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2010 - A year of two halves A look at the most interesting trends, controversies and news stories of 2010. In many markets, it really was a year of two halves..

Agent calls for promotion ban with clever promotion High-profile London estate agency Douglas and Gordan has called for a blanket ban on real estate for-sale boards across the UK’s capital city.

*Portugal raises the problem everyone is ignoring Portugal in the first major European country to raise the possiblity of an exit from the eurozone. It won't be the last. A re-structuring of the single currency is inevitable and that's good news for the industry..

*The Snickers overseas property model I’m not suggesting that people will pop to the high street for a pint of milk and come back with an overseas property. That would just be careless! But this business model borrows heavily from fast moving consumer goods like the Snickers bar...

*Developer jailed as TV station prepares documentary A property developer and his assoicates have been jailed for beating up one of their customers. British television network ITV is planning a documentary on the subject early next year.

*World’s tallest tower remains 90% empty Just nine months after the Burj Kahlifa opened its doors to a blaze of publicity, more than 90% of its apartments remain unoccupied.

*Third largest UK agent does property deal with Spanish bank Connells, the third largest UK estate agency group, has struck a deal to sell discounted properties through its extensive network of high street branches.

Bizarre agent attack on negativity but news gets worse Up-market London estate agency chain Douglas & Gordon has made a bizarre attack on negativity just as sections of the British press publish a stream of “disaster” stories about the UK housing market.

Another portal owner snared by Russian spy Anna Chapman, the “sexy femme fatale” at the centre of the Russian spy scandal is in the news again due to her connections with property portal owners

*Mortgage rule changes would be political suicide note The UK’s most powerful financial regulatory body, the FSA, is recommending a change that would end in disaster..