Costa Rica real estate increasingly popular with US retirees

More and more American retirees are eschewing Europe in favour of retiring to property in Costa Rica.  According to Fox Business, ‘a growing number of baby boomers are choosing to retire beyond American borders.’ The cost of living and the price of property in Costa Rica is attracting lots of American buyers and it is also a place that Brits should consider if they are looking...

Increasing number of designer homes on sale

The number of designer homes on sale in the UK is on the up. In the second quarter of 2011, research by Investec Specialist private Bank found that 21,319 homes valued at £1m or more were on sale. This is an increase of 8 per cent upon the first quarter of the year, and 10 per cent more than 2010. The rise in expensive property arrives despite a record fall in the average UK house price. Wealthy...

New hotel in Nessebar, Bulgaria joins property market boom

Melia Hotels International announced this month that it will open a sixth hotel in Nessebar, Bulgaria, as the country experiences both a property and popularity surge. Melia’s four star hotel, located in the country’s popular tourist area, is called the Sol Marina Palace and will provide 128 rooms to visitors. The property will join the company’s existing range...

Bulgaria returns to top ten most popular property markets

After three years in the doldrums, property in Bulgaria is back in demand, according to a new survey.  Research has found that the buyers looking for property abroad have once again turned to Bulgaria, helping the nation leap into the top ten most popular destinations with people searching for overseas homes. Rise in searched for property in Bulgaria The figures from August’s Move Channel...

Is this the worlds most expensive luxury home?

A £7.5bn Swiss building is the most expensive luxury home in the world, according to some reports. The house, located close to the Italian border, was created by opulent Brit Stuart Hughes, a designer famous for his expensive construction projects after making a golden car and a gold-plated iPad 2. According to Hughes’ own website, the property covers over 2,400 square metres and...

Surprise fall in building approvals for property in Australia

New figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics have found that approvals for new homes in the country fell for a third consecutive month, raising fears that the housing market may be weakening. However, a leading economist believes that a fall in building approvals is actually a good thing for the housing market and should help prop up house prices. Housing approvals fall by 3.5 per cent in June...

Cypriot real estate market falls

New figures from the Cypriot Land Registry have showed that the slump in the country’s property market shows no signs of abating.  The number of sales of property in Cyprus has fallen for thirteen consecutive months and the number of houses sold fell by almost one quarter between July 2010 and July 2011. Sales falling and could have ‘huge economic costs’ Cyprus...

Contemporary homes cost drops in Canada

The cost of contemporary homes has dropped in Canada, with Calgary seeing the biggest reductions. The price of a newly built house in Calgary fell in June by 0.3%, it was announced on Thursday. According to the Calgary Herald, the fall in price in the region was “the largest monthly decline in the country”, despite a nationwide increase in the New Housing Price Index of 2.1% since...

Australian house prices fall for sixth month in a row

Australian house prices are continuing to fall, according to the latest RP Data-Rismark Hedonic Home Value Index. Prices drop six months in a row Following the 2.3% drop in Australian house prices found earlier this year, the country’s real estate value has slid down once again. The most recent fall of 0.2% in June marks the sixth month in a row that property prices have dropped. This crash...

Volatility continues in currency markets

Fluctuations have continued in most exchange rates, as focus continues on debt problems around the world and the aftermath of the UK riots. the ECB reluctantly decided to buy Italian and Spanish bonds at the weekend , US debt was been downgraded for the first time in history on Friday, and the UK's international reputation was soured by the scenes in our cities, along with some worries about our own...