All Comment articles – Page 5
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Insight‘Universal building’ key to future
Much has been said about future-proofing our cities. How do we do it? One solution is the concept of the universal building – one that, when designed properly upfront, can regenerate over time, adapting to the needs of today as well as the unforeseen needs of tomorrow.
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Insight
People are at the heart of BTR
In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis with inflation and interest rates rising and energy prices hitting record highs, housebuying will likely now be an even bigger barrier for many, and with people renting for longer, landlords need to demonstrate good value through the quality of product and service delivery.
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Insight
Working together for better digs
The reign of her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, saw enormous change in all areas of society, but perhaps none more so than in higher education.
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Insight
Action needed on temporary housing
As the latest housing minister enters post to an overflowing in-tray, he will be faced with a number of competing priorities. Although efforts will undoubtedly be made to address affordability and supply issues, we should also hope that temporary housing solutions are not overlooked.
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Online
What does lenders’ liquidity squeeze mean for investors?
Earlier this year an industry survey reported that only 48% of the specialist lending market thought their cost of origination was likely to increase over the year.
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Insight
Shining a spotlight on equality, diversity and inclusion in the build to rent sector
When better to shine a spotlight on equality, diversity and inclusion than during National Inclusion Week? Now in its 10th year, National Inclusion Week celebrates inclusion and encourages employers to take action to create inclusive workplaces.
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Insight
Data downplays New York’s office return
One subject above all others obsesses the New York City property world: the extent and future of office return, now that the pandemic appears over.
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Insight
Uncertainty brings opportunity
As we move from a climate crisis in July and an energy crisis in August to an exchange rate crisis in September, there is little wonder that many commentators are predicting catastrophe over the next 12 months. But as we know from the past nine months, a lot can change ...
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Insight
The return of bricks and mortar
Gymshark’s upcoming opening of its first IRL (or ‘in real life’) store on Regent Street is another reminder of the enduring popularity of in-person retail.
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Insight
What a week it has been
During the economic crisis of 1964, prime minister Harold Wilson memorably remarked that a week is a long time in politics. In the economic crisis of 2022, we could perhaps update the saying – a weekend is plenty long enough to machine-gun yourself in the foot.
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Insight
It's crunch time for affordable PRS
Almost daily media updates add to the growing sense that the cost-of-living crisis is becoming a national emergency, with reporting mostly highlighting spiralling energy costs and the impact of soaring inflation on necessities.
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Insight
Housing secretaries need to have a longer shelf life
It was depressing to read in Peter Bill’s column that the new housing secretary Simon Clarke “is seen as a coming man”.
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Insight
Energy crisis: we need to get creative
I wholeheartedly agree with the argument put forward by Adam Branson in his article ‘Energy crisis puts pressure on both occupiers and landlords’. Despite the government recently announcing a six-month cap on energy prices, the real estate industry will need to take a creative, technology-enabled approach to alleviate damage.
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Insight
The ideal city is not a numbers game
I was recently reacquainting myself with an intriguing painting in the Ducal Palace in Urbino, entitled the Ideal City (late 15th century, artist unknown but possibly Piero della Francesca).
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Insight
Better – not bigger – data is key to unlocking SFR
Single-family rentals (SFRs) are undoubtedly the new darling of residential investment. While build-to-rent strategies are taking off in both the UK and the US, soaring construction costs are driving investor interest towards existing stock.
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Insight
Government must facilitate net zero workplace developments
We are in a state of climate emergency. Sea levels are rising, weather patterns are becoming more extreme, with 2021 one of the warmest years on record according to a government report in June titled ‘Climate Change: Global Temperature’. The need for net zero has never been greater.
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Insight
The logistics party isn’t over yet
The industrials and logistics sector has been a clear outperformer in recent years, and this has led many investors to question whether we’re nearing the bottom of the honeypot.
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Insight
Time to plug into gigafactories
By 2040, experts forecast the UK will require a total of 21m sq ft of battery manufacturing gigafactories – gigantic plants capable of producing rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, primarily for electric vehicles (EVs).
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Insight
Pressure builds on small landlords
Spiralling costs, tougher legislation, increasing interest rates and less favourable tax treatment are creating painful and costly challenges for buy-to-let (BTL) landlords.
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Insight
Levelling up must be more than just a political slogan
Despite the phrase ‘levelling up’ hanging in the balance, the UK government’s proposal that more needs to be done to “spread opportunity more equally across the UK” is an understatement.
