Regulatory Overhaul (Saudi Arabia): Saudi Arabia’s Real Estate General Authority launched the “Saudi Properties” portal for foreign real estate ownership applications, moving eligibility checks and submissions fully online. Capital Markets & Housing Policy (U.S.): The Senate passed the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, aiming to expand supply and curb institutional purchases of single-family homes, with House action next. Data Centers & Land Use (U.S.): CBRE reports data center vacancy fell to 6.7% globally while inventory rose 33% year over year, and local mayors in North Carolina signaled conditional support tied to community input and water-saving cooling. Commercial Real Estate (U.S.): Philadelphia remains the cheapest Northeast office market, with average asking rents at $31.26/sf and vacancy at 18.4%, as hybrid work keeps pressure on downtown space. Investment/Deal Flow (Sri Lanka): Colombo Port City cleared 71 strategic businesses in 1H2026, bringing $600m+ in investment and supporting major hotel and mixed-use projects, including further land expansion by Home Lands. Franchising & Real Estate Services: CENTURY 21 opened its first UAE office in Dubai, while Spare and Rewa partnered to digitize UAE rental payments via pay-by-bank. Operations & Risk (Bangladesh): Bangladesh Bank allowed banks to disburse consumer loans directly to vendors via electronic transfers, including housing and real estate-related financing.