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Archive for December, 2009

China Rise In Top 10 Most International Retail Market

Latest studies reveal that China’s increasing ability to woo global retailers to its shores is helping it to rise as the world’s ninth most international retail market. In the process the nation leapfrogged traditional strongholds such as the United States Japan and Singapore concerning international retailer presence and emerged as the only nonEMEA country placed in the top10 list.

Globalization has an impact on all aspects of social and economic activities and retailing is not spared either. Emerging markets are becoming more favored by many retailers to embark beyond their traditional territories with China and Russia particularly impressive at ninth and tenth places respectively.

If you study the global territory of 250 of the world’s top retailers investigating the globalization of the retail industry and exploring retailer presence concerning market sectors country of origin regional trends and other influences you will find that the UK is the current global leader regarding international retailer presence with 55 of retailers surveyed present. Spain’s comes as a close second to the UK which is a surprising result which shows the market’s new global significance with 51 of retailers present. Spain is a relatively fresh choice for international retailers the excellent performance of the Spanish economy of late having improved retail sales and resulting in strong demand for retail space.

This strong base for growth combined with favored market sentiment from both retailers and investors relating to the Spanish market constantly suggest that UK’s number one position could be in danger. France and Germany also had a strong impact in the global ranking attaining third and fourth positions respectively and emerging markets like the United Arab Emirates China and Russia all entered the top 10.

China is the only country from the Asia Pacific having 40 of international retailers present within the top 10 list. The strong presence of international retailers in these emerging markets is analogous to that of much more stable economies shown by a number of domestic political economic and retail market characteristics.

However many of the luxury retailers are specifically famous for their clothing ranges throwing light on the historical bias towards high fashion brands to be delivered internationally. Highly unlikely ‘travelers’ were the department stores with only 5 represented in 10 or more markets. The globalization of retail has been examined in such a way that collects real data about the growth of international retailing. It gives retailers deep understanding about international opportunities trends and challenges and asks questions about why markets behave in specific ways and attract particular retailers. The development and influence of the BRIC emerging markets Brazil Russia India and China has really been an exciting thing to watch.

China has already gained global recognition and is placed in the top 10 most international markets in the studies conducted. A major concentration of wealth is based within the primary cities such as Beijing Shanghai and Guangzhou in China and these cities are the core of much of the international retail activity. All these explains China’s rise in the top 10 most international retail market.

About the writer:  CB Richard Ellis Greater Asia is the region’s leading real estate and international property consultancy. We leverage the industry’s most powerful knowledge base to meet the commercial real estate needs of its clients worldwide.

Car Tax Evasion That We All Pay For

I don’t know about you but wherever I drive in my town there is a plethora of road traffic police checking up on car tax.

Despite this one in twenty vehicles on the road is still untaxed and undetected. I can be quite sure if I ever tried to get away with car tax even for a day they’d find me! To cover this shortfall in revenue costs of 214 pounds million were put on the law abiding car driver last year.

It has been found through studies that when a car is untaxed continually the driver is also unlikely to worry whether or not his car is in roadworthy condition. This puts us all at risk thus pushing up car insurance premiums too to cover the problems these drivers bring.

The Public Accounts Committee say the whole road tax system is becoming a laughing stock and they don’t really have any idea just how huge the problem is. They do know however that tax evasion rose to 5 during 2006.

Motorcyclists are pushing their luck even more with between 30 and 38 avoiding the payment. This seems silly when road tax for motorbikes is so minimal. For the small amount they would have to pay in vehicle excise duty it tops up the road tax and car insurance premiums for the rest of us putting more pressure on those who are trying to stay within the law.

Funds from the road tax of the 35 million cars on the road raises around 5 pounds billion per year. The aim of the DVLA was to cut car tax evasion by 70 pounds million a year by the end of 2008 but this obviously is not going to happen. These seem like colossal figures and it makes you wonder what we get for our money when you look at the state of some roads.

Maybe they could do a postcode type system like they do with the health authority because I defy anybody to get away with car tax evasion in my area and it seems unfair that we end up paying for those in different areas where car tax evasion is more prolific.

The law abiding drivers are caught out once again when they’re number plates are cloned. When the number plate is picked up by a police camera it looks like they have car tax when that particular vehicle doesn’t. This puts more dangerous vehicles on the road causing more accidents and once again pushing up our car insurance premiums.

Essex County Council recently sold a number plate at an auction that had been registered to them since 1904. The number plate reads ‘F1′ and cost the buyer 375000. pounds This beats the previous record of most expensive number plate which was set at 331000 pounds and just said M1. The proceeds from this sale are being put towards a safe driving scheme for young motorists a very worthwhile cause.

If young motorists are being taught safe driving tactics maybe this will help reduce extortionate car insurance premiums for them so they’re poor parents do not have to keep digging deep in our pockets to put the little darlings on our own car insurance.

While car tax is a standard price that we all have to pay car insurance premiums for young people having just passed their test is exorbitant. With many having to pay over 2000 pounds a year for car insurance surely it is only the children of the well off that can afford to keep a car on the road? Most young drivers of families with an average income will be put on their parents car insurance policies as an additional driver bumping up their own premiums although not to the tune of 2000. pounds

About the writer:  Insurance expert Catherine Harvey looks at the effects on life insurance of car tax evasion. To find out more please visit http://www.theidol.com/

Austin Neighborhood: North Loop

Just north of Hyde Park with approximately 1400 homes lies the neighborhood of North Loop. Also referred to as “Northfield” the North Loop neighborhood boundaries are 51st street Lamar Boulevard Airport Boulevard and Koenig Lane.

Like many of Austin’s central neighborhoods North Loop got its start once soldiers began returning home from World War II. Other soldiers cashed in their GI Bill and attended the university to get a college education. With the mass influx of people moving to Austin in the late 1940s and early 1950s more homes had to go up quickly. The majority of the homes in North Loop are relatively small 2 bedroom 1 bath homes hovering around 1000 square feet. The homes went up quickly to meet the demand but the quality of the craftsmanship has stood the test of time and most of the original bungalows still stand 60 years later.

As Austin became more popular and air travel more frequent North Loop was considered a fairly undesirable neighborhood as it lied in the heart of the flight path when Robert Mueller airport was in operation reveling in this fact is one of North Loop’s premier coffee shops called Flight Path. In 1999 when Robert Mueller shut down and Bergstrom took over as Austin’s new airport North Loop became a highly sought after neighborhood with its close proximity to the UT campus and about 5 miles from downtown. Some houses in the area doubled in value almost immediately.

North Loop truly has an Austin vibe about it. There is an eclectic mix of neighbors from original residents to college students and business owners who all come together to embrace their neighborhood keep the large yards and old trees looking pristine while keeping a nonchalant attitude that gives the area a relaxed air about it.

The heart of the neighborhood is the North Loop strip a row of all local and independent restaurants and retail shops along North Loop Boulevard with many of the shop owners living in the area. Don’t expect fancy upscale boutiques but instead a few secondhand retro furniture and clothing shops chocked full of unique items as well as a bike shop a record store and a coffee house. The strip is also home to Austin’s volunteerrun and selfproclaimed Anarchist bookstore MonkeyWrench Books and risqu lingerie shop Forbidden Fruit. The Parlor is a pizza place that serves up delicious pies with designer toppings such as goat cheese spinach and smoked chicken but also hosts punk rock bands every night of the week. The North Loop strip became an “Independent Business Investment Zone” a program set up by the Austin Independent Business Alliance to help promote independent business districts in the city. Every quarter the strip holds block parties bringing in bands to perform on the streets in store sales and other entertaining events.

Last year Endeavor Real Estate had plans to build a 260 unit apartment complex with an additional 5000 square feet of retail space in the North Loop area. With an almost 50 percent division amongst the neighbors the plans were opposed and Endeavor halted their plans. Though neighbors have mixed emotions about changes in their neighborhood it’s this very passion that makes North Loop a tightknit community.

About the writer:  Escapesomewhere Real Estate is a full service realty company. Their website is filled with information about the Austin real estate market. They also provide visitors a free search of the Austin MLS along with a free mortgage calculator.