for marketing properties.

Camilla Dell, the founder of Black Brick Property Solutions, an independent buying consultancy, says: “I have seen very little evidence of high-net-worth clients using this sort of technology. When people are spending millions, 99.9 per cent of the time they will get on a plane and see it, and we would be worried if they did not.” At best it may help clients to draw up a shortlist, but ultimately the virtual-reality experience cannot replicate being in a property and seeing the neighbourhood, and older buyers see it as a faff rather than helpful, Dell says.

Nonetheless, sellers yet to be convinced of the usefulness of virtual reality should perhaps keep the faith; it will provide them with useful analytics, including “how long buyers spend in each room, what they look at and what’s important to them,” says des Forges. “Sellers can take this information to maximise the potential of their property, and agents will be able to use it for future instructions, for example, by telling you that 60 per cent of virtual reality viewing was spent looking in the kitchen — so it’s good to place an emphasis on it.”

What to look out for when you’re buying a new build property in London

By Camilla Dell

As property advisers, we are often asked what is the best kind of investment in London – a new build property or an older style or period property?

New build developments certainly have a natural appeal in that everything is brand new, which means buyers can put their own stamp on the property and maintenance should be low. People also like the concept of buying off plan, on the basis that prices will rise as the development nears completion. What’s more, off-plan developments often offer more flexible payment options.

When buying off plan, there are a number of things to be wary of. The biggest risk is that you can’t actually inspect the property. You need to be able to read the floor plan and visualise how the flat will look and what the outlook will be like, which can be challenging for the untrained eye. Swanky marketing suites can also often be very misleading.

You also need to take into account things like service charges, as many developers now calculate service charge on price per square foot basis, which can be confusing, and can significantly add to your annual expenditure, an important factor to consider particularly if you plan on renting the property out.

It is also important to consider the potential for capital growth. Many new builds can be priced as much as 30 per cent higher than surrounding re-sale properties, and as a buyer, you need to ask yourself whether that premium is justified. Looking back over the boom and bust periods of London’s property market, it is the older, period style properties which have tended to appreciate most over time.

New builds usually appreciate far slower, especially as they are often located in ‘up and coming’ areas, where supply outstrips demand. When the market drops, these developments tend to take a much bigger hit due to a combination of location and the fact that there is a higher density of similar properties in the area, with prices falling up to 20 per cent in some cases.

We recommend taking into consideration the location, as well as the “rarity” factor of the building. For example, we have purchased several apartments in the former BBC Television Centre development in White City for clients. This is a particularly interesting new development thanks in part to its history, its proximity to transport links, as well as Westfield shopping centre.

Clients of ours who bought into the scheme in early 2015 have already seen a 10 per cent uplift in the value, and we are encouraged by the fact that there is very little evidence of buyers trying to sell on their contracts before completion.

Another consideration when buying new is that there are deals to be had. Developers with completing stock are more able to play with their margins and are able to give ‘deals’ to their buyers. Buyers should be wary of developer incentives, such as offering to pay stamp duty, though – the cost is often made up in the asking price of these so-called “incentives”.

When weighing up the options, the key to buying new build property is to do your homework; seek impartial advice on the developer, the area – check the local council’s housing policy for further developments – and the property itself.