All articles by David Lawson – Page 17
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Insight
Web wonders
Could internet fever finally be about to shake up the day-to-day business of commercial property sales? Two start-up companies who could be property s very first web millionaires
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Professional
The voice of reason
Voice recognition software now comes with specialist vocabularies, ideal for the property professional. What's more, it's now affordable for small firms.
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Insight
Counter culture
The Knutsford dream team seeks approval from its shareholders today for an expansion plan that will set the shell company on track to shake up some of the high street s biggest names. David Lawson explains why Knutsford is making waves that could stretch beyond retail
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News
Ritblat rubbishes rumours
A clearout was already under way this week as Delancey s £173m takeover of Milner Estates won approval from shareholders. But it was half-truths and innuendo, rather than bodies, that were flying out of the window. First to go was the rumour that Milner s agency subsidiaries, Conrad ...
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Insight
Three’s a crowd
A bill on third-party rights, which comes before Parliament this month, could have untold ramifications for the property industry.
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Insight
Taking stock
Suddenly space is disappearing all over the south-east of England, and in a few hotspots, availability has declined to historically low levels.
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Insight
Short-term solution
Regus s impending flotation has put the issue of short-term lets at the top of the industry s agenda. But calculating the extra rent can be as reliable as gaming in Monte Carlo. David Lawson reports on attempts by Jones Lang LaSalle to create the first reliable pricing model
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News
Commercial investors sustain interest despite fall in rents
Big investors remain committed to the residential market, despite new evidence that amateur landlords are dragging down rents. Schroders still plans to launch its ground-breaking unit trust this autumn, after dismissing the buy-to-let boom as a flawed, short-term phenomenon. London & Henley, a subsidiary of US ...
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News
Retail rents rocket as demand stays strong
Two shopping centre deals with a combined value of almost £50m have demonstrated the continued strength of demand from investors and tenants, with rents rising at their fastest since 1990. Ashcroft Estates, backed by the US fund PRICOA , is understood to be paying around £20m ...
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News
Bilton is flying free with Raven
Through the expansion of his company, Raven Group, Anton Bilton is managing to shake off the stigma of his family's stuffy image. Last week he bought out Pillar's £78m office portfolio.
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Insight
The name of the game
Brand names such as Coca-Cola are recognised the world over and are worth billions of dollars to the companies that own them. This report asks whether the principles of branding can be applied to the property industry
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Markets
Changing times
We talk to Jeff Sussman, of American developer Louis Dreyfus, a man with strong convictions and a different way of doing business
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Markets
Moving on up
Building societies and clearing banks are squaring up to their German counterparts by following aggressive loan programmes. This report profiles eight lenders
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Markets
Playing the guessing game
Call centres are springing up in buildings from Land s End to John O Groats but investors are struggling to categorise these properties.
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News
Older property must go to curb falling returns
Landlords should consider selling older property or face falling returns as investors swarm into the fledgling residential market, say some industry insiders. But good opportunities to reinvest still exist, despite warnings that many buy-to-let newcomers could get their fingers burned by rushing into unsuitable property. This is a ...
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News
Investment at make-or-break moment, claims new JRF study
The residential investment sector has reached a critical moment which could make or break prospects for the future, according to a study to be published next week. A sea change in attitude means most institutions are testing the market or considering investing. Demand and supply conditions also suggest ...
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News
Imagination knows no bounds
Planning and persistence have propelled Andrew Johnson from ambitious convenience store owner to Park Royal industrial developer.
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Insight
Defying deflation
It sounds like consumer heaven. The cost of an Apple iMac has fallen by 20% in less than two months, while video recorders are now little more than half the price they cost in 1987. Beans retail for 7p a can and a white sliced loaf can cost as little ...
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News
MEPC team's success beats City forecasts
The new management team at MEPC introduced itself with a bang this week by beating market forecasts on both profits and net asset values in the half-year figures. But chief executive Jamie Dundas resisted the urge to 'do a Land Securities ' by offering a big increase in ...
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News
Profits ahoy as Raglan climbs aboard marinas firm
Not long ago, Raglan Properties was all at sea, buffeted by years of struggle and recession. Now it is literally taking to the water after reporting the highest profits since being restructured in 1993. The firm has taken the plunge into the leisure sector by paying £14.8m for ...
