Popular News in One Year

A Chinese property developer is giving back homebuyers the deposit they paid for apartments in a project it was unable to finish as part of a housing return programme coordinated by the local authorities, official media reported. The refund coordinated by the government of the city of Nanjing is believed to be the first such case in China, the New Beijing News reported this week, and could set a precedent for other cities and developers to resolve the problem of unfinished homes that has dogged the real estate sector. Since 2021, many developers across China have been unable to complete the construction of projects due to defaults. Policymakers are demanding developers to resolve the...

For homebuyers with a special affection for life on the water—and an insistence on creature comforts—floating homes check a lot of boxes. These unique dwellings offer a permanent, water-based lifestyle on lakes, rivers, and bays, but they do require sea legs. Because these homes are built on floating foundations, residents will feel swaying—especially when a storm rolls in. So for those who can handle the occasional shaky spell, we’ve found five floating homes for sale. We’ve limited the budget to prices below $700,000. Yes, that’s well above the national median for a regular old tract home, but isn’t the waterfront life worth a splurge? 1....

Hugo Dalinger knew he couldn’t go back. Not after a wall of flames swallowed his bright-white Altadena home during the January firestorm that took out most of his town. But he needed money to start over, so he reached out to a friend and veteran real estate agent for help. Ramiro Rivas was skeptical. He grew up around Altadena and has sold hundreds of properties in 21 years - but a fire-scarred lot was new. He put the 10,500 square-foot ash-filled parcel up for sale on Feb. 3, pitching it as an “incredible canvas for a custom-built estate.” He was surprised how fast offers came in.   In nine days, Rivas closed Altadena’s first post-fire residential land...

A notorious New Orleans manse is seeking a new owner — one who’s undaunted by its dark history. The Big Easy’s legendary Lalaurie mansion has hit the market, with seller and energy trader Michael Whalen seeking $10.25 million for the historic, ghost story-steeped Empire Style estate, the Wall Street Journal first reported. The over 10,000-square-foot eight-bedroom abode has long been rumored to be haunted, and is a fixture of many paranormal tours of the town. “I’m Catholic, and that kind of stuff doesn’t scare me,” the mostly Texas-based Whalen told the Journal. Whalen — who purchased the 10-bathroom property for approximately $2.1 million...

Singapore is the world’s safest city for tourists, according to new research by Forbes Advisor. The study, which analyzed factors such as crime, healthcare quality and risks of natural disasters, ascribed safety scores from 0 to 100 — with the safest cities receiving the lowest scores. Based on the study’s assessment, Singapore scored 0 points.Out of 60 analyzed cities, the Southeast Asian city boasted the lowest natural disaster risk, and the second lowest health and infrastructure risks. The study also analyzed digital security risks, which it defined as the ability to freely use the internet without fear of online attacks or privacy violations. Singapore was deemed...

From nightmarish landlords to sky-high prices, the London renting market is notoriously hellish. It’s still markedly expensive to live in the Big Smoke, with average rents reaching £2,121 per month in April 2024, according to statistics from Zoopla. Now, the owner of one central London flat is letting housemates with lower incomes choose their own rent, offering up a ‘pay what you can’ deal. Rupert Hunt, the founder of flatsharing website SpareRoom, is searching for a new housemate to join him at his home in Spitalfields in East London. So, what inspired Rupert to allow potential flatmates to choose their own rental terms? When he started his business, the...

In the village of Dhami, Himachal Pradesh, a unique and ancient tradition known as the “Stone-Pelting Fair” is celebrated annually. This event, held 40 kilometers from Shimla, draws thousands of people from nearby villages. The fair is deeply rooted in history and cultural heritage, aiming to preserve the customs of past generations.   A Tradition with Deep Roots The fair began as a way to end human sacrifices to appease Goddess Kali. Instead, villagers now participate in a symbolic stone-pelting ritual. Jagdeep Singh, a representative of the Dhami royal family, expressed pride in continuing this tradition, emphasizing its cultural and spiritual...

PLANS for a set of retirement bungalows have been approved - with a bizarre rule that no children or cats are allowed to live there. Medway Council last week approved plans for View Road, Cliffe Woods in Kent, with the requirement that residents are banned from keeping pet cats, and no one under 16 can live on-site.   (The site where 25 houses are proposed on Cliffe Woods, Kent.Credit: Esquire Developments/ Medway Council planning portal)   (The land near on the edge of Cliffe Woods is close to the Chattenden Woods and Lodge Hill site of special scientific interest)   The conditions were tied to a planning application for 25 homes for people aged over 55, based in...

The Qatari government is listing a Manhattan townhouse for less than it paid for the home in 2013. Qatar, which bought the Beekman Place house as an official state residence for $34.35 million, is putting it on the market for $32 million, according to Les Meyers of Compass, one of the listing agents. Meyers noted that the original purchase price included the furnishings, which aren’t included in the current listing. Still, the luxury market has “taken alittle bit of a hit” since the frothy days of 2013, he said. A nearby townhouse sold last year for $27.5 million, far less than its original $49.9 million asking price, property records show. (The government of Qatar is...

‘I didn’t know you could actually buy a castle,’ says Simon Hunt, sitting in the stone-walled kitchen nook of his 16th-century Scottish pile with wife Stef Burgon. ‘I thought they were passed from first son to first son, like in Game Of Thrones.’ The pile in question – Kilmartin Castle – built in 1550 during the time of Mary, Queen of Scots – came to Stef and Simon’s attention when they had been living and working in dream jobs in Dubai for more than a decade. The pair came across an article saying central London parking spaces were now so expensive that you could actually buy a Scottish castle for the same price. The picture of the...