Press & media coverage

Marc von Grundherr, a director at the estate agency Benham and Reeves I’m old enough to remember when marriage was encouraged by society as a good thing for families and for children growing up. Once upon a time, marriage was properly supported by the tax system with allowances that sought to underpin the principle too.

Only 2% of current properties listed for sale in London have a tenant in situ, according to lettings agency Benham and Reeves. This is the lowest proportion anywhere in England.

Marc von Grundherr, director of Benham and Reeves, says easing cost of living pressures are helping the market: “Spring has sprung in housing market terms with growing buyer demand pushing sellers to increase asking prices to near record levels. As the rate of inflation slows and market uncertainty subsides, the property market is responding, as it always does, with upward price movements".

According to data in the report using sources including Land Registry 2013–2022 and Benham & Reeves, overall property prices in Southall have gone up by 15% in the last two years while newer built properties over the last 10 years have seen an annual growth rate of 10.2%.

However, Marc von Grundherr, director of estate agent Benham and Reeves, says: "This is a common misconception and, in fact, we've seen many examples of artificial lawns riddled with weeds where it hasn’t been done properly and, quite frankly, it looks horrible."

The head of lettings agency Benham and Reeves has made an outspoken attack on stamp duty. The agency analysed data from the Land Registry for homes sold over the last 12 months, calculating the total stamp duty owed on these transactions and how this cost differs across each area of the nation.

The latest index by London agency Benham and Reeves shows that buyer demand for both prime (£2m+) and super prime homes (£10m+) has fallen during the first quarter of the year.

Homebuyers have paid out almost £3.7bn in stamp duty over the year to February, new analysis by Benham and Reeves of Land Registry data has shown. The London lettings and estate agent found that buyers in the capital paid an estimated £1.49bn, accounting for more than 40% of the total for England and Wales.

“It’s clear that nation’s homebuyers are marching on, determined to realise their aspirations of homeownership in 2024, regardless of higher mortgage rates and a lack of any Government offered incentives" Says Marc von Grundherr, Benham and Reeves.

Marc von Grundherr, of estate agents Benham and Reeves, said: “As we approach the spring selling season a very marginal decline in the monthly rate of house price growth should be viewed as nothing more than the market pausing for breath before the floodgates open.