The conflict in the Nuba Mountains in central Sudan illustrates how state policies concerning the control of land can cause local conflicts to escalate into large scale wars, which become increasingly difficult to manage or resolve. The conventional perspective on Sudan's recent civil war (1983-2005) - one of the longest and most complex conflicts in Africa - emphasises ethnicity as the main cause. This study, on the contrary, identifies the land factor as aroot cause that is central to understanding Sudan's local conflicts and large-scale wars. Land rights are about relationships between and among persons, pertaining to different economic and ritual activities. Rights toland are intimately tied to membership in specific communities, from the family to the nation-state. Control over land in Africa has been, and still is, used as a means of defining identity and belonging, an instrument to control, and a source of, political power. Membership of these communities is contested, negotiable, and changeable over time. For national governments land is a national economic resource for public and private development, but the interests and rights of rural majorities and their sedentary or nomadic subsistence forms of life are often difficult to harmonise with land policies pursued by national governments. The state's exclusionary land policies and politicsof limiting or denying communities their land rights play a crucial role in causing local conflicts that then can escalate into large-scale wars. Land issues increase the complexity of a conflict, thereby reducing the possibilityof managing, resolving, or ultimately transforming it. The conflict in the Nuba Mountains in central Sudan, the regional focus in this study, is living proof of this transformation. Guma Kunda Komey is Assistant Professor of Human Geography, Juba University, Sudan.

This book, by adopting a property perspective, seeks to evaluate linkages between urban regeneration and the development-investment processes. The risk element in major development schemes can be high to both financiers and developers, and the cushioning of risk and more effective public-private sector partnerships are likely to set the agenda for regeneration mechanisms in Europe throughout the 1990s. In considering property investment and development, this book appraises existing initiatives, mechanisms and approaches to urban hierarchy. Only by evaluating current practice can a better understanding of the factors, including market behaviour and the impact of policy directions, be assessed. The opening of the book focuses upon the private sector, market forces, the role of the financial institutions and international property portfolios. Emphasis in the second part is placed upon the integration of regeneration, local economic development, and specifically the role of the public sector. Key issues include the impact of policy directions, and the ability of government to lever private sector monies and act as a facilitator of regeneration by creating the opportunity for developmen

This is a book for the Single Market Economy (SEM) and for the real estate professionals operating within it. With the rapidly increasing harmonization within Europe there is a need for the development of expertise in the handling of different national systems and the non-tariff barriers they present. This guide is designed to help professionals to develop this expertise. It offers more than a dictionary of specialist and technical terminology; there is a supplementary section giving longer translations of particularly tricky terms where more detailed information is needed. There are also sections on the real estate and planning systems in the different European countries, government and planning hierarchies and real estate associations throughout Europe. None of these are intended to be definitive guides, but simply highlight the key questions the real estate professional needs to be aware of and goes on to provide sources for further reading.

This text provides an account of urban land reform in China, which is unique in merging the existing socialist landowner system with market mechanisms. The book starts with a historical account of the land tenure system in China followed by discussions of the reform in the frameworks of law, administration and finance. Contrasting case studies of the Shanghai land system and of Hong Kong after the end of British rule illustrate the impact of land reform in China's transition.

Evolution of the Property Relation defines an approach to economics which is centered around the concept of property and explores the historical evolution of the relationship of the individual, private property, and the state, and the distinctive changes wrought by the emergence of the market.

Cities are growing worldwide and their sprawl is increasingly challenged for its pressure on open spaces and environmental quality. Economic arguments can help to decide about the trade-off between preserving environmental quality and developing housing and business surfaces, provided the benefits of environmental quality are adequately quantified. To this end, this book focuses on the use and advancement of the hedonic approach, an economic valuation technique that analyses and quantifies the sources of rent and property price differentials. Starting from theoretical foundations, the hedonic approach is applied to the valuation of natural land use preservation and noise abatement measures, as well as to residential segregation and discrimination, extending the analysis to the role of the buyers and sellers' identity on housing market prices and to the issue of environmental justice.

This book deals with important issues related to urban housing in South Asia. It analyses various aspects of housing, including spatial and temporal requirements and needs, as well as the challenges of implementing housing projects, such as financial feasibility of estate development projects and housing design. Finally, it discusses the socio-economic and environmental impacts of the rapid urban housing development in South Asia. Written by experts from various disciplines, the book presents several case studies that address issues such as housing provision; legislative, financial and technical support; access to employment opportunities and markets; the cumulative impact on gentrification; exclusion and spatial equity; and the economic, social and environmental sustainability of urban tissue. Researchers, housing planners, and policy makers will find this book a valuable resource in meeting the demand for affordable and sustainable housing and overcoming housing shortages in developing countries

Most public finance books are texts, which are aimed at undergraduate or graduate students. They are overly technical in nature and appeal only to a narrow range of bureaucrats and academics. Books on taxation are written for tax practitioners and usually emphasize either what the law is or how to maneuver through the labyrinth of tax law to minimize taxes for clients. Philosophy books on taxation or public finance simply do not exist.

The Philosophy of Taxation and Public Finance is different. It is written in nontechnical language and is aimed to appeal to a wide range of readers, including practitioners, academics and students in the fields of taxation, public finance, economics, law, philosophy and political science as well as general readers who are interested in learning why they are being taxed the way they are. The author addresses the major issues and topics in taxation and public finance and injects them with philosophical insights. He discusses questions such as:
-What arguments have been used to justify taxation?
-When is tax evasion unethical?
-Are some taxes better than others?
-What are the proper functions of government?
-How much is enough? Is the ability to pay concept valid?
-When can punitive taxes be justified?

The first section of the book contains seven original essays, arranged in order to coincide with Bill's (chronological) professional career. These essays cover a wide variety of real estate topics, including valuation theory, definition of market value, market analysis, the appraisal process, role of the appraiser as an expert witness, valuation under environmental contamination, and international real estate issues.

The second section of the book reprints eleven of Bill's most influential papers, selected with the help of forty of his colleagues. These articles, written by Bill and various co-authors, represent only a portion of his contributions to real estate theory and practice. They are "classics" in real estate education.

The final section contains personal reflections by colleagues, family and friends of Bill. One of Bill's most influential publications is his classic text, "Income Property Valuation," and is frequently cited in the testimonials. These testimonials provide clear evidence that Bill was an excellent teacher and real estate professional. He truly cared about his students and colleagues and worked hard to move the real estate profession forward.

In September 2008, beset by mounting losses on high-risk mortgages and mortgage securities, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation teetered on the brink of insolvency. Fearing that confidence in the housing market would collapse completely if Freddie Mac and its competitor Fannie Mae failed, the US government made the difficult decision to place the two firms into conservatorship, taking control away from shareholders. Although the taxpayer commitment of hundreds of billions was meant to stabilize the housing finance system, Freddie's fall at the start of the financial crisis set off shockwaves around the world. In Days of Slaughter, Susan Wharton Gates, a former 19-year Freddie Mac employee and vice president of public policy, provides a vivid eyewitness account of the competing economic and political forces that led to massive losses for shareholders, investors, homeowners-and taxpayers. With a keen eye to the policy landscape, Gates relates the fateful decisions that led to Freddie Mac's downfall and desperate rescue. She also examines today's worrisome headlines about potential future bailouts, the uneven housing recovery, and stymied congressional reform efforts. Throughout the book, Gates argues convincingly that policymakers will be unable to safely reform the massive housing finance system that currently rests squarely on taxpayer shoulders without addressing deeper issues of ideology, moral hazard, and interest group politics. The first book to tell the story of Freddie Mac from an insider perspective-while casting a prophetic eye to the future-this first-hand account of housing policies, complex financial transactions, and the crazy quilt of federal and state actors involved in the Great Recession is a must-read. A cautionary tale of failed policies and corporate mismanagement that compellingly addresses previously unexplored issues of political ideology, organizational dynamics, and ethics, Days of Slaughter will appeal to readers everywhere who want a fuller explanation of what went awry in the US housing market.

Comprehensive but digestible and affordable guide to the complexities of English and Welsh Building Regulations Has become the go to for a variety of professionals and students in Construction, Architecture and Built Environment fields who need a reference to UK building regs Provides easy to read and ready reference guidance on the Regulations without having to wade through the Regs themselves Packed with useful features, notes and flags to guide the reader on important points and suggestions

Everything you need to know to succeed in the real estate business, as an agent, broker, or seller

"Make More Money, Find More Clients, Close Deals Faster" illustrates why and how real estate agents need to change the way they do business to better serve their clients, spend resources more wisely, and make more money. The real estate industry is notorious for eating up a real estate agent's time, energy, and money, but many of the inefficiencies are of their own making. As a result, the client suffers from poor and uninformed service.

This book provides a new business model for agents that shows how to sell more property, in less time, and develop client relationships that will continue over time, as well as a model for the broker, who can increase the brokerage's revenues through the use of professional development strategies from the book.Shows brokers how to provide better customer service, improve profits and return on investment, and take full advantage of social networking to advertise and attract new clientsWritten by Claude Boiron, coauthor of "Commercial Real Estate Investing in Canada"One of the few guides to the subject written particularly for the Canadian real estate market

"Make More Money, Find More Clients, Close Deals Faster" is of value to real estate boards educating new members, academics, as well as agents, brokers, and sellers themselves.

The Florida land boom was an outgrowth of the industrialization of America, the onset of World War I, and the special natural environment of the state. A place for forts and ports since the days of the Spanish Empire, the presence of military aviation in Florida served to bring attention to the state. Florida came to attract tourists, winter residents, as well as promoters, developers, and speculators. Rich in documentation and illustrated with photographs, this work is an effort to give serious theoretical and factual treatment to one of the great speculation booms in history.

This book addresses challenges that new technologies and the big data revolution pose to existing regulatory and legal frameworks. The volume discusses issues such as blockchain and its implications for property transactions and taxes, three (or four) dimensional title registration, land use and urban planning in the age of big data, and the future of property rights in light of these changes. The book brings together an interdisciplinary collection of chapters that revolve around the potential influence of disruptive technologies on existing legal norms and the future development of real estate markets. The book is divided into five parts. Part I presents a survey of the current available research on blockchain and real estate. Part II provides a background on property law for the volume, grounding it in fundamental theory. Part III discusses the changing landscapes of property rights while Part IV debates the potential effects of blockchain on land registration. Finally the book concludes with Part V, which is devoted to new technological applications relevant to real estate. Providing an interdisciplinary perspective on emerging technologies that have the potential to disrupt the real estate industry and the regulation of it, this book will appeal to a broad audience, consisting of scholars, policy-makers, practitioners, and students, interested in real estate, law, economics, blockchain, and technology policy.

Buy To Let Loose demystifies the buy to let process and details a practical step-by-step guide using case studies of Anshu's first eight investments that led her to financial security. The case studies are relevant and current since they are all post the financial crisis and half of them are post-Brexit under the new tax rules. Buy To Let Loose delves into the mortgage and remortgage process; it explores what you need to unearth at viewings and what your solicitor needs to uncover during the legal process; it addresses the new tax changes that impact rental profits and lists the pros and cons of setting up a limited company in an effort to preserve them; it suggests investment areas that still offer attractive returns; the book stipulates eight key factors that together form an effective negotiating strategy; it goes into the preparation required before quitting the infamous day job; and finally, it summarises the advantages and risks of buy to let, compared and contrasted to other investment asset classes for completeness.

With new chapters on electrical system optimization and ISO 50001, this edition also covers the latest updates to codes and standards in the energy industry. Also included are chapters on energy economic analysis, energy auditing, waste heat recovery, utility system optimization, HVAC, cogeneration, control systems, energy management, compressed air system optimization and financing energy projects. Additional topics include emerging technologies such as oxy-fuel combustion, high efficiency burners, enhanced heat exchangers, and ceramic membranes for heat recovery as well as information on how to do an energy analysis of any system; electrical system optimization; state-of-the-art lighting and lighting controls. This reference will guide you step by step in applying the principles of energy engineering and management to the design of electrical, HVAC, utility, process and building systems for both new design and retrofit projects. The text is thoroughly illustrated with tables, graphs, diagrams and sample problems.

This book discusses the role of the property market cycle in real estate valuation. Challenging traditional property valuation methods that rely on current market conditions and economic trends, this book argues for a re-evaluation of the relationship between property valuation and cycles in property markets. The book is divided into two parts. The first part gathers research on property market cycle analysis and the delicate problems dealing with property market information including the development of the real estate market index, appraisal bias, and the use of time series in plotting the market cycle. The second part proposes several possible modifications to the traditional income approach methodologies, including cyclical capitalization and the hedonic price method. Furthermore, this part also addresses the need for amendments to current s property valuation standards and institutional regulations. Written by an international cross-section of expert voices in market cycles and property valuation, the book is a comprehensive resource for any researcher or upper-level student studying economic volatility.

Go head-over-heels for house flipping! Flipping houses profitably may not be easy, but it's far from impossible. With the right guide, you can avoid the risks and reap the rewards like a seasoned expert. Flipping Houses For Dummies is that guide. The perfect blueprint to property resale, this book walks you through the absolute necessities of house flipping. You'll learn how to confirm that you have enough time, energy, cash, and resources to be successful. You'll also get an inside look at the house flipping process that'll show you how to minimize risk and maximize profit in a highly competitive market. Flipping Houses For Dummies offers: Proven negotiating techniques to close real estate deals faster House flipping laws and regulations for every state in the union Strategies to successfully complete a big renovation, on-time and on-budget House flipping tips for both investors and contractors Comprehensive content on hiring and working with reputable contractors So, if you're ready to start revitalizing your community by turning neglected properties into prize homes, Flipping Houses For Dummies is the first and last resource you'll need to navigate your way around the exciting and challenging world of real estate investment.