Previously available behind paywalls, the number of online tools to get a closer understanding of property market trends continues to grow. We spoke to Gavin Brazg, founder and CEO of The Advisory on PropCast – a market educational tool dubbed as the UK’s first house selling weather forecast. We explore the following: What ‘The Advisory’ does and how this established (and recently updated) portal can help property buyers and sellers alike; Asking price biases and why over 50% of sellers struggle to shift their homes on the open market; A brief outline of what PropCast is, why it was set up, how it differs from other online property research tools; The dysfunctional relationship between estate agents and the public; Why estate agents “don’t win instructions by telling the truth”; How the data found on PropCast is sourced, cleansed and applied to the... [Read More]

Property Investor’s Factfile – August 2018 Commentary

August 21st, 2018 by Ruban Selvanayagam

August 2018 Property Investor´s Factfile The Property Investor’s Factfile presents a range of relevant data for buy-to-let investors, traders and developers. Below are some noteworthy observations over the last month: Property Market Trends According to Halifax data, property prices accelerated at their fastest pace in the eight months to July. Values rose 1.4% month-on-month and 1.3% quarter-on-quarter. However, managing director Russell Galley called into question the sustainability of this growth, commenting that: “Despite the recent modest improvement in mortgage approvals, the latest survey data for new buyer inquiries and agreed sales suggest that approvals will remain broadly flat until the end of the year;”; Samuel Tombs, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics also pointed out that: “month-to-month changes in Halifax’s measure of house prices always should be taken with a large pinch of salt. Most other indicators of house price growth... [Read More]

Land Registry’s Digital Street

August 6th, 2018 by Ruban Selvanayagam

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In an age where technological capabilities are accelerating at an unprecedented pace, it’s often striking how conveyancing still remains in the dark ages. Much comes down to the fragmented and overly bureaucratic processes that govern buying and selling properties. We have one of the oldest land and property registers in the world, and simply expecting a seamless analogue to digital transition wouldn’t be realistic. Yet, in spite of the challenges, the HM Land Registry has been making notable inroads into developing a more cohesive digital platform. Over the last couple of years, the institution has been collaborating with Conveyancing Association and the Council of Licensed Conveyancers to explore how land registration can be executed more efficiently and cost-effectively. We were fortunate enough to speak with Lauren Tombs, Senior Product Manager to find out more… RS: Could you tell us a little bit about your... [Read More]