French leasebacks are touted to be safe long-term investments, with limited downsides – TheMoveChannel.com finds out if this really is the case.

It’s no secret that hoards of Brits would love to escape the economic downturn and move to pastures new, but who knew it would be quite so many?

The Russians have proved to be shrewd property investors over the years, with others following ‘hot on the heels’ of their decisions.

A new report from Jones Lang LaSalle has found that despite the global economic slowdown, the residential market in Istanbul remains buoyant, with plenty of opportunities on offer for investors and second home buyers, especially approaching 2010 when the city will be named European Capital of Culture.

The impact of the world recession on Dubai has been dramatic. This contemporary oasis which was once an inspiration to the world on so many levels has been dealt a heavy body blow losing the proverbial wind from its sails.

No longer can off-plan properties be marketed in Saudi Arabia – new rules introduced in the country which ban the promotion and sale of any developments that are at the planning stage aim to cut down speculation in the property sector and build investor’s confidence.

Despite losing more than a fifth of its billionaires as a result of the credit crunch, New York City is once again home to more billionaires than any other city in the world, forcing last year’s winner Moscow into second place.

British tourists are among a growing band of people of other nationalities outside Southeast Asia who are discovering the Philippines as a new holiday destination.

During the last year the real estate market experienced a sharp decline in prices – the price decline was observed in all real estate sectors.

Across Central and Eastern European markets vacancy is on the up, rents are stalling or falling and new supply is being mothballed on the back of weak markets and reduced availability of development finance.

The sudden stagnation of the Dubai real estate industry has led property investors to the shores of Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi is home to a tenth of the world's oil reserves making it by far the richest Emirate in the UAE.

Today's news that Annecy in the Haute-Savoie region of France has been selected to compete with Munich in Germany and Pyeongchang in South Korea to host the Winter Olympics in 2018 means that British investors could soon be 'going for gold' in the race to secure properties tipped to soar in value in the run-up to the event.

Australia and New Zealand are considering creating a common border between the two countries in order to allow air travel to be classed as ‘domestic,’ which would remove barriers to trade and tourism and could reduce air fares and flight times.

Andrea Bocelli is to make his annual appearance at the now famous "Teatro del Silenzio" in the heart of Lajatico countryside, Tuscany, Italy on the 18th July and already seats are selling fast and no wonder.

Many commentators from estate agents to currency experts can offer their opinions on the Spanish Property market from the comfort of their plush London offices – but are they close enough to the truth? 

As celebrities lose their shirts in Dubai, A Place in the Sun editor Richard Way says now's not the time to panic over overseas properties.

Talk of the town in Italy at the moment is the revival of plans to build a highly controversial suspension bridge stretching from the toe of Italy’s boot to Sicily.

Is off plan dead in Dubai? In order to answer this, we first need to understand why so many of us buy off plan in the first instance.

Company directors Trevor and Lynn Broughton, who live near Malmesbury in Wiltshire, are buying a new four-bedroom, three-bathroom detached Spanish Colonial-style villa at Desert Springs, Europe's only international award-winning luxury family resort and championship desert golf course in the Almeria region of south-east Spain.

A Berkshire businessman whose approach to building new homes in Crete helped him to win the title of 'Best Developer, Newcomer' in the annual award scheme run by the Association of International Property Professionals - the industry body established to provide a 'kitemark' for the entire overseas property market – five months ago, is optimistic about the outlook for the island's property market in 2009.

While Cuba still remains off-limits to Americans, there is a heated debate on whether or not Obama's administration should scrap the half-century old embargo on the island nation.

Japan has been chosen as the world's top destination for international tourists by luxury travel magazine Wanderlust, with the appeal of capital city Tokyo being cited as one of the major factors behind the decision.

Even those with A-list bank balances can’t avoid the economic turmoil – Brad Pitt, Michael Jackson and the Beckhams have all fallen victim to the dreaded crunch as the value of their luxury properties in Dubai plummet to Z-list status.

At a time when others are retrenching, Pafilia Property Developers is expanding aggressively. Cyprus-born Pafilia is always looking to build upon its achievements and improve the breadth and depth of its portfolio.

The number of foreigners calling the Balearic Islands home rose dramatically last year, with reports that Majorca was one of the safest areas in invest in due to a balanced supply and demand situation – but now, Majorca is suffering huge drops in house sales, with the number of British buyers falling by 50 per cent.