Latest news with #Laver


Al Etihad
15-07-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
Investors back Abu Dhabi's diversified realty sector as turnkey homes win market favour
16 July 2025 00:45 ISIDORA CIRIC (ABU DHABI)Abu Dhabi's property scene is steadily shifting in favour of ready-to-move-in homes, with buyers increasingly eschewing off-plan purchases for the certainty of completed units. Recent data suggests that sales of completed units now account for the majority of transactions – over 66% – with experts saying the shift is both behavioural and structural, and likely to its latest report on the emirates residential real estate sector, Cavendish Maxwell recorded 900 transactions for ready properties worth Dh2.3 billion, compared with just 400 off-plan deals in Q1 2025. This follows a full-year share of 61.5% for completed units in Q4 2024, according to ValuStrat data from Bachani, Co-Founder of Merlin Real Estate, said that while short-term supply constraints have driven some of this demand, the real change is behavioural - buyers now prize the tangibility and immediacy of turnkey homes over the uncertainty of off-plan projects.'In the short term, the limited availability of completed units has increased demand for ready-to-move-in properties. However, there is also a clear long-term trend emerging, where buyers are increasingly prioritising tangible, completed assets over the uncertainties associated with off-plan purchases,' he told Maxwell data also revealed that, while ready property volumes and values were up compared to the same period last year, off-plan activity dropped both year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter, driven in part by a slowdown in new launches. The average ticket price on ready sales also hit Dh2.5 million – the highest recorded value since Q1 these findings suggest that Abu Dhabi buyers' growing appetite for turnkey homes is not slowing down.'This trend appears to be more than just a temporary response to supply constraints but rather a shift in buyer behaviour that is likely to persist moving forward,' Bachani Laver, Cavendish Maxwell Associate Director - Abu Dhabi, sees the same pattern emerging.'The UAE capital is seeing a notable shift towards the secondary residential market, with sustained demand for ready homes and fewer off-plan project launches compared to previous quarters,' he added that the three-year-high average ticket price on ready homes demonstrates 'encouraging signs of broader price appreciation', a trend he also expects will continue in the coming luxury market isn't losing steam either. Abu Dhabi's ultra-premium residential space is now boosted by global brands, with projects bearing the names of Waldorf Astoria, Brabus and The W entering the market. The capital recorded Dh6.3 billion in luxury property sales in the first four months of 2025, with branded launches increasing fourfold year-on-year, according to Metropolitan Capital Real says the city's less headline-grabbing segments are next in line. He predicts that as the expatriate population grows, 'reasonably priced mid-market properties are likely to receive more focus in the next cycle' as developers try to rebalance their pipelines.'While luxury properties are currently a key driver of growth, there is a strong recognition among developers of the ongoing demand for mid-market housing. The mid-market offers a consistent demand, making it an attractive avenue for sustainable growth,' he balance between showpiece developments and the quieter resilience of the mid-tier is helping the market mature and expand without overheating, and investors are average transaction value in Q1 reached Dh3.7 billion across 1,300 transactions. Apartment prices were up 12.3% on last year, and 4% quarter-on-quarter, and villas 12.5% and 2.4% Maxwell data also revealed that around 11,900 new homes will be delivered in Abu Dhabi by the end of 2025 - on top of the 600 already delivered during Q1 - with another 7,000 in the pipeline for it's not just pricing that's fuelling confidence. Buyers are encouraged by macroeconomic stability, strong project delivery track records, and greater regulatory clarity, all of which are helping the market absorb incoming perception is supported by policy measures ranging from long-term visa schemes to flexible payment plans for property buyers, many of which were introduced in recent years to improve market transparency and attract international interest.'Abu Dhabi's commitment to sustainable development, transparency, and investor-friendly policies further strengthens confidence in its real estate market, positioning it as a prime destination for both regional and international investors,' Bachani it seems like the current momentum is exposing undervalued corners of the market that investors would do well to watch.'At present, the high-end rental market and mixed-use developments are significantly undervalued. Office occupancy rates in Abu Dhabi have exceeded 94%, with city-wide office rents rising by 15% year-on-year,' Bachani ahead to late 2025 and beyond, he predicts that serviced apartments, branded residences and mixed-use hubs will deliver the next wave of returns. 'Investors should also consider opportunities in serviced apartments and integrated mixed-use communities that offer both residential and commercial amenities. These types of developments align with Abu Dhabi's long-term vision for sustainable urban growth and are likely to experience increased demand in the coming years.'
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Yahoo
FSU students try to process deadly mass shooting
Hearts are heavy as students walk around the Florida State University campus 24 hours after Thursday's mass shooting. Students were in tears and hugging one another as they visited a makeshift memorial where hundreds of flowers and balloons were placed. Students say the university is their second home, a place of safety. Some are fearful of it happening again. 'It's a scar that'll forever be on FSU and forever be on students,' said Sophia Laver. She's a junior at FSU. Flowers now lie outside the Student Union. The building where two people were killed and six others injured in a barrage of gunfire. 'I'm scared. I'm heartbroken. I haven't stopped shaking since I got the news yesterday,' said Laver. Students say the campus is forever changed. The sidewalks were mostly empty on Friday. A few students are still on campus, trying to get back to a routine. This walkway is filled with flowers and balloons, where a lot of students are gathering to reflect on what happened. 'We're usually on this path to go to class, and now we're placing flowers here for a memorial,' said Christian Rosado Lauren Kim says her friend was in the building next to the Student Union the day of the shooting. She's from South Florida and says what happened is becoming too normal. 'It's really disheartening to see this same thing that happened in 2018, I was there when Parkland happened and seeing the same kind of memorial, it's like seeing the same thing happen every year, when's it going to stop,' said Kim. Laver says she's afraid for classes to start back up. A fear she says she shouldn't have to live with. 'I'm constantly thinking about if something happened again, how would we be safe. I can't help but constantly think about what happened. Being here, seeing everyone, brings all those emotions to the forefront,' said Laver. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Public plea after disturbing discoveries on Aussie beaches: 'Something has changed'
Conservationists are growing increasingly concerned about a troubling trend along the Australian east coast, where an alarmingly high number of dead birds continue to wash ashore. Experts believe this phenomenon exceeds the usual amount expected from natural causes and are urging the public to photograph any such sightings to help record and study these incidents. This plea follows a recent discovery in Victoria, in which a woman found seven dead little penguins on Warrnambool Beach. The occurrence is similar to an incident in January, when several deceased little penguins washed ashore in Tasmania. Last year, hundreds of dead shearwaters were found along the coastline between the two states. The Victorian woman sent footage of the most recent example to researchers at Adrift Lab, who told Yahoo News Australia the cause of these deaths remains largely unexplained. Marine scientist Jennifer Laver said while some little penguin deaths, especially among chicks struggling with harsh sea conditions, are expected, the recent "pulses" of deaths in specific areas are unusual. She said under normal circumstances, most bird deaths would occur at sea rather than along the coast. "If it was normal, it would be happening every single year. It would be widespread across the whole of the species breeding range," Laver told Yahoo News Australia. "But that's typically not what we see. "We see these unusual little pulses, something over here, maybe something over there, but then nothing between over hundreds of thousands of kilometres. What that says to us is that there's something quite unique about that location — something has changed. What I suspect is that there's a localised lack of prey, or perhaps a warming event." 🌊 Concerning problem stretching 'for kilometres' along coastline 🏝️ Dire warning as 'devastating' find on beach ignites concern 🚶Multiple 'distressing' discoveries at popular beaches Laver said recently most of the reported deaths are taking place west of Warrnambool and Phillip Island. Warming sea temperatures and overfishing are huge contributors to the birds' lack of prey, but it's hard to distinguish between the two, she added. "It's really difficult to tease those things apart unless we're actively monitoring at the time of an event like this," Laver said. "In a 'normal year', I would be reaching out to some of the citizen scientists on the ground and saying, 'what is the condition of the birds? Are they emaciated? Is there signs of starvation?' "Because that can also be quite helpful. But with avian flu on the horizon — we don't have avian flu at the moment in Australia — but with it on the horizon, and the community quite anxious about that, we no longer ask folks to touch the birds. So that makes it difficult for me to say what's going on and what condition the animals are in." Laver emphasised that the "vast majority" of the species "will figure out what it is that they need to do" at sea, and it's incredibly important not to "normalise" little penguin deaths on beaches. "These are what we call long-lived species," she said. "They rely very, very heavily on high survival rates. And so if we just accept it as a society that birds are just going to catastrophically die in large numbers every single year — those two things don't make sense. "Some birds will die because they're young and inexperienced. But that should be a relatively small proportion, unless conditions are not favourable. You know that conditions are not favourable when you're seeing large numbers of birds on beaches, because most mortality for sea birds, we're talking like 80-90, even 95 per cent of mortality for sea birds, will take place at sea. "If you're seeing large numbers on beaches, it basically means that it's quite a significant event." Laver said Australians "should stand up and take note" and "call for more data on this". "We should have a look at ocean temperatures. We should have a serious think about what might be driving this, and whether or not other sea birds are also being impacted," she said, calling for the public to report sightings to Adrift Lab. "At Warrnambool, it's a watch and wait," she said. "It might just be like this for a couple of days, or it might get worse. I do expect the shearwaters to start washing up in about four weeks. So it's timely that we bring this into the community consciousness again." Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.


Express Tribune
06-03-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Aussie tennis great Fred Stolle passes away at 86
Fred Stolle, the Australian tennis great who won two Grand Slam singles titles and played a key role in the nation's dominance of the sport in the 1960s, has died at the age of 86. Stolle won the French Open in 1965 and the US Open in 1966, reaching six other Grand Slam finals, including three at Wimbledon. He also secured 10 Grand Slam men's doubles titles and seven mixed doubles crowns. Tennis Australia described Stolle as "one of its great players and characters." CEO Craig Tiley said Stolle's name was synonymous with the transition from amateur to professional tennis. "His legacy is one of excellence, dedication, and a profound love for tennis," Tiley said. "His impact on the sport will be remembered and cherished by all who had the privilege to witness his contributions." Stolle was part of an Australian generation that dominated men's tennis, competing alongside Roy Emerson, Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, and John Newcombe. He helped Australia win the Davis Cup in 1964, 1965, and 1966, later transitioning to coaching and commentary. Laver, the only man to win all four Grand Slam titles in a single year during the Open era, paid tribute to Stolle on X. "It took the best to beat the best," Laver wrote. "We never tired of reliving the past as we travelled the world looking into the future with an enduring love of the sport." Former Australian doubles player Paul McNamee also honoured Stolle's contributions. "What a player, what a commentator, what a bloke," McNamee said. "One of that great group of Aussie tennis players who made history, and whose legacy is perhaps unrivalled."