International buyers are drawn to German castles.

Almost half of the buyers on the German castle market are from outside the country. qatar property finder

The New York Times quoted Bernd Neuhäuser, co-owner of estate agency Vermittlung historischer Immobilien, as saying, "We see Russians, Chinese, Turkish people, Dutch, Italians — it's a variety."

According to him, there has been an upsurge in Russian customers recently. Russian castle hunters, on the other hand, are frequently hunting for strongholds in towns, which are difficult to come by.

Mr. Neuhäuser told the press, "The cities have big castles, which are normally in state possession." "Privately owned castles are located in rural areas."

According to The Times, a 27-acre ancient castle known as Burg Kipfenberg is on the market for 5.7 million euros ($7.4 million).

The 18-room castle, which dates from the middle of the 12th century, was restored between 1915 and 1925, only to be left unmanaged for decades.

"The current owners started a significant refurbishment of the previously neglected castle some 20 years ago," said Mathias Helzel, co-owner of Vermittlung Historischer Immobilien, which lists the castle.

According to Mr. Helzel, the almost 9,500-square-foot living area contains "a gothic hall" and "a knights hall," as well as a private chapel and two kitchens.

The average cost of a big privately owned castle is between $12.9 million and $25 million. There are over 5,000 castles in Germany, ranging in size from 4,000 square feet to over 21,500 square feet of dwelling area.

One-third of Germany's privately owned castles have been completely refurbished, making them more appealing to potential purchasers.

According to market specialists, Germany's housing market is on the rise overall. According to Michael Lindmair of Engel & Völkers in Bavaria, home values have increased by "30 to 40% in the last three or four years."

For investors, Germany is frequently referred to be a "safe haven" market.

To Survive in the Internet Era, European Malls are Adding New Services.

Mall owners in Europe are adding government and medical services to keep customers as the shopping culture transitions from brick and mortar to online.

Malls must become more like full-service community centers to avoid the failure of businesses like Blockbuster, property experts at the annual MIPIM trade show in Cannes, France, told Reuters.

It's no longer enough to merely sell products that can be acquired quickly and easily online.

"The days of the stand-alone mall are numbered," architect Aedas chief executive David Roberts told Reuters.

To make malls more appealing, owners must discover new services and entertainment.

"In a Brazilian mall, I once saw a clinic where you signed in and were buzzed on a device when they were ready. You go shopping in the interim "CBRE Global Investors European retail center fund manager Florencio Beccar told Reuters. In a mall he recently purchased in Germany, he noted a significant medical center as "a big plus."

Land Securities, Intu, Westfield, and Klepierre are among the mall owners offering frequent shopper promotions that are tracked via mobile devices.

Experts warned Reuters that these modifications might not be enough. According to the property subsidiary of French insurer AXA, 90 percent of retail sales growth in the UK, France, and Germany between 2012 and 2016 is likely to be online.

Investors will view property differently as the shopping culture shifts to internet merchants. "Money is going away from all but the best and most regionally dominant malls into logistics because they are economically insulated," said Simon Hope, global head of capital markets at property firm Savills, to Reuters.

Analysts predict that high-quality logistics properties will produce six to seven percent, compared to four to five percent for top shopping complexes.

Malls must develop new revenue streams to combat the tendency, according to experts.

"Stores will grow in size and become more like adventure parks that hit all of your emotions," Christian Ulbrich, chief executive of property consultant Jones Lang LaSalle in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, told Reuters. "Globetrotter's Frankfurt store contains a climbing wall and a cycle track where customers may try out its equipment."

Another example of shops rethinking their operations is same-day deliveries. Ulbrich told Reuters that some companies may team up with competitors to run smaller, more efficient logistics operations near city centers.

"The problem they all have is that shopping is no longer a sufficient motivation to visit retail complexes," he explained.