Category: property

SK Town Employee Pried Into Property Records for Personal Gain: Report

An employee of the town of Hafford in Saskatchewan was found to be snooping in public records in order to use the information for personal use, according to a report from the province’s privacy commissioner. In a ruling handed down on June 29, Saskatchewan Privacy Commissioner Ronald Kruzeniski called the snooping the worst kind of privacy…


Should I Buy a Cottage With Friends or Family?

As cottage season dawns, the prospect of joint ownership with family or friends grows anew for many Canadians, budding perennially like a lakeside plant. Smaller down payments, lower risks and shared experiences all mark the promise of a property partnership with pals and loved ones. But experts warn that a range of issues need consideration…


Property Taxes Climb 3.6 Percent Across US to $339.8 Billion

Property taxes levied on single-family homes in the United States increased 3.6 percent to $339.8 billion in 2022, according to a new report from a real estate data firm. That’s up from $328 billion in 2021. The 2022 increase was more than double the 1.6 percent growth in 2021, but smaller than the 5.4 percent…


Reparations Are a Statist Cudgel for Bludgeoning Property Owners

Commentary San Francisco’s panel on reparations has issued a recommendation that qualified black residents in that city receive $5 million in reparations for the financial effects of slavery and/or racial discrimination. There was never slavery in the city of San Francisco, but the panel nevertheless suggested that city inhabitants must atone for racial discrimination. Such calls for…


China’s 2022 Economic Growth One of the Worst on Record, Post-Pandemic Policy Faces Test

BEIJING—China’s economic growth in 2022 slumped to one of its worst levels in nearly half a century as the fourth quarter was hit hard by strict COVID-19 curbs and a property market slump. The quarterly growth and some of the December indicators such as retail sales beat market expectations, but analysts noted the overall economic…


Credit Rating Agency Warns Recession Could Trigger Property Tax Hikes

Fitch Ratings said Friday that the outlook for state and local governments was “deteriorating” and an expected recession could put pressure on state and local governments to raise property taxes. “Local governments may face slowed growth or possibly contraction in tax revenues associated with real property valuations, which may trigger expenditure controls or revenue-raising measures…


Will Adding an Accessory Dwelling Unit Pay Off?

Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are known by many names: in-law suites, guest houses, backyard cottages, or basement or garage conversions, among others. What all ADUs have in common is that they’re a separate living space typically added to a single-family residential lot, and they’re having a moment. Constructing an ADU could increase your property value…


Real Estate Group Founder Expects HK Property Prices to Fall 20 Percent in 2022

With increasing supply of properties due to more Hongkongers emigrating overseas, property prices plummet and are getting worse rapidly. According to the Centa-City Leading Index, since the beginning of 2022, HK property prices have fallen by more than 12 percent. The trend is also not too optimistic, as, in just the past 18 weeks, the…


New Center Wants to Fight Wildfires by Fixing Bad Laws

The Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) has launched a new conservation law and policy center that aims to promote good stewardship of the land without compromising private landowners’ property rights, including by cutting red tape to lower the risk of wildfires. Jonathan Wood, PERC’s legal director, told The Epoch Times in a Sept. 22…


Leasing Volume in Manhattan Hits Pandemic High in July

NEW YORK—Leasing volume for Manhattan office space reached a pandemic-era high in July, good news for the hard-hit New York office market, though the amount of space leased was still 11.6 percent less than the pre-pandemic average in 2019, data showed on Monday. Leasing activity in Manhattan, the premier U.S. office market, jumped 43 percent…