Barracuda Consulting, LLC

Written By: Jacquelyn Annete García Vadnais A growing middle class and rising levels of urbanisation have supported rapid real estate growth in Indonesia, and there remains substantial room for expansion in the coming years. In recent years especially, there has been a great deal of real estate investment activity occurring in Indonesia. The reasons for this are myriad. In order to learn more about the growing real estate investment opportunity in Jakarta, consider the information below. Pro-growth political agenda In the years since 2014, the Indonesian government has increasingly shifted its real estate policies towards attracting new investment and increasing property borrowing and purchasing, thus supporting a gradual turnaround in the sector. The government also moved to encourage foreign investment in the real estate sector with a 2015 decision allowing foreigners to “own” luxury apartments under a right-of-use scheme. Foreigners are not permitted to own property in ...

Written By: Kelly Buckman In an era when healthcare is increasingly driven by technology as a means of automating processes and sharing information, what does the future look like for hospitals? It may not be what you think. Case in point is Mercy Virtual Care Center in Chesterfield, MO. At first sight it looks like any other hospital, with doctors and nurses checking vital signs, talking with patients, and creating treatment plans. But unlike hospitals that most of us are used to, there is one thing missing: patients. At Mercy, doctors and nurses treat patients from carrels with monitors showing patients in remote rooms. From here, they can see graphs with bloodwork and images of internal organs and limbs, and scan lists of issues that computer apps have determined they should look out for. Called a “virtual hospital” Mercy is on the cutting edge of healthcare technology. Unlike a traditional hospital, a virtual hospital has no need for rooms, as providers care for patients ...

Written By: Kelly Buckman It’s a scenario that is far too common these days. A well-meaning physician prescribes pain killers for a patient who has suffered an injury, with the expectation that the patient will only take the drug until their pain starts to subside. Too often, however, they continue to take the medication after the injury heals, and as a result, become addicted. When the patient can no longer obtain the prescription drug, the results may be catastrophic as in many cases, they turn to heroin or other opioid use, often fatally overdosing. In fact, arguably the worst addiction crisis in American history, opioid addiction has reached epidemic proportions over the past several years, as healthcare providers struggle to adapt practices to reduce the chances of a patient becoming dependent on these drugs. In 2016 alone, there were more than 42,000 overdose deaths from addiction to legal painkillers and illegal drugs like heroin, according to Centers for Disease Control and...

Written By: Jacquelyn Annete García Vadnais Morocco has been a country that has had a unique history that has attracted both expats and tourists from around the globe. Recently, there has been a trend to invest in real estate in Morocco. The reason for this is that Morocco has seen a great increase in tourism and desire to learn about Morocco’s fantastic culture. One of the aspects that makes Morocco incredible is the fact that Spanish, French, and Arabic are all spoken within the country due to its diverse history. In addition, due to Morocco’s close proximity to Spain, it shares many cultural and historical links to Southern Spain making it a very popular tourist destination to add on to a trip to Spain via ferry. In terms of where to invest in Morocco, Marrakech is suspected to have an increase in tourism, which has prompted residential apartments to become appealing investments with the surge of tourists wanting alternative accommodation options rather than traditional h...

Written By: Jacquelyn Annete García Vadnais With Serbia’s upcoming application to the European Union in 2020, it has become a hot spot for real estate investors to consider. Aside from soon prospectively joining the European Union, Serbia has many potential areas where real estate investors stand to make substantial gains. One particular city in Serbia that is already gaining traction with real estate investment is the capital city of Belgrade. In order to understand more about why Belgrade, Serbia is a wise locale to invest in real estate, it is recommended to learn a little bit about the history, legal policies for investors, and the current economic and real estate environment in Belgrade. Background of Belgrade, Serbia Serbia has a distinct history that dates back to the 6th and 7th centuries when the Serbs first arrived in the Balkans. When the Serbs first settled in the Balkans until now, they have formed a border that connects the East and West. The Ottoman Empire came ...

Written By: Kelly Buckman What do you think of when you hear the term ‘Virtual Reality’? Do you think of the next big thing in the world of gaming? Or maybe a way of relaxing and tuning out the hectic world of the 21st century? Beyond recreational use, perhaps you’re aware that VR is used by NASA scientists to simulate a walk on Mars to prepare astronauts for a possible landing, and by educators to educate parents and teachers about distracted driving and enhance cognitive learning. In fact, the market for Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) is projected to reach $160 billion by 2020. * There is one use in particular for VR that has shown a lot of promise in recent years, namely, enhancing patient healthcare. In fact, the healthcare industry is finding virtual reality to be an effective tool for not only diagnostics, but also for treating patients, medical training, and patient education. Diagnostics and Prevention VR simulations use diagnostic images from CAT scans...

Written By: Jacquelyn Annete García Vadnais I n recent years, there has been a trend for investors to build extensive real estate portfolios around the globe. As more popular markets became oversaturated and too expensive for extensive real estate investment, real estate investors have targeted emerging markets as a viable real estate investment that has significant short-term benefits and long-term investment gains. In terms of investment prospects, it is wise to look at the entire picture when considering whether a respective property and/or market are the ideal fit for your real estate investment portfolio. One global market that has been experiencing a great deal of interest is Moldova. Particularly, Chisinau, Moldova is becoming a hot spot for real estate investors looking for significant returns. To learn more about why Chisinau, Moldova may potentially be the ideal fit for your next real estate investment, consider the information below.  Background of Chisinau, Moldo...