The Fourth Annual Essex Property Seminar – hosted by accountants and business advisers, PKF, Ellisons Solicitors and Chartered Surveyors, Fenn Wright – took place on Thursday 15th March 2012.
L–R: Peter Harrup, Lewis Chambers, Phil Eckersley and Guy Longhurst
Through an audience feedback questionnaire, half of delegates indicated they were much more positive about the state of the property market than they had been 12 months ago. However, the majority indicated that more needed to be done by both the banks and the Government, in order to ensure more activity within the market.
Now in its fourth year, the property seminar once again took place at the Weston Homes Community Stadium in Colchester, and attracted around 180 delegates and the hosts were pleased to welcome back the Bank of England’s Phil Eckersley, who is Agent for East Anglia and the South East, as guest speaker for the breakfast seminar.
Mr Eckersley engaged the audience with an insight into the current state of the UK economy, by updating our regions top property professionals on the status of the commercial and residential property market, legal issues and tax planning.
Ellisons’ property partner, Guy Longhurst chaired the seminar. He said of the property market: ‘‘Although there may still be some challenges ahead, we live in an aspirational society. For that reason I think there will be some positive movement within the property market, both residentially and commercially.’’
Lewis Chambers of Fenn Wright talked about the regional property market stating: “We have been encouraged in recent months by an increase in residential property enquires. This improved flow of applicants through our doors is supported by Rightmove statistics which show a sharpincrease in residential property search activity during January and February. With regard to the Commercial property market we have experienced increased activity over the last two quarters and our overall outlook for 2012 is more positive than 2011.’’
PKF partner, Peter Harrup, said: “We are finding that many of our property clients are having a better start to this year than in 2011. There are opportunities for mitigating tax for businesses within the property sector and the changes in the Budget should assist the property market, which is an incredibly important element of the UK economy.”