Property Arabia 2006 has opened in Bahrain, providing pointers and other information for those thinking of property investments abroad. Open to the general public as well as the trade, the various exhibitors present will showcase many of the major property investment opportunities in the Gulf region, as well as new developments in countries such as Malaysia and Australia. Within the Middle East region,...
A government-owned property developer has argued that Dubai's new property law will add at least a year to the current property cycle. Farhan Faraidooni, chief executive of Sama Dubai, told Reuters that the law, designed to clarify the rules for foreign ownership of Dubai property, had been "introduced at the right time". Prior to the property law, the market was expected to see a period of correction...
The National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) in the US has said that some parts of a recent Florida property insurance reform bill could be used by Congress for national insurance legislation to help storm victims. Given final approval by Governor Jeb Bush on May 16th, the new legislation includes a flex-rating system allowing rates to be adjusted by up to ten per cent, and the option of...
Bulgaria, Romania and Morocco are all emerging as potential property hotspots, according to experts. Spain is still the number one destination for investors looking to buy property abroad, but could suffer from its present state of saturation. Along with the current strength of the Euro, this has led one estate agent to suggest it can take as long as two years to sell Spanish homes, Reuters reports. By...
Welsh homeowners looking to buy overseas property as an investment are increasingly being attracted by Bulgaria, according to one property company. Swansea-based developer, Britannia Overseas Property, said that the level of demand in Bulgaria is so high that prices rose by almost 50 per cent last year, while experts anticipate these will double within the next year. The average price of one of Britannia's...
The north of England is poised to overtake the south as a location for property investments, according to a new survey of specialists. Almost three-quarters (72 per cent) of exhibitors at the forthcoming Property Investor and Homebuyer Show North said they saw investors taking advantage of better buy-to-let opportunities in the north of the country. They said that increased investment in infrastructure and...
The Chinese government has announced its intention to bring in measures designed to stop the Chinese property market from overheating. An executive meeting of the State Council reached the conclusion that more needed to be done to stem the rising house prices in China's major cities, the state media reported. New tax, credit and land supply policies were all mentioned as possible solutions to the...
Barclays Bank has agreed to provide mortgages for Dubai Properties' entire portfolio of development projects, including those currently under construction. Barclays will provide mortgages to homebuyers resident in Dubai, as well as those looking to buy Dubai homes or invest in overseas property. The bank will offer financing at branches in over 60 countries overall. Hashim Al Dabal, CEO of Dubai...
Brits looking for overseas property investments could see fresh opportunities in Germany as the country's economy continues to improve. Although this overseas property market is probably one to watch in the long-term, Assets News is reporting that house price increases could take it to the top of the European league by the end of the decade. The growth potential is largely due to the number of people who...
Immediate action is required to prevent rural England from becoming the preserve of the rich and retired, according to a new report. The Affordable Rural Housing Commission has called for more property to be built and a possible tax for second homeowners in order to stop rural demographics from being drastically skewed. Chair of the commission, Elinor Goodman, said that villages and towns should "be...