London Flats. The safe bet looks riskier.
Prime London flats used to sell in days and are now piling up unsold. Foreign buyers are retreating, and the assumption that your home is your pension starts to wobble.
THE GIST ON LONDON FLATS: "Not bulletproof"
Are London flats really sitting unsold?
Prime London apartments were once snapped up immediately by foreign buyers. Now they're sticking on the market. Listings are up by about 10% and demand has cooled. Even in wealthy boroughs, sellers are quietly cutting prices.
Why are foreign buyers pulling back?
Higher taxes, stricter regulation and a stronger pound cutting into returns.
For decades London property was treated like a piggy bank, money parked there only went up. That story is breaking. Without the constant flow of foreign cash, flats don't just sit longer, they look riskier.
Why does the top end matter?
Huw says this isn't about penthouses and oligarchs. London's top end market sets the tone for the whole country. If luxury flats can't sell, developers pull back, prices soften and the assumption that your home is your pension starts to wobble. When the top cracks, the ripple effects go all the way down.
Should your home be your pension?
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Quick answers
Why are foreign buyers retreating from London?
Higher taxes, stricter regulation and a stronger pound cutting into their returns.
Why does the top end matter?
It sets the tone for the whole country. If luxury flats don't sell, developers pull back and prices soften.
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