International Investor Buyers turn their sights on the U.K?

International Investor buyers have set their sights on the U.K, especially London, post the BREXIT vote, which may explain why some of these investors are missing in the New York real estate market right now. We recently conducted a (very un-scientific) survey of international investor buyers: the depressed sterling currency combined with political fears have… [Read More]

ARE LONDON BUYER-BLUES BEING MIRRORED IN NEW YORK?

Posted by Leonard Steinberg, President of Urban Compass, on July 8th, 2014 London is experiencing some BUYER-BLUES on the very high end and today its reported that home-price gains in London’s most-expensive neighborhoods are trailing the rest of the city because buyers are deterred by high asking prices and the possibility of new taxes. Values in… [Read More]

DOES GOVERNMENT STIMULUS FUEL HOUSING VALUES?

Posted by Leonard Steinberg on March 17th, 2014 Does Government stimulus fuel housing values? Apparently in the UK with its ‘HELP TO BUY” program the answer is YES: London housing prices surged 2.1% from February to a record this month, as the buoyant outlook spread to other parts of the country: annualized this equates to… [Read More]

NEW YORK IS WORLD’S TOP FINANCIAL CENTER

Posted by Leonard Steinberg on March 15th, 2015 New York has ousted London amid growing regulation, scandals and EU concerns as the world’s top financial center. The top 4 cities in the twice-yearly survey by consultancy Z/Yen Group remain the same: London, New York, Singapore and Hong Kong. London has held on to the lead over New… [Read More]

NEW YORK: ONLY THE 17th MOST EXPENSIVE CITY IN THE WORLD?

Posted by Leonard Steinberg on April 6th, 2012 New York City rates as the 17th most expensive real estate city in the world: maybe another reason why Manhattan is so incredibly popular with international investors these days? Monaco is at the top: a strong message about super low taxes for the super-wealthy? The rich always… [Read More]

NEW YORK IS THE WORLD’S 47th MOST EXPENSIVE CITY…..HUH?

Posted by Leonard Steinberg on February 15th, 2012 New York is the 47th most expensive city in the world…huh? Zurich took over from Tokyo as the world’s most expensive city to live in: that is what the Economist Intelligence Unit’s most recent world-wide cost-of-living survey says, even though it is somewhat difficult to believe.  Of course… [Read More]

IS FIRST CLASS THE NEW MIDDLE CLASS?

Posted by Leonard Steinberg on February 12th, 2012 I just read an article in the New York Times that confirms domestic First Class on airlines is just a slightly bigger, wider version of the horrific Coach class airlines offer to fliers, regardless that they are spending triple or more for their seat. In fact, the perks for… [Read More]

SUPER CITIES – THE ‘VIRTUAL CONTINENT"

Posted by Leonard Steinberg on June 4th, 2011 A dislocation between a few  “super cities” is emerging, where international money moves markets, and national counterparts that are still closely linked to economic inertia. In to-day’s Financial Times it is reported that a separation has become marked over the past two years, with strong price growth in some major… [Read More]