26 Feb 2009

Property Investment Forums

Forums are a brilliant tool to assess the mood on any subject. They answer questions, offer advice and inform. However, recently in the property forum world some contributers are finding empathy difficult to source, with all the bile being thrown.

House and the economy forums are full of 'I told you so' posts, all topped off with glee at the predicament of anyone who has 'lost' on the value of their house or home. And God help you if you are a property developer,or TV location personality with particular venom being reserved for the celebrity property developer.They are only one down from Estate Agents.

There is a sense that the wages they are paid were not really 'earned' in the first place, and then "How dare they try to get a return on their investments through dabbling in property development/charging others for sticking an advert in a paper or putting a board up outside our house "

While Anthea Turner and Simon Cowell would never be my choice of friend or business partner I will defend their right to invest and lose their cash wherever they want. I will even defend their right to invest in numbers of off plan resort developments. Where else would you have them invest? Property is easy to understand. You can buy, sell, live in or let, and not so long ago, one could expect that the actual sale value of the property would go up year on year: there has been little indication from Government, mortgage and financial advisors or the banks that things would change dramatically, and the scale the crisis is still surprising some commentators- Not so for the property forum know all of course.

Such contributors to forums take delight in the misfortune of others . They combine their boasts of insider knowledge and foretelling of the economic crisis with gloating about how much they will save or make through the downfall of others. They manage to overlook the fact that they are simply trying to beat the market, just as everyone else is. And you dont have to be a celebrity to have most of your assets wrapped up in property.For most of us, the bricks and mortar we own after 25 years is actually our home.

They offer no solutions either.They scoff and sneer at anyone trying to offer any upbeat view. Those of us who are caught up in redundancy, negative equity and debt do not need a smug telling off. Confidence is the only solution and if we need a bright side to look on here it is for the majority of us; if you have not lost your job, are not planning to sell your home, your buy to let, your golf resort apartment in Dubai or even your Barbados villa, you have not really lost anything yet. If you have a buy to let the chances are the mortgage interest is so low you can cope with the longer vacancies and lower rents caused by the glut of rental property. Its all happened before and there will never be an end to boom and bust. But it would be good if we could get through it without the glee at other peoples misfortune.

Investment Property For Sale

24 Feb 2009

Emerging Markets: Iraqi Kurdistan Property For Sale

Damac have the following development in Kurdistan. A first-of-its-kind, fully integrated modern community in Erbil. Tarin Hills is the first fully self-contained master planned community to be developed across 170 million sq. ft. of land. A conglomeration of residential, retail, commercial, hospitality, entertainment, health and sports components interwoven within the picturesque terrain of Erbil in Kurdistan region of Iraq. The Kurdistan Regional Government is putting $325 million in the expansion of the Erbil International Airport.


• A fully gated community with security fence, checkpoints, high-tech screening at entrance gates and around-the-clock security patrols
• Located along the main road are 4 blocks of shopping centres
• Business Hotels and Country Lodge Hotels
• Country Club & Spa
• Sports Club and Health Centre
• Golf course
• Cafes and restaurants
• Supermarkets
• Pharmacies
• Food court and entertainment area
• A mall that houses international brands and anchor stores
• Ample parking
• 24-hr maintenance services
• Housekeeping services


20 Feb 2009

The Top 10 Countries to Buy Property in 2008

Theres always a new list of top ten property investment destinations. Thuis one is from http://www.rodthomasblog.com/. They are always worth a look whether it is for ideas or confirmation that you did the right thing!

The Top 10 Countries to Buy Property in 2008

Where was the hottest spot to buy property in 2008? As 2008 has just ended, that makes us wonder where the year has taken the property investing world. There have been a great number of ups and downs and 2008 has been financially challenging for many countries. So where have the Brits been buying when buying abroad? Is it worth it to invest in countries that are showing economic hardship?

Could this be an opportunity to take advantage of and get a good market deal? So many questions arise when you begin to talk of such topics. Europe has some great countries for investing and if you’re looking to broaden your portfolio with some new properties, here are 10 countries to consider:

Bulgaria- This country really hit the map in 2007 and since then has continued to grow in popularity for investors. Both foreign and domestic investors alike are joining in the rage of Bulgarian property and now are a great time to get in on the action before it’s too late. This is a great time to buy for short to medium term projected growth.

The Belgravia, Lozenets, Sofia.
Studio Apartments
Price: €73,766



Croatia- Here’s another European country that’s making its way on the map as far as investment properties go. This is a great opportunity for commercial as well as residential properties and it is projected to do well into 2009 also. There is also a strong tourism market in Croatia, adding to the reasons to choose this country when expanding your property portfolio.

Cyprus- This country is on the surge of growing property prices and there is no sign of it dropping anytime soon. This is one reason it’s a hot choice for investors looking to build their properties abroad. You are virtually guaranteed to make your money back and some when you buy in Cyprus.


Czech Republic- There are many cities in this country that offer wonderful opportunities for investors. Whether you’re looking to buy and rent or resell, you will find profits in this country. Property price growth and rental prices have steadily went up in past years and throughout 2008.


Estonia- In and around the capital of Tallinn there are many real estate opportunities for someone looking to grow in 2008. Local demand and prices are rising making 2009 a profitable year for Estonia and those who invest in it.
Hungary- This is a country that’s been steadily growing since the early 2000’s and 2008 looks to also be a profitable year for those who invest in it.

Latvia- The economy of Latvia is one of the fastest growing in Europe making it a hot investment choice for real estate. They are also expected to receive one of the five largest wage increases in the world. This boom in the Latvian economy means more money for people to buy or rent properties.

Poland- Here’s another nice choice for investing in 2008. This country is currently undergoing growth with the help of the European Union and this is a fine time to get in on the profits this growing country has to offer.

Gorczewska Park, Poland, Warsaw.
1 bedroom Apartments, 47sqm
Price: € 132,418



Romania- This is an exciting country with low real estate prices and a great number of exciting, creative properties available. It’s more than worth it to check out properties in Romania.

Bonaire, Bucherest, Romania.
2 Bed Apartment, 108sqm.
Price: € 111,760


Turkey- Prices of Turkey property are going up which is good news for investors who want to get in before ’08 is over and see profitable turnarounds in ’09 and the years to come.

Astrum Towers, Istanbul, Turkey.
1 bedroom apartments 34 sqm.
Price: € 44,438

19 Feb 2009

Currency Fluctuations Impact On Overseas Property

It is not the credit crunch that is having an effect on property sales but the strong USD to which the EGP is tied. The GBP has lost nearly 25% against the USD/EGP since the autumn. Then with Russians being big buyers in Egypt the numbers of investors are falling as the rouble is at a 13 year low against the USD.

This has led to a two-tier pricing system coming into effect in Hurghada, according to the thread. Some developers that target predominantly the UK market are keeping their prices in GBP. Others that target the Russian market are priced in USD or EGP which now makes them very expensive versus the developments priced in GBP.

As a result some developments at the higher end of the market are really suffering. But the bargain apartments are still selling well. Anything around £15,000 just disappears fast.

Although some investors are concerned that if tourism numbers are down this will affect rental yields. But this, of course, only applies to those who are currently renting to the holiday market rather than those buying off-plan for completion next year when the global credit crunch may have eased off.
http://www.propertywire.com/



1,2,3 and 4 bedrooms Apartments for Sale, Centre Ville, New Cairo

The connoisseurs of fine living often look back fondly on old downtown Cairo in the 1920's. Everything about life was so French. The pace, the architecture, the settings. life was unhurried, untouched by pollution and congestion and marked by quaint buildings, café boulevards and premium arcades. Launching Rivoli at Centre Ville, New Cairo, Egypt. A cluster of six blocks, each comprising of several luxury apartment buildings which are 6-storeys and feature opulent 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom apartments. Rivoli captures the spirit of the turn of the century French architecture with its decorative iron railings, stone cornices and tall window openings.


Lush green parks
Clubhouse
Swimming pool, sauna & massage
Gymnasium
Mosque
School
Retail
Cafes, bakeries & restaurants
Kid's play area
24-hour security and controlled entry
Multi-function indoor rooms
Ample underground parking

Investment Property For Sale

Vietnam:2009 will be a year to invest

After an unprecedented period of growth, Vietnam’s real estate market came crashing back to reality in 2008. The market has adjusted, but is now the right time to invest?

Vietnam has received much attention in recent years, and until recently everyone was talking about its’ potential as a tourist destination, entry into the World Trade Organization, or the normalization of diplomatic ties with the United States. Analyzing the future potential of a country that seems to be following in China’s hallowed footsteps of rapid growth had become a pre-occupation of many market commentators.

Last year however, attention turned to the slumping stock market, falling residential prices, rampaging inflation and slowing growth forecasts. While many investors may have retreated, those with longer term objectives have maintained their commitment, albeit slower in the short term, with belief that the future is still bright for this frontier market.

For a country of 86 million people, the real estate market remains grossly undersupplied across all sectors, even with GDP growth forecasts cut back to 5.5 percent for this year, the majority of Vietnamese still believe they are in the midst of an exciting, growth economy.

Residential Market
After an unprecedented period of growth, Vietnam’s residential property market is finally returning to some semblance of reality, with pricing adjustments dictated by economically sound market forces and not rampant speculation. Lines of excited buyer’s queuing overnight to purchase condos off-plan are now a distant memory, with the family gold safely returned to the mattress.

Increasingly tighter fiscal policy during 2008, combined with the worsening global economic climate, is helping restore normality. The high-end luxury apartment market has fallen off considerably following the speculative switch from stocks to real estate, and is estimated to have dropped 40-50 percent since its pre-Tet 2008 (the Lunar New Year) peak. Not surprisingly, developers are also on the back foot having, in many cases, been carried away on the wave of speculative fervor, and are now delaying or pulling out of projects they perhaps would never have attempted in more stable market conditions.

With continuing and significant undersupply across most residential market segments, 2009 is likely to see momentum building once again and prices for completed properties edge consistently higher from their current, post-speculative levels.

Opportunity
Despite the global economic issues, the fundamentals that have attracted significant FDI remain strong. Vietnam’s young entrepreneurial population, undersupply across most real estate sectors, and improving legal infrastructure and government policies all bode well for continuing and long term economic growth.

Customer Understanding
Even though the real estate market remains undersupplied, new developments will require an additional level of customer understanding to ensure their success. This understanding of customer needs and how they relate to a particular project can be categorized through the following research objectives:

Identifying and sizing key segments and market opportunities through an analysis of the competitive set.
Profiling and prioritizing potential buyers through Demographic and Psychographic profilingof a project’s primary target market and key flanker markets.
Developing positioning and pricing strategies for each primary market and key flanker markets.
Any research study should enable developers to determine the potential sales/leasing opportunities and any constraints relating to the proposed development. This better assists the understanding of the profitability of different customer segments, and how better to invest resources to capture and retain the best of them. Knowledge of the needs and profitability of target customer segments is less susceptible to imitation than are the features and amenities of a particular property and will go a long way to effectively position and differentiate the end product. Robust marketing strategies also now needed to be well thought through and executed to achieve sales success.

Financing
With inflation under control, interest rates are now following the global trend in an effort to stimulate growth. For a country with less than 10 percent of the population using bank accounts and far less borrowing, the deleveraging of the West will be less prevalent in Vietnam. As base rates reach single digits a new generation of buyers should be emerge, unlocking the middle class aspiration to own a home.

However, though the fall in interest rates could stimulate bank lending in market sectors that were up until now ‘cash rich’, banks will likely remain cautious and will likely only lend on completed developments or, at the most, on developments that will be completed in the very near future.

Construction Costs
As the global slow down eases the pressure on commodity prices and construction costs in Vietnam have also eased. The global economy slowdown and market volatility are the key drivers for the decrease in construction costs this year, most commodity’s will see a price drop but certain commodities (Iron Ore, Copper and Coal) may increase due to manipulating supply.

The reductions in construction costs along side limited GDP growth will mean a slow down in projects. Contractors will be more competitive forcing suppliers to be more competitive when pricing material.

Outlook
The introduction of affordable mortgage financing, lower construction costs and a better understanding of customer needs across Vietnam’s residential market should present opportunities for economically sound developers.

The biggest question is now will pricing reduce further. It was an unprecedented year of turbulence for the Ho Chi Minh City residential market. Prices continued to accelerate sharply in early 2008 before plummeting after the Tet holiday. During the second half of the year prices continued to fall but at a steadier rate, down 15 percent, 39 percent and 30 percent from Q1 to Q4 for elite, prime and executive condominium, respectively. Cushman & Wakefield’s research indicates that few successful transactions have been completed in the elite resale market.

There is no certainty that prices will not fall further, but it is becoming clearer that 2009 will be a year to invest.

James Austen is associate director - project marketing for Consultants Cashman & Wakefield (Vietnam).


S T R E N G T H S
The targets that the Vietnamese government have set themselves for 2010 are to increase GDP annually by between 7.5 and 8 percent:
With a new law to allow foreigners 70-plus years of leases, Vietnam has become one of the most open markets in Asia
Property prices have doubled in 12 months, nearly tripled in some cases over the past 18 months
40 foreign investment funds will disburse $20 billion worth of capital into the market in 2008
Statistics showed that 85 per cent of the FDI capital flown into Ho Chi Minh City in the first 11 months of the year was pumped into real estate
Analysts say that the real estate market would see the growth rate of 20-30 per cent in 2008
Tourism is a spearhead national industry which brought about US$3.5 billion in 2007


W E A K N E S S E S
The country is suffering from the worldwide surge in the cost of fuels and foodstuffs
The country has witnessed many wars along it’s history
The Communist Party remains the single political force
Infrastructure development is currently one of Vietnam’s main problem from property investors’ point of view
Territorial rivalries between China and Vietnam
http://www.empadvisers.com/pages/vietnam-strengths-and-weaknesses

18 Feb 2009

Vietnam Property Investment

As with most things it is the ratio of supply and demand which affects pricing. It seems that Dubais property boom has been far too efficient in supplying the demand for new properties and you can now see Dubai property for sale at much reduced prices, even listed as distressed, by the big developers. Dubai is very 2006.

If youve had enough of city life, golf, shopping for gold and skiing in the desert (still sounds OK mind)it may be time to look further afield. For 2009 we need to find a destination where demand for residential property far outstrips supply, a country where in the 21st century 3 or even 4 generations no longer want to live together, and a country which is emerging as an alternative to Thailand for tourism and overseas property investment.

Vietnam fits the bill and offers cities, beaches, 3,444 km of coastline, forests and mountains, championship golf courses and history from the iron age through French colonial rule to the post Vietnam War reconstruction and development. Its economic growth had been among the highest in the world in the past decade and Vietnam joined the World Trade Organization in 2007 and has become a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in 2008.
The Vietnamese government is targeting an economic growth rate of 7.5-8% during the next four years,and is commited to policies to attract trade, commerce and to open the economy and the country up to external investment,

Baghdad Property Markets Emerging

Today I heard that property prices in Baghdad were rising due to the new feeling of security and stabilty. House prices in some areas of central Baghdad had gone up by 50% and rents have almost doubled in the past year. While bombings and assainations continue, though not at the same rate as at the peak of the Suni Shiite warring in the city, the atmosphere is calm enough to encourage the return of many of the refugees who had fled the troubles in 2005-2007, all of who are looking for property- the UN refugee agency expects that 500,000 will come back this year if the violence stays at present levels. the property boom is even headed as "Sky Rocketing Baghdad Property Prices" on http://www.islamonline.net/ I am not sure there will be a rush for overseas property investors to Iraq. As with most things it is the ratio of supply and demand which affects pricing. It seems that Dubais property boom has been far too efficient in supplying the demand for new properties and you can now see Dubai property for sale at much reduced prices, even listed as distressed, by the big developers.

10 Feb 2009

Tunisia – Dubai of the Mediterranean?

Tunisia does not trip off the tongue for overseas property investment and is currently mightily overshadowed by near neighbours Morocco and Egypt in the property press, however with the presence of major Middle East property investors, mainly from Dubai and other UAE nations, the country is set to make a big impact. Property prices are low, even as low as Morocco was five years ago, and the country feels exotic yet European, affordable yet upper-class and will appeal to a broad spectrum of end users. The bonus is that unlike some far-flung destinations, a property in Tunisia is both a future income generator as well as being close enough to actually hop on a plane and enjoy the wonderful beaches and culture,

North Africa’s smallest nation, Tunisia, has a Mediterranean-facing coastline and lies directly south of Italy’s Sardinia tucked between Algeria on the west and Libya to the east. Thanks to a sharp right-angle turn on its shoreline, Tunisia has 1,400km of coastline and it is this asset, together with its strategic location, which has propelled the nation on to the global stage and attracted considerable foreign investment, particularly from the Middle East.

A colourful hotchpotch of architecture from Roman ruins to nineteenth century French colonial boulevards and a patchwork of landscapes from cork oak forests through to olive groves, vineyards and mile-upon-mile of undulating Sahara desert, Tunisia more than makes up for its size in terms of diversity. The sandy beaches front an impressive infrastructure of luxurious hotels, modern international airports, chic boutiques and jet-set marinas whilst the barren south has long-been the chosen setting for blockbusting films including Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Monty Python’s Life of Brian and Minghella’s The English Patient.

Life in Tunisia is very relaxed, tolerant and open. Women’s rights are better catered to than anywhere else in the Arabic world allowing western-style clothing, participation in sport and no barriers to taking part in business or Government at a senior level. Alcohol is freely available and widely drunk by locals and tourists alike.

As tourism becomes more important, leisure facilities are springing up at a significant rate, particularly around the honeypot resorts of Hammamet and Monastir, and Tunisia now boasts six golf courses, two of which have 27-holes, international diving centres and plenty of yachting clubs. Two significant projects currently underway, Mediterranean Gate ‘Century’ City and Tunis Sports City, both funded by Dubai investment at 25 billion USD and 5 billion USD respectively, will bring further golf courses and marinas, world-class sporting academies, Olympic grade facilities, business and leisure hubs as well as thousands of residential units and hotel beds.

While buying a property in Tunisia may not be the obvious choice, expect nothing short of positive global headlines and economic fortune from Tunisia over the coming years, and your investment will be rewarded in spades.

3 Feb 2009

As sterling struggles, Britons are selling their places abroad to buy cheaply at home in the UK

Zoe Dare Hall for the Daily Mail reports that prices of holiday homes across the Continent have been plummeting as the tap of British buyers was abruptly switched off last autumn.

New- build properties marketed purely for the British and Irish markets are the worst hit, but anyone owning a holiday home that might appeal to local buyers will clean up given the collapse of sterling against the euro .

Foreign exchange specialist Caxton FX reports an 89 per cent increase in the number of British clients repatriating funds in the past three months of last year - mainly from people selling Spanish holiday homes. People are discounting their properties by 20- 25 per cent, as they can recoup the difference when they transfer their funds back to the UK. The falling pound has presented an excellent opportunity for buyers repatriating money.There are also a high number of transactions from British holiday home- owners in France, where property prices have remained more stable than elsewhere in Europe.The Algarve is also seeing high numbers of British homeowners willing to take a hit on their asking price if they are bringing their euro profits home.