Friday, August 31, 2007

Buying Property in France? You Should Consider the Limousin

Buy place or existent estate in the Limousin? Why I hear you ask? There are may grounds why you should see it. No crime, a sense of community, friendly locals, a good clime and the cheapest places for sale in France, are just some of the grounds why, that if you are considering a place purchase in France, you should seriously see the Limousin.

Eights old age ago, when my household and I moved to French Republic from England, the communication theory to this part were non-existent. Now with the rise of no-frills airlines, getting to the part from the United Kingdom and many other parts of Europe is simple, fast and cheap. You can even be in City Of Light in less than 2 hours on the train, so accessibility from all over the human race is no problem.

The property/real estate terms offering the best value in French Republic and now, thanks to the new forward thought authorities of Mister Sarkosy, place values will go on to lift at an even faster rate, as an country that was lost on the world, now gets to turn in popularity. Place to the North in the Loire River Valley and to the South in the Dordogne are now over getting over valued and so the natural patterned advance is for topographic point buyers to seek out the cheaper places in the part in the center – which tin only travel up in value.

Apart from the first-class communication theory and the very existent chance of making significant additions on property, it is also a fantastic place to live. Our three immature children were all born here and it is a fantastic feeling to cognize we can open up the dorsum door, allow them travel out and drama and we cognize they are in a completely safe environment – something you just cannot put option a terms on and something that is just not possible in many parts of the world.

So if you are considering a place purchase in French Republic you really should look at the Limousin.

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Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Chase Says It Will Move if City Balks

is threatening to move thousands of employees from Midtown to Stamford, Conn., if New York officials do not give it a larger subsidy package to build a 50-story skyscraper near ground zero, according to real estate executives and government officials involved in the talks.

Officials view the bank’s threat to relocate outside Manhattan as the latest move in what has become a routine game of corporate poker in which companies try to extract special benefits. But Chase has gotten in touch with at least one large property owner in downtown Stamford, although it remains unclear whether the bank is serious or bluffing.

Chase struck a tentative deal with the Port Authority in late March to pay about $300 million for the development rights at the site of the soon-to-be-demolished building, at Greenwich and Cedar Streets. Chase planned to build a 1.3-million-square-foot tower there and move thousands of employees from Park Avenue to Lower Manhattan, in what was widely regarded as a boon for the beleaguered district.

Officials expected that the move would solidify Lower Manhattan’s place as a world financial center and validate the redevelopment of the World Trade Center site as a commercial complex.

In subsequent negotiations, state and city officials offered the bank the kind of benefit package available to any company moving to ground zero: a combination of tax breaks, cash payments and subsidized electricity benefits worth more than $100 million. But Chase has continually pushed city and state officials for a batch of subsidies akin to what got in 2005 to build a headquarters in Battery Park City. Critics described that deal as an egregious example of corporate welfare.

State and city officials have resisted the bank’s demands. They regard the Goldman deal as an aberration. And Mayor has said that the city will not grant any special benefits beyond what any other company would get.

“We would hope that Chase recognizes that Lower Manhattan is the financial capital of the world and that they would want to be located here,” said John Gallagher, a spokesman for Mayor Bloomberg. “Because the market in Lower Manhattan is strong and because Chase will realize more than $100 million with the incentives in place for Lower Manhattan, giving them an additional incentive package at this point would be difficult to justify.”

Joseph Evangelisti, a spokesman for Chase, declined to comment. Last week, Chase reported a 55 percent rise in first-quarter profits.

Stamford has been a relatively sleepy rival for Manhattan corporations compared with Jersey City, where U.S. Trust, Goldman Sachs, Chase, UBS and other financial institutions have moved at least part of their operations. Until recently, only UBS and some hedge funds had major operations in Stamford. But now the Royal Bank of Scotland is building a $400 million office complex there for what will be its North American headquarters. The complex includes a 95,000-square-foot trading floor and room for up to 1,400 traders.

State and city officials in New York continue to express optimism that a deal can be struck downtown for Chase. One official, who insisted on anonymity because he was not authorized to talk about Chase, said that the snag centered on sales-tax breaks on building materials for the tower, while another said it had to do with payments the bank would be required to make in lieu of taxes.

Office rents are considerably cheaper downtown than uptown, but holding the line on subsidies has still been difficult since the 2005 Goldman Sachs deal. Goldman negotiated with state and city officials to build a headquarters in Battery Park City, a significant financial investment and the first dramatic boost for Lower Manhattan after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

But after a series of missteps by aides to Gov. , the state was forced to grant an unusually large subsidy package to ensure that Goldman would build the tower.

Goldman Sachs got incentives worth an estimated $650 million in cash grants, tax-exempt bonds, sales and utility tax breaks and discounts on required payments in lieu of taxes. Since then, Chase, and have sought similar packages. City and state officials have rebuffed them.

“The atmosphere in the city and downtown has changed dramatically since Sept. 11,” said Patrick J. Foye, co-chairman of the Empire State Development Corporation, who is talking with Chase executives. “Rents downtown are very strong and demand continues to grow. The state would welcome JPMorgan moving part of its operations to the city’s vibrant downtown.”


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Sunday, April 15, 2007

Get a Good View of French Property

It may seem like the viewing of a property is the least of your worries when thinking of buying in France but turning up unprepared could put you off a potentially great investment.

Most property experts advise that potential buyers contact their agent before they even get to France to develop a relationship and ensure they have them on their books.

All appointments with estate agents must be arranged in advance as it is unlikely that someone will be free to do a viewing immediately.

Trips to view homes that are off the market are a waste of time and money so it is usually advisable to double check that the property you have seen is still available.

Most agents will want to show you more than one property so it is recommended to take at least a day to head across the English Channel for viewings.

Potential buyers should also be prepared for the type of house they are visiting and dress accordingly. An old derelict farmhouse is likely to have mud on the floor so wearing you best dress is not advisable. Similarly, someone hoping to purchase a plush chateaux may opt for smarter attire.

Most important of all is to ensure the agent is aware of exactly what you are looking for or the viewing could prove a waste of time for both you and your guide.

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