Portugal Set to End Popular Golden Visa Program
Government officials from Portugal announced Thursday it would end its so-called Golden Visa program and implement a ban on new licenses for short-term holiday rentals. The move comes after rents and house prices have skyrocketed in Portugal, making it difficult for locals to find housing. The program, which offers residency to foreigners who invest in real estate or other areas of the economy, has brought €6.8 billion euros (US$7.26 billion) in investment since its launch in 2012, with the bulk of the money going into real estate. It is not clear when the measures would come into effect, but they are set to be approved next month, officials said. Portugal’s golden visa program is one of the most popular in the world. Reuters
Former Home of Country Singer Kenny Rogers Lists for $4.2 Million
An Atlanta mansion once home to the late country music star Kenny Rogers is back on the market for $4.2 million. The gated six-bedroom, 12-bathroom home sits on 6 acres and boasts a ballroom, a theater, a chef’s kitchen, and a primary bedroom suite with a wet bar, a fireplace and huge walk-in closets—presumably to store the spangled costumes of a country crooner. The estate has been on and off the market since 2019. Rogers is best known for songs like “Lady,” “The Gambler,” and “Islands in the Stream,” a duet with Dolly Parton. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. He died in 2020 at the age of 81. Realtor.com
Australian Mansion With a Link to Angelina Jolie Offered for A$25 Million
A waterfront Australian mansion—boasting French tiles the owners bought after a “heated” bidding war with actor Angelina Jolie—is being offered with a guide price of A$25 million to A$27.5 million (US$17.15 million to US$18.87 million). Located in the town of Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, the residence is nearly 36,000 square feet and completed by the sellers in 2012. In addition to the heated French limestone tiles, it boasts Western Australian limestone, Terracotta tiles from Spain, custom-designed Swiss steel windows and doors and Italian marble benchtops. realestate.com.au
Dubai Penthouse Rents for AED 1.7 Million a Year, One of the Most Expensive Rentals on Record
A four-bedroom penthouse on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah has been rented for a yearly sum of AED 1.7 million (US$462,836)—one of the most expensive rental deals on record. The property is part of the exclusive Omniyat One on the man-made island, and offers 4,790 square feet of space, as well as water and skyline views. Designed by Soma Architects, Omniyat One offers three- and four-bedroom apartments with modern amenities and incredible views of the Arabian Gulf. “We are seeing increasingly more and more inquiries for similar high-end units that overlook the Dubai skyline and the Arabian Gulf,” said Aleksandr Mylnikov, sales manager at Metropolitan Premium Properties, who handled the transaction. Khaleej Times
Credit: marketwatch.com