Google Completes UK Street View Coverage

March 22, 2010 - United Kingdom

Last week Google unveiled full Street View coverage for Google Maps in the United Kingdom. Around 238,000 miles of UK public roads are now available in Street View according to a Google press release.

The service has previously been restricted to major cities.It means Britain will join Spain, France, Italy and the U.S, which already have nationwide coverage.

Street View images are captured by a Google car fitted with a panoramic camera on its roof. Pedestrianised areas including Stonehenge and the banks of Loch Ness were shot by a Google tricycle.

Bell Ranch, Estate of the Day

March 20, 2010 - New Mexico

A 250,000-acre ranch in New Mexico first listed in 2007 for $115 million is now available for $83 million—with an additional 40,000 acres thrown in.

Called the Bell Ranch for a bell-shaped butte on the land, the property is a working cattle ranch 150 miles east of Santa Fe.

In 1970, Illinois businessman William N. Lane bought the land, which passed on to his children when he died in 1978. They've lost interest in ranch ownership and are planning their estates, said listing agent Patrick Bates, of Bates Sanders Swan Land Co.

Pearl Dubai partners with Sotheby's

March 18, 2010 - Dubai

UAE. Pearl Dubai, developers of the 20 million sq ft sustainable Dubai Pearl integrated destination overlooking the Palm Jumeirah, has announced a tie-up with Singapore Sotheby’s International Realty to leverage its luxury real estate network of offices across Asia for promoting the upscale development to high net-worth individuals.

Dubai Pearl will commence a road-show across key Asian hubs in collaboration with Singapore Sotheby’s International Realty.

Expected to begin in March 2010, the road-show will aim to raise visibility for Dubai Pearl across the Sotheby’s International Realty network that spans 35 countries and access a far-reaching qualified client base.

Larry Hagman Cuts Price

March 12, 2010 - California

Larry Hagman, who played oil tycoon J.R. Ewing on the prime-time drama "Dallas," has trimmed the price of his Ojai, Calif., estate to $9.5 million, an 11% cut.

Mr. Hagman, 78 years old, and his wife, Maj, built the 43-acre property, about 80 miles northwest of Los Angeles, in 1992.

It includes a Mediterranean-style house with nine bedrooms and a large entertaining space that fits more than 200 guests with a lap pool and retractable roof.

Songshan Lake, Dongguan

March 10, 2010 - Shenzhen

Following recent Guangdong projects like 17 Miles and Tangyue, Chinese developer Vanke is launching Songshan Lake, a project that offers the serenity of nature – it’s located within the 72-sq km Songshan Lake Park – and the convenience of being just 30 minutes from Shenzhen.

The project’s second phase includes 45 lake front townhouses and villas ranging from 245 to 354 sq m. Apartment units are also available, ranging from 93 to 293 sq m.

Landscape and architectural design come courtesy of American studio Famous Garden.

Mel Gibson - Malibu Retreat for Sale

March 09, 2010 - California

Oscar winning actor Mel Gibson recently listed Lavender Hill Farm, his long-time family compound in Serra Retreat community with an asking price of $14.5 million

Lavender Hill Farm is a hacienda-style retreat on 2.57 acres. The grounds include fruit orchards, organic gardens, a tennis court, pool and three guest houses.

The main house rambles over 5,400 square feet of space and offers the owners privacy in a second floor master suite with a separate sitting room.

Ultra luxury private safari homes for sale

March 09, 2010 - South Africa

For decades, wildlife lovers have dreamt of owning a private home in the African bush. African Homesteads offers now a select number of homeowners to be a part of South Africa's exceptional &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve.

In the heart of South Africa, bordering a World Heritage Site, where the St. Lucia Wetlands meet the wilds of KwaZulu-Natal, you will find the seven habitats that make up &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve.

This is where African Homesteads is located, offering 15 private ultra luxurious safari homes on carefully chosen sites in the 23,000 hectare Big Five Reserve.

Lake Travis Retreat by Dick Clark Architecture

March 08, 2010 - Texas

This beautiful stunning residential house design news is a modern Lake Travis Retreat located in central Texas designed by Dick Clark Architecture to accommodate a family as it grows, and play host to friends and extended family, the ideas that inform the design of the house were developed through an unusual process.

This retreat house design’s primary views is to focus on interior courtyards or the lake itself with the concept was to keep the scale of the house as small as possible to get effectively maintained on details and materials.

The exterior walls of this lake travis retreat was made of sandstone, were assembled through a drystack method, in which no mortar was used.

A 52% Cut From $100 Million

March 05, 2010 - Virginia

Unable to sell her 300-acre English country estate in Charlottesville, Va., philanthropist Patricia Kluge is now listing the property at $48 million, 52% off the original $100 million asking price in October.

Ms. Kluge, 61 years old, is the former wife of billionaire John Kluge, founder of the Metromedia broadcast and cellphone empire.

The estate, near Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, includes a 45-room neo-Georgian manse of about 23,500 square feet with eight bedrooms and 13 baths.

Godaddy.com Founder Buys Hawaiian Home Built by Cher

March 02, 2010 - Hawaii

Bob Parsons, the founder and CEO of Web-hosting company GoDaddy.com, paid $8.72 million for a Balinese-style house on Hawaii's Big Island that was built by Cher and went to auction last month. "We never thought in a million years that we'd end up being the buyer," says Mr. Parsons.

GoDaddy.com helps consumers register Web domain names and is also known for its racy Super Bowl TV ads.

The Hawaiian property, at the Four Seasons' Hualalai resort, includes a main house flanked by four one-bedroom bungalows