Real estate prices are being forecast to decline in 2009 by the research house Global Property Guide. The latest international property reports indicates that house prices in the US are likely to fall further until end-2010 or mid-2011. Coastal states with huge housing overhang such as Florida and California are likely to experience the most prolonged house price slump.   The housing market’s recovery...

The Museum of Islamic Art opened recently in Doha, Qatar and is the home of the largest collection of Islamic art in the world. The I.M. Pei – designed structure has 41,000 square feet of galleries organized around a towering atrium capped by a dome. It sits on its own island that sets if off from the rest of the city and so it won’t be hemmed in by future construction.   Inside the grand, Cubist...

Vietnam was setting the world on fire with its booming property market last year. Like many markets, though, it has been hard by the worldwide financial crisis and has taken a step back. There is still plenty of potential for this upcoming country and its housing market, but investors need to know what they are doing.Reported to have the second biggest potential for capital growth after China in both the...

Barclay’s Bank expects UK housing prices to continue to fall in 2009, according to chief executive John Varley. Home prices may fall from 10-15 percent next year, and unemployment will also rise, said Mr. Varley in an interview on Sky News. Varley said that overall, Barclay’s believes that property prices across the UK will slide from 25-30 percent from their highs.   "We're probably about halfway...

The Czech Republic’s economic growth slowed to 4.2 percent in the third quarter of 2008, which is down from the previous estimate of 4.7 percent. It, like many economies across Europe, is slumping. Slowing demand for Czech products as well as a strong currency helped to slow growth in the economy, according to the Czech Statistical Bureau.   “This was due to a combination of external and domestic...

Several iconic projects that were meant to transform the skyline of Russia’s major cities have been forced to be put on hold due to the current economic climate. The Russia Tower in Moscow, designed by Sir Norman Foster and supposed to be the tallest building in Europe, has been put on hold. Other projects on hold include the Federation Complex in Moscow, the Crystal Island suburb outside Moscow and a...

Budget-concious skiers and snowboarders can turn to UK and Welsh hills that regularly open when there is enough snow. There are two hills in the Lake District, one in Northumberland, three in County Durham and one in Wales for those who want to enjoy some fun in the snow this winter.   While the skiing in the UK may not be quite the same as in the Alps, it offers an economical alternative for those who...

It seems that the global crisis has made the Euro more attractive to the Polish government with the Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirming his position that the country will be ready to integrate the euro into the country in 2012. The polish zloty has dropped 23 percent against the euro from a record high set in July, and is headed for its first annual retreat since 2003   He issued his...

The UK pound fell to a new low against the euro in recent trading, ending up at one point at €1.1391. The fall was pushed by a selloff the currency as fears of a long recession drove traders and speculators. The pound has sunk nearly 20% against the euro in the past year as UK and is also down by more than 25% against the dollar since the summer. It was trading at $1.48 at one point compared to a recent...

Natal Brazil, which translates as Christmas, takes this holiday very seriously. Residents go to extra lengths to make sure that ‘Natal no Natal’ (‘Christmas in Natal’ in Portuguese) is a special celebration. While there are some similarities to the holiday in the UK, the biggest difference is the weather. There’s no chance of snow on Christmas Day in Natal. In fact the average December...