Estates Gazette Property Podcasts

Native Land's Alasdair Nicholls on prime residential cooling off

Native Land chief executive Alasdair Nicholls talks to EG about how his company is dealing with a slowdown in London's luxury residential market.

Tomorrow's Leaders: Network Rail gives a chance to returning property workers, and surveyor tells of embarrassing collapse after returning from maternity leave

Network Rail begins its first property “returners” programme in September, which is aimed at bringing skilled surveyors who have had a career break, into its workforce.

Principal development manager Kirsten Durie explains more about the pilot programme and who it is suitable for.

Also hear from Marion Ellis, head of customer experience at Countrywide Surveyors, who explains her own ‘return to work’ experience from maternity leave, including collapsing on a train and being told by the passenger she spilt coffee all over that she looked “really tired”.

 

Gary Neville: What I've learned from St Michael's

Footballer turned developer Gary Neville talks to EG about the latest designs for his controversial £200m mixed-use Manchester city centre scheme and explains why he won't only be selling flats to local people. 

 

Tomorrow's Leaders: people don't even know what strategic land is

Strategic land accounts for 51% of Taylor Wimpey's overall housing development completions.

Despite this, most people - even industry professionals - don't really understand what strategic land is.

Regional director Ben Coles and assistant land manager James Malyon give the lowdown as the housebuilding giant rolls out its first ever strategic land graduate programme. 

 

 

How to raise a $212m proptech fund: Fifth Wall co-founders on launching the world's biggest real estate tech fund, upcoming trends and their European ambitions

When LA-based fund Fifth Wall launched in May this year with a $212m raise, Brendan Wallace and Brad Greiwe became two of the most talked about players in real estate tech investment. 

The former Blackstone associates raised over half of the initial fund through backing from property heavyweights including CBRE, Hines and Prologis - all part of an overarching strategy to get the end user on board from the outset. The rest of the investment came from financial institutions. 

 The first pure proptech fund of its size, Fifth Wall has already invested over $60m in real estate tech including VTS and already has plans to raise another, larger fund.

Three months on from Fifth Wall's public launch, Wallace and Greiwe spoke to EG about how their investment platform works by backing the technology the property sector wants and needs, where they are looking to invest next and why they think London is the most exciting tech market in Europe. 

Just launched: Tydus, a new niche investment firm doing big deals

Fresh from acting for Thor Equities and AEW on their purchase of 100 New Oxford Street from Tishman Speyer for £180m, just two months after their launch, Tydus Real Estate speaks to EG about founding a niche agency during jittery times in the market, and about what the future holds. 

Israel’s most innovative tech hub plans global expansion

Tel Aviv-based Sosa, a tech innovation hub, has eyes on a global expansion and bringing its revolutionary concept to London. 

The business, which also opened in New York earlier this year, was set up by 25 tech entrepreneurs in 2013 to create a network of start-ups, entrepreneurs, corporations and investors to do business in one place. 

Only 25% of the company’s revenue is from renting space and the remainder from corporate membership with Sosa working to bring together the members of differing sizes to do deals. 

Uzi Scheffer, chief executive said: “Sosa is a platform that connects innovators. We have the physical space which is very important where are partners and members meet and interact but most of our activity is beyond space.

"We are running a global network of tech innovation and our hubs that are a second home to members and partners to come and engage with innovation.”

Leslau: tech to have “devastating” effect on agents

Nick Leslau, chairman of Prestbury and one of the EG TechTalk Academy judges, has predicted that tech is to have a “devastating” impact on some property agents.

TECHTALK RADIO: Why Tel Aviv is all about tech, Leslau gets ready for the Academy and why consciousness matters

In this week’s episode of TechTalk Radio, Emily Wright and Samantha McClary are joined in the studio by EG’s head of news and finance David Hatcher. Fresh from a trip to Tel Aviv, Hatcher shares his insights on the most entrepreneurial city in the world and talks to some of its smartest start-ups, Nick Leslau, one of the judges on EG’s TechTalk Academy tells us why he is excited to see what gets pitched and Emily Wright gets all cerebral with The Centric Lab’s Josh Artus.

The rise of the YIMBY

John Myers, co-founder of London YIMBY, interviewed about his report published today alongside the Adam Smith Institute, which advocating for more housing, to stimulate economic growth while at the same time winning votes.