New Zealand - Pacific Hideaway

September 01, 2010 - New Zealand

Comprising the North and South Islands and about the same land mass as Japan, New Zealand's strikingly varied landscape and near-mystical beauty has inspired artists and film- makers alike.

The country also offers a wide range of lifestyles, leisure activities and luxury lodgings from the bays around Auckland to the serene shores of Lake Wakatipu.

New Zealand is too often compared to its antipode outpost big brother, Australia.

Yet, having ranked ninth in the The Economist Quality of Life Index for 2009, ‘Kiwi Country' offers ample investment opportunities and its own range of lifestyle choices that enrapture urbanites and nature lovers alike.

Cuba: 99-year leases for foreign investors

September 01, 2010 - Cuba

Foreign real estate investors are being granted leases on government land for up to 99 years in a move that could see a raft of luxury villas, holidays homes and golf courses being built.

Developers have been urging the Cuban government to open up to foreign investment and more and more tourists are arriving on the Caribbean island.

A new law published last week loosened property rules to allow 99 year leases for foreigners as part of a package of measures introduced by President Raul Castro to scale back the state's near total dominance of the economy while attempting to generate new revenue for a government short on cash.

Property Ownership and Buying Procedures in JAPAN

August 23, 2010 - Japan

Freehold is the only type of property tenure in Japan. There is no equivalent system of leasehold property ownership.

There is a property holding system called land lease, but this applies only to the ownership of a building and not the land.

In addition, a "land lease" is granted only under the condition that the building is owned by a company or individual from the actual land owner.

Vietnam Booming Green Scene

August 19, 2010 - Vietnam

Residential developments located close to nature and with million dollar price tags have become a growing trend in Vietnam's property market.

Nha Trang and Da Lat cities, which are renowned for private beaches and natural pine forests respectively, are proof to this.

The seaside city of Nha Trang has been very successful in attracting buyers for luxury resort projects while Da Lat has welcomed many visitors since a number of resort villa projects were launched recently.

Master plan unveiled for the next “Asian Riviera”

August 18, 2010 - Cambodia

The Royal Group of Cambodia has unveiled its visionary Master Plan to transform the pristine island of Koh Rong into Asia's first environmentally planned resort destination.

A 6-month study by MAP Architects of Hong Kong and environmental consultants Scott Wilson produced the exciting vision for "one of the last undiscovered paradises in South-East Asia".

Focusing on high quality, sustainable tourism, it details how the "next Asian Riviera" - following Phuket, Koh Samui and Bali - will be created from scratch.

Chinese banks cease loans to third home buyers

August 11, 2010 - China

Some banks in Beijing and Shanghai have voluntarily stopped granting loans to the third-house purchasers, according to a report by the Shanghai Securities News.

The report quoted a source as saying that the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and the Agricultural Bank of China in Shanghai had suspended the lending to third-house buyers, and other banks are also following suit.

Magical Morocco

August 03, 2010 - Morocco

From the smells and sounds that suffuse the Medinas of Marrakech to spectacular treks past Berber villages, the colours and flavours of Morocco indulge the senses.

A popular holiday destination, the North African country also offers year-round sunshine, exclusive beach resorts, majestic riads and all the benefits of a European lifestyle - minus the price tag.

In recent years, Morocco has shot into the media spotlight as a celebrity getaway, where globetrotters like David and Victoria Beckham, Jude Law and George Clooney luxuriate on rich sandy beaches, lush golf courses and resorts such as the Mediterrania in Saidia.

China to start levying property tax in 2012

July 27, 2010 - China

A property tax trial is expected to be introduced in parts of China in 2012 with Shanghai likely to be the first city to introduce the new levy.

If it is successful it could be introduced across the country, it is claimed.

The issue has been discussed at the finance ministry in Beijing and Shanghai and Chongqing have already drawn up plans for a property tax, according to reports in China's state media.

Chongqing Mayor Huang Qifan said the city wants to impose a 1% tax on homes that are three times the average market price.

Expatriates fueling luxury leasing market in Hong Kong

July 23, 2010 - Hong Kong

Expatriates with families, arriving in town prior to the start of the new school year in September, are fueling luxury residential leasing demand in Hong Kong, according to new research from Savills Hong Kong.

Southside, with more choices of private or international schools, is a favoured location with rents up by 4.6 per cent over the quarter, the report discovered.

The second quarter is a traditional seasonal peak for Hong Kong's luxury residential leasing market, as expatriate families arrive in town prior to the start of the new school year in September.

Luxury Real Estate in Monaco

July 15, 2010 - Monaco

Named after a Phoenician god, Melquart, Monaco has become synonymous with beaches, gambling, yachts, and Formula 1 racing.

The tiny, 2-kilometre spec of coastline in the French Riviera also boasts some of the most expensive real estate in the world.

Monaco has been attracting the rich and recumbent for centuries, most notably since the marble-and-onyx halls of the Monte Carlo Casino opened in the 1860s.