Real estate, or immovable property, is a legal term (in some jurisdictions) that encompasses land along with anything permanently affixed to the land, such as buildings. Real estate (immovable property) is often considered synonymous with real property (also sometimes called realty), in contrast with personal property (also sometimes called chattel or personalty). However, for technical purposes, some people prefer to distinguish real estate, referring to the land and fixtures themselves, from real property, referring to ownership rights over real estate.
The terms real estate and real property are used primarily in common law, while civil lawjurisdictions refer instead to immovable property. Property law, the area of the common law that governs real property, differs from contract law in that it focuses primarily on rights that one person holds over all other people, as opposed to specific individuals.
Background
In recent years, many economists have recognized that the lack of effective real estate laws can be a significant barrier to investment in many developing countries. In most societies, rich or poor, a significant fraction of the total wealth is in the form of land and buildings. In most advanced economies, the main source of capital used by individuals and small companies to purchase
and improve land and buildings is mortgages -- bank loans for which the real property itself constitutes collateral. Banks are willing to make such loans at favorable rates in large part because if the borrower does not make payments the lender can foreclose, that is, file a court action that lets them take the property and sell it to get their money back. However, in many developing countries, there is no effective means by which a lender could foreclose, so the mortgage loan industry as such either does not exist at all or is only available to members of privileged social classes.
More on [ Real estate ]
Iceland Reels From Global Financial Meltdown Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:21:00 -0400 The global financial meltdown has hit Iceland hard. Its major banks have been nationalized, its currency is in free fall and its stock market has plummeted. "Every single person has a personal tale about how the financial crisis has impacted them," says Chad Thomas, Bloomberg News' bureau chief in Helsinki, Finland. Commanders Look For New Strategy In Afghanistan Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:02:00 -0400 As the war in Afghanistan continues, military commanders are exploring new options and strategies as they struggle to contain a strengthening enemy. Efforts are under way to train more Afghan forces as U.S. military equipment is moved into the country from Iraq. The Upside Of 'Factory Girl' Life In China Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:00:00 -0400 Author Leslie Chang followed two girls from their rural homes in China to a city called Dongguan, where they became "factory girls." Life in these makeshift cities can be quite lucrative for hard-working ladies, she finds.
NYT > World
Zimbabwe Generals’ Fears of Prosecution Threaten Deal Wed, 15 Oct 2008 06:02:59 -0000 President Robert Mugabe’s efforts to placate his generals by shielding them from prosecution is threatening to derail a power-sharing deal with the political opposition.
As U.S. Gains in Iraq, Rebels Go to Afghanistan Wed, 15 Oct 2008 06:19:43 -0000 American military successes in Iraq have prompted well-trained “foreign fighters” to join the insurgency in Afghanistan instead, the Afghan defense minister said.
Russian Gas Executives Visit Palin’s Turf Wed, 15 Oct 2008 06:06:03 -0000 A high-level delegation from the Russian energy company Gazprom met in Anchorage with state officials to talk about investing in Alaskan energy projects.
World business news - CNNMoney.com
ECB Chief: 'Time for ... action' Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:08:00 -0400 Read full story for latest details.
Bank of Japan: Short-term loans Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:28:41 -0400 Japan's central bank said Tuesday it had expanded the scope of its agreement with the U.S. Federal Reserve, allowing it to provide more cash to financial institutions to keep money markets operating smoothly.
Japan gives unlimited dollar support Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:22:38 -0400 Read full story for latest details.
FRONTLINE/World - Reports | PBS
Sri Lanka: A Terrorist in the Family Thu, 02 Oct 2008 21:00:00 -0500 Filmmaker Beate Arnestad moved to Sri Lanka in 2002 and saw that an entire generation was growing up surrounded by violence. Her resulting film "My Daughter the Terrorist," recut and excerpted here, goes inside the special Tamil Tigers' suicide division and is believed to be the first time any suicide bomber has spoken on film about their training and motivations. Burma: Inside the Saffron Revolution Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:00:00 -0500 On the one-year anniversary of Burma's September uprising, when hundreds of thousands of monks protested for change, the country's military junta continues to wage war against its own people and the crisis there has slipped back into obscurity. Our correspondent inside Burma reports on what comes next for the pro-democracy movement there. China: Kung Fu English Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:00:00 -0500 Xinjiang province in remote western China is best known for the Taklamakan desert and the struggle for autonomy among the region's Muslim Uighur people. It's also considered a provincial backwater looked down upon by the Western influenced provinces in the east. Xinjiang native Jake Yong set out to change that perception by teaching himself -- and others -- to speak English.
Mirvac Group - A large property group offering real estate for sale or lease plus investment options.
Property Look - Lists commercial property for sale and lease in Australia and New Zealand.
Meta Description: [ Search PropertyLook for commercial real estate including office, industrial, retail, hotel and leisure commercial property listings for lease, to buy and investment in Australia and New Zealand ]