Investing

Blackstone Buying Multifamily Residential Portfolio from General Electric for $2.7 Billion

Blackstone Group LP has reportedly agreed to purchase a large multifamily residential portfolio from General Electric’s financial arm for a deal worth $2.7 billion. Blackstone will be acquiring about 80 apartment buildings from GE in an effort to maximize its presence in the U.S. residential property market, according to several media reports.

UAE Commercial Real Estate Mapping Speedy Recovery: RICS Survey

The commercial real estate market of the United Arab Emirates has been rebounding and showing great signs of recovery, according to a recent quarter survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Due to increased foreign investment and interest in the sector, the region’s growth has accelerated commendably.

NAHB Report: August Sees 247 Improving Markets in US

The First American Improving Markets Index (IMI) of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released Thursday the list of improving housing markets in the U.S., which included 247 metropolitan areas.
EDITOR'S PICKS
  • Brookfield Asset Management Raises $4.4 Billion for Real estate Fund Surpassing Target
    Brookfield Asset Management Inc, the Canadian asset managing firm, has reportedly raise $4.4 billion for its global real estate fund. The amount is one of the largest raised since the financial crisis and has surpassed the $3.5 billion target, the company actually affixed, according to several media reports.
    By Rapti Gupta
  • US Home Sales Drop Unexpectedly in June; Remain at 3.5 Year High
    Home sales in the U.S. witnessed a slight unexpected dip in the month of June as average mortgage rates climbed a little. However, the current figures of sales remain at a three and a half year high, according to the data released by the National Association of Realtors (NAR).
    By Rapti Gupta
  • Nature to the Rescue of U.S. Real Estate
    For years now, man has been exploiting nature. Several reports on how man-made factors affect the environment surface every day. Nature has its own way of unleashing its wrath and letting off steam in the form of disasters and catastrophes.
    By Rapti Gupta
  • China Home Sales Rise 24 Per cent Despite Slow Growth
    The total home sales in China rose 24 percent in June on a month on month basis, making it the biggest rise in the past year, according to Bloomberg. However, economic growth and real estate investment in the country slowed down slightly in the first half of the year which is expected to bog down the sales in the near future.
    By Rapti Gupta
  • BlackRock Selling Seattle Office Buildings Worth $70 Million
    BlackRock Inc, a renowned asset management firm is selling away two of its major downtown Seattle office properties to a unit of Morgan Stanley for about $70 million.
    By Rapti Gupta
  • Fannie Mae Selling Mortgage Bonds Worth $1 Billion
    U.S. Mortgage financier, Fannie Mae is reportedly planning to sell mortgage bonds worth $1 billion in an upcoming private auction slated to be held on Thursday, July 11. The lender will be selling these bonds without any involvement or backing from the government, according to several media reports.
    By Rapti Gupta
  • US Office Property Market Growth Slow; Vacancy Rate Stagnant
    U.S. property market growth remained sluggish in the second quarter of 2013 with rents climbing little and vacancy rates remaining stagnant. The slow growth is attributed to the lack of improvement in the government employment sector of the country, according to several media reports.
    By Rapti Gupta
  • Vacancies in the US Retail Sector Lowest in 4 Years
    Vacancies in the retail sector of the U.S. fell to its lowest in four years in the wake of a rebounding economy and commercial property market. Average vacancy rates fell to 10.5 percent, the lowest in more than the past three years, according to The Wall Street Journal.
    By Rapti Gupta
  • The Effects of Government Curbs on Hong Kong’s Real Estate Market
    Hong Kong’s property sector is the most expensive real estate market of the Asia Pacific region. Home prices have been high since 2009 due to lack of steady supply, low interest rates and the influx of Chinese buyers in the region. To cool the conditions down, the government had introduced various measures in the past few months. But has the government actually achieved its target with these curbs? How have these measures affected the market?
    By Rapti Gupta
  • Kensington Palace Garden the Most Expensive Street of UK
    In a recent survey conducted by real estate website, Zoopla it was revealed that Kensington Palace Garden is the most expensive street in Britain. The average property price on the street is something around $46.9 million; about 156 times more than the value of an average home in the country.
    By Rapti Gupta