The latest city to crack down on pied-a-terres, Paris hits empty apartments with a whopping 60 percent tax

… with its 15 percent tax on foreign buyers as global housing prices skyrocket and precious apartments in coveted … unlikely to encourage owners of second homes in Paris to rent out their properties to tenants since rental protections in the city are so strong for instance …

By Virginia K. Smith |March 21, 2017 - 2:59PM
Broker fees on rentals are now banned in the U.K., but New Yorkers shouldn't bank on it

… UK equivalent of the broker fees many New Yorkers pay on rentals After more than 250000 people signed off on the … past as Reuters reports The ban will spell some relief for renters in Britain who have to pay anywhere from £80 to £500 … work to be done There is no silver bullet for this countrys housing crisis We need a safer fairer and more secure …

By Virginia K. Smith |December 8, 2016 - 1:59PM
Reminder: abandoned towns are still much cheaper than a New York apartment

… At this point its not even shocking anymore to hear stories about entire towns or islands that cost less than your …

By Virginia K. Smith |August 26, 2015 - 1:59PM
Make the weak Euro work for you: Vacation homes across the pond for around $200,000 or under

… Under the Tuscan Sun than the lakeside retreat in   What About Bob   or for that matter the beachy locales in Jaws … may be called a cottage but theres nothing diminutive about this entire property a tenminute stroll from the …

By BrickUnderground |August 24, 2015 - 3:59PM
Did Berlin just crack the code to keeping rents affordable?

… already be turning the tide on a problem thats baffled just about every other major urban center in the developed world … And for luxury developers to be be totally understanding about the whole thing And for Cuomo and de Blasio to be able …

By Virginia K. Smith |July 10, 2015 - 10:30AM
The Italian town of Gangi is giving away houses

… in the middle of Sicily and attempting to navigate local housing law not to mention negotiate with local contractors the town has apparently streamlined the process minimizing red tape and will … say you should move to Detroit so heres what you can rent there Buy a Sandyravaged property for as little as …

By Virginia K. Smith |June 23, 2015 - 12:59PM
European homes that'll cost you the same as (or less than) a Manhattan one-bedroom

… … buying … Europe … pied a terre … vacation … European homes thatll cost you the same as or less than a Manhattan …

By BrickUnderground |March 12, 2015 - 10:30AM