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Intelligence Talks
Special Guest: Christie’s auctioneer Rachel Koffsky on the luxury handbag market
The luxury investment landscape has fascinated economists, researchers and investors for decades; so, this week we take a deep-dive into the luxury handbags sector with Rachel Koffsky from Christie's.
We also hear from Andrew Shirley, the Editor of The Wealth Report, on his latest research; and from Sebastian Duthy from Art Market Research on their latest handbag report: https://www.artmarketresearch.com/luxury-handbag-report/
Finally, Flora Harley touches on the wider luxury investment landscape, weighing up the performance of both property and collectibles.
Intelligence Talks, is a podcast from the Research Team at Knight Frank. Every Monday and Friday we’ll be bringing you the latest insights on property market trends and forecasts, along with expert analysis from industry leaders.
This podcast breaks down the news and delves into the intelligence behind the headlines.
Follow us on social media here:
Instagram - @knightfrank
Twitter - @knightfrank
LinkedIn - @Knight Frank
Host: Anna Ward - @annaroxelana
Producer: Rebecca Hills - @beckihills1
Editor: Pulama Kaufman
Any questions? Get in touch via Rebecca.hills@knightfrank.com.
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Inside Britain’s student housing crisis: key challenges and 2025 predictions
17:59|UK students are struggling to find housing and demand for accommodation is soaring. Supply is failing to keep up, causing rents to rise on average by around 8% this year, according to the latest Knight Frank data.So what's going on? How can universities, developers, and investors collaborate more effectively to tackle the supply crunch? What emerging trends will shape the future of student housing in 2025 and beyond? From the race for high-quality accommodations to the evolving expectations of Gen Z students—this conversation is a must-listen for anyone navigating the student property market. Anna is joined by Neil Armstrong and Merelina Sykes, joint heads of Knight Frank’s student property division, along with research associate Katie O’Neill, to unpack these critical questions.For more, see Knight Frank’s student accommodation survey 2024: https://content.knightfrank.com/research/1663/documents/en/knight-frank-ucas-student-accommodation-survey-report-2024-11543.pdf And Knight Frank’s latest quarterly update on the market: https://www.knightfrank.be/research/uk-student-housing-q3-2024-11625.aspxProduced by Ollie Peart at Rethink Audio.Britain’s Budget pain: What it means for house prices and high streets
16:26|We take a look at the key risks facing UK housing and retail markets in the aftermath of the Autumn Budget. We focus on the threats and opportunities for both sectors following the biggest rises in taxes at a budget since 1993.Will mortgage rates stay higher for longer as a result? Plus, does the Budget really just spell bad news for the high street or will we see a retail renaissance? Anna is joined by Knight Frank’s head of UK housing research Tom Bill and head of UK retail research, Stephen Springham. Stay tuned to find out whether Tom will be fixing his own mortgage for two or five years following the Budget…How can London landlords prepare for EPC cliff edge?
18:11|You potentially won’t be able to let an office in the UK without an EPC A-B by as soon as 2030. So how can London’s office landlords prepare effectively for this energy efficiency deadline? Currently, 70% of commercial property floor space is rated EPC C or below across England & Wales. So getting ahead of potential future regulation could mean a first-mover advantage, particularly where there is a demand and supply imbalance.To unpick this complex topic, Anna is joined by Flora Harley, Knight Frank’s head of ESG research, and Harriet Hicks, ESG consultant at the property agency, who explain some of the risks and strategies commercial property landlords and investors must consider. They discuss Knight Frank’s new report on building obsolescence, which looks at more than 3,000 commercial properties that have undergone retrofitting leading to an improved EPC rating of at least B, and the measures landlords took to get there.They also delve into new research on building obsolescence, highlighting key areas such as regulatory, functional, physical, and financial risks. Practical measures like LED lighting and digital twin modelling for building improvements are discussed, along with market trends, tenant collaboration, and potential future innovations in the sector. Knight Frank’s report: Meeting the Commercial Property Retrofit Challenge - Part 1: Defining a Strategy is available here: https://www.knightfrank.com/research/report-library/meeting-the-commercial-property-retrofit-challenge-part-1-11509.aspxIs Britain heading for a co-living boom?
18:23|Co-living is a small but growing trend in UK cities, driven by urbanisation, rising housing costs, and the need for community in an age of digital isolation. Experts from Knight Frank explore the investment landscape, government policies, demographic appeal, and future prospects of co-living compared to traditional student accommodation. The conversation covers topics such as policy evolution, investment trends, and the challenges and opportunities in the sector.Host Anna Ward discusses this and more with guests Chris Benham, Oliver Knight and Katie O’Neill. For more, please see Knight Frank’s 2024 Co-living Report here: https://content.knightfrank.com/research/2854/documents/en/co-living-report-2024-11304.pdf8. Market snapshot: Our predictions for the London office market
16:14||Season 8, Ep. 8What is the current state of the London office market and how will the next six months pan out? Knight Frank's Head of London Research Shabab Qadar joins host Anna Ward to discuss market activity and what is coming next for development activity and investment in the capital’s office sector. They discuss how a future supply crunch could impact the market, where the new emerging office districts will be, to what extent repurposing will feature in the market and how much stock will shift to other uses.7. Labour's housing plans unpacked
19:47||Season 8, Ep. 7Rachel Reeves used her first speech as chancellor to reverse some Conservative housing policy following a Labour landslide. But aside from bringing back local housing targets, how else will the government get Britain building again? In this episode our expert panel dive into getting the balance right between net-zero goals and extensive housebuilding plans, the need for renewable energy and regulatory certainty, and how the UK and European residential markets compare. Also, if you had £50 million, where should you put that money right now in residential real estate? Host Anna Ward discusses this and more with guests Flora Harley, Stuart Baillie, and Kate Everett-Allen from Knight Frank.6. UK election special: Manifestos, markets and real estate
17:20||Season 8, Ep. 6In this episode of 'Intelligence Talks,' host Anna Ward discusses the potential implications of Labour and Conservative election pledges on the commercial real estate market with Will Matthews, Shabab Qadar, and Stephen Springham from Knight Frank’s research team. They examine current market conditions, and key manifesto proposals on finance, investment, tax, business rates, and planning laws. What will be the impact of these policies on key UK commercial real estate sectors from offices to retail? And how will investment volumes turn out by the end of 2024 compared to last year? All that, plus hear how each expert would invest a hypothetical sum of £50 million in UK commercial real estate. This is the first of two special episodes on the UK election. We will be back next month with part two after the election and you will hear from experts in our UK residential research team.5. What next for London’s development market?
14:19||Season 8, Ep. 5Is London tapped out or are there still great development opportunities in the capital? This week Anna Ward is joined by James Barton and Nick Alderman from Knight Frank's development land team. In this episode, they explore where the new residential development opportunities might be, from Battersea to Hackney Wick. They also discuss who will be building these projects, the return of developers to the land market, as well as the withdrawal of housing associations, as well as the latest findings from Knight Frank’s poll of 50 volume and SME housebuilders. And the key challenges to building these developments: land scarcity, outdated council registers, and high build and finance costs. Plus, they look at whether there is a need for some flexibility in affordable housing criteria. Don't miss this informative discussion on the opportunities and challenges shaping London's residential development scene. REPORT: Knight Frank’s land index and survey of 50 volume and SME housebuilders4. How can Britain scale up seniors housing delivery?
18:15||Season 8, Ep. 4In this episode we look at how local councils in the UK are responding to the housing needs of our senior population. In real estate terms, the seniors housing sector is a small but rapidly growing part of the market – but is a lack of planning and awareness holding it back, and what does the country need to do to scale up delivery?Anna is joined by Irwin Mitchell planning partner Nicola Gooch, who specializes in mixed use regeneration projects and enabling developments, and Andrew Sandison, senior research analyst at Knight Frank, who produces research on the UK seniors housing sector.They discuss why local authorities are under pressure, following the publication of Knight Frank’s joint report with Irwin Mitchell which analyses and grades local plans for all local authorities in England based on their approach to housing for seniors. Plus, the pair are quizzed on what new policy ideas could help address the supply shortfall.REPORT: Unlocking Potential for Seniors Housing Development