May Hunter

As a new wave of high-rise buildings, mostly in China, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, show developers vying to expand to record heights, vertical cities are moving ever higher. Cities cover just 2% of the earth's surface area, but they house 53% of the world's population, with analysts predicting that number will rise to 75% by 2050. When limited land meets a growing population, the only option is to go up.  buy apartment qatar The 55-meter (180-foot) Home Insurance Building in Chicago was the first skyscraper when it was built in 1885. As steel prices dropped, the number of skyscrapers increased, culminating in 1931 with the Empire State Building, which for 41 years held the record for the world's tallest building at 381 meters (1,250 feet). Things are moving quickly today, thanks to advancements in technology and high-quality materials, as well as a strong local demand for high-rise buildings in many parts of the world. Since 2010, more than half of the world's ...

  Following several years of dismal performance, real estate investors are focusing their attention on the developed world in 2014. Many people believe that some of Asia's classic high fliers and most popular investment sites are overpriced, putting them in perilous zone where the possibility of a bubble bursting is considerable.  buy house in qatar According to investment firm Macquarie, property values are gradually decoupling from economic fundamentals in countries like Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as in Australia's main cities. This boosts the possibility of bubbles forming, albeit the bank believes we have not yet reached that point. "We are concerned that Singapore has one of the most overextended real estate markets in the world, and that it is only a matter of time before it corrects," the business warns. Macquarie believes Hong Kong is in a "typical bubble." Both countries have imposed an additional 15% tax on foreign buyers, denting the t...

  A tangled debate about an obscure tax regulation could really hint to one of the most serious risks to Chinese property developers, the largest of which are normally listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange, implying that last year's share losses could worsen.  flats for sale in qatar China Central Television has broadcast two reports criticizing property developers for failing to pay millions of dollars in land appreciation taxes. Because much of the media is censored by the Communist Party, China watchers believe the reports are unlikely to have come so close together without some kind of policy effort to put more pressure on developers at a time when home prices are still rising. China Vanke, the country's largest property developer, was the focus of one exposé, with a television report stating the corporation had failed to pay over 4 billion yuan ($660 million) by the end of 2012. The allegations have been refuted. Between 2005 and 2012, the broadcaster claims that 4...

  According to a new study by Knight Frank, EC Harris, and Barton Willmore on tall residential and mixed-use buildings in London, a new wave of residential towers is expected to re-define London's skyline.  villa qatar The study addresses the unique planning, design, and funding problems that come with building tower schemes, including the increased costs of building 'up,' but also shows that, when constructed to the correct requirements, there can be a strong cost versus value advantage of building higher in some locations across London's predominantly low-rise skyline. The price per square foot in a residential tower in London usually increases by 1.5 percent per floor, excluding penthouse apartments. As penthouses are factored in, the average increases to 2.2 percent. The cost of building 'up' incrementally increases the most in the 25-40 storey range. There are currently 25 projects in London that have one or more residential or mixed-use towers unde...

Frankfurt's Patrizia has agreed to buy London's Tamar Capital Group. Patrizia Immobilien AG (FRA: P1Z), headquartered in Frankfurt, will become one of Europe's largest commercial real estate operators as a result of the transaction. Tamar Capital Group, a London-based real estate investment and asset management firm, has agreed to be purchased by the German firm. The purchase price was not revealed in a statement from publicly traded Patrizia, but global real estate analysts believe it would be in the nine-figure range.  buying a house in qatar Patrizia said in a prepared statement that the transaction would add around £560 million ($904 million US) in industrial, office, and retail real estate assets to its portfolio. In January 2013, Tamar, based in London, will become a fully owned subsidiary of the German firm. Financial regulators in the United Kingdom must also accept the contract. Tamar specializes in commercial real estate, with an emphasis on office, reta...

Thanks to a recent fractional ownership development named Aspire@E14, first-time buyers looking to live in the heart of London can now own a slice of this great city for a fraction of the real estate prices. The shared ownership homes, which are situated in the Limehouse area between City and Canary Wharf, start at £88,000 for a 40% share (full market price is £220,000). A2Dominion New Homes is marketing the 32 houses.  doha house   Just minutes from Limehouse Basin, the building offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments. "Aspire @ E14 provides high-quality but affordable new homes for first-time buyers in this rapidly-developing area of London," said Tariq Qureshi, A2Dominion's Director of Sales and Marketing (London). "The city has a real vibrancy thanks to excellent infrastructure and heavy inward investment spurred on by the 2012 Olympics, as well as fantastic facilities like the O2 Millennium Dome and the Excel Exhibition Center. With the Thames Gateway pr...

Although it may be relatively simple for homeowners to make changes or make corrections to their homes to fix Vastu Shastra flaws, tenants may not have the same options. As a result, we'll look at some Vastu factors that tenants should consider before renting a home.  propertyfinder Compliance with Vastu Shastra is now a major factor influencing the decisions of both home buyers and tenants. Since tenants in rented homes are unable to perform any civil work as mandated by Vastu, they may be forced to vacate their homes on a regular basis in order to escape Vastu flaws. We will address Vastu for rental homes in this post, as well as fast tips to correct doshas and make your rental home peaceful so that your family can benefit from its positivity. “One of the most daunting aspects of living in a rented flat or apartment is that you can't make many improvements without the permission of the landlord. People living in such flats would not face any difficulties if they are designed ...