Phuket property market to see continious improvement

August 31, 2010 - Phuket

Phuket's residential property market has shown signs of improvement in line with the global economic recovery, according to new research from Knight Frank Thailand.

The company's Managing Director Phanom Kanjanathiemthao said the market should see continuous improvement if not affected by any future political turmoil.

He said: "Although the market was slow in the second quarter due to the political situations, there was no new supply launched so it didn't affect the market much.

However, foreign investors and buyers have started making more inquiries for villas during the past two months".

Three Musketeers Castle, France

August 12, 2010 - Aquitaine

Château d'Arricau-Bordes, the French chateau that inspired Alexander Dumas's famous novel The Three Musketeers, is back on the market.

The 18th century castle was once the home of Comte Jean-Paul Montesquiou d'Artagnan, uncle of the illustrious musketeer who helped inspire the novel.

The castle was restored in the seventies when the medieval buildings earned the listing of Monument Historique, and four years ago it was bought by British billionaire Robert Shetler-Jones who promptly redid the interior.

9 The Links, St Andrews, Scotland

August 03, 2010 - United Kingdom

For six centuries golf has been played at this golfing mecca in Scotland's Eden Estuary.

Until the late 19th Century, St Andrews Links was one golf course, but demand for tee times became such that the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews decided to build a second course in 1895.

Today, seven golf courses, three clubhouses, the Golf Practice Centre and Golf Academy managed by St Andrews Links Trust make it the largest public golf complex in Europe.

Britain's most expensive garage

June 07, 2010 - London

A rundown garage block in London has been placed on the market for £1.25 million, in what is believed to be Britain's most expensive lock-up.

The 224 sqm garages, on Elsworthy Road, have same asking price as a five-bed-room detached house currently on the market in Wilmslow, Cheshire.

The estate agent, Knight Frank, said the garages don’t have planning permission but do have free title, meaning any building work could be easily sought.

Far East prime property markets expected to take off 2010 and next year

March 29, 2010 - Vietnam

Emerging real estate markets in the Far East are likely to offer an increasing number of investment opportunities particularly in prime markets in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, according to a new report.

Buying top end condominiums and letting them to expats is proving increasingly popular in Vietnam where the number of investors is increasing, according to the new Wealth Report from consultants Knight Frank which examines locations around the world.

London Luxury-Home Prices Increase the Most Since March 2008

March 01, 2010 - London

Luxury-home prices in central London jumped 17 percent in February from a year earlier, the biggest gain in almost two years, as more buyers competed for a dwindling number of properties, Knight Frank LLP said.

The value of houses and apartments costing more than 1 million pounds ($1.5 million) rose 3.2 percent from January, the London-based property broker said in an e-mailed statement today.

The annual increase was the largest since the market peaked in March 2008 and compares with an 11.5 percent advance in January. Prices are still 10 percent lower than the peak.

“The continuation of the growth in prices and the recent increase in the speed of such growth has been caused by a dramatic shortage of supply,” Liam Bailey, head of residential research at Knight Frank, said in the statement.

Knight Frank sells Moulin Rouge

March 01, 2010 - France

A mixed-use development which includes Moulin Rouge, home to the Parisian cabaret and named after the large red imitation windmill on its roof, has been sold through Knight Frank.

Moulin Rouge, along with the several additional commercial elements of the development was sold to the Moulin Rouge operating company and the residential units to social housing group 13F in the largest 2009 retail investment transaction in Paris (sq m).

Massive interest from buyers at luxury development throughout India

December 07, 2009 - India

The luxury property market in India is booming as buyers wait in line for popular properties.

As the market rebounds builders have started construction at projects that had previously been held at the planning stage.

"There are buyers who were sitting on the fence since last year who have now decided to buy,” said Pranay Vakil, Chairman, Knight Frank India Private Limited. Lalit Kumar Jain, Chairman and Managing Director of Pune-based Kumar Builders added: “Our research has shown that there is a market for such houses and people are ready to pay for luxury."

London: Luxury Home Prices on the Rise

November 30, 2009 - London

Luxury-home prices in central London rose on an annual basis for the first time in 17 months as bank and hedge-fund executives bought houses and apartments in anticipation of bonuses, Knight Frank LLP said.

Homes with values of above $1.6 million appreciated 1.6 percent in November compared to the same month last year.

This was the first annual increase since June 2008. Nonetheless, prices remain 15 percent lower than the March 2008 peak. From October to November, prices grew 1.2 percent.

World’s best performing real estate market raises interest rates

November 03, 2009 - Israel

Israel, the best-performing residential property market this year, may lose its standing after becoming one of the first countries to raise interest rates since the global recession began.

Although located in one of the world’s most volatile regions, Israel has defied the worldwide real estate slump because of a dearth of land available for development and tax breaks for investors.

Prices rose 12.5% in the second quarter from a year earlier, double the increase for Switzerland, the second best performer among countries tracked by London-based property consultants Knight Frank.