The Fundamentals of Real Estate

Flats in Hyde Park are in high demand for several reasons.

There are few areas of the capital that encapsulate all that is great and good about London while simultaneously providing an area to escape the hustle and bustle, but Hyde Park offers exactly that.

It is close enough to the action for you not to feel detached but at the same time removed enough for you to get that feeling of peace and tranquillity.

For this reason, Hyde Park is one of the most desirable parts of central London and this is reflected in property prices.

Houses and flats can cost millions due to the high demand and limited supply. As an investment, they could make sense due to the safe haven status enjoyed by London’s prime property market, however, you should seek advice on this subject before proceeding.

If you do not have the funds to purchase then you could rent in Hyde Park.

Competition is fierce and rental prices are among the highest in the city, however, you get a lot for your money not just in terms of the quality of accommodation but by way of superb transport links, a thriving social scene and proximity to one of the best city parks in the whole world.

If you do decide to rent in Hyde Park then you will be close to a variety of excellent restaurants, including the fashionable Zuma restaurant in Knightsbridge.

It has forged a reputation for delivering a completely unique take on traditional Japanese Izakaya cuisine and is a popular haunt with the capital’s famous faces.

Celebrity chef Gary Rhodes also has an eatery in nearby Marble Arch where you can enjoy modern European dishes with a British twist.

Added to this are the exotic Taman Gang and several pizzerias, quaint cafes and bistros, so you will never struggle to find something to suit your palate.

You are also close to several of the capital’s cultural highlights, including the Royal Albert Hall, where various concerts and shows are performed all-year round, with the BBC Proms among the most famous.

There is also the Serpentine Gallery where you can enjoy thought-provoking exhibitions from established and up-and-coming artists.

Other notable attractions include The Lido, Buckingham Palace and the Wellington Museum.

Perhaps the biggest attraction of living in and around Hyde Park is the fact that you can enjoy the biggest green expanse in central London.

The actual park is 675 acres if you include Kensington Gardens and offers you the opportunity to enjoy a wealth of activities.

Tennis, football, cycling and swimming are just some of the activities you can partake in, while the beautiful gardens and flowers also make it a fabulous place to enjoy a stroll.

A key consideration when moving anywhere in London is the transport links and the Hyde Park area boasts an extensive range of options.

If you plan to drive to work, many of the capital’s major roads converge in Marble Arch, while there are five Tube stations served by the Circle and District, Piccadilly and Central lines if you intend to use public transport.

There are also several buses that pass through the area, taking you to all corners of the capital, so your options are extensive.

Flats in Hyde Park do not come cheap but there are few places in London that can give you so much for your money.

Real Estate in Lebanon has experienced some severe contrasting periods. In the early 90′s, the real estate sector pulled up the entire economy through intensive programs of reconstruction set by the government and other private institutions. New buildings were popping up across the whole country.

This positive impact of the real estate sector on the Lebanese economy was challenged during the last few years. The vast majority of residential buildings that were constructed during the last ten years were aimed at high-end customer’s level coming mainly from the Gulf, while internal demand was oriented towards medium standing apartments and properties. Since the external demand, mainly coming from Arabs in the Gulf region was increasing in volume, this has led to a sharp increase in real estate prices. This is not anymore the case especially for the last couple of years. The external demand has stabilized adding to that the government endorsement of laws limiting the percentage of properties that can be sold to foreigners. The real estate market is not flooded by liquidity as it was the case few years ago, and prices are expected to stay stagnant at least for the coming two to three years. Many positive signs are emerging in this period.

The real estate sector is being managed now by more professional institutions. This represents a major switch for this industry where traditionally families run mainly this sector. The best illustration is that investors are now conducting market research and feasibility studies prior to actual constructions. This was not the case 10 years ago.

Another positive sign is the return of international investors to downtown Beirut. Virgin, Ericsson and almost all financial institutions in the country have their headquarters there. The major effort that has been made by the country to attract investors is now bearing fruit.

This success is not surprising; Lebanon has many benefits for large corporations. Its location makes it an ideal gateway to the Middle East and the quality of life can meet the expats’ expectations and facilitates their implementation.

Beyond that, the banking laws are favorable for foreign companies wishing to locate in the region. The future may be considered as promising. Several major projects are now under construction. In Beirut downtown, a chain reaction is expected and which can be explained as follows: the more the number of multinational companies move to downtown Beirut, the more the multinational companies will want to locate their offices there. This is not just applicable to the city center; this fact also affects the surrounding neighborhoods.

The real estate market in Lebanon has experienced as well a dramatic rise in terms of the investments that have been injected into it. These investments come from Arabs, expatriates, and foreign investors.

Across the whole Arab region, the real estate sector in Lebanon has received the majority of Arab and foreign investments with a big boost in demand on the it properties in Lebanon.

The real estate market in Lebanon was the primary recipient of all Arab investments and constituted 80 percent of such investments.

Beirut, once considered the “Pearl of the Orient” is now ranked the most expensive city in the Middle East and Africa, ahead of Dubai, Istanbul and Johannesburg.

Today’s news really gives us mixed signals about the real estate market. Some say real estate is flourishing and some say that it continues decline. The fact of the matter is that there are quite a few angles from which you can view the real estate market. It isn’t simply prices and loan rates, as most people like to report. It’s much deeper than that.

One important angle, and the focus of this article, is that real estate ought to be looked at through a regional perspective. Even in a city, each neighborhood has its own characteristics. Some neighborhoods have families that have lived in their homes for more than 20 years, other neighborhoods have homes that are owned by investors, others have young families just moving in… you get the picture. Because each neighborhood is so diverse, the general outlook of the city’s perspective may not do justice to the individual gems that are hidden within it. Not all neighborhoods have foreclosures or short sales, or other transactions that could reduce the property value of the neighborhood. A little bit of research, or the help from your real estate agent, can help you determine the state of your neighborhood, or a neighborhood into which you would like to move.

Shifting one’s perspective on the regional market outlook can make a huge change in how one perceives the market, as a whole. Keep in mind that despite all that doom and gloom that we are hearing about real estate, transactions continue to occur. First time home buyers are taking advantage of home and loan pricing, and open houses continue to grab the attention of many prospective buyers; from investors to homeowners to home upgraders. People are upgrading from smaller homes to larger homes. By that same token, some folks are moving from larger homes to smaller homes, as they age and look for more simplicity.

There are plenty of reasons that people buy or sell a home. Despite the market, these reasons still exist, and dreams of home ownership continue to be fulfilled. What we hear quite a bit of in the media is how housing starts are low and how people are losing their homes, and the media is coinciding home losses with the lack of home sales. Economically speaking, when a homeowner loses the home, that is one less home that needs to be built, right? So, if many people are losing their homes, then it follows that there is no need to build more homes, as the inventory is still full. That does not, however, mean that home sales have stopped. Make no mistake about it. In some areas of the United States, real estate is going strong. Admittedly, in other areas of the United States, real estate is not doing too well. Again, this goes back to a regional perspective of real estate.

Another aspect that the media focuses on is pricing, and that will be the subject matter of our next article.