Dubai was the world's best performing real estate market during 2013 with price growth nudging 35 percent, Knight Frank has revealed in a new report. The Knight Frank Global House Price Index showed mainstream property prices in the emirate rose by 34.8 percent during the last 12 months. Although the increase slowed slightly in the last six months to 15.3 percent, Knight Frank said prices in Dubai were still 25 percent below their 2008 peak. Globally, the Knight Frank Global House Price Index rose by 8.4 percent in 2013, with 11 markets including China, the US and Turkey registering double digit growth last year. Ukraine, Croatia and Greece were the weakest-performing housing markets in 2013, Knight Frank said, adding that house prices rose in 39 countries of the 56 covered, compared with 27 in 2012. Several emerging markets, despite their economic wobble in 2013, still recorded a strong performance. Turkey, Brazil, Indonesia and Colombia were ranked in the top 10 in terms of annual price growth, each having recorded double digit growth. Europe continued to dominate the lower half of the table but the rate of decline slowed in countries such as France, Spain and the Netherlands.

A sprawling mansion regarded as one of London's finest homes has been put up for sale for a US$ 82 million - 300 times the average UK selling price. The eight-bedroom mansion - which features a steam room, gym and palatial swimming pool room - was built in 1896 for the MP Russell Rea, a Victorian shipping magnate from Liverpool. The home, in Hampstead, London, was made using terracotta detailing but has been comprehensively refurbished by craftsmen and fitted with every modern convenience, including a luxurious cinema room, with sofa bed style seating. The result is an eight-bedroom home with seven bathrooms, a staggering vaulted reception room, four further living rooms and a galleried hallway. The four-storey home, on Lyndhurst Road in Hampstead, London, also has large garden, outdoor swimming pool and separate staff flat. It has been put on the market with Beauchamp Estates for US$ 82 million - one of the highest asking prices for a home in the UK. At this price, the owner would have to pay seven per cent in stamp duty - meaning US$ 5.6 million would be going to the exchequer. Gary Hersham, managing director of Beauchamp Estates, said: 'The house is one of London's finest private homes, offering period features, great entertaining space and a most luxurious indoor pool.' The home is in the 'super prime' market and is twice the price of the average super prime home sold in the UK this year. It is 300 times the average UK selling price of US$ 270 thousand and 196 times the average value of a home (US$ 410 thousand) on the British isle. And the price-tag is only the beginning with running costs on a home like this thought to be around a quarter-of-a-million pounds a year. On average, homeowners in these sorts of properties pay US$ 3510 on council tax, US$ 33 thousand on utility bills, US$ 82 thousand on security, US$ 33 thousand on cleaning, US$ 49 thousand on a housekeeper, US$ 110 thousand on insurance and US$ 9830 on a gardener. Currently the most expensive mansion for sale in London is the mansion on Carlton House terrace for US$ 388 million. The second is the mansion of Saudi Prince Abdul Aziz bin Fahd in Kensington for US$ 164 million, and on the third place is the mansion Heath Hall in Hampstead for US$ 106 million.

The Dancing House, designed by Croatian-born Czech architect Vlado Milunic and American Frank Gehry, one of the most original and highly acclaimed post-communist buildings in Prague, has been sold for US$ 18 million. Its new owner is the Prague Real Estate Administration company of businessman Vaclav Skala. Some ten investors, mostly from the Czech Republic, were interested in this iconic building. The Dancing House, dubbed also Ginger and Fred (after the famous dancers Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers) as it is shaped like a dancing couple, was completed on the embankment in the city center in 1996. It was awarded the Design of the year 1996 prize of the American Time magazine. The previous owner was the CBRE Global Investors Company, which acquired the building in 2011 after taking over the European and Asian assets of the ING Real Estate Investment Management firm. The modern house was built on an empty plot after a block of flats that was damaged by the U.S bombing of Prague at the end of World War II. The interiors of the offices in the nine-stores Dancing House were partially designed by Czech architect Eva Jiricna, living in Britain. Each floor is different thanks to the irregular shape of the building. The Dancing House offers 2965 square meters of offices on six floors, a restaurant (679 square meters) on the top floor and a conference center (400 square meters) on the ground floor and in the basement.

One of America's landmark homes, the Miami Beach mansion that once belonged to Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace, was sold at an auction for US$ 41.5 million to a business group that includes the owners of the Jordache jeans brand, reported Reuters news agency. The 1930s-era Mediterranean-style estate, which has 10 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms and a pool inlaid with 24-karat gold, was auctioned off as part of a bankruptcy proceeding by its current owner, telecom magnate Peter Loftin. Bidding opened at US$ 25.5 million and the winning offer was made by the current mortgage holders of the property, VM South Beach, a company affiliated with New York's Nakash family, which controls Jordache Enterprises. The Nakash family jointly owns a hotel next door to the mansion with the Gindi family, who founded the Century 21 department store chain. They plan to consolidate the properties to create a hotel that will possibly carry Versace's name. Joe Nakash told reporters he planned to ask Versace's family for permission to name the new property the Versace Hotel Villa. The 2,137 square meter mansion, replete with hand-painted frescoes, Italian marble and a gold-and-marble toilet, has been the subject of a long legal battle. In 1997, Versace was gunned down at the mansion's entrance gate by serial killer Andrew Cunanan. Three years later, Versace's family sold the property to Loftin, who is now facing bankruptcy and who had been trying to sell the house for more than a year. Versace bought the property in 1992 for US$ 2.9 million. He then purchased a hotel next door and spent US$ 33 million on renovations to add another wing. Inside, he decorated with an over-the-top style that included paintings of Grecian, nymph-like characters playing lyres under palm trees. The snake-haired Medusa head, Versace's logo, can be seen throughout the house.

With a private beach and stunning views of Snowdonia the four-bedroom Anglesey farmhouse where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spent their first years of marriage again available for rent, reported the Daily Mail. As William and Kate prepare for the next stage of their lives, their love nest is incredibly back on the rental market. Unsurprisingly, the owners expect to be inundated with offers to move in. New tenants may even get to meet the couple, who reportedly love the cottage so much they plan to visit for holidays. The unique offer comes after Prince William announced that he will quit full-time military service to spend time with his family. He is due to move to apartments in Kensington Palace with Kate, George and their dog Lupo which have been restored at a cost to the public of US$ 1.6 million. While William paid US$ 1200 per month for three years to rent the North Wales farmhouse while he served at RAF Valley, it is likely the rent will now rise substantially. The farmhouse, which sleeps eight in four bedrooms, comes with access to a private beach and boasts breathtaking views of nearby Newborough Forest, Llanddwyn Island and Snowdonia. Inside, there is a living room with an open fire, dining room with French doors, a Kitchen, utility room and cloakroom on the ground floor. Upstairs, there are four twin bedrooms and two of these can be turned into doubles. One has an en suite bathroom with a toilet and another has an en-suite bathroom with a bath, shower cubicle and toilet. Kate and William have been living at the farmhouse for the past three years, although more recently Carole Middleton joined them to help the duchess and the baby settle in.