Towns that are located on the border between Austria and Slovakia are experiencing their own little boom in property sales and growth. The EU recently expanded the Schenegen Zone, which allows passport free travel across the border and has helped to grow this region. Additionally, reasonably priced property in the region makes it an attractive area for those who want their own property within these...
The historic Norblin factory in Poland is set for purchase by Art Norblin, a subsidiary of American real estate investment fund Patron Capital Partners. Art Norblin plans to renovate the property, which is in Warsaw’s Wola district at the intersection of ul. Prosta and ul. Zelazna. The group is currently planning to develop office and residential space on the site as well as have an industrial museum...
The Four Seasons Hotel Macau opened recently on Cotai Strip. This new hotel features serviced apartments, luxury shopping, a small casino and restaurants. It has 360 rooms and 84 suites as well as meeting space and a Four Seasons Spa. The hotel’s interior design was done by Hirsch Bedner Associates and is a mix of contemporary design and old world styling. It is inspired by the Portuguese history of...
New licensing rules for real estate agents are being introduced in Dubai for 2009. A new agreement put forth by the Department of Development and Dubai’s Real Estate Regulatory Authority will make agents and their work more transparent. Those who currently operate a real estate brokerage or want to open a new agency will have to apply for a license and meet new criteria to operate. The aim of the new...
British Olympic gold medal cyclist Chris Hoy is buying a property along the beach in Brazil, which he plans to use as his off-season training base. The three-time Beijing gold medalist has a new villa in the Laguna Beach development in Tabatinga. This resort town is just outside of Natal, making it easy to get to and a perfect place for winter riding. It is on the waterfront and offers spectacular views of...
With winter upon us, it’s time to spot some stars on vacation in the Caribbean. Daniel Craig and his American girlfriend have been seen on the beach in St. Barts, while Lily Allen and her mum have been having some fun in the sun on Jamaica. Craig and longtime girlfriend and American film producer Satsuki Mitchell have been seen with friends on St. Barts. The Caribbean island is a popular holiday spot...
The UK government has expanded its assistance to UK home owners with an initiative aimed at ceasing repossessions. The Homeowner Mortgage Support Scheme will provide greater assurance to homeowners that they will be able to remain in their homes if they suffer a temporary fall in income. The credit crunching scheme will provide a bridge, giving homeowners who are experiencing financial problems...
Buy to Let Landlords are more exposed to risk than other UK property owners and the Association Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) predicts that 2009 will be a tough year for investor landlords. ARLA is predicting that there will be an increase in landlords defaulting on their monthly mortgage payments over the coming months, and an increased rate of repossessions as a result. The Association of...
Money magazine and CNN have come up with their annual list of the best places to live in the United States, and this year Plymouth, Minnesota comes out on top. The Minneapolis-St. Paul suburb of 50,000 has just about everything, from great schools, affordable housing and lots to do. Fort Collins, Colorado comes in second with Naperville, Illinois taking third. Located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains...
While property prices in the UK and across the globe have dropped for much of 2008, agricultural land in the UK has been a good investment. According to research from Savills, agricultural land has increased in value for all of 2008 by 21.5 percent. One of the main reasons for the increase in land prices is the price of wheat, which correlates well to the price of land. 2009 is expected to be a good...