Shortly before Christmas holidays ee24.com decided to sum up the results of 2013. The portal’s experts composed a top 10 of the brightest trends that came up in the real estate market. Some countries have already recovered from the crisis, others have stabilized, and some have put government property for sale or started to give "golden visas" to foreigners.
The number of European countries that issue "golden visas", i.e. residence permit for buying property, have increased significantly in 2013. Spain, Portugal, Greece and Bulgaria were among them too. Our portal introduced its readers to all the changes and innovations regarding the rules of issuing residence permits, permanent residence and citizenship in different European countries that took place in 2013.
At year-end real estate prices had risen most in Northern Europe: in Estonia, Germany, Denmark, Poland and Turkey. On the contrary, properties in sunny Croatia, Greece and Spain became 7-10% more affordable for buyers.
Spanish real estate remains very attractive for foreigners even though the prices have decreased. That is why some dishonest agencies use this feverish demand and invent new ways of legitimate exaction of resources and sometimes outright cheating of customers. We wrote about all the tricks that can be used by realtors. Now readers know how to avoid "bait", "home-shopping" and "unheralded virgin soil".
Probably, there is as much cheating in Bulgaria, but property there is definitely cheaper. 2013 turned out to be a turning point for the market: five-year period of recession has ended, real estate prices have stabilized and will grow, as the country adopted European standards of construction. Find details on the Bulgarian housing market in the article on ee24.com.
But Europe is not only a warm sea with sandy beaches. In autumn we paid special attention to the ski regions of Italy, France, Germany and, of course, Austria. Journalists went to the most famous resorts of the country and found out the best places to buy a house in the Austrian Alps.
And what if there are no mountains, but you want to climb high enough to see miles around? The answer to this question can be found in London, Paris, Frankfurt and in a number of other cities. Now the government of Helsinki also decided to create a district of skyscrapers, but in smaller size. As they say, you will be able to see the spires of Tallinn from the upper floors.
And rightly so: it’s high time Finland showed its achievements to the whole world, as it is one of the most prosperous countries on the planet. It is curious that, among the leading seven countries there are either Northern or Alpine ones: Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany and Austria.
And in conclusion: two interesting houses. We told the readers who bought the unique "Dancing House" in Prague and how much it cost. And in Zurich, Switzerland there has been built the first house in the world for allergic individuals, made of hypoallergenic materials. At the entrance there is even a special room where dwellers change from street clothes into home ones in order to make their apartments the safest and the most comfortable place. It’s great when life is getting better!