This started happening in Canary Wharf a long time before covid. Businesses started consolidating offices by forcing hot desking and work from home days. The outer office buildings started converting to super expensive homes.
Its funny because as someone renting a tiny room in a shared flat with no space for a desk, and tbh just thinking its normal to be in the office 5 days, I was livid that I lost my desk, so hated it. Now, I live much further out and just took a job that is 2 days mandatory in the office which I had to really think if it was worth it compared to my 1 day optional!
I looked at the prices back then out of interest and they were insane, and rental prices were ridiculous too as a result. I have a feeling that they were all bought by “investors" (ie money laundering, especially by Russians) but no proof or anything to back it up, although seen lots of news article suggesting that is the case.
You’re on to something but it isn’t money laundering. It’s the Chinese government and Chinese investors looking to offload their money into another market and in goods that the Chinese government can’t easy take from them. I guess maybe that could be considered money laundering, even though it isn’t illegal. I started noticing it a handful of years ago, right before covid. China itself is also investing into other underdeveloped countries hoping to have a hand on them when they start developing more. Particularly Africa.
This started happening in Canary Wharf a long time before covid. Businesses started consolidating offices by forcing hot desking and work from home days. The outer office buildings started converting to super expensive homes.
Its funny because as someone renting a tiny room in a shared flat with no space for a desk, and tbh just thinking its normal to be in the office 5 days, I was livid that I lost my desk, so hated it. Now, I live much further out and just took a job that is 2 days mandatory in the office which I had to really think if it was worth it compared to my 1 day optional!
I looked at the prices back then out of interest and they were insane, and rental prices were ridiculous too as a result. I have a feeling that they were all bought by “investors" (ie money laundering, especially by Russians) but no proof or anything to back it up, although seen lots of news article suggesting that is the case.
You’re on to something but it isn’t money laundering. It’s the Chinese government and Chinese investors looking to offload their money into another market and in goods that the Chinese government can’t easy take from them. I guess maybe that could be considered money laundering, even though it isn’t illegal. I started noticing it a handful of years ago, right before covid. China itself is also investing into other underdeveloped countries hoping to have a hand on them when they start developing more. Particularly Africa.