Luxury Property Blog

Jumbo Loan Credit and Down Payment Requirements

Brandon — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:54:24 +0000

With the housing boom in the early part of the decade, jumbo loans became more and more commonplace in the home loan market.

Sotheby’s International Realty UK Bought by Countrywide

Mark Knowles — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:21:54 +0000

The biggest real estate agency in the UK, Countrywide, has just bought the Sotheby’s International Realty UK franchise. The deal includes the auction house’s Mayfair-based franchise office in addition to the exclusive agreement with which Countrywide plans to grow the 500-office network across the UK and in the Channel Islands.

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Luxury Real Estate News 03/08

Mark Knowles — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 04:12:51 +0000

As seems usual, the luxury real estate news is a mixture of spin, good news, bad news and vultures picking through the carcasses of failed condo ventures. Top of the list of things-most-talked about seems to be London luxury property prices. With a dearth of sales (around 50% of normal volumes) and a discount of around 30% to buyers spending Euros, average property prices have squeezed up.

More Shenannigans in Dubai As an 11 year old Buys Millions in Waterfront Property

Mark Knowles — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:02:00 +0000

Lets face it – Dubai is the place to go when you need to launder money. This is why Citibank and all the other large US banks have branches there – to avoid awkward questions about bonuses.

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Lack of Sales Driving London Prime House Prices Up

Mark Knowles — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:09:10 +0000

London prime property prices have risen once again on the back of low sales volumes and an extremely weak pound. According to the latest figures from the Land registry, average prices in the Royal borough of Kensington and Chelsea are now in excess of eight hundred thousand pounds.

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When Good Agents Go Bad

Mark Knowles — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 01:43:53 +0000

Far be it for me to suggest that the recent sub prime crisis and ridiculously lax lending requirements leading up to said crisis in any way encouraged real estate agents and mortgage brokers to inflate the value of real estate in order to obtain excessive loans.

London Property Market continues its Steady Growth

Mark Knowles — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 06:48:16 +0000

2009’s indicators for property sales, property pricing and the examination of investment yields show a steady improvement in figures for the housing market.

With financial institutions releasing bonuses once more, it has unleashed new confidence into the market. Hamptons International, a UK leading property company predict that owner occupier and investor numbers will both be on the increase in early 2010.

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Irish Waterfront Property

Mark Knowles — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 06:39:32 +0000

It is not often I feel the urge to feature a property for sale on our main site, but this one caught my eye recently. This waterfront property in Ireland is as unusual as it is beautiful. Within easy reach of “civilization,” being just 1.25 miles away from the N4, this is nonetheless an extremely secluded property on the river Shannon.

Luxury Real Estate News 02/15

Mark Knowles — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 04:56:37 +0000

The Trump Towers luxury condo complex in Atlanta is the latest in a long line of real estate collapses, being listed as a foreclosure last week, and probably signaling the start of the commercial property bust which began shortly after the sub prime mortgages hit the news, and has been delayed for a number of reasons. .

Most Expensive Home In London

Mark Knowles — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 06:35:34 +0000

London’s soon-to-be “most expensive home” is to be built in Regent’s Park. It appears that the financial crisis only applies to certain segments of the population, and the plan is to renovate a 50,000 square foot Regency Terrace which is currently being used as office space.