Your weekly Round-Up is coming to you earlier than usual as, by the time you are reading this over a (hopefully) relaxing coffee, I will be undertaking a practical exam (on a bank holiday – who comes up with this?!), please gloss over any glaring typos. If you missed last week’s round-up, you can catch up here: https://propertydistrict.ie/category/sunday-property-review/
Before we get stuck into the general property news of the week, below are a few local and international stories that might be of particular interest…
- Wicklow has become the first county in Ireland to declare a climate emergency | Her.ie https://www.her.ie/amp/life/co-wicklow-become-first-county-ireland-declare-climate-emergency-462333
- Marriott Is Officially Getting Into the Homesharing Business https://skift.com/2019/04/29/marriott-is-officially-getting-into-the-homesharing-business/amp/
- In the UK, Countrywide warns of profit fall as Brexit hits property market https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-6975389/amp/Estate-agent-group-Countrywides-bad-run-continues-warns-profit-fall.html
- HSBC research, which polled 11,932 adults over 21 years of age, noted that a “culture of property obsession” across the globe, with adults spending an average of 3.5 hours a week trawling online listings, ‘window shopping’ for homes and reading property magazines. Overall, the survey found that six percent of respondents were “extreme house hunters”, spending over seven hours on property research per week:
https://www.propertyguru.com.sg/property-management-news/2019/4/179760/singapore-listed-as-fifth-most-property-obsessed-nation
- Can A Modern-Day Rooming House Solve The Affordable Housing Crisis? “…model that could encourage private investors to create affordable housing by making it more profitable.”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/annefield/2019/04/30/can-a-modern-day-rooming-house-solve-the-affordable-housing-crisis/amp/
- London’s Cucumber tower set to bring hundreds of new homes and a sky bar to Zone 1
https://www.homesandproperty.co.uk/property-news/paddingtons-cucumber-tower-westminster-council-approves-plan-for-42storey-skyscraper-with-hundreds-a129991.html?amp
- Property: is this an ethical alternative to buy-to-let? https://amp.theguardian.com/money/2019/may/04/ethical-housing-reaping-the-benefit-while-helping-out
As always, you might let me know if I have missed out on any relevant property news by emailing carol@caroltallon.com.
(Apologies in advance for any typos, it’s difficult to get good help on a Sunday. Also, I use voice to text dictation so just sound out anything that really doesn’t make sense in a strong rural accent and that should help!)
Sunday Listen
PHOTO: Smart Cities (Back L-R): Andrew Farrell, Block Angel; Gavin Gallagher of Proptech.TV; Jamie Cudden of Smart Docklands & Paul McDonald of Sonitus Systems. (Front L-R): Bryan Fox, Carol Tallon & Alex Gibson of TU and ARVR Innovate.#PropertyMatters Ireland’s First Weekly Property Radio Show (& Podcast!):
Ireland’s first weekly property radio show, Property Matters, launched In January 2019 on Dublin South FM 93.9 and is now available internationally via iTunes and Spotify podcast (@iPropertyRadio). Seasoned political journalist and broadcaster, Bryan Fox, and I (Carol Tallon) team up to deliver 60 minutes of industry chat with guests from the areas of planning, construction, property and proptech. Produced by Katie Tallon of Hear Me Roar Media.
Property Matters this week was all about Smart Cities. Co-hosts Carol Tallon and Bryan Fox were joined in studio by Jamie Cudden, programme manager with Dublin City Council’s Smart Dublin and Smart Docklands initiative; Paul McDonald of Sonitus Systems (noise and environmental monitoring); Gavin Gallagher of Proptech.TV; Andrew Farrell of Block Angel (tenant communications tool) and Alex Gibson of TU and organiser of Dublin’s ARVR Innovate Conference, which takes place in the RDS on May 10th.
Also discussed: the Leading Cities global post-accelerator competition and the 3D Data Hack taking place in Dublin next month (powered by a 3D model of the Docklands created by Sean Roche and the D3D.ie team).
Produced by Katie Tallon.
Listen back to this episode here: https://anchor.fm/ipropertyradio/episodes/Property-Matters-Smart-Cities-Special-e3t7so
*Listen back to all #PropertyMatters episodes here: https://anchor.fm/ipropertyradio
Email the Property Matters team at hello@iPropertyRadio.com
I also joined Ciara Kelly on Newstalk Lunchtime to talk about the role institutional investors play in a functional property market:
https://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/page/1/filter
PLACEMAKING
Public Consultation and Community Engagement
- We let kids design our city — here’s what happened | Mara Mintzer | TED… https://youtu.be/9cudn_vSdCY via @YouTube
- Woman challenges €130m home development in south Dublin https://www.irishtimes.com/business/construction/woman-challenges-130m-home-development-in-south-dublin-1.3875298?mode=amp
- Cork on the Rise: Cork on track to be the fastest growing city in Ireland for the next 20 years https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/specialreports/cork-on-the-rise-cork-on-track-to-be-the-fastest-growing-city-in-ireland-for-the-next-20-years-920032.html
- Residents challenge An Bord Pleanála permission for 200 Dublin homes https://amp.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/residents-challenge-an-bord-pleanala-permission-for-200-dublin-homes-921610.html
- O’Connell Street revamp: metro station, new street, restored Carlton cinema facade planned https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/o-connell-street-revamp-metro-station-new-street-restored-carlton-cinema-facade-planned-1.3879218?mode=amp
- IWEA: ‘How we’ve engaged with communities in the past is not the way’ #publicconsultation
https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/iwea-apologises-to-wind-farm-communities-across-ireland/
- Sean Mulryan outlines ambitious vision for Ballymore Eustace https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/sean-mulryan-outlines-ambitious-vision-for-ballymore-eustace-1.3877751?mode=amp
*PLACEengage: The future of speedy, successful placemaking for property developers is here – Property developers and project owners ready Public Consultation are encouraged to contact the PLACEengage team for full details*
Other Property News
- Liam Collins in the Sunday Independent, on page 6, asks ‘Are you ready for the hanging gardens of Dublin?’: He is referring to the plans submitted by Johnny Ronan for a 44-storey hanging-gardens themed development at North Wall Quay. The Battle to define Dublin’s skyline is well and truly upon us and, frankly, Johnny Ronan and team are leading the charge at this stage. One wonders if DCC can look beyond the submitor, to the submission..? In the business section of the same newspaper it is reported that Ronan and Colony Capital have secured €478m in development finance.
- The lead business story in the Independent, by Fearghal O’Connor, reads ‘Construction sector fears new 9pc wage increase for workers: New wage rises could push up the cost of building an average home by €10,000’. New labour court recommendations are currently being considered by Employment Minister Pat Breen, which could see 3pc increases for each of the next three years on foot of the construction SEO from October 2017.
- The CIF is calling for a statutory register of ‘one-off’ house builders for consumers as current Building Control Regulations do not apply to self-builders.
- On page 6 of the Business section, John Cradden has a great piece for downsizers (and I am not biased just because I contributed to it!): ‘Don’t downsize your finances just to move to a smaller house – Right-sizing has its pros for some older homeowners but it can be a tricky move’. If you are currently considering this, have a read.
- Samantha McCaughren, in her Independent column, reports that Huckletree (co-founded by Andrew Lynch) is set to open a new co-working space in Westminster called ‘Public Hall’.
- In The Sunday Times, Gavin Daly reports that Glenveagh Properties is planning a 15-storey residential tower close to Dublin’s north docks, to deliver 550 apartments.
- Also, in the Times today, Eithne Dunne has a great feature in the Money section about the huge savings to be achieved by switching mortgages and best options in the current marketplace – definitely worth a read today!
- In The Sunday Business Post today, Killian Woods reports that Failte Ireland ‘may turn its Dublin headquarters into the largest hotel in country’, referring to the potential redevelopment of its Amien Street site.
- The same reporter writes that “plans to moor a floating data centre in Limerick’s port have been stalled by two seperate disputes’. On Property Matters this week (iPropertyRadio.com) we have a full Data Centre themed show, with the support of Host in Ireland, and we will have 6/7 industry experts joining us. Be sure to listen in and send any questions to us in advance at hello@ipropertyradio.com.
- In the property section of the SBP today, Donal Buckley has a feature on Hibernia Reit: ‘Hibernia putting the focus on fun: Windmill Quarter’s yoga classes and concerts are leading the way in office landlords’ provision of social amenities’. He’s not wrong! He also writes a new system fast-track approval for new developments through An Bord Pleanala (page 9).
- What will €175,000 buy in west Dublin and Co Donegal? https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/what-will-175-000-buy-in-west-dublin-and-co-donegal-1.3877419?mode=amp
- Inside the Grand Designs’ flat-pack home built from plywood boxes https://www.homesandproperty.co.uk/home-garden/interiors/design-news/grand-designs-the-street-inside-the-incredible-flatpack-home-built-by-youngest-ever-selfbuild-couple-a129941.html?amp
- Plans for purpose-built housing estates for travellers in Cork amid overcrowding concerns https://amp.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/plans-for-purpose-built-housing-estates-for-travellers-in-cork-amid-overcrowding-concerns-921035.html
- Construction sector safety boosted by women, Glasnevin event hears https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/construction-sector-safety-boosted-by-women-glasnevin-event-hears-1.3874420?mode=amp
- No social housing at trio of top docklands developments https://www.irishtimes.com/business/no-social-housing-at-trio-of-top-docklands-developments-1.3875456?mode=amp
- Social housing: Can councils afford Dublin’s sky-high prices? https://www.irishtimes.com/business/personal-finance/social-housing-can-councils-afford-dublin-s-sky-high-prices-1.3876540?mode=amp
- Developers lodge plans for 1,200 apartments in just four days https://www.irishtimes.com/business/construction/developers-lodge-plans-for-1-200-apartments-in-just-four-days-1.3879225?mode=amp
- ‘Cuckoo funds’ are not the enemy https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/cuckoo-funds-are-not-the-enemy-1.3878811?mode=amp
- Developer Joe O’Reilly and Henderson Park Capital acquire HSQ for €222m https://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/developer-joe-o-reilly-and-henderson-park-capital-acquire-hsq-for-222m-1.3876239?mode=amp
- BidX1 to place 270 lots with €42m value for auction online https://amp.independent.ie/business/commercial-property/bidx1-to-place-270-lots-with-42m-value-for-auction-online-38069816.html
- Late-paying construction companies suspended from Prompt Payment Code https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/late-paying-construction-companies-suspended-from-prompt-payment-code
- The Problem With Hammerson, Land Securities – Property Valuations Are Too High https://www.continentaltelegraph.com/business/the-problem-with-hammerson-land-securities-property-valuations-are-too-high/amp/
- McKillen jnr acquires key waterfront site in Dublin docklands for €10m https://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/mckillen-jnr-acquires-key-waterfront-site-in-dublin-docklands-for-10m-1.3876223?mode=amp
- Bartra seeks €8m for D4 site with planning for 20 apartments https://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/bartra-seeks-8m-for-d4-site-with-planning-for-20-apartments-1.3876227?mode=amp
- Rooftop restaurant operator announced for Central Bank’s former HQ https://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/rooftop-restaurant-operator-announced-for-central-bank-s-former-hq-1.3877322?mode=amp
- John Sisk sanctioned by UK officials for failing to pay suppliers on time https://www.irishtimes.com/business/construction/john-sisk-sanctioned-by-uk-officials-for-failing-to-pay-suppliers-on-time-1.3877827?mode=amp
- Balancing act: Knightsbridge mega-basement https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/balancing-act
- Brexit drives slump in NI commercial property returns https://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/brexit-drives-slump-in-ni-commercial-property-returns-1.3877498?mode=amp
The Agile Agent
Getting Ireland’s Property Marketplace Digital by Default
The Agile Agent is a 12-month digital transformation programme for independent Irish estate agents and auctioneers, which runs from September – August. This programme will be delivered by a multi-disciplinary Irish and UK team and will go beyond proptech adoption to help agents get their industry digital by default.
Q3. March – May 2019 Agile Agent check-in now available HERE:
To get involved and for free Proptech Prompts, please
Proptech and Construction Innovation
- Are you an Irish-led or Ireland-based #proptech business? If so, please take five minutes to add or update your details to our internationally-shared listing here: SIGN UP: PROPTECH INNOVATORS and to keep up-to-date on all things tech and innovation for the planning, construction and property industries, head over to http://www.prop-tech.ie. Also, we are on a mission to get every Irish construction and property technology business registered on the global proptech database UNISSU. More details here:https://prop-tech.ie/global-proptech-data-platform-unissu-com-is-launched/
- myProjectIreland: https://geohive.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=752cbec9c0f64c6894fb63f7ebe7c4db
- Irish #modular housing manufacturer Extraspace Solutions has won a £40m contract to supply a group of London boroughs with temporary accommodation for the homeless:
https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/london-councils-sign-modular-housing-supply-deal
- Which PropTech Conference? https://gavinjgallagher.blog/2019/05/03/which-proptech-conference/amp/
- CBRE launches its first ever Proptech event in Middle East – GulfToday https://www.gulftoday.ae/business/2019/04/28/cbre-launches-its-first-ever-proptech-event-in-middle-east
- Startup Ireland’s Startup Manifesto 2019 pre-budget submission via #Proptech Ireland: https://prop-tech.ie/2019-startup-manifesto-pre-budget-submission/
- WeWork Files for I.P.O., Joining Wave of Cash-Burning Start-Ups in Going Public https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/29/business/dealbook/wework-ipo-filing.html
- A future built on technology https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/a-future-built-on-technology
- Chicago moves into next phase of smart lighting roll-out https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/chicago-moves-into-next-phase-of-smart-lighting-roll-out
- Dubai’s $323M Bitcoin luxury real estate development reportedly hits a snag https://thenextweb.com/hardfork/2019/04/29/dubais-323m-bitcoin-luxury-real-estate-development-reportedly-hits-a-snag/amp/
- Oculus Quest Review: VR Just Ditched the PC https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/oculus-quest-standalone-vr-system,6110.html
- UK Watchdog Allows Three Blockchain Firms to Join Regulatory Sandbox https://cointelegraph.com/news/uk-watchdog-allows-three-blockchain-firms-to-join-regulatory-sandbox/amp
- Accelerating the #BIM workflow for AEC with fast and flexible imports – Unity Blog https://blogs.unity3d.com/2019/04/30/accelerating-the-bim-workflow-for-aec-with-fast-and-flexible-imports/
- Prop-tech iBuildNew receives $2M in latest investment round – CIO https://www.cio.com.au/article/661028/racv-hands-prop-tech-2m/
- Pioneering father of proptech hired by leading data firm https://thenegotiator.co.uk/pioneering-father-of-proptech-hired-by-leading-data-firm/
- It Takes Planning and Oversight to Build a Good PropTech Strategy | Propmodo https://www.propmodo.com/it-takes-planning-and-oversight-to-build-a-good-proptech-strategy/
- PropTech Today: Do’s & don’ts of market transformation https://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2019/4/proptech-today-dos–and–donts-of-market-transformation–cbre-avison-young?source=newsticker
- FacilGo® Recognized As Top 20 Most Promising PropTech Solutions of 2019 by CIOReview | MENAFN.COM https://menafn.com/1098460011/FacilGo-Recognized-As-Top-20-Most-Promising-PropTech-Solutions-of-2019-by-CIOReview
- Robots Have an Increasingly Important Role in Construction: With 400,000 people around the world entering the middle class daily, old methods of creating housing won’t cut it
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/robots-have-an-increasingly-important-role-in-construction/
- A Case Study In Innovation: How Convene Reinvented The Commercial Real Estate Industry https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertreiss/2019/04/22/a-case-study-in-innovation-how-convene-reinvented-the-commercial-real-estate-industry/amp/
- VC firm Middlegame Ventures eyes Irish fintechs https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/vc-firm-middlegame-ventures-eyes-irish-fintechs-1.3876308?mode=amp
- 9 Dos And Don’ts For Big Data Analytics In Proptech – Privacy Protection – United States http://www.mondaq.com/unitedstates/x/802366/Data+Protection+Privacy/9+Dos+And+Donts+For+Big+Data+Analytics+In+Proptech
- Canadian PropTech Company ParityGo Raises $5 Million in Series A Funding https://finance.yahoo.com/news/canadian-proptech-company-paritygo-raises-141400011.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAJRTK1EaXFEtxjegyadJa7sWIEtpaadnstevWrNkBeqKYw7GAEXXK4NTs1zG32IPilFHM7jqJp8XYVpZ_anLlpiwc5O1_ii8EU3FV3DMovYxDtdtha9fOuvVinkx3UFSuse6iOuOkWgFd9_AVDymIy98T4RERR83OgdCJBu7sLv
- Tech tonics: As Brexit woes impact the sales market and the tenant fee ban hits the lettings market, most agents are looking at ways to improve efficiency, cut costs and increase their income. How much can proptech help? https://thenegotiator.co.uk/tech-tonics/
- Looking at ibuyer: Proptech won’t replace agents say expert – Property Professional https://propertyprofessional.co.za/2019/05/02/looking-at-ibuyer-proptech-wont-replace-agents-say-expert/
- PropTech could be key to boosting health and safety in rental sector
https://www.lettingagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2019/5/proptech-could-be-key-to-boosting-health-and-safety-in-rental-sector?source=newsticker
Crowd-sourcing answers topical property questions: New Facebook Group for Irish Property Buyers & Investors
As many of you might know, my annual property book The Irish Property Buyers’ Handbook (since 2011) was rebranded in 2018 and will now appear as part of The Property Insider series, published by Oak Tree Press, the first three titles are now published and available here.
From 2019, the publishers and I want to ensure the content remains topical and we are doing this by crowd-sourcing home buyer and investor queries, with crowd-sourced and editorial team answers. Join the Facebook Group here to contribute: https://www.facebook.com/groups/IrishPropertyBuyers/