Intelligence Talks

In this episode, Tom Bill talks with Mike Hussey, CEO of Almacantar, about the real‑world challenges of delivering major schemes in London - from tricky 1960s refurbishments to complex new‑builds on constrained sites. Mike reflects on working with different London mayors, how political interventions can slow projects, and why there is so much misunderstanding around viability. They explore London’...

A fast‑moving start to 2026 sets the tone for this episode as Tom Bill and Pepperstone’s Michael Brown break down a month of relentless global drama and its impact on borrowing costs - from Trump’s tariff brinkmanship and geopolitical flare‑ups to fiscal fears over Japan. We dig into why UK swap rates have risen, how much faith to put in recent UK economic data, why haven demand is rising, and how...

Retail is back on top, ending 2025 as the top performing real estate asset class. How can the sector's resurgence bring insights - and valuable lessons - to apply to other commercial real estate sectors? We dive into Stephen Springham's insight series 'Retail Renaissance' to find out. Host Will Matthews, Knight Frank’s Head of Commercial Insight, is joined by Stephen Springham, Head of UK Markets...

In this episode, we take a deep dive into Los Angeles’ luxury housing market—one of the world’s largest super‑prime residential hubs, currently ranking third globally for $10‑million‑plus sales. Despite a range of challenges in recent years, the market continues to show remarkable resilience and remains a key destination for global private wealth. Liam is joined by Nick Segal to unpack the dynamic...

Rob Perrins, Executive Chairman of Berkeley Group, joins Tom Bill to explore the realities behind the government’s housing ambitions, the impact of the Autumn Budget, and what it will really take to deliver 1.5 million homes. With over 30 years at Berkeley, Rob offers a unique perspective on the UK’s planning system and the challenges of delivering homes at scale, particularly in London. He discus...

In our latest Intelligence Talks episode, Liam Bailey, Global Head of Research at Knight Frank, is joined by Tom Burchfield, Head of Market Intelligence at Liv-ex, the world’s leading fine wine exchange. They unpack a challenging three-year period for the Liv-ex 100, why Tuscany has shown resilience, and what the recent rebound could mean for the end of the downturn.   Liam and Tom explo...

2025 has been the year of not taking anything for granted in student housing. There’s noise in the headlines, nuance in the data, and if you know where to look opportunity in the fundamentals. Katie O’Neill speaks to Knight Frank's Head of Student Housing Capital Markets, Merelina Sykes, and Head of Student Housing Valuations, Neil Armstrong. She asks; how are investors navigating the current...

Former Treasury and No.10 insider James Nation joins Tom Bill to unpack a Budget that has soothed markets but failed to boost Labour’s poll numbers. James talks about how easy it will be to introduce a mansion tax, the politics around an investor visa, and why the next big guessing game might not be related to taxes rises but the identity of the new Chancellor. ⁠Subscribe⁠⁠ to Tom Bill's UK R...

In this second of three post-Budget specials, Tom Bill is joined by Michael Brown from Pepperstone to unpack a chaotic week for Westminster, the markets and the wider economy. From the unprecedented OBR leak and the Treasury’s credibility problem to front-loaded spending, back-loaded tax rises and why gilt markets may be calm for now, Michael explains what really mattered in the Budget, what the B...

In this Budget Special, Tom Bill is joined by Nimesh Shah, CEO of tax advisory firm Blick Rothenberg, to break down why he sees this as a “once-in-a-generation” Budget, what the new mansion tax signals for future wealth taxation and how the extra 2% on rental income and frozen thresholds squeeze landlords and middle earners. They also discuss whether markets will accept a fiscal plan that spends u...

What market is poised to outpace even the mighty New York?  This week the global Head of Research at Knight Frank, Liam Bailey, is joined by President & CEO of Miller Samuel, Jonathan Miller. Jonathan is a legendary New York housing market expert whose insights shape understanding of luxury real estate trends nationwide. Using fresh data from the Knight Frank Global Super-Prime Intelligen...

With tax speculation dominating the headlines, is Prime Central London really stalling or are there opportunities for buyers? Tom Bill speaks to Stuart Bailey, Head of Prime Central London Sales at Knight Frank, about which taxes in the Budget would most impact the market, what buyers should expect in terms of future price growth, how many people are leaving the capital and which areas of London a...

What’s happening behind the scenes as the Treasury and the Office for Budget Responsibility prepare for the 26 November Budget? Tom Bill is joined once again by Michael Brown from Pepperstone to share their insights. From the OBR’s “observation window” to the Treasury’s 11 Bloomberg terminals, Tom and Michael discuss how gilt yields, labour market data, and fiscal headroom are shaping Rachel Reeve...

Carol Lewis, Property Editor of  The Times  and  The Sunday Times , explains how to navigate the flood of property headlines in the run-up to November’s Budget. Carol speaks to Tom about the Treasury’s use of “trial balloon” tax stories, why house price data often looks contradictory, and how readers can distinguish speculation from fact. She also gives a behind-the-scenes view of h...

Former No.10 policy insider James Nation joins Tom to decode the run-in to the 26 November Budget: OBR round-one forecasts, the 10-year gilt “observation window”, and why a productivity downgrade matters for the property market. We ask how credible this summer’s property tax rumours feel, possible sweeteners, and what a “successful” Budget looks like. Plus: Treasury vs Downing St culture, Labour’s...

This week, head of UK residential research Tom Bill is joined by financial market analyst Michael Brown from Pepperstone to assess the state of property and bond markets ahead of November’s Budget. Borrowing costs have been climbing in recent weeks for a number of reasons that include a lack of credibility on financial markets that the government has a coherent plan. Property taxes have been float...

What would happen if the rich left the UK? In this episode of Intelligence Talks, host Tom Bill is joined by Leslie MacLeod-Miller, CEO of Foreign Investors for Britain to dig into what the governments changes in taxation mean for non-doms, and what the knock on affect could be for the rest of the country. Listen to find out what Leslie thinks needs to happen to keep money in the UK and what impac...

This week; sticky inflation, bond market reactions, and the government's role in the property market. We look at recent economic data showing weak growth and high inflation, and try to unpick the implications for the housing market such as increased supply and mortgage rates, and the challenges faced by policymakers. We also look at the US trade deals and Federal Reserve decisions, providing insig...

This week we discuss how global market volatility is reshaping investment strategies, specifically on the growing popularity of the built to rent sector. Special guests Nick Pleydell-Bouverie, Head of Residential Investment, and Lizzie Breckner, Head of Build to Rent Research, highlight significant milestones, such as a rise in single family and co-living investments, and discuss the impact of pol...

This week, head of UK residential research Tom Bill is joined by financial market strategist Michael Brown from Pepperstone to assess the state of the UK housing market at the halfway point of the year. With the Bank of England cutting rates twice in the first six months of 2025, Michael explains why more cuts could be on the way before Christmas. They also unpack what the end of Donald Trump’s 90...

This week we unpack the evolving UK planning landscape. From the implications of Gateway Two and the Building Safety Act to recent updates in the National Planning Policy Framework. Host Katie O'Neill is joined by Chris Benham, Oliver Knight, and Alan McCartney to explore what these changes mean for developers, investors, and the future of urban delivery. They also dive into the shifting...

We explore how Britain could benefit from a rise in international students after Trump’s second presidency. We also delve into the latest UCAS application data for 2025, plus key investment and development trends. Anna is joined by Neil Armstrong and Merelina Sykes, joint heads of Knight Frank student property. Produced by Ollie Peart at Rethink Audio . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for m...

Housing markets around the world have faced strong headwinds since the pandemic boom period. Household finances and purchasing power fell under pressure from surging household bills and higher borrowing costs, and the outlook for interest rates remains murky at best. So, what does the year ahead have in store for house prices in the UK and more broadly in Europe?   Host Anna Ward is join...

After a challenging year, what is the outlook for UK commercial real estate in 2025 and has the market turned a corner? Anna is joined by our UK head of commercial research, Will Matthews, London research head Shabab Qadar and associate in retail research Emma Barnstable.   We hear from Emma on how attitudes towards the retail sector are the most positive they have been for years, with r...

In this episode, we delve into the results of our new Knight Frank Alpine Property Report. Anna is joined by our head of European residential research, Kate Everett-Allen, and partner Alex Koch de Gooryend, to examine the key drivers currently of demand for Alpine properties from declining mortgage rates, tax changes and an increase in year-round amenities.     The report highlights...