The High Plains region was once called the Great American Desert and thought to be, in the words of explorer Stephen Long, "wholly unfit for cultivation." Now we know that beneath the surface, unbeknownst to the explorers and early settlers, lies the Ogallala aquifer, an underground formation that stretches for 800 miles from the Texas panhandle to South Dakota. It holds more water than Lake Huron. Indeed, the Ogallala has been referred to as the sixth Great Lake. It is the water pumped for irrigation from the Ogallala that has enabled a naturally dry region to produce up to 40 percent of America's beef and 20 to 25 percent of its food and fiber, an output worth about $20 billion. In the forty years since the invention of center pivot irrigation, the High Plains aquifer system has been depleted at an astonishing rate. In 1978 the volume of water pumped from the aquifer exceeded the annual flow of the Colorado River. In Texas, water levels are down 200 feet in some areas. In Kansas, 700 miles of rivers that once flowed year round no longer flow at all. In short, the High Plains may be becoming the desert it was once thought to be. Is it too late to solve the problem? Geographers David Kromm and Stephen White assembled nine of the most knowledgeable scholars and water professionals in the Great Plains to help answer that question. The result is a collection of essays that insightfully examine the dilemmas of groundwater use. From a variety of perspectives they address both the technical problems and the politics of water management to provide a badly needed analysis of the implications of large-scale irrigation. They have included three case studies: the Nebraska Sand Hills, Northwestern Kansas, and West Texas. Kromm and White provide an introduction and conclusion to the volume.

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.

This book by a distinguished academic and a professional economist from the World Bank clearly demonstrates the significant role played by the real estate sector in inducing the Asian crisis; the linkage of the real estate sector to the general economy; the causes of real estate booms and subsequent busts; and the economic costs of real estate price volatility. The book also includes suggestions for moderating such volatility in the future.

Residential Property Appraisal is a classic practitioner's handbook for surveyors and others involved in the appraisal of residential property for lending purposes. It focuses on the distinct professional competencies required by Mortgage Valuations and Home Buyers Surveys and Valuations, identifying and advising the reader on the extent and limitations of their activities. This is a well-illustrated book, supported by real-life case studies. It draws on the latest research developments.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203186222

Marcus Warren's book provides a broad coverage of economic theory, analysis and policy relevant to most undergraduate students studying economics as part of their degree. Specifically it is designed for students studying for property and business related courses and is a vital purchase for all first year students and some second year students involved in these disciplines. It is also relevant for accountancy, business and marketing students studying economics as one or two of their modules.
The main feature of this book is the inclusion of an application for students on property surveying courses, building surveying courses and rural land management students as well as some pure business examples for the business students. These applications will cover the main markets for this book at the end of each theory section.
The text is clear, concise and includes real life examples and case studies to back up the theory presented. It is global in its appeal, especially relevant for the UK, Europe and the Commonwealth.

* Student-orientated text
* Comprehensive coverage of economic theory, analysis and policy
* Includes business examples for students to work through

If we do stop to think on housing, what do we see? What is housing and what does it do? These seem deceptively simple questions, but they are often left unanswered. The reason for this is that a lot of discourse on housing is really a concern for policy-making and the critical evaluation of existing policies. Discourse, is not, properly speaking, on housing at all. It is concerned with provision, distribution and access, but this thinking on housing stops at the front door. It is only concerned with what is actually external to housing. But for most people, housing already exists and they have access to it. Housing is not then about policy, but about how we can use what is a complex object in a manner that allows us to live well. Housing, for most of us, is about what we do when the front door is firmly shut and we are free from the external world. These essays explore this idea of housing as an object that exists for use. Housing is pictured as an object that contains activity. These pieces look at what we do with housing once we have it and so provides a necessary underpinning for any understanding of why housing is important. A further purpose of these pieces is to present different ways of thinking and writing on housing. It is an attempt to show that housing is a suitable topic for philosophical discourse. It is suggested that we can and should seek to establish a philosophy of housing, rather than just relying on the traditional social sciences.

For a better understanding of medieval and early modern rural society, in which land was the principal source of income and investment, as well as a most prestigious object of possession and a solid base of power, historical questions on landholding and land transfers are highly relevant. This volume aims to clarify some long-standing issues concerning the large variety of land tenure and non-familial transfers of land in the North Sea area by treating them from a regional - if possible comparative - perspective and by linking them to such structural features of preindustrial rural society as shifts in land to labour ratio's; social property relations; commercialisation and the rise of land, leasehold, and credit markets; the growth of state intervention and the institutional innovation that followed in its wake; the sustained prevalence of local or regional customary law; and the effects of social and cultural values on the demand for land. From viewing the later medieval and early modern period as a whole, one has to conclude that the mobility of agricultural land markedly increased. This was due first and foremost to the establishment of clear-cut private property rights, to the expansion of land and credit markets, and to the spread of short-term leasing. Differences in the pace of capitalist development as well as of state formation were mainly responsible for outspoken regional differences.

This book examines the international growth and diversification of real estate advisory services in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan since 1960. The book explains how successful firms develop competitive advantages in the global marketplace.
An evaluation of forty prominent firms (ten from each country) provides a comparative reference for a detailed analysis of the growth and internationalization of four major real estate advisory service firms (one from each country). The firms have responded in many ways to changes in international real estate investment, and their fortunes have varied accordingly.
The analysis provides factual evidence demonstrating growth strategies that enable a firm to become a successful real estate advisory service in today's global economy.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203448162

This timely new title from David Harper, is the first EG book that provides detailed, up to date information of how to be successful within the hotel market. This experienced valuer shows the reader the most effective way to able to read, manage and work your way through the competitive markets of hotel valuation and investment. With its clear overview of the investment process and use of a range of valuation principles and practices, this book will be the title to give that valuable insight into the varying and ever changing hotel market. It has no direct competitors. It is a comprehensive opening guide to Valuing Hotels and applying it to investment markets. It provides clear concise advice that is accessible to industry professionals and everyone else.

A mob scene erupted in April 1990 in the sleepy hamlet of Caneada, a small town on the northern edge of the Allegheny Mountains. In addition to riots and numerous arrests, six senior citizens, handcuffed to a heavy chain, formed a human barricade across the steel bridge spanning the Genesee River. Their purpose was to prevent the siting commission of a low-level radioactive waste dump from getting across the bridge. In the past few decades, finding sites for undesirable facilities, such as prisons and garbage landfills, has become ever more difficult. The difficulty lies not in tracking down technically suitable sites, but in the so-called NIMBY syndrome. People might agree that a facility is desperately needed just as long as it is Not In My Backyard. The unfortunate results of this proverbial game of hot potato are ever-mounting social and economic costs. State and local governments will continue to spend small fortunes finding sites to facilities that everyone desires hi principle but nobody seems to want on their block.

In "Slaying the NIMBY Dragon, "Herbert Inhaber draws on the experience of many NIMBY cases. He discusses new approaches to overcoming NIMBY, such as . the reverse Dutch auction. Reverse, because undesirable objects are being auctioned. This market approach holds promise for meeting the objections of potential neighbors of a LULU (Locally Unwanted Land Use) as well as society's need to get the facilities built. According to Inhaber, a site auction works better than negotiation--the community handles it on their own, and when they are satisfied with a site they offer a bid. The hefty bonus would go to the first county that agrees to have a site built in their backyard. Psychological components of the NIMBY syndrome are also discussed--logical objections and why people think as they do about LULUs. Inhaber believes that the trick to handling this problem is to take account of these personal sentiments and accomplish the nation's work at the same time.

Inhaber adopts an optimistic approach to a problem that many believe has become a national fixture with no solution. The nuclear industry has been trying, without success, to dispose of its waste for about four decades, to take just one example. Inhaber believes there is a way to assuage the fears of an affected community while simultaneously preserving the environment and the people. This book will be of interest to environmentalists, developers, policymakers, and those in the fields of waste industry, nuclear, and risk analysis.

This book explores residential satisfaction and housing policy trends in developing nations by using subsidised low-income housing examples in South Africa, Ghana and Nigeria as case studies. While there has been much documentation on the formation of residential satisfaction and the evolution of housing policy in developed nations, relatively little has been written about these topics in developing nations. This book provides readers with two major practical insights: The first is focused on the theoretical underpinning of residential satisfaction and the formation of residential satisfaction in subsidised low-income housing through the development of a conceptual framework, while the second is focused on housing policy evolution and its trends in South Africa. In this section of the book, comparative overviews of public housing in two West African countries are provided with an emphasis on the philosophical basis for its development in these countries. The central aim of the book is to provide readers with ideas on residential satisfaction formation and housing policy trends in South Africa.

China's economy has been transforming rapidly over the last 25 years. As a result, Chinese conurbations have changed remarkably, with cities expanding both vertically and horizontally, and the physical environment acting as a medium for unprecedented urbanization. This has provided vast opportunities for investors, real estate developers, and service companies, but also presents huge challenges-as traditional city spaces have been reconfigured, environmental risks and the volatility of real estate markets increased. However, as engagement with China is becoming strategically important for many, forming a synthesized lens through which to read China across the vicissitudes of its real estate sector bears historic significance. By offering an insightful framework and structure for understanding China's variegated real estate dynamics, players, and markets, Understanding China's Real Estate Markets codifies the principles and practices of real estate development, finance, and investment in China and builds foundations for future academic research and practical knowledge in shaping and engaging the urban environment within China and beyond.

Describing a wide range of communities, this record offers practical information for sustainability-oriented developers and urban-design professionals. Packed with outstanding photography, this overview of projects developed over the past 50 years discusses the importance of open space, mixed housing types, connectivity, and other smart-growth features in master-planned communities. This book is a must read for those in the real estate industry, including developers, planners, architects, and consultants.

Over the last two decades new and significant demographic, economic, social and environmental changes and challenges have shaped the production and consumption of housing in Australia and the policy settings that attempt to guide these processes. These changes and challenges, as outlined in this book, are many and varied. While these issues are new they raise timeless questions around affordability, access, density, quantity, type and location of housing needed in Australian towns and cities. The studies presented in this text also provide a unique insight into a range of housing production, consumption and policy issues that, while based in Australia, have implications that go beyond this national context. For instance how do suburban-based societies adjust to the realities of aging populations, anthropogenic climate change and the significant implications such change has for housing? How has policy been translated and assembled in specific national contexts? Similarly, what are the significantly different policy settings the production and consumption of housing in a post-Global Financial Crisis period require? Framed in this way this book accounts for and responds to some of the key housing issues of the 21st century.

Buy it, fix it, flip it! Are you a wanna-be flipper looking to get the property, get the job done, and get out all while maximizing your profit? Not just another house-flipping book, this hands-on guide shows you how to roll up your sleeves and find the perfect property, secure a mortgage, negotiate with condo associations, increase curb appeal, and much more. Flipping a house is more than just buying, updating, and selling. To be successful, you have to be a bit fearless, highly organized, and, at times, creative. This new edition of Flipping Houses For Dummies gives you practical guidance on the risks and rewards of flipping properties; helps you determine whether you have the time, energy, cash, and other resources to be successful; and then conveys the expert knowledge you need to succeed in a very competitive market. * Find, fix, and sell houses for profit * Score bank-owned and foreclosed properties * Identify the best improvements for maximum ROI * Get quick makeover solutions If you're ready for hard work and big profits, start flipping!

This textbook responds to the increasing demand for practical, industry aligned, ethical practices in quantity surveying, construction management and related AEC professions. Professional Ethics for Construction and Surveying addresses how existing ethical standards can be pragmatically applied to both private and contracting practice, with case studies aligned with the ethical requirements of the main professional bodies. After an introduction to ethics, the authors present real-world situations where the minimum legal and contractual requirements necessitate the combination of professional judgement and ethical decision-making. They outline how such situations arise, then address how decisions can and should be made that are in keeping with the moral, contractual and CSR requirements, with cases covering the building lifecycle from procurement to handover. Consequently, the book brings together ethical theory, existing worldwide ethical standards and the requirements of the RICS, the CIOB and the ICES, with the authors' experiences of examining candidates for entry into the professional bodies. The result is a professionally focused textbook aimed at vocational learners (at both undergraduate and postgraduate taught levels) and practitioners in construction, engineering, architecture and the wider built environment.

In this age of globalization, many countries and U.S. states are worried about the tax flight of the rich. As income inequality grows and U.S. states consider raising taxes on their wealthiest residents, there is a palpable concern that these high rollers will board their private jets and fly away, taking their wealth with them. Many assume that the importance of location to a person's success is at an all-time low. Cristobal Young, however, makes the surprising argument that location is very important to the world's richest people. Frequently, he says, place has a great deal to do with how they make their millions. In The Myth of Millionaire Tax Flight, Young examines a trove of data on millionaires and billionaires—confidential tax returns, Forbes lists, and census records—and distills down surprising insights. While economic elites have the resources and capacity to flee high-tax places, their actual migration is surprisingly limited. For the rich, ongoing economic potential is tied to the place where they become successful—often where they are powerful insiders—and that success ultimately diminishes both the incentive and desire to migrate. This important book debunks a powerful idea that has driven fiscal policy for years, and in doing so it clears the way for a new era. Millionaire taxes, Young argues, could give states the funds to pay for infrastructure, education, and other social programs to attract a group of people who are much more mobile—the younger generation.

This book is concerned with one of the fundamental problems in the economic and social history of Europe in the early modern period, namely with the bifurcation in its development: in Western Europe, the development of capitalism; in East-Central Europe, the rise of the manorial-serf economy which hampered the development of capitalism. The main motif linking together the studies in this volume is the endeavour to explain this separation. the author evaluates the different theories explaining this, and also provides further analysis of economic life, dealing with the commercial activity, economic regression, especially in Poland.

The latest edition of this book first published in 1987 - aimed at land managers, farmers, accountants, and those in rural finance, law and taxation.

The book provides a thorough review of current food safety and sanitation information with practical applications of current research findings included. The book surveys and examines the prevailing research and applications and reviews specific operational issues such as power or water emergencies. It also covers food safety and sanitation in various environments, such as restaurants, schools, and fairs and festivals. It is multidisciplinary in that it comprises culinary, hospitality, microbiology, and operations analysis. Topics include: Importance of food safety in restaurants History of food safety regulation in restaurants Microbiological issues What happens during a restaurant food safety inspection Legislative process, regulatory trends, and associations Legal issues for food safety Differences in the food safety perception of consumers, regulatory officials, and employees What restaurants should do during power or water emergencies Front of the house sanitation and consumers' perceptions of food safety Social media and food safety risk communication Food safety in farmers' markets Food safety at fairs and festivals

The use of secondary data for research can offer benefits, particularly when limited resources are available for conducting research using primary methods. Researchers and students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including their academic instructors, are increasingly recognising the immense opportunities in applying secondary research methods in built environment research. Advances in technology has also led to vast amounts of existing datasets that can be utilized for secondary research. This textbook provides a systematic guide on how to apply secondary research methods in the built environment, including their various underpinning methodologies. It provides guidance on the secondary research process, benefits, and drawbacks of applying secondary research methods, how to source for secondary data, ethical considerations, and the various secondary research methods that can be applied in built environment research. The book incorporates chapters dealing with qualitative secondary analysis, systematic literature reviews, legal analysis, bibliometric and scientometric analysis, literature-based discovery, and meta-analysis. Secondary Research Methods in the Built Environment is an ideal research book for undergraduate and postgraduate students in construction management, construction project management, quantity surveying, construction law and dispute resolution, real estate and property management, building services engineering, architecture, and civil engineering.

This book presents a new framework for leadership in the construction industry which draws from the authentic leadership construct. The framework has three major themes: self-leadership, self-transcendent leadership, and sustainable leadership. Despite its significance, leadership has not been given due importance in the construction industry as focus is placed on managerial functionalism. At the project level, even with the technological advances in the industry in recent years, construction is realized in the form of people undertaking distinct interdependent activities which require effective leadership. The industry faces many challenges including: demanding client requirements and project parameters; more stringent regulations, codes and systems; intense competition in the industry; and threats from disruptive enterprise. In such a complex environment, technology-driven and tool-based project and corporate management is insufficient. It must be complemented by a strategic, genuine, stakeholder-focused and ethical leadership. Leadership in the Construction Industry is based on a study on authentic leadership and its development in Singapore. Leadership theories and concepts are reviewed; the importance of leadership in the construction industry is discussed; and the grounded theory approach which was applied in the study is explained. Many eminent construction professionals in Singapore were interviewed in the field study. Emerging from the experiences of the leaders documented in this book are three major themes: (1) self-leadership: how leaders engage in various self-related processes such as self-awareness, self-regulation, and role modeling. (2) self-transcendent leadership: how leaders go beyond leading themselves to leading others through servant leadership, shared leadership, spiritual leadership, and socially-responsible leadership; and, finally, (3) sustainable leadership or the strategies leaders employ to make the impact of their leadership lasting. A synthesis of these themes and their implications for leadership development is presented before the book concludes with some recommendations for current and aspiring leaders about how they can engage with them. This book is essential reading for all construction practitioners from all backgrounds; and researchers on leadership and management in construction.