Neil Cobbold

Close Brothers Property Finance (CBPF) marks 50 years of lending to SME housebuilders by outlining plans to grow and diversify its loan book. Since 2020, CBPF has lent more than £5.1 billion and has grown its loan book to almost £2 billion. The business intends to increase facility sizes and further diversify the loan book weighting to include more Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) and Build to Rent (BTR) lending. To support the evolving needs of the market, 2025 saw the launch of a new Structured Finance team led by Chiara Caldwell. The new team will facilitate the expansion into the fast-growing BTR and PBSA sectors, helping SME developers gain a foothold in these increasingly competitive areas. CBPF is currently supporting the development of over 7,350 new homes across the UK. Landmark transactions over the past year include the lender’s first multi-site Revolving Credit Facility (RCF) of £38 million to support Fernham Homes deliver more than 400 new homes across six sites; a £48 million loan to fund 213 homes in Brent Cross, part of one of Europe’s largest regeneration projects, and a £44 million facility to Select Property to support 266 new build-to-rent (BTR) homes in Birmingham. https://lnkd.in/eP4_kBF6

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Later living developer-operator Pegasus Homes has secured new debt financing for its rental strategy and a new £32m loan for its ‘for sale’ stock from Barclays UK Corporate Bank and Leumi UK respectively. https://lnkd.in/eDQzf48e

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Over the past two or so years, as the real estate market has taken a downturn, there has been a noticeable decrease in portfolio sales involving multiple properties. That said, a significant one was quietly completed earlier this year. PCI Developments has sold its Yarrow, Aster, and Kaslo rental buildings in East Vancouver to RealStar in a share sale. Full story: https://lnkd.in/gVBtG7wZ PCI Developments | Realstar #Vancouver #BCrealestate #realestate #realestatenews

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✅ Members of AREF (The Association of Real Estate Funds), BPF and Investment Property Forum have voted overwhelmingly in favour of creating Real Estate:UK (RE:UK).   Launching on 1 January 2026, RE:UK will serve as a unified convenor and voice for the whole of the real estate sector, bringing together institutional and private investors, property companies, developers, asset owners, managers and advisers.   Its work will focus on six key pillars: 📢 Advocacy 📊 Research and data 💡 Thought leadership and innovation 🤝 Networking and events 📚 Upskilling and training 📏 Standards and guidance   This is an exciting milestone and a strong endorsement of a shared vision for a unified and powerful voice for real estate in the UK.   ➡️ You can read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/erfj_2Hb

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The 2025 State of the Lettings Industry Report is here 📊 Our biggest report yet, shaped by insights from more than 2,750 agents, landlords and tenants across the UK. It reveals the realities defining lettings in 2025: renewal income under threat, shrinking supply, rising arrears and growing tenant pushback and more. Read the full report here 👉https://hubs.ly/Q03MwSQz0 #SOTLI25

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Andrew Jones, Group Director of Corporate Sales, Lettings & BTR at LRG, explores how proptech is revolutionising the investment market, from AI-driven insights and blockchain-secure transactions to virtual data rooms and smart appliances. As the BTR sector grows, tech adoption is no longer optional, it’s a competitive advantage. Discover how LRG is harnessing innovation to simplify complexity, improve efficiency, and deliver greater value to clients. 📖 Read more: https://lnkd.in/eKeuVHnp

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🚀 PropTech Firm Property Sense Raises £2M Series A for National Roll-Out Stockport-based build-to-rent property provider secures oversubscribed funding to transform residential lease-up through proprietary software platform, expanding operations beyond North West and Yorkshire into Midlands, South East, Wales, and Scotland. ✨ Opportunities unlocked: Property Sense streamlines lease-up operations through self-serve platform facilitating communication between residents, operators, and agents. The funding enables software enhancement with CRM and PMS integrations while targeting new segments including Co-Living, Single Family Home, and Purpose-Built Student Accommodation. The national roll-out capitalizes on validation from early-stage VCTs, high-net-worth individuals, and public investors. Learn more from Mike Haywood, CEO, Property Sense: "Securing £2m in growth capital gives us the momentum to truly scale – not only enhancing our technology, but rolling it out on a national level. We knew our technology had the potential to completely revolutionise the way lettings work in the UK, particularly during the critical lease-up and construction phases of developments." 👇 Property Sense's team: Fiona Rayner, Kerry Kirby, Sophie Bates, David Dann, Joanna Barbara Kolodziejska 💡200,000+ real estate leaders receive the most relevant industry news and insights directly to their inbox every week. You can join via the sign-up form at the bottom of the page linked above.

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Exclusive: City icon The Ned is set to open a “rural” estate in the UK as part of an aggressive expansion plan, with a first outpost in mainland Europe also in the pipeline. Group managing director Gareth Banner told City AM the company has three additional “very serious offers with either real estate owners or potential partners” for new international ventures. The UK site is set to be “a newly created concept” that will “comprise of more than just a hotel and a club”. Banner says the new property, which is slated to open in 2028 or 2029, diverges from the urban blueprint of the existing clubs, being located in the countryside “within 100 miles of London”. This is sure to draw comparisons with the hugely popular Soho Farmhouse, the Cotswolds-based spin-off of The Ned’s sister company, Soho House. Read the full story here 👇 https://lnkd.in/e_VuNZqK #uk #london #sohohouse #thened #news #eclusive #lifestyle #restaurant #food #hospitality

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