Introduction

Archive for November, 2009

A return to good sense……

November 30th, 2009 by Ed Mead

My last blog was reminding us how quickly things can change and here we are barely a week later and Dubai is in the poo and those very banks you and I bailed out have now decided there is going to be a double dip and have raised medium term fixed rates accordingly. There’s obviously more going on than meets the eye in Dubai with Abu Dhabi perhaps witholding support until Dubai hands over State backed assets like Emirates that they’ve been coveting. But it’s a wobble none the less with consequences that no one has yet worked out. In the last year or two many rushed to open HSBC accounts thinking they were safe and now suddenly they’re talked of as taking a massive hit. Don’t you just love the rumour mill.

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London Appeal with a Country Feel

November 30th, 2009 by admin

Pimlico PalaceHome for the Moores is currently a striking two bedroom maisonette, arranged over two floors. The grand Pimlico property is situated within a handsome white stucco fronted Grade II listed townhouse on St. George’s Square.

“We fell in love with the living room, the high ceilings and the fact that you can enjoy the view of the square. We could immediately picture ourselves living there”. This was back in November 2005 and whilst their circumstances have changed, particularly in the last year, the love of their present home hasn’t.

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Formula for success: Petra Ecclestone on London

November 24th, 2009 by admin

PetraPetra Ecclestone, daughter of legendary billionaire entrepreneur and ‘F1 supremo’ Bernie Ecclestone, is not like other heiresses: she doesn’t seek the limelight and would much rather be hard at work on her own business than throwing herself in front of tabloid cameras. Having already struck gold with her menswear range, Form, she’s now launching a ‘fun, funky’, more affordable range for women as well – the appropriately titled Petra. In the middle of all this,  she found time to talk to us about her London property and her favourite haunts.

HOME BASE

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If you thought a week was a long time in politics…

November 23rd, 2009 by Ed Mead

…you should try the property market. With the Press cottoning on to the fact that the market is recovering and moving, and despite some doubt as to the rally’s longevity, it really does seem as if potential sellers have suddenly flipped from not selling because they think the market’s on the way down to believing that we’re at the beginning of a bull run and that if they wait they’ll get more. An amazing and light switch fast change. It’s barely a month until Christmas and we’re still busy though, and even I am being persuaded that next year might carry on as this one appears to be finishing. My gut still thinks the risks for next year are large and even at this late stage of the year I’d go to the market rather than wait for the New Year like everyone else.

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Model Citizen: Capital FM’s breakfast host Lisa Snowdon drops by for a chat

November 20th, 2009 by admin

Lisa Snowdon lives in Greater London. You can listen to Lisa present 95.8 Capital FM’s breakfast show with Johnny Vaughan every weekday from 6-10 am.

Lisa Snowdon

Since being signed as a model at the age of 19, Lisa Snowdon has remained firmly in the limelight. Currently presenting the Capital FM breakfast show and TV’s Britain’s Next Top Model, she’s still very much in demand, and she likes it that way…

D&G: WE HEARD YOU SINGING AS YOU WERE WALKING IN… ARE YOU A GOOD SINGER?

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Douglas and Gordon named the best UK estate agent at The Negotiator Awards 2009

November 13th, 2009 by Ivor Dickinson

I have had a few proud moments in my life,nauseating but true the births of my 3 daughters,being commissioned as an officer in The Coldstream Guards, being appointed Managing Director of D&G,but I can honestly say being named best UK estate agent at The Negotiator Awards 2009 is so far the proudest moment of my life.

I have worked for Douglas & Gordon for 23 years and slowly but surely we have transformed what was a small independent agency with one office off Sloane Square established in 1958 into what I honestly believe is the most innovative,exciting agency in the country.Our success is probably down to our culture,which is totally unique and the incredibly high caliber of staff……….believe me,it`s very hard to get a job here!

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A joke`s a joke,but this one is wearing thin

November 11th, 2009 by Ivor Dickinson

Douglas & Gordon - Primelocation Blog award

Many years ago we, the people of Great Britain (not myself actually, but that’s beside the point), voted for New Labour to govern us for the next four, eight, god forbid twelve years in the sincere belief that our lives would be improved.  In fact, we didn’t vote for Gordon Brown, but again I digress.  This new government would listen to us and improve our lives in ways in which we could only imagine, things could only get better!  I’m rabbiting on, on purpose, because if I had mentioned the word HIPs you would, quite rightly, have stopped reading at least 20 seconds ago.  But please bear with me, you are going to be amazed.

Posted in London Property Market, Market comment | 2 Comments »

D&G Asset Management

November 10th, 2009 by admin

D&G Asset Management (syorke@dngim.com) undertakes research into the prime London markets ( PCL ) and advises Funds on property acquisitions in Prime London.

Recently D&GAM published its latest thoughts on the PCL market and looked ahead to what might be in store over the next two years . What the research showed was that PCL has a very low correlation to equities , the UK housing market and UK mortgage lending.

This further underlines that PCL can act as a wealth-protector at times of economic weakness. In previous cycles the combination of a weak sterling and low stock has resulted in sharp corrections to PCL values.

Posted in London Property Market | 1 Comment »

Shabby Chic is back

November 3rd, 2009 by admin

A few decades ago when setting up home no-one could afford new furniture and it was accepted that you’d have to settle for second hand or family hand-me-downs. You made do and were grateful despite the fact that it often resulted in you having several styles of furniture or crockery all vying for attention.

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Logos of organisations accrediting Douglas & Gordon