The first five star hotel for Laos has opened in Savannakhet province in the southern part of the country. The Savan Vegas Hotel and Casino is located in Savannakhet town, which is becoming increasingly popular for travelers and tourists. It is at the intersection of the East-West economic corridor and is expected to make a significant contribution to the economy of the region.   The US$50 million project...

The Japanese government is set to provide a much-needed boost to the domestic property market with an 800 billion yen package in the works. The Development Bank of Japan plans to place 100 billion yen into a fund for property purchases, with another 50 billion yen for developers to buy properties.   The program also includes 350 billion yen to back residential mortgages and 300 billion yen for city...

Sales of newly constructed homes in the United States fell in March by 0.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 356,000, just a small drop from February’s revised rate of 358,000. That is actually better than many economists thought and provides some hopes that things may be starting to get better in the US housing market.   The US Commerce Department released its latest figures, which...

Enescu & Cuc Law Firm has initiated an online survey targeted at foreign investors and their representatives in Romania in order to discover the problems they encounter in the country’s business environment (survey at www.RomanianLawOffice.com/survey).  The results will be communicated to press institutions as well as to the authorities in an effort to create a better business...

An Estate agent has been banned from practising by the Office Of Fair Trading (OFT). The OFT  issued a prohibition order banning Marcia Whyte who ran Executive Estates a Croydon estate agency from performing estate agency work. Ms Whyte failed to disclose a personal interest in the sale of a property.Marcia Whyte who ran Executive Estates, Brighton Road, South Croydon, failed to disclose to a potential...

More than 75 million square feet of planned shopping centre development across Europe is currently on hold or has been cancelled, according to the latest report from Cushman & Wakefield. The real estate firm’s European Shopping Centre Development report indicates that it expects approximately 107 million square feet of new shopping centre space to open in Europe in 2009. That is 40 percent less than...

The lowest percentage of Americans since 1962 moved to a new home in 2008, according to new census data. Additionally, immigration from abroad was the lowest it has been in over a decade. The United States Census Bureau released its annual report that showed the annual rate at which residents moved fell to 11.9 percent. For 2007, the rate was 13.2 percent, and the highest number ever recorded was in...

Malaysia’s premier international tourism destination is quickly becoming the Sepang Gold Coast south of Kuala Lumpur. This resort area stretches along 22 kilometers of beach fronting the Straits of Malacca and is convenient to the capital, airport and other popular destinations. The new development is being constructed with a view towards residents of Kuala Lumpur as a weekend or second home destination...

Near the southern end of Brazil’s Bahia State is the tiny town of Trancoso, where one of the best beaches in the country is located. For many years Trancoso was known as the ultimate hippie town, but in recent years it has become a favorite for high-powered Brazilians looking to get away from the crowds. Indeed, some residents of Sao Paolo and Belo Horizonte are known to helicopter in for a weekend...

The plans for the former Chelsea Barracks in London have been drawing quite a lot of attention lately, with world-renowned architects criticizing the Prince of Wales for his latest attempts to change the plans. A luxury development is planned for the site of the former military barracks and is next to the Royal Hospital, designed by Sir Christopher Wren.   Prince Charles is reported to have asked the...