Tag Archives: tsi
The Greek Housing Market in 2014 by Taylor Scott International
The drop in the prices of holiday homes in Greece today compared to the period before the crisis stands at up to 45%, according to Taylor Scott International’s research as well as other market professionals at the 2nd Greek-Russian Real … Continue reading
Detailed figures reveal the success of UK’s Help to Buy scheme
Prime Minister David Cameron has hailed his government’s flagship Help to Buy scheme which aids people buying a new home, as a great success after figures show over 17,000 benefitted in the months since its launch. Figures shows that it is overwhelmingly benefiting first time buyers and contrary to critics it is not benefitting people in London and the South East with the vast majority of buyers outside these areas. The newly published figures reveal that 17,395 people have already bought a home through Help to Buy and the number of aspiring homeowners using the scheme continues to grow. Over 80% of sales were to people taking their first step onto the housing ladder with 89% part of the equity loan scheme and 82% the mortgage guarantee scheme. The highest number of people buying a home through the mortgage guarantee scheme is in the Scotland and the North West, while the equity loan part for new build properties, was at its highest in the South East. But overall some 77% of those supported by Help to Buy were from outside London and the South East, 85% for Help to Buy Mortgage Guarantee completions. ‘Help to Buy is a key part of our long term economic plan, giving thousands more people the security and independence that comes from owning their own home,’ said Cameron. His officials pointed out that Help to Buy continues to support responsible lending, with the average cost of a house bought under the mortgage guarantee at £148,048 and the average cost of a house bought under the equity loan scheme at £203,137, both of which remains below the UK average house price. An average house price bought under Help to Buy as a whole costs £194,992. The data also shows that the mortgage guarantee continues to be a success with home buyers, with completions tripling from 750 to over 2,500 in just over one month and mortgage lenders from both ends of the scale continuing to see strong demand. Two of the largest lenders, Lloyds and RBS have received 9,569 applications, and one of the smallest lenders in the scheme, Aldermore has received 2,313. The figures were published after the announcement confirmed in last week’s Budget that the equity loan part of the scheme has been extended to 2020. That means a further £6 billion to help 120,000 more households buy a new build home. There are currently 10,424 reservations already in the pipeline. Continue reading
Egyptian court sentences 529 Mursi supporters to death
Egyptian court sentences 529 Mursi supporters to death (Reuters) / 25 March 2014 Most of the defendants were detained and charged with carrying out attacks during clashes which erupted in the southern province of Minya after the forced dispersal of protest camps on August 14. An Egyptian court sentenced 529 members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood to death for murder and other offences on Monday. Family members stood outside the courthouse screaming after the verdict — the biggest mass death sentence handed out in Egypt’s modern history, defence lawyers said. State television reported the sentences without comment. A government spokesman did not immediately respond to calls. Several government officials said they could not comment on judicial matters. Most of the defendants at Monday’s hearing were detained and charged with carrying out attacks during clashes which erupted in the southern province of Minya after the forced dispersal of two Muslim Brotherhood protest camps in Cairo on August 14. Militants have also stepped up assaults on the police and army since Mursi’s ouster, killing hundreds and carrying out high profile operations against senior interior ministry officials. “The court has decided to sentence to death 529 defendants, and 16 were acquitted,” defence lawyer Ahmed El Sharif said. The condemned men can appeal against the ruling. The charges against the group, on trial in Minya since Saturday, include violence, inciting murder, storming a police station, attacking persons and damaging public and private property. “This is the quickest case and the number sentenced to death is the largest in the history of the judiciary,” said lawyer Nabil Abdel Salam, who defends some Brotherhood leaders including Mursi. On Tuesday, the Muslim Brotherhood’s Supreme Guide, Mohamed Badie, and 682 others will face trial on charges of incitement to kill. Only 123 of the defendants were in court. The rest were either released, out on bail or on the run. The government has declared the Brotherhood a “terrorist” group. Mursi, Mubarak’s successor as president, and other top Brotherhood leaders are on trial on a range of charges and accuse the military of staging a coup and undermining democracy. The army says it was acting on behalf of the Egyptian people, who took to the streets in their millions to call for Mursi’s resignation. For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
