The Contrarian Case for London Real Estate After a Decade of Stagnation

The Contrarian Case for London Real Estate After a Decade of Stagnation

From Merryn Talks Money by Bloomberg

April 15, 2026 · 24 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the current state of the London real estate market and presents a contrarian view on its investment potential despite recent stagnation.

It might surprise some listeners, but UK-wide house prices have delivered only negligible returns after inflation over the past decade, note Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek, and London prices have actually fallen sharply in real terms. Rising interest rates, taxes, and political uncertainty continue to weigh heavily on the market. Yet guest Daniel Austin, chief executive of ASK Partners, suggests that while high transaction costs and policy risks remain a hurdle, prime central London may still look attractive at current levels to global investors with an eye for a bargain. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in this episode

Host: Merryn Somerset Webb

Guest: Daniel Austin

Topics covered

  • real estate
  • London market
  • investment opportunities
  • economic trends
  • housing prices

Keywords

  • London real estate
  • house prices
  • investment
  • economic uncertainty
  • transaction costs

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ASK Partners

Places: UK, London

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