Amid reports that Chancellor Rachel Reeves is considering a new tax on properties worth £2 million or more, Head of The Buying Solution Will Watson shares his insights with The Telegraph‘s Dominic Penna and Pui-Guan Man
With speculation mounting ahead of the Budget announcement on 26 November about a so-called ‘mansion tax’, Will Watson, Head of The Buying Solution, spoke to The Telegraph about the effect this uncertainty is having on the property market.
Read the article here.
Need a cleaner, gardener, or builder? If finding help feels harder than ever, you’re not alone. With rising costs, fewer tradespeople, and the lingering effects of Brexit, the home services shortage is biting, writes The Telegraph’s Alexandra Goss, with insights from our Partner Harry Gladwin.
From being “ghosted” by cleaners to chasing builders who never call back (or quote fees that make your eyes water) it’s never been harder to find good help at home. Rising wages, higher National Insurance, steep material costs and Brexit have combined to create the perfect storm.
As our Partner and Head of the Cotswolds region tells Alexandra Goss for The Telegraph, keeping hold of a cleaner has become a competitive sport.
Read the article here.
Rising house prices in popular grammar school towns are bucking wider trends, thanks to VAT on private school fees driving demand towards selective secondary schools, reports The Telegraph. Our Partner in the Northern Home Counties, Jemma Scott, speaks to journalist Ruth Bloomfield about the impact in Buckinghamshire.
Buckinghamshire, which has one of England’s highest concentrations of grammar schools with 13 in total, is one such area where prices are growing. It’s a trend that comes as little surprise to Jemma, who explains that the high-performing grammar schools in the county are seen as a first-choice option.
Read the article here.
As Chancellor Rachel Reeves seeks to find £50bn to plug the Government’s financial black hole, speculation over potential new taxes on homeowners have revealed that downsizers could be in the firing line at the next Budget. Head of The Buying Solution, Will Watson, shares his insights with Maya Wilson Autzen from The Telegraph.
With the Chancellor reportedly considering replacing stamp duty with a new tax on sellers of homes over £500,000, it has also been suggested that the Government could charge capital gains tax on primary residences worth more than £1.5m.
As a result, homeowners are now considering delaying selling until a new government (they hope) is in place – a decision which would limit stock levels further still, says Will Watson in The Telegraph.
Read the article here.
As an estimated third of people who move abroad return to the UK within three years, our Partner in the North Home Counties, Jemma Scott, talks to Alexandra Goss at The Telegraph about the realities of readjusting to British life again.
In this feature which talks about ‘reverse culture shock’, Jemma – who specialises in international relocations – discusses the emotional shift associated with such a move. She also talks about why the perks that often come with an expat lifestyle can be one of the most difficult things to leave behind when returning to the UK.
Read the article here.
According to a new study, downsizers are now moving 40% further than average buyers. Our Cotswolds Partner Harry Gladwin talks to Alexandra Goss at The Telegraph about why research is critical before downsizing to an unknown area.
Downsizing later in life inevitably means that the once crucial factors of school catchment areas and commuting times are no longer important. As such, growing numbers of downsizers are seeking a completely new way of life in a new area, often influenced by where their children and grandchildren are located. Yet it pays to ensure that a potential new neighbourhood is thoroughly researched before taking the leap, says Harry Gladwin in The Telegraph.
Read the article here and read more on The Joy of Downsizing: Why Planning Ahead Matters in our Insights blog here.
Applications to relocate from America to the UK are at record levels, tempted by many reasons including the climate, world-class education, even tighter gun controls. Our Partner, Harry Gladwin, spoke to Alexandra Goss at The Telegraph about what has led the Cotswolds to become one of the most searched-for locations for those based in the US.
Read the article here.
Our Partner Harry Gladwin talks to Anna White at The Telegraph about the UK’s most sought-after neighbourhoods and, more specifically, the growing popularity of affluent Park Town in North Central Oxford, just outside the centre of the historic city.
Read the article here.
As the prices of waterfront property start to waver over rising concern for flooding, our Partner in the Southern Counties, Jake Civardi, talked to Anna White of The Telegraph about the importance of thorough flooding checks.
Read the full article in The Telegraph here.
With news of Ellen DeGeneres’ rumoured move, Harry Gladwin, The Buying Solution Partner and Head of the Cotswolds Region, speaks to Guy Kelly of The Telegraph about how Trump’s victory has prompted wealthy Democrats to consider relocating to the Cotswolds.
Read the article in The Telegraph here.
