Brickonomics

The stagnant housing market: More a problem of first-time movers than first-time buyers

First-time buyers are increasingly becoming trapped in their first-time homes and unable to move on to homes that better suit their needs. That at least is the implication of some figures that caught my eye recently when I was looking...

Posted by Brian on November 10, 2009 8:41 PM

Why let planning just look like a lottery? Make it one

On the subject of Grant Shapps and John Healey, I attended the Housing Market Intelligence conference last week at which both spoke. I obviously recommend the conference because I have a vested interest in it and indeed the associated report,...

Posted by Brian on October 19, 2009 11:11 AM

The spike mystery solved...well maybe

Following the poser I posted on that rather surprising spike in planning times for residential schemes, I have had a few questions and a few suggestions. The pint for the first (and sensible) response going to Alasdair Reisner, Head of...

Posted by Brian on July 20, 2009 10:51 AM

What an amazing spike! Any thoughts on the causes?

Here's a mystery. I have my own theories, and admittedly have the advantage of the data to test them, but I was wondering if there are any of you out there who have any views as to what might lie...

Posted by Brian on July 15, 2009 8:53 AM

Observations on Beckett's first speech as housing minister: 2

There was one intriguing bit in Margaret Beckett's speech to the Housing Market Intelligence conference yesterday that baffled me at the time and I am glad to say baffled others. She said: "On land supply, there may be ways that...

Posted by Brian on October 16, 2008 3:21 PM

Observations on Beckett's first speech as housing minister: 1

I spent yesterday at the Housing Market Intelligence conference in London. Naturally I found it excellent. Of course I would say that as I'm involved in it. Bias taken into account, here is just one of a many of observations...

Posted by Brian on October 16, 2008 2:52 PM

Houses set for a revival as flats wane in the wake of credit crunch

If one thing epitomised the boom years in the housing market it was the building of high-density blocks of apartments that were sucked up off plan by eager investors. The credit crunch has changed all that. Outside of London dense...

Posted by Brian on October 7, 2008 7:36 PM

Housing market grinding to a standstill, says Hometrack

There is further evidence that the housing market is grinding to a standstill in the latest monthly figures provided by Hometrack. Hometrack figures put the annual drop in average prices at about 6.2%. This is a more modest drop than...

Posted by Brian on September 26, 2008 10:46 AM

A lesson from history: realise the pain early when recession looms

I am in the midst of looking at endless numbers on house building and house builders for the annual Housing Market Intelligence report. I'll admit things are a bit slippy at moment. Trying to put meaning to the numbers is...

Posted by Brian on September 12, 2008 10:48 AM

Media plays down housing crisis - 160,000 house building jobs to go

Not a headline you might expect. And let's hope the house building industry doesn't shed 160,000 jobs, but it is looking ever more likely. First let's get one thing out of the way. The media is blamed for hyping the...

Posted by Brian on July 9, 2008 12:22 PM

Brian Green

As a journalist and commentator, Brian Green has tracked trends in construction, property and housing for more than 20 years. He was the project editor for last year's launch of the Contract Journal Top 100 report and edits Housing Market...

Posted by Brian on March 6, 2008 12:30 PM