Foxtons office-come-art gallery

A proud supporter of art and culture, Foxtons is delighted to have enjoyed the opportunity to showcase the works of London-based artist Christopher Farrell for over a decade now, originally commissioning him in 2002 to produce a series of unique paintings for each of our company's 44 innovative and distinctive offices across London and Surrey. Farrell seeks to capture and process the constant evolution of the city with beautiful skylines, which...

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Why home-ownership causes unemployment

A strong correlation between high home-ownership levels and high unemployment rates is shown in a recent study co-authored by David Blanchflower and Andrew Oswald. Using unemployment and home-ownership statistics from 1900 to 2010 for the states of the USA except Alaska and Hawaii along with data gathered from millions of randomly sampled Americans, the study found that rises in home-ownership in a state are followed by substantial increases in...

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UK and Ireland fuel tourism growth in Lanzarote

Lanzarote is a unique tourist destination, boasting surreal volcanic landscapes and breathtaking beaches.  Along with the other six Spanish owned islands in the Canaries chain it forms an archipelago that is sometimes referred to as the European Caribbean - as here sun starved holidaymakers from countries such as the UK and Germany can enjoy a beach break at any time of the year.  A factor that also makes the island a hot favourite with...

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Spain's buy-to-let market attracts distressed property investors

Foreign and domestic property investors are bulk-buying foreclosed homes in Spain, to rent out. On average, repossessed residential properties in Spain's major urban centres can be had at 71.6% below original value, according to Fitch Ratings. Last year, legislation was passed making investing in rental properties more enticing. Under the new law, rental rates have been de-linked from inflation and may now be increased by the landlord more frequently....

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UAE Central Bank caps mortgage lending

The UAE Central Bank is limiting mortgage lending to prevent a repeat of the 2008 property market collapse. The rules impose new mortgage restrictions on the 23 national banks and 28 foreign banking units in the country: For homes worth more than Dh5 million (US$1.36 million), loans for first-time buyer expatriates should not exceed 65% of the property's value, while loans for Emiratis will be capped at 70%. For second and subsequent property...

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Foreign investors hit by anti-speculation measures in Malaysia's 2014 budget

Malaysia's booming property market is expected to slow, once new taxes in the 2014 budget take effect next year. Beginning January 1, real property gains tax (RPGT) will double from the current 15% rate. For disposals within the first three years, the new RPGT will be 30%.  For citizens, RPGT will be 20% for disposal in the 4th year, 15% for disposal in the 5th year.  No tax is levied on disposals after the 5th year. For non-citizens...

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European University: Fulfilling great expectations with tailor-made MBAs

Globalization and digitalisation have undoubtedly changed the business world in the last 10 years. For business schools the implication was that the curricula had to be updated and the educational offering had to be adapted to suit the demands of potential students and their respective employers and industries. The most obvious change has been the rapid internationalisation of MBA programs. Most business schools now offer semesters abroad, operated...

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Global intelligence: New York Times goes international

Get essential global news, business insights and cultural content from the new launch of International New York Times, complemented by apps and a special subscription offer. [Contributed by the INYT] The International New York Times announces its launch in print and online as of October 15, 2013. Combining the journalism of The New York Times with dedicated newsrooms in Paris, London, Hong Kong and New York, it is even more tailored for a global...

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2013Expatica's "i am not a tourist" Expat Fair hits record 10 years

Expatica's 10th "i am not a tourist" Expat Fair yesterday was a success with record exhibitors and lively salsa performances, stand-up comedy and numerous prize giveaways. Expatica celebrated its milestone tenth anniversary of the "i am not a tourist" Expat Fair on Sunday 3 November, with a record 109 exhibitions alongside a colourful range of performances and prize giveaways and a lively crowd of diverse nationalities. Expatica's "i am not a...

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The British School in the Netherlands hosts successful boys football division

The British School in the Netherlands (BSN) held a successful International Schools Sports Tournament (ISST) last week with teams from Germany, UK and the Netherlands. [Contributed by BSN] One football International Schools Sports Tournament (ISST) International Boys Football Division in the NetherlandsSeven international schools, from the Netherlands Germany and UK visited The Hague last week to compete in the Boys Division One Football International...

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