Seven new autoroutes and high speed roads are scheduled to open in the Czech Republic in 2009. The new roads will total 53 kilometers in length, with the longest stretch of road opening in the autumn. The D1 will be connected between Olomouc and Ostrava with three segments planned to open in November totaling 34.4 kilometers.   Additionally, Prague’s ring road will see some progress and 2010 will see...

With one of the largest booms in residential real estate in the past decade, Spain has also seen one of the sharpest drops over the past year. While for many this is definitely not good news, for buyers it presents an abundance of inexpensive properties that are available, particularly in the popular holiday destinations along the Mediterranean coast.   With the boom in property purchases in Spain came a...

Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport Indonesia will soon undergo a major expansion and renovation, according to an announcement from Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla. The project will begin in the Spring of 2009 and is scheduled to take approximately two years to complete.   Kalla was in Bali recently and took part in a meeting at the airport to plan the expansion. Afterwards, he said that...

Brazil and Chile are the best positioned countries to weather the international economic storm and lead the way in Latin America, according to news and analysis of the region. These two countries have shown fiscal prudence while other regional economies have not been so disciplined. As a result, Brazil and Chile are well-positioned for 2009 and look to be good places in which to invest.   Both of these...

Prices in the most expensive real estate market in the United States have fallen over the past year, according to one expert. Brown Harris Stevens is a luxury real estate firm and it recently revealed that average property prices in New York have fallen for the third successive quarter.   Manhattan is the most expensive place to live in the US and has been generally resistant to past recessions and...

The World, Dubai’s island development that is shaped to resemble a world map, has been selling strongly according to developer Nakheel. There are some 300 man-made islands that are in the shape of the continents and their countries, and approximately 70 percent of them have been sold.   In a recent interview, Nakheel’s managing director Hamza Mustafa said that “This year and the previous year’s...

Property in Taiwan's beautiful capital Taipei could fall 5-10 per cent in 2009 and the value of real estate across the island reports property services company DTZ (DTZ.L)   "Things are looking very cloudy for the real estate sector right now, and the industry will have to decide whether or not they want to push prices down further," said Billy Yen, general manager of DTZ's Taiwan unit.   Commercial...

6/01/2008 Prospects for the Pound in 2009 are as uncertain as ever – a look at this week’s upcoming events which are likely to affect exchange rates at the beginning of the year. After a quiet Christmas, there is lots of data out this week from around the world. “If you are looking to transfer money overseas at the best exchange rates, it’s worth speaking to your currency broker to keep up to date...

Property analysts and executives in the Middle East are looking to 2009 as a good year, despite many predictions of an overall slowdown in global real estate. It appears that oil prices have bottomed out and, with them, property prices as well. As prices rise there will be an increasing amount of investment in the Middle East once again and real estate will regain its footing.   Adnan al-Haddad, chief...

InterContinental Hotels has just reopened its Al Bustan Palace Hotel in Muscat, Oman after extensive renovations. The restoration work to the luxury property located just outside the capital city and on the shores of the Gulf of Oman was comprehensive. The work involved redoing and upgrading the lobby, beach and garden area, sports facilities and most of the guest rooms and suites.   In addition to the...