... makes me reflect on research that came out several years ago about the young professional classes being attracted to more culturally mixed areas, attracted by their ethnic diversity and vibrancy... A visit to London's Hoxton and Shoreditch over the weekend confirmed this view. The run down streets were full of 20 somethings seeking pleasure and experiences all attracted by the places slightly edgy feel... These areas can often provide landlords with some great letting opportunities as properties tend to be cheaper than in more established areas but rents are strong and there is always the potential for more rapid capital appreciation as a result of gentrification.

Something tells me PropertyHawk's not from 'round here... but if he can find some of those cheap Hoxton or Shoreditch properties, I'm all-ears. (Not literally, obviously.)

Technorati Tags: London, property, real estate

According to X-Factor winner Leona Lewis, not only can you not take Hackney out of the girl, you can't take the girl out of Hackney. According to Virgin music news, she's in the process of buying the flat she's been renting.

Leona said: "We were renting it but the landlord was like, 'You have to get out now.' I talked him into selling it to me. When you're settled it's hard to move."

But why was her landlord about to kick her out? What kind of landlord wants to kick a tenant out when they clearly have the funds to pay the rent? Was this a buy-to-letter in trouble?

Technorati Tags: celebrity, London, property, real estate

And lives to tell the tale. Actually, this is an interesting piece about perception, reality and depressing territorial violence in the Hackney, Dalston areas; and it's sparked some lively debate in the comments section. Go visit.

Technorati Tags: London

Spare a thought for Dalston primary school caretaker Patrick Ryan who's being forced to live among the rubble of the East London line extension. His neighbours have been bulldozed, his house remains, and it's a requirement of his job that he lives in it. The noise is apparently driving him crazy, and it doesn't sound as if he's getting much practical help from the local diocese (he's employed by a church school). Plenty of pastoral care though, which would be comforting if he could hear it.

[via BBC]

Technorati Tags: London, property, real estate

The club's keeping quiet, but there are whispers on the Guardian's sports pages that the Highbury Square might be big on deposits, but potentially low on completions when the 550 buyers who've stumped up 20% deposits are asked for the other 80% in the next two months. The clue might be here.

Flipping feeding frenzy or wave of sentimentality at Highbury? [November 25, 2008]

Technorati Tags: London, property, real estate

The apartment - two bedrooms in Islington - cost, according to Foxtons, the asking price of £550,000. Tony Blair's spokesperson has issued a denial that the flat was actually bought by mum and dad. He didn't, however, deny that the flat was now owned by Euan. How - asks the Independent - did 24-year-old Euan, who has yet to start his £30,000-a-year graduate-trainee stint at Morgan Stanley, arrange that mortgage? (The Rat and Mouse wants to know why he paid asking price.)

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Murdoch bought it for £10m, Marcus Cooper's paying £200m for it, but plans to build houses worth £500m on it. It's Wapping, and it's about to enter its next phase of development. More here.

Technorati Tags: London, property, real estate

It's on Hemingford Road in Islington, and the vendors have managed to interest the Telegraph's property section, although it already appears to be under offer this morning. The story's interesting... two homes, without a party wall, previously joined at the hip and turned into a nunnery, re-converted by two separate owners, the extension at the back literally sliced in half by the two buyers.

Technorati Tags: London, property, real estate

The Evening Standard reports on falling asking prices here and there across the capital, including many of the top postcodes. According to Rightmove figures:

Average asking prices in Kensington and Chelsea have fallen £33,000 to £1,458,558 - down more than 2.2 per cent between March and April.

Oddly, though, asking prices rose (by 3.8%) in Hackney.

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For the last 40 years, he'd been digging tunnels under his big house in Hackney. Now - at the age of 77 - William "Mole Man" Lyttle has been billed £300,000 to put right damage which left 121, Mortimer Road supported by nothing more than a handful of white goods. He's got 14 days to pay before - presumably - the council takes possessions of a big house, recently held up by a fridge freezer and a washing machine. Ahh, Hackney. Full story, here. Archive, from when he was evicted, here. Weird search result suggesting the property's a Hackney B&B here:

Technorati Tags: London, property, real estate