UK Property News

Mainland and Hong Kong investors have become a major force in the global property market. They have already emerged as the biggest group of buyers in many places, and their share of the market is expected to grow even further.

Jennet Siebrits, head of residential research at CB Richard Ellis said Chinese buyers were poised to overtake Russians as the most active international buyers in teh prime central London housing market. "We would expect the favourable exchange rate to lead to an imminent rise in the number of Chinese buyers investing in prime central London property".

Read more: Chinese Big Investors to the World

Property prices in prime London locations are soaring as foreign investors buy homes for student offspring. Jennet Siebrits, head of residential research at CB Richard Ellis said, "In what is truely emerging as a tale of two cities, the prime Central London property continues to defy the downturn, thanks to strong interest from international investors.

Read more: Foreign Students Fuel London Housing Boom

The Bank of England has held the official interest rate at 0.5% for the 17th consecutive month.
Jennet Siebrits, head of Residential Research at CB Richard Ellis, said: “While there has been no change in the base rate this month, there seems to be a growing movement advocating an increase in interest rates.

Read more: Bank of England Holds Interest Rates

The monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England kept interest rates at a record low of 0.5 per cent yesterday, but the decision to maintain the level for a 17th consecutive month masks disagreement over whether to lift the borrowing rate to tackle rising inflation.
"There... seems to be a growing movement advocating an increase in interest rates," said Jennet Siebrits, head of residential research at property advisers CB Richard Ellis

Read more: Inflation Hawks Outvoted as Rates Remain at 0.5 per cent