Here is a graph that shows the boom and bust of home prices in the United States. After the huge spike in the price of homes in the U.S., there is really no where left to go but down. We are already seing the beginnings of a recession caused by the mortgage meltdown. SO, if you want to buy a home, SAVE your money now and wait for the impending crash.
The tallest building in the world is Taipei 101 Tower. It is 101 stories tall and is in taiwan. The is currently a building in Dubai that is scheduled to be 160 stories tall and will be finished in 2009. There are also buildings in Korea that are under construction that will be taller than the Taipei 101 Tower.
There are some eccentric people who create some really uniques homes in the U.S. Here is a list of the extremely expensive, extremely strange, and extremely amazing homes that ive come across.
The Guitar Shaped House -
One of my favorites because im a musician. The house is in Fayetteville, Georgia and is 1100 square feet.
The Most Expensive House In the World -
Updown Court in Windlesham, England is as of now the most expensive house in the world. It is valued at $139 million dollars and is one huge piece of real estate. This house has 103 rooms and 5 swimming pools. also has a bowling alley, tennis court and squash court.
Bill Gates Home -
Here’s the Home of Bill Gates, the owner of microsoft and one of the richest people in the world. He is worth an estimated $42 billion dollars and has a pretty amazing home. The Home is 50,000 square feet and is on over 5 acres of real estate. The house is believed to cost up to $125 million dollars. There are electronic sensors given to visitors which adjust the temperature, lighting and music of each room based on a users personal preferance.
Amazing Artistic House -
I really dont have any information about this house. But it is an unbelievable piece of architecture that is kindof tree like and scary looking.
The Biggest House In the World
This is the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. This Estate was built by George Vanderbuilt and is 8000 Acres and has 250 rooms . It is the largest privately owned estate in the world. Construstion was started in 1889 and finished in 1895. The Vanderbuilt family became rich through steamboats, railroads in the late 1800’s.
Oprah Winfrey’s House
Oprah Winfrey’s House costs an estimated $51 million. Its called “The Promised Land” and is in Montecito, California. The main house is a 14,000 square feet. It has 6 bedrooms, 14 bathrooms and 10 fireplaces. Lucky for her, her good friend Tom Cruise owns a house within a few miles.
The Shoe Shaped House -
Here is a shoe shaped house in Hellam, Pennsylvania. It has 2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms and is 1500 square feet. It was built in 1948, by a man that owned forty shoe stores.
In certain areas, terrorists and criminals can operate without fear. Government have little control over these elements, and it is strongly advised that you do not travel to these places. These countries were rated a 5/5 in a scale of most dangerous by the U.S. Govt.
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A place you definately don’t want to go is The Cote d’Ivoire
The Cote d’Ivoire is a country in western Africa that had been taken over my a military coup in 1999 and again in 2001. There is often violent fighting between rebel and government forces. Right now the country is back under control The country is extremely poor and politically unstable. There is also a high risk of diseases like yellow fever and cholera. Rated 5/5
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Another place you defiantely do NOT want to go to Kyrgyzstan:
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Kyrgyzstan is a country in central asia that was formerly under the control of the soviet union. With the collapse of the soviet empire Kyrgyzstan was left with an economy in shambles, landmines that are littered throughout the entire country, and terrorist groups with link to Al Qaeda. Westerners should be especially cautious when traveling through Kyrgyzstan, because of terrorist groups like the IMU.Rated 5/5
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If you have any common sense you should not ever, ever go to the The Democratic Republic of Congo:
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This country has been in a war since 1998, it has had almost as many deaths as took place in world war 2. This civil war was started as a result of ethnic tension bought by the influx of refugees fleeing the Rawandan Genocide. Close to 4 million people have been killed in the war. In 2006 there were historic elections, but then massive riots followed in which 16 people died. UN peacekeepers had to step in to get control of the city.Rated 5/5
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For Obvious Reasons, Dont go to Iraq
Right now Iraq is in a state of chaos. Their are daily car bombings, kidnappings, and no sense of security even in its capital city of baghdad. It is especially dangerous to westerners as they are of much higher risk for kidnappings by terrorist organizations. IEDs are commonplace and can easily destroy and kind of armored vehicle. Rated 5/5
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Unless you have a death wish, DONT go to Liberia
Liberia is one of the poorest countries in the world. It is in the middle of a violent civil war and gunmen roam the streets. The Liberian government is currently fghting two different rebel groups for control of the country. Thousand of innocent civilians are being displaced and war crimes are being commited on both sides. Rated 5/5
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You may not have heard of this place, but Do NOT go to Togo:
After the last presidential elections violence has erupted in Togo. Over 20,000 people have fled the country due to the civilian deaths that occur when the government targets rebels groups in the local neighborhoods. Political parties that oppose the govenment were repeatedly targeted and many civilian deaths resulted. Togo was once a popular tourist destination, due to its beautiful beaches. Now phone lines and radio towers had been destroyed and communication in the counrty is all but impossible. Rated 5/5
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Last, but not least, you absolutely DONT want to go to Somalia:
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Diseases and violence are rampant in the East African country of Somalia. the somali government is weak and controls only a small portion of the country, most of the country is ruled by militias and warlords. Relief workers can often get caught in the middle of this violence. There are also many self proclaimed states that are fighting over control of the regions of the country. Somalia was also hit hard by the indonesian tsunami, which has brought water contamination and disease. Rated 5/5
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