William and Kate spent about two hours in the restaurant, joined by four bodyguards at a nearby table, after which they headed home to see their one-year-old son.
Kate and baby Prince George have been spending the past fortnight in Norfolk
The couple have spent the past fortnight in Norfolk overseeingrenovations in their country home. Given that William is due to start hishelicopter pilot jobwith East Anglian Air Ambulance in September, the first-time parents' stay in the country will have come as a welcome break.
The royals are expected todivide their time between Norfolk and London, where they reside in Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace, as William's job will see him based at Cambridge and Norwich Airports – both of which are close to Anmer Hall.
Diana, Princess of Wales’s stunning gown has been lost to the nation – instead travelling the globe on a lucrative tour.
Today, exactly 17 years after her death, it can be revealed that the heirloom is finally returning home to her sons, William and Harry.
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Diana wearing the Emanuel wedding dress. Her iconic bridal gown is being returned to her sons William and Harry, seventeen years to the day since their mother's tragic death
Family estate: For two months every year it was held at Althorp, the family's Northamptonshire estate .
Until now, the dress has been in the possession of Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, who placed it at the centre of an exhibition called Diana: A Celebration.
For two months every year it was held at Althorp, the family’s Northamptonshire estate. For the rest of the year the exhibition moved from country to country.
Most recently, it has been at the Cincinnati Museum Center in America, where visitors were charged £15 to see the gown, along with 28 other dresses
Lord Spencer says Diana’s will stated that her belongings were to be ‘looked after’ by him until both of her sons turned 30, at which point they would transfer into their possession. Prince Harry will be 30 in two weeks’ time.
Over the years, proceeds from the exhibition have generated more than £1 million for the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, but it is thought this represents only a small margin of revenue.
And it has been reported that Princes William and Harry have been unhappy over what has been viewed as the commercialisation of their mother’s death.
Buckingham Palace confirmed to The Mail on Sunday that the dress and some of Diana’s other cherished personal possessions were ‘being returned to the Princes’.
There have been calls for the items to be put on display at Kensington Palace, where William and Kate have their official London home, but no decision has yet been made.
Last night, Alan Berry of the Diana Appreciation Society said: ‘We think it a good suggestion that the dress be put on display along with other artefacts in Kensington Palace. If part of the takings were to go to one of Diana’s charities, that would be a bonus.’
New home? There have been calls for the items to be put on display at Kensington Palace, where William and Kate have their official London home, but no decision has yet been made
Diana’s dress was created by designers David and Elizabeth Emanuel. Mr Emanuel told The Mail on Sunday: ‘That wedding gown has certainly earned its keep – it has been around the globe many, many times.
'I think more people abroad have seen this wedding gown than British people. Princes William and Harry will have to think long and hard about it, but it would be the perfect vehicle to earn money for their charities to show it over here.
‘What’s extraordinary is that after so many years people are still talking about this gown.’
Today, the flag will be flown at half mast at the Althorp Estate, with the family marking the anniversary privately.
Bill and Hillary's daughter was working on-and-off at the network since 2011 focusing on people and organizations doing public-spirited work
Her reported contract was $600,000-a-year but this was switched to a month-to-month deal in January
She said in a statement that she was leaving her role to 'focus on the Clinton Foundation and the birth of her first child'
Clinton, 34, and her investment banker husband Marc Mezvinsky live in the Gramercy neighborhood of Manhattan in a $10.5million apartment
Clinton and husband Marc, 36, celebrated their fourth-wedding anniversary at the end of last month. They were married in a lavish inter-faith ceremony in Rhinebeck, New York on July 31, 2010.
The couple live in a $10.5million condo in the Gramercy area of Manhattan.
Alex Wallace, senior vice president at NBC News, praised Clinton today and didn't rule out working with her in the future.
She told People: "Chelsea's storytelling inspired people across the country and showcased the real power we have as individuals to make a difference in our communities.
'While she will be missed, we look forward to working with her in the future.'
Her exit removes some potential awkwardness for the network if her mother runs for president in 2016.
NBC made certain to keep Clinton off the air around the time her mother was making media appearances to promote a book, to avoid any appearance of conflict.
NBC also received some criticism when stories about her salary appeared but the network didn't comment on the reports.
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Chelsea Clinton, pictured on July 25, announced today that she was quitting her $600,000-a-year NBC gig to focus on her work with the Clinton Foundation and the birth of her first child
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Chelsea Clinton with her husband of four years Marc Mezvinsky. The couple are due to have their first baby in the fall
CHELSEA CLINTON SIGNS OFF FROM NBC... BUT DOESN'T RULE OUT RETURNING IN THE FUTURE
Chelsea Clinton released this statement on her official Facebook page on Friday:
Thank You
When I joined the NBC family in 2011, I had long respected NBC's commitment to telling the stories of 'ordinary people doing extraordinary things.' I loved watching the 'Making a Difference' stories about remarkable people and organizations making a profound difference in our country and our world. I am grateful NBC gave me the opportunity to continue this important legacy.
To continue focusing on my work at the Clinton Foundation and as Marc and I look forward to welcoming our first child, I have decided to leave my position as a NBC Special Correspondent.
At NBC, I've had the opportunity to share the work of people like Carlos 'Coach Khali' Sweeney , whose Downtown Boxing Gym offers kids on the east side of Detroit a lifeline through academic tutoring and boxing instruction.
I met Principal Peggy Candelaria, whose Homework Diner in Albuquerque helps kids with their homework and also feeds those same kids and their families, fostering a renewed sense of community, a program that now serves as a model across Albuquerque and beyond.
I also spent time with Annette Dove whose TOPPS program in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, continues to fill the hunger, education and safety gaps for kids of all ages in her community. I will always be inspired by their and others' collective passion, courage, ingenuity and perseverance.
I am profoundly grateful to NBC viewers who responded to the stories I shared, providing funds to help expand the reach of those programs and who encouraged their schools' principals, their mayors and local activists to think about how to build similarly transformative programs in their own communities.It's been a privilege to be part of the NBC Family.
I admire the work and dedication that their reporters, producers, crews, editors and studio teams deliver every day, particularly as I personally experienced through the stewardship of Brian Williams at Nightly News and Rock Center.
I especially want to thank Deborah, Alex, Tracey, Catherine, Mary, Victor, Soraya and everyone I had the honor of working with in the field, in the editing room and at Education Nation.
While my role with NBC News may be coming to an end, I look forward to working with the NBC family well into the future.
本报记者对本地7家移民中介走访时了解到，目前加拿大投资移民全部叫停(有的在2013年就已经不接申请)，目前只接技术移民申请，但需要在国内经过认证培训，待办费用不菲。“我们接受技术移民，但是我们通过加拿大当地的中介运作，成功率较高，费用70万左右。”在二道区一家移民中介店内，一位自称徐女士的工作人员告诉记者：“现在加拿大移民资格申请比较难办，只能通过低级别工种，诸如焊工、电工等等身份入国籍，这其实也是变招，但只能办理萨斯喀彻温省技术移民，魁北克省就别想了。” I A S K 无独有偶，在一些移民中介负责人看来，加拿大政策收紧，其他国家自然接棒。记者了解到，受加拿大移民方案调整，海外移民出现新动向。咨询移民美国、澳大利亚等国家潜在移民者增多，仅咨询一项比过去增加20%。
中新网报道，在16日下午的中国新经济力量峰会上，罗杰斯摒弃了经济学家摆数据，说理论的演讲方式，采用自己的亲身经历现场解读了他对中国经济发展的看法。会上，他不仅表现了对中国经济未来发展的极大信心，还预测了中国经济发展方向。 I A S K
在演讲中，罗杰斯称自己曾经两次环游世界，第一次在1990年，骑着电单车，去50多个国家，花了近两年时间；第2次是1999年，开着平治旅行车，历时3年，途经116个国家。已经是第6次到中国的罗杰斯表示，他1984年第一次到南京，当时中国正在进行改革开放，那时的他就已经确信，21世纪将属於亚洲，而亚洲的中心，将会是中国。
Financial woes in southern Europe appear to have forced a shift in perceptions of desirable places to retire
Rural Provence has been a favourite with Britons
A third of people want to move abroad when they retire but the popularity of Spain, France, Portugal and Greece has plummeted in the past year, the results of a study suggest.
Of more than 1,500 Britons aged over 40 polled by GlobalVisas.com, a visa application website, 35pc said they would be happier to retire abroad than stay in the UK.
The top three destinations were the US, Australia and Canada, if visa application was no issue, but a year ago Spain was the most popular destination.
The country, which is struggling with huge government debt and soaring unemployment, is now in fourth spot with only 23pc starting it as their prefered location compared to 33pc a year ago.
Thousands of expats have already moved back from the popular Costa resorts amid a crash in Spanish house prices and concerns about tax rises. A weaker pound against the euro has also eaten away at the buying power of British sterling-based savings and pensions on the Continent making it harder to make ends meet. France has also seen a drop in popularity, down to 15pc from 22pc in the poll. Greece dropped out of the top ten. Attempts by the socialist French government to impose a 75pc wealth tax was rejected by the courts while a threat to tax the rental income and pensions of British expats has also created uncertainty although tax office officials said earlier this month that there would not be any double taxation. Summer 2013 poll
Country
% preference
US
31%
Australia
27%
Canada
24%
Spain
23%
New Zealand
18%
France
15%
Turkey
12%
Portugal
11%
United Arab Emirates
9%
Germany
8%
Summer 2012 poll
Country
% preference
Spain
33%
Australia
29%
Canada
27%
France
22%
U.S.
19%
Portugal
14%
Turkey
13%
United Arab Emirates
12%
Germany
10%
Greece
9%
Meanwhile, the turmoil in Greece continues. The country received a €110bn bailout by the IMF and EU in May 2010. Another €130bn euro rescue package was granted in February 2012. But GDP collapsed by 17pc between 2009 and 2012 and unemployment rate has spiked above 25pc. The Spanish government recently introduced reporting requirements meaning that anyone who lives in Spain for more than six months (183 days) per tax year and has overseas assets worth more than €50,000 - including bank accounts, property and investments - must declare them. Failures or delays in doing so will result in hefty fines and penalties. The Foreign Office estimates that 800,000 British nationals live all or part of the year in Spain. Estimates on residency vary from 250,000 to 400,000. Anecdotal reports suggest a growing number are preparing to return home. The countries that top the list of most popular locations, such as Canada and Australian, have largely escaped the worst effects of the global financial crisis. America, which is now the number one destination, has seen the prospects for its economy strengthen in the past year. Gary Smith, of GlobalVisas.com, said: "With the British climate notoriously unpredictable and the economic output seemingly as reliable as the weather, some people see living abroad as the better option. "The credit crunch stung a lot of expats living within Europe, which seems to have influenced some people's decisions as the wider world now seems more appealing."
Millions of Britons harbour a dream of relaxing in retirement on foreign shores. Focusing on that glass of rioja served by the sea is a vision that keeps much of the working population sane.
A poll this week captured this. It found that 35pc of those aged over 40 would prefer to reward themselves for a lifetime of hard work in a corner of the Cote d’Azur rather than a quarter of these green and crowded lands.
But more interesting is how the destinations of choice have changed.
A year ago, Spain was the favourite place in the sun, with 33pc of would-be expats naming it as their number one destination. But it has fallen to fourth spot, with only 23pc favouring it this year
France is now also less loved, with francophiles making up 15pc rather than 22pc of the total. Portugal’s figure is down from 14pc to 11pc and, as for troubled Greece, it has dropped out of the top 10 altogether. The list of new destinations topping the leaderboard speaks volumes about the reasons for the shift. America is now most popular, followed by Australia and Canada. The first acutely felt the global financial crisis but the citizens of the other two have been spared the worst. In contrast, Spain, Greece and Portugal have been knocked for six, with their debts ballooning and their economies buckling. The dream of the Costas has turned into a nightmare for many of the hundreds of thousands of Britons who relocated there. Property in France is tempting but the OECD estimates that is substantially over-valued Some of the anguish is directly linked to the financial crisis, such as the scarcity of work. Other effects have been more subtle. Take pensions. Because Britain has the ability to weaken its currency to help exports, it has done so (eyed enviously by many in the eurozone unable to do the same). But as the pound sinks, so does the buying power of the personal and state pensions paid to millions of Britons abroad. Austerity measures are also making expats nervous. The loss of the £300 winter fuel allowance for those retired in the sun, announced this week, will seem trifling if asset seizures materialise. The Spanish government, for example, has demanded that all expats disclose assets they hold outside the country, if worth more than £50,000. Some see it as a portent for a wealth grab, as seen in Cyprus. Tumbling house prices have been the final blow to those in Spain who feel forced to sell up and head home. In France, austerity has persuaded the government to tax its wealthy citizens – and foreigners – more rigorously. Thousands of Britons are heading home, and many other Europeans are moving. Last year 37,000 Spaniards headed for Germany, while 35,000 Greeks followed them. This trend has probably gathered pace in 2013, with unemployment continuing to rise in southern Europe. But Britons remain indifferent. Once again this year, Germany only just makes the top 10 in the desired retirement destination list, with only 8pc expressing an interest. Maybe it’s time for a location rethink for those wedded to a retirement abroad. Germany has also shimmied nicely through the recent turmoil, and it avoided the property boom and bust. Yet it has the second lowest house prices of any Western nation, according to the OECD, which estimated that German prices were 20pc too low (and around 35pc too high in France - see below). Germany may lack Spain’s stunning beaches or France’s perfect summer climate. But to buy cheap property where economic prospects are strong, taxes most likely to remain low and society cohesive, perhaps Britons should consider developing a taste for riesling over rioja.
Cheaper housing and a strong pound are luring some British buyers back to Spain
The quiet life: the lure of the climate on the Alicante coast, left, proved too much for the Hayes family, below
Swarms of British expats, who were drawn to Spain in the Nineties and early 2000s, found they could no longer sustain their life in the sun and packed up and returned to Britain. Nearly 90,000 abandoned their Mediterranean dream last year alone.
But some Britons are swimming against the tide, determined to forge a life in Spain despite the tough economic climate. Typically they are retirees who have no need to find stable work and many are snapping up homes at big discounts.
The stagnant economy has created a glut of cheap homes on the market, many of which are bank repossessions that lenders are keen to shift quickly.
Estate agent Your Viva, which has offices on the Costa del Sol, said 42pc of its buyers were British in 2013, up from 31pc in 2012, and most were aged between 40 and 60 years.
Martina Heynemann, managing partner at Your Viva, said property prices have fallen 50pc to 60pc from their peak a decade ago. She said prices are now starting to pick up, particularly at the cheaper end of the market. The average property the firm sells is worth around £180,000.
British buyers are also being tempted by the strong pound. Last week sterling rose to its strongest point against the euro since December 2012. Over the past 10 months the sterling to euro exchange rate has improved by 7pc. Moneycorp, which provides money transfer services for property purchases, said it has seen a 37pc increase in the volume of purchases in Spain in the last year. John Hayes, 52, and his wife, Mandy, 50, of Northampton, have just taken the plunge. They bought a three-bedroom, two-bathroom villa in El Pinós, a rural village about 40 miles north-west of Alicante, and moved in last week. The couple paid £127,000 for the property, which has a large pool and more than two acres of land. The total came to £144,000 once fees were added. The newbuild property was recently completed and was put on the market for £137,000. Mr Hayes, who worked for a number of high-street banks in the UK, said: “My wife and I have been working hard since we were very young and we decided to get off the hamster wheel that is life in the UK and enjoy ourselves. Spain appealed because property is cheap, the weather is fabulous and the currency is moving in our favour. “We know so many people who have worked into their mid-60s and beyond and don’t live much longer than that. We want to enjoy the rest of our life.” Mandy and John Hayes, far right, with their Spanish property finder, builder and solicitor. The couple sold their five-bedroom, three-storey house in Northampton for £366,000 to fund the move and used the remaining equity to help their son buy a house in the UK. Mrs Hayes has retired from her council job in adult education and Mr Hayes plans to work part-time as a financial adviser to expats in Spain. He said they plan to live there for at least 20 years. “My wife is looking forward to creating a garden and we plan to make the most of the outdoor lifestyle that Spain offers,” Mr Hayes added. Marc Elliott, a mortgage broker based in Marbella, said couples like the Hayes are starting to return to Spain. Mr Elliott, who is half-British and previously worked for brokerage John Charcol in the UK, said: “If you want to buy property purely as an investment, don’t look to Spain. “Property here is not going to make the same kind of returns that you can find elsewhere. But if it’s a lifestyle choice – if you want to live here or come for holidays – you won’t be disappointed.” Mr Elliott warned buyers they will need at least a 30pc deposit and another 14pc of the purchase price on top to cover fees. The local mortgage market has dried up over the past few years and it has been very difficult for foreign buyers to secure a loan with a Spanish bank. This is starting to change, but foreign buyers who take out mortgages in Spain are typically charged more than double the rate given to locals. Mr Elliott said Spanish buyers can typically get rates of around 1.99pc for a tracker – the most common loan type – while British buyers will pay between 4.5pc and 5pc. Taking a mortgage abroad means you lack some of the protection that applies to UK mortgages and mortgage advice. It is possible to borrow from a UK bank to buy abroad but the choice of lenders is limited. The majority of buyers remortgage their UK property to buy abroad. This can be a good option, particularly if you built up a lot of equity, but you will have to make repayments in sterling so this won’t suit those who plan to live and work abroad, where they will earn euros or another currency.
Cut-price Costa
While some high-end Spanish properties are typically being reduced by around 15pc, prices at the other end of the market are being cut by twice this much. Research by the Telegraph shows sellers in the Costa del Sol, one of the most popular parts of the Spanish coastline with British expats, are still cutting prices. A four-bedroom, four-bathroom duplex penthouse in Marbella is on the market for just more than £1m, down from £1.2m. A budget of just more than £170,000 will buy a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in Torremolinos, with ocean views, reduced from £235,000.
Bank repossessions are also coming to the market. Many need work, but some are new, repossessed from failed developers. A four-bedroom, four-bathroom town house near the coast, cut to £196,000 from £362,000, has a roof terrace and a communal pool. Source: the Telegraph
Like thousands of other British expatriates, Bob Puddicombe and his wife, Phyllis, found that their retirement dreams of a place in the sun turned into a nightmare following the financial crash.
After 13 years living in the south of Spain, the couple returned home in 2012. Their three-bed villa in Almayate, near Malaga, was initially on the market for €250,000 (£206,000). It eventually sold for just €87,000 (£71,500). They have moved back to the Plymouth area, where they lived before moving to Spain.
Mr Puddicombe, who is nearing 70, said they decided to return to the UK as they were getting older and wanted the security of the NHS. But at the same time the adverse exchange rate has hammered the value of their pension in recent years.
"At least we were able to sell, and have used the proceeds to buy an ex-council house back in Britain," he said.
But many of the friends the Puddicombes left behind have not been so fortunate. Property prices have continued to fall in many parts of southern Europe, particularly the popular and overdeveloped coastal regions of Spain, where the supply of holiday villas now outstrips demand. House prices in Spain have fallen by more than 30pc since the crisis, with prices in some resorts plummeting by up to 70pc. At the same time, house prices have risen sharply in many parts of the UK in the past two years. This has had the devastating effect of pricing some returning expats out of the British housing market, making the return home costly or impossible. To make matters worse, many are expecting that the pound will continue to strengthen against the euro in the next few years. While this will give some relief to those receiving a fixed income, such as a pension, from Britain, it means those selling properties to return home will find the sale price is exchanged for fewer pounds when they arrive. Edward Knox, an analyst at currency brokers Caxton FX, said that this, in part, explained the sudden rush of expats returning to Britain. Figures published last week showed almost 90,000 Britons left Spain in 2013 - a 23pc reduction in British expatriate numbers in the country. "Many may have been holding on, hoping property prices would recover," Mr Knox said. "But now they face the double whammy of prices falling and a weaker euro. Not surprisingly, many are opting to get out now before the situation gets worse." Geoffrey Sword: 'We loved Andalusia, but it started to change' This exodus is also being driven by demographics. There was a significant spike in the number of people retiring to Europe in the early 2000s, when mortgages were easy to arrange and the cost of living abroad was cheap. These pensioners are now heading into their late 70s, and are more likely to suffer imperfect health or to have lost a partner. Although free health care is available in countries such as Spain, it can be more limited, and there can be language issues for those who have only conversational Spanish. Mark Bodega, a director of currency broker HiFX, said: "Many expats moved abroad seeking warmer weather along with a more relaxed lifestyle. Unfortunately, the Spain of several years ago - when the economy was thriving, jobs were relatively easy to obtain and the cost of living was cheap - is fast disappearing." The flight is not confined to expats, either. Many with holiday homes are also selling up, which is acting as a further brake on property prices. Geoffrey Sword, from Bury in Lancashire, recently sold his holiday apartment in Calahonda in Andalusia after owning it for 12 years. He and his wife, Kay, had enjoyed more than a decade of "fantastic holidays" with their family and friends, such as Margaret Brown (pictured above with the couple) but he has become "disillusioned" by the state of affairs in Spain. "Everything has got a lot more expensive, from the parking tickets to a game of golf," Mr Sword said. He believes the introductions of higher rates, fines, sewerage fees and other costs are more to do with raising revenue than maintaining standards. "There isn't the same laidback atmosphere," he said. "There are so many add-ons, it seems as though they want to drive tourists away, not keep them, and it's becoming more difficult to enjoy." His apartment took two years to sell and had to be reduced from €195,000 (£160,500) to €139,000 (£114,300). Mr Sword was dismayed by the additional charges, fees and taxes he had to pay to complete the sale. "Even now there is 3pc of the sale price in our Spanish bank, as I had to leave some in case it was needed to cover any unpaid taxes we didn't know about. I still have no idea when we might be able to transfer the funds back to the UK." Exchange rates For many expats, living costs have rocketed. It is less that prices have gone up - at present inflation in the eurozone stands at 0.5pc and 1pc in Spain - and more that the exchange rate has swung, In April 2007, €1 was worth about 67p. This meant each £100 of your pension would convert into €149, before fees. Expats who had been in Spain for a decade more enjoyed even better rates. In 2000, each £100 of pension delivered €170. Today €1 is worth around 82p. So the same £100 of pension gives just €121. "In other words, expats have lost almost a quarter of their income in the past seven years," Mr Bodega said. But the pound has rallied against the euro in recent months. This trend looks likely to continue, according to foreign exchange brokers, due to the strong economic recovery in the UK. By contrast, many southern European states are still struggling economically, with unemployment at 26pc in Spain. This, coupled with low inflation, is likely to further weaken the euro against the pound. Mr Bodega said he expected the pound to be worth almost €1.30 by the end of the year. While this should bring some relief for expats who are surviving on a British pension, it will hit those who are selling up and moving home.
Property prices
The economic problems in many European countries have dented property prices. This is particularly true in Spain, where a construction and credit boom before the financial crash has ground to a halt. As a result, house prices have slumped. Prices are down 30pc since 2007, according to the Bank of Spain. They are still falling by up to 14.5pc a year, with the coastal regions popular with British and other international buyers recording some of the biggest falls, according to Sociedad de Tasación, a surveyor. Many Spanish banks, which were happy to grant mortgages to British buyers in the boom years, are now calling in debts. This has trapped buyers who can no longer meet mortgage payments - perhaps because they cannot find work or their pension no longer covers the repayments in euros - since they are unable to sell the property to cover the debt. Some properties are being repossessed and sold on by the Spanish banks at knockdown prices. This is making it harder for those looking to sell to get a decent return on their investment, particularly if the pound continues to strengthen against the euro.
Advice for Britons selling property in Spain
• Get legal and tax advice, and set a realistic price based on values of similar properties sold recently, rather than the price you think it merits. • Remember you need to pay solicitor and notary costs. Get an independent abogado (solicitor). If you are not living in Spain, you can give your solicitor "power of attorney", potentially saving you time and money. • Sign the arras/contrato privado de compraventa (preagreement contract). This should include the agreed selling price, what is included and the date for the final payment. Don't forget to include conditions in the contract (e.g. financing, survey results, planning). When the arras is signed, a deposit of around 10pc (paid in euros) will normally follow. If the buyer pulls out, they will lose the deposit, but more importantly, if you pull out you will have to pay twice the deposit back. • Consider how you will transfer the proceeds of the sale back to the UK. Compare exchange rates and fees offered by your Spanish or UK bank with specialist currency brokers. Many claim to be able to save you up to 4pc on exchange rates alone. • If you are worried about the pound strengthening further, consider a forward contract, which allows you to fix the exchange rate for up to 12 months. Mr Bodega said: "You'd never buy a property in the UK without knowing the final cost. But if you buy or sell a property overseas and don't fix the exchange rate, that's exactly the gamble you're taking. For those on tight budgets, this could result in some sleepless nights." From the Telegraph
Homeowners can make millions on houses that go up in value – but how can you spot the up and coming areas first?
How can you spot the up and coming neighbourhoods before everyone else?
Sitting on a pot full of money is every homeowner’s dream. If you could buy a house in an undiscovered area that then became a chicest neighbourhood in town, you could potentially make millions of pounds from one savvy deal. But as a Property Rich List finds that more than 10,000 streets in Britain now have an average property price of more than £1m, how do you scoop up such a smart buy – before everyone else gets in first?
Stephen Ludlow, chairman of estate agent Ludlow Thompson, says that there are a few early signs that show which areas will take off. Here are his tips on how to find the up and coming areas before everyone else...
Follow the supermarkets
Major supermarkets have entire departments dedicated to market research, and so they have in-depth research data on the demographics of each area. As soon as a neighbourhood looks as though it’s on the up, expect a supermarket to swoop in. Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose and Marks & Spencer are the big four to look out for in increasingly wealthy areas, and as Ludlow says, “Morrisons are into that market now”.
Coffee shops are also a good indicator – “they would have done a lot of marketing profile about the type of person living in that area,” says Ludlow - and where there’s a Starbucks or Costa, other retailers will follow. Smaller retail chains often look to major coffee shops as a sign of where to branch out next, as shops with a similar footfall will simply copy the locations of bigger brands.
Travel, Travel, Travel
If you can’t get the ideal location, then you at least need somewhere in commuting distance of the ideal location. Any kind of major travel plan – including Crossrail, overground trains and even bike pathways – can massively affect the make up of an area. Ludlow says Finsbury Park is an example of a neighbourhood that saw a major profile change after the station infrastructure was improved – “that gives a lift that spirals out into the residential house prices”, he says. And pay close attention to bike pathways or hire schemes, as these are now far more important than they were even a few years ago. “Now when we’re talking to landlords we make sure there’s provision for cycle storage - either a bike rack in a communal area or permission for bikes to be mounted on a wall,” adds Ludlow.
The spread of gentrification: how to be close to cool
Once one area becomes popular, expect the nearby neighbourhoods to pick up their house prices. “You get one area at the core where people want to live originally, but then that ripples and expands,” says Ludlow. So don’t bother trying to buy in the latest cool neighbourhood, but look next door instead – the market is sure to follow. In London, Ludlow says that Vauxhall is a key example of a core neighbourhood – the rise in property prices then spread to Oval, Camberwell, Dulwich, Peckham and right across south east London.
Big developments = big money
When a developer plans a major complex, they’re legally obliged to pay a local development contribution, which tends to lift the local area. The Olympic Park was the textbook example of such a renovation, though other big sporting complexes such as Wembley also led to plenty of new housing builds. But it doesn’t just have to be sport - “where the American Embassy being built in Vauxhall, no doubt there’s a lot of secondary capital development going in there on the back of that development,” says Ludlow. Meanwhile in King’s Cross an initiative to improve the train station boosted the area, and Google’s decision to buy offices nearby will bring in plenty of well-paid staff. Even if an area is fairly desolate, a major development complex can bring the funds to turn around a neighbourhood entirely – which is good news for any homeowners who manage to buy before the yuppies arrive.
The CRP takes data from financial disclosure forms that members of Congress are required to file every year. But senators and representatives are required to report only ranges for the values of their assets, not exact figures. For example, one representative has stock in Ford Motor that totaled anywhere from roughly $2,000 to $30,000. Therefore, the CRP came up with three numbers based on these estimates: a possible minimum and maximum amount, and an average of the two. The CRP bases its ranking on that average. We have listed all three. The rankings are based on the average estimated net worth. These numbers also do not necessarily include a lawmaker's primary home or vacation spots, according to a blog post on the CRP's website. Unless they collect rent on these properties, lawmakers are exempted from reporting these as assets, even if they are worth millions. Thus these are estimates at best. But they provide an illuminating look into how wealthy many of the country's top political leaders are. The figures are from 2012, the most recent year available from CRP's data crunching. Click ahead to see who's the richest of them all. 5. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas
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Rep. Michael McCaul
Minimum: $102,547,780 Average: $143,153,910 Maximum: $183,760,040 McCaul's wife has a stock portfolio worthy of a professional money manager. The assets section on McCaul's disclosure form for 2012 runs 32 pages and includes numerous stock investments, most of which are listed as his spouse's assets. Among them are many household names including Apple, IBM and Procter & Gamble. McCaul had previously held the top spot on the CRP list, but more recent disclosure rules forced the organization to estimate his wealth more conservatively, according to a blog post on OpenSecrets.org. 4. Rep. John K. Delaney, D-Md.
Rep. John Delaney
Minimum: $65,151,162 Average: $154,601,580 Maximum: $244,051,998 Delaney is a freshman congressman who had a long and successful career in business before going into politics. He founded two companies before turning 40, according to his bio his congressional website. His first company was HealthCare Financial Partners, which loaned money to small health-care providers under-served by banks, and CapitalSource, which has a similar business targeting small and medium-sized businesses. Now much of his household's money is invested in bonds, stocks, and various investment funds 3. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo.
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Rep. Jared Polls
Minimum: $69,791,412 Average: $197,945,705 Maximum: $326,099,998 Polis worked in his family's greeting cards business as a young man, eventually succeeding his grandmother as sales manager, and developing the company's e-commerce business, according to his congressional biography. He also co-founded a company that provided various Web access and hosting services, and founded ProFlowers.com, which was sold to Liberty Media in 2006. Since then, he has much of his vast wealth invested in a variety of investments, and, as of 2012, Polis disclosed partnerships or memberships in several investment companies. 2. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va.
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Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Minimum: $96,221,316 Average: $257,481,658 Maximum: $418,742,000 Warner was an early investor in the cellular technology industry and co-founded the cell phone company that became Nextel, according to his congressional biography. He and his family have holdings in a variety of investments. 1. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif.
Minimum: $330,380,031 Average: $464,115,018 Maximum: $597,850,005 The wealthiest man in Congress also had a career in business before running for office. Issa served as chief executive of Directed Electronics, which was the nation's largest maker of vehicle anti-theft devices, and brought the Viper car alarm system to market, according to his congressional bio. Issa holds money in investment funds and real estate. Source:
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加 拿 大 家 园 网
青西紅柿含有毒性物質、叫龍葵素，食用這種還未成熟的青色西紅柿，口腔有苦澀感，吃後可出現惡心、嘔吐等中毒症狀，生吃危險性更大。
食用腐爛的大白菜後，會使人缺氧而引起頭痛、頭暈、惡心、腹脹等，嚴重時會抽筋、昏迷，甚至有生命危險。
在生産過程中，多施用除草劑使生長出來的豆芽沒有根。而除草劑中含有使人致癌、致畸和致突變的有害物質。
鮮黃花極有毒，幹品無毒。因爲鮮黃花菜中含有秋水仙堿，這種毒素可引起嗓子發幹、胃部燒灼感、血尿等中毒症狀。若先將黃花菜在開水中沖燙一下，然後用涼水浸泡2小時以上，中間換一次水，鮮黃花菜就無毒了。
發芽土豆(馬鈴薯)的嫩芽和變成綠色的皮中龍葵堿含量很高，食用易中毒。因此，發芽和表皮發綠的馬鈴薯不宜食用。
腐爛後的生姜産生一種毒性很強的黃樟素。人吃了這種毒素，即使量很少，也能引起肝細胞中毒和變性。
茶葉發黴是受了青黴、曲黴汙染的結果，倘若喝了發黴的茶葉水，輕則引起頭暈、腹瀉、重則可以引起重要器官壞死。
是由于感染黑斑菌所致，吃後易中毒。
變質發黃的銀耳是受黃杆菌汙染所造成，吃了可引起頭暈、肚痛和腹瀉等中毒現象。
腌菜時如果放鹽量不足，腌制時間不滿8天，可能造成亞硝酸鹽中毒。
若涼水浸泡後的紫菜呈藍紫色，說明紫菜在幹燥、包裝');" style="color: rgb(230, 33, 63); font-weight: bold;">包裝前已被有毒物所汙染，這種紫菜對人體有害，不能食用。
有的食後會引起過敏性溶血綜合病症，出現全身乏力、貧血等症狀。
用化肥發的豆芽都是又白又胖，其中殘留大量的氨，在細菌的作用下，會産生亞硝铵，大量食用會引起頭昏、惡心、嘔吐
