Spanish property enquiries reach record high

  Enquiries for Spanish property have reached a record hig, according to one portal. Kyero.com says that it has just had its busiest ever quarter in the three months to June 2015, thanks to the wide number of affordable properties on the market.   Indeed, the recent Greek financial crisis has contributing to a weakening of the euro, which has boosted the spending power of overseas investors in...

US buyers step up demand for property

  US buyers are stepping up their property buying activity overseas on the back of an increasingly strong dollar.   Demand for property in the Cayman Islands has doubled, according to a report by chartered surveyors and consultants Charterland. The number of buyers registered in the USA with the islands' land registry surged from 5.61 per cent to 10.04 per cent in 2014, while Canada saw a...

Lettings demand doubled, say Greek agents

  Greece is once again facing a deadline to reach an agreement with its EU creditors to stay within the eurozone and secure more financial support. While a new deal remains elusive, though, buyers appear confident in the country's housing market, thanks to the weak euro and affordable prices.   According to a recent report from TheMoveChannel.com, concern surrounding the eurozone crisis has...

Bank of England cautions on buy-to-let boom

  The Bank of England has cautioned that Britain's booming buy-to-let market could post a threat to the economy.   The bank's biannual Financial Stability Report warned that looser lending standards in the buy-to-let industry "could contribute to general house price increases and a broader increase in household indebtedness", as investors find it easier to access credit for investing in rental...

US home sales soar – but so do prices

  US home sales are soaring, as the recovering economy fuels the housing market. Prices, though, are rising too.   Pending sales rose 0.9 per cent in in May 2015, taking the National Association of Realtors' index to its highest level in nine years. Pending sales are 10.4 per cent higher than one year ago and have now risen year-on-year for nine months in a row.   Sales declined...

New Zealand changes tax laws for property investors

New Zealand has changed its tax laws for property investors in an attempt to ensure a fairer market. The new bill, which will amend the Land Transfer Act and Tax Admnistration Act, will require buyers and sellers of property to provide IRD numbers at the time of the property transfer. The measures were proposed last month by Revenue Minister Todd McClay and Land Information Minister Louise Upston,...

China spends most on US real estate, but Brazil dominates Miami

China is the biggest spender on US real estate, according to new figures.  The country has become an increasingly dominate force in the global property market, as Russians decrease their activity following the devaluation of their currency. Indeed, Australia has become so concerned that demand from foreign investors, led by China, is inflating its house prices that the country has introduced...

Disabled Homeowners Not Being Served Correctly!

Property website TheHouseShop.com have found a shocking lack of success from UK agents in marketing accessible or barrier free' homes. The accessible homes market is “severely underdeveloped and estate agents lack the means and resources to properly advertise disabled-access properties” according to Nick Marr of The House Shop.  Part of the problem with effectively marketing accessible...

Bank of Spain: Housing market has bottomed

The Spanish housing market has bottomed out, the Bank of Spain has said. "The adjustment of the real estate sector is, in principle, complete," Director of Studies José Luis Malo de Molina has commented. The market's recovery, though, remains complex. The Official House Price Index (OHPI) published by the National Institute of Statistics shows that prices of new homes climbed 4 per cent year-on-year,...

Foreign buyers return to Frances prime market

Foreign buyers are returning to France's prime property market, according to agents. "Since the financial and economic crash of 2008, it has been widely reported that the luxury French property market has never quite recovered, with prices largely remaining lower than those of 2007," comments Sextant French Property Network. "Hollande's proposed increased wealth taxes, the collapse of the rouble and the...