Global Property Guide, a real estate research firm, recently issued a report ranking the most expensive flats in Europe. Currently, property value is on the rise throughout much of Europe, and real estate in locations such as the Baltic region are seeing an increase in value. Rental yields (profit yields) in several European cities are above 10%. The extremely small and distinguished principality of Monaco currently wears the crown for most expensive real estate in the Europe.

Monaco has an average price of 24,900 per sq meter, making the principality the most expensive real estate in Europe, but profit yields are low at 2.4%. A 35 sq. meter apartment of this expensive real estate yields an average return of 2.12%, while a 195 sq. meter apartment yields an average return of 2.64%.

Real estate in Central London’s exclusive neighborhoods is also quite expensive, averaging 14,522 per sq. meter and claiming the location of the second most expensive real estate in Europe. Paris and Amsterdam were both noted as having some of Europe’s most expensive real estate.

Monaco still has them topped, by a wide margin actually. It makes sense that such a small wealthy geographical location would have the most expensive real estate in Europe. This makes Monaco extremely exclusive and its property in high demand for those able enough to afford it. Property prices in Monaco have steadily risen over 10% a year in the last decade.

Some of the most sought after property in Monaco is located in the area known as Carre D’Or (Square of Gold), located close to the world famous Place Du Casino. Most of the available properties in Monaco are expensive apartments. Other expensive real estate include penthouses overlooking the harbor and Formula 1 circuit. There are a number of villas and townhouses located on the hills that also boast extremely high property values.

Monaco has recently unveiled its plans to expand its borders by adding 25 acres of expensive real estate into the ocean through the construction a platform, using the same technology that off-shore oil rigs utilize. The new district will boast upmarket shops and reportedly about 3.7 billion ($4.9 billion) worth of luxury residences.

Patrice Cellario, Monaco’s director of planning was quoted in a recent article saying:

“We hope this extension will be a self-contained area with a complex mix of people. We’re not looking to create a residential area for the rich, though of course we want to welcome well-off foreigners to Monaco.”

Source: most-expensive.net

The bar for luxury residential real estate in Hong Kong, already one of the most expensive areas in the world, has been raised.

The Peak, at 1,811 feet above sea level, is the highest point on Hong Kong Island and has symbolized prominence and wealth since the 19th century. Formally known as Victoria Peak, it towers above the heart of the city and has spectacular, 360-degree views of all of the surrounding islands. To live there signifies a status level for which captains of industry from around the world are willing to pay top dollar.

Last month, The Peak exceeded its own lavish reputation, with local headlines claiming it is the site of the most expensive residential piece of land in the world. The government land auction of 12 Mount Kellett Road fetched $231 million from Sun Hung Kai Properties — 134 percent of the opening bid and a projected $5,417 per square foot.

And that’s for just the land.

Why the historic high price? It’s a simple supply-and-demand equation. Property here, the most sought-after low-density neighborhood in Hong Kong, comes available so infrequently that some of the world’s richest line up to buy.

Read more: abcnews.go.com

Hunter-gatherers also followed a tribal system, but scarcity and the uncertainty of the life meant that a tribe could only support two or three extended families. The amorous farmers, however, soon found that they could not name everyone in their tribe anymore. In return for the sacrifice of familiarity, people living in these small societies gained the safety of numbers. A well-fed army easily repelled any desperate raiders. In return for this security, the people all paid homage to the lord or king who claimed ownership of the land – which, in essence was the first system of rent. As these farming villages grew into cities, the leading families maintained ownership by right of lineage – their ancestors had clubbed all other challengers senseless – thus becoming the kings, pharaohs, daimyos and the heads of other feudal dynasties.

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You may think, why not sell or look for a house on your own and disregard the idea of hiring a realtor service? I say, think again. It is true that you save 6% from your budget if you are not hiring a realtor but is it worth all the effort? Looking for a possible buyer or for a new house is as difficult as looking for money. You have to constantly show potential buyers around and you can’t say no once they call you up and request for a tour. Once they ask you to “show them around” the house, you just can’t say no. Now, that could take a lot of effort and money from you compared to hiring a realtor.

Before selling the house, you better groom it first before you put it in the market. The way you present it to potential buyers can make a difference. First impression is important so make your house especially your driveway as appealing as possible. It’s what they’ll first see. Make sure the lawn is mowed and shrubs are trimmed. Have some flowers around the yard, the more colorful the better. If the exterior looks great, you need to focus on the interior. Everything should be spotless and if possible, glimmering. Every part of your house should be thoroughly neat and organized, and well decorated for extra points. In short try to look at your house through the buyer’s house and for sure buyers will line up fast in front of you.

On the surface level, it seems as though you might be getting a good deal when you buy short sale but there are times when you’re better off not doing that. Here are a few reasons why you might not want to buy short sale.

The seller borrowed too much. Some banks allow borrowers to overmortgage their home, especially for appreciating markets. This means that the loan balance of the borrower exceeds the property’s value.

The house is not qualified to be a short sale. Some unethical real estate agents might convince sellers to do a short sale when he or she does not even qualify for a short sale.

Lenders change the condition. There are lenders who have the right to renegotiate the short sale’s terms at the last minute, especially when new laws have been passed or if the market changes. They’ll have a lawyer at their disposal while you, the ordinary buyer, won’t.

While you can always benefit from the expert knowledge of a real estate agent, there are some advantages to selling your property by yourself. For one, you get to keep all the profit from the sale because you don’t need to pay any commissions. You also get to set your own price without the influence of an agent – but this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do the research to come up with a reasonable price. You can also work on your own time instead of working around an agent’s schedule. Remember, you’re not your agent’s only client. When you work with an agent, there’s a compromise on viewing schedules. Finally, you perform the selling process yourself. While you can get an expert valuation, you control the actual sale all by yourself.