Come check out the new blog from NAR's Information Central! "Power Tools for International Real Estate Practitioners" is no longer being updated, but you'll find plenty of interest in the InfoCentral Blog. The InfoCentral Blog keeps you up-to-date on new and useful information resources for the real estate industry -- websites, research reports, eBooks, news articles, services and databases from NAR's Information Central, and more. Surf on over to http://narblog1.realtors.org/mvtype/infocentral/.

China is taking steps to ensure properties are being purchased by potential home dwellers and not for speculative investments. China may soon introduce property tax in 2008. China Daily reports.

The Financial Times reports that "London has been rated the top European city for commercial property occupiers and investors in a comprehensive survey of the region." The LaSalle Investment Management survey ranked 91 European cities. London, Munich and Paris topped the list, while Spain and Italy slid down the ranks. Read the full article here.

Have you ever been in a situation where you wish you spoke a second language? Maybe you'd just like to brush up on your Spanish for that last minute vacation you're taking. Well now's your chance to improve your language skills. NAR's eBook collection contains numerous foreign language titles, such as: Spanish for Dummies, Italian for Dummies, and French for Dummies. Don't forget to check out other titles in our eBook collection.

Burj Dubai is on its way to becoming tallest building in the world. While final height details have yet to be released, the structure now measures 555 meters.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation predicts a slow down in next year's housing market. They attribute this to a rise in both prices and mortgage rates. Canada.com reports on CMHC's predictions for the Canadian market.

While podcasting and video tours have taken off in the United States, Europe has been slower to latch on to these new marketing technologies. It looks like things are changing, however. The New York Times reports on how podcasts are being used in Europe and discusses several international property podcasts.

Looking for a Tuscany-like environment but at a cheaper price? You might find the Istria peninsula in Croatia to your liking. As property along the southern coast becomes more expensive Istria is proving to be a popular option among Germans, Hungarians and Austrians. The New York Times reports that "by 2005, the region led the country in foreign ownership, with 34 percent of its properties in the hands of non-Croatian owners..." Many are hoping Croatia's possible 2009 entry into the European Union will boost property values.

Do you need to learn about Chinese business etiquette? Perhaps you need to brush up on your Spanish or Arabic. Check out Information Central's eBook collection for resources to help you with your international business needs. There you'll find titles such as Instant Immersion Arabic, Japan: Doing Business in a Unique Culture and Dr. Blair's Spanish in No Time. There are hundreds of titles to choose from.

The largest commercial property transaction in British history just took place. Yesterday, Spanish company Metrovacesa purchased HSBC's headquarters building for £1.1bn. This follows the record-breaking purchase of Citypoint by Beacon Capital Partners earlier this year. The Independent reports that "the sale of the 210-metre tower block locks in an investment return of more than 100 per cent for HSBC, which spent some £500m building the skyscraper at the turn of the millennium." Some believe that "London is taking over as the financial capital of the world and that's providing a massive demand for office space."

Nearly one-third of Canadian young adults ages 21 to 34 are living with their parents according to a recent survey by BMO Bank of Montreal. These young people expect that it will take 3.8 years to save for a 15.4% downpament, but some analysts believe this is too optimistic given their low savings rate. Some recommend that these young adults seek out financial professionals to help them come up with realistic savings plans.

The world has been watching as a Chinese couple fought to save their home in the town of Chongqing from being bulldozed to make way for a shopping development. On Monday, April 2, their three-year struggle to save their home ended as they finally accepted a deal from the developer and their home was razed. The amazing part of this case is that the couple was able to hold out for so long. The developers excavated the land all around their home leaving an island where their house stood. The couple's story made the front page of The New York Times on March 27, 2007.

Thinking of buying an island? Sounds wonderful, right? While the end product may be great there may be unseen obstacles along the way...even after you've purchased your new property. Make sure your island broker is licensed. Make sure you have the legal right to own land in the desired country.Times Online reporter Jack Barker recommends obtaining a lawyer, staying a week on the property you want to buy, seeking advice of the locals, surveying structures such as jetties, and making sure you have a fresh water supply. Follow the author as he researches buying an island.

The New York Times reports that while the British pound and the Euro are relatively strong, Britons are snatching up property on the island of St. Kitts. While the average London one-bedroom property sells for about 250,000 pounds, Britons can buy on St. Kitts for around for 160,000 pounds. With rising interest rates in Europe, Barclays Wealth London believes that "all this will continue to manifest itself in a lower level of interest in European property." (NYT free registration may be required).

The Egyptian resort town of Sharm el Sheikh has seen tremendous growth in recent years and has transformed itself into a tourist destination. "The Egyptian government...is so keen to encourage the sale of property to foreigners that in 2005 it changed the laws to make it easier, rescinding restrictions, for the Sinai, RedSea and Mediterranean coasts, that limited ownership to two properties and banned resale within five years of buying." Times Online author Karen Robinson offers some helpful advice to those interested in purchasing property in Egypt, such as making sure contracts are drafted in both Arabic and English and what you can expect to pay in lawyer fees and building taxes.