Distressed Sales, Repossessions, Short Sales and Foreclosures

Distressed sales, repossessions, short sales and foreclosures: the credit crunch has introduced a whole new vocabulary into buying property overseas. Thanks to the economic downturn, property markets around the world are being flooded with properties now available that have been priced competitively low in order to achieve a quick sale. Even considering the weak pound, there are great bargain opportunities in Spain and Eastern European cities, Florida and some parts of the Carribean and Dubai - see all the usual websites. If you are in a position to buy comfortably but are new to the overseas investment arena you can sometimes get the best advice and a real feel for the market by looking at the web forum discussions on the issue. But if you want to talk one on one with the seller who is trying to offload before repossesion check out the holiday and house price forums where shouts for help and advice on escaping an investment nightmare are all too common this year.

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.
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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

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.

What Is A Leaseback Property?

While the UK property market is experiencing tough times, there are other areas for investment which are booming. It has been estimated that UK buyers will invest 22.8 billion pounds in this year alone.

The French leaseback scheme was introduced over 30 years ago to help alleviate the growing problem of 'not enough tourist property' to service demand (France is the Number 1 visited country on the planet) Typically bought by the French themselves as a way of boosting their pensions, the leaseback properties bacame popular with UK investors around 5 years ago when the mortgage rules were relaxed.

The most popular areas are the Cote d'Azur, French Alps and Paris as these are the most visited areas in France and solid places to invest. The programme has proved immensely popular because it is government backed; not only do the French Government grant the planning licences for leasebacks, but they re-fund the entire VAT to the client (this is almost equal to the client's entire deposit) as a reward for allowing the property to be used for year round rentals. Along with the guarenteed rents, it's a huge incentive that makes the investment hard to beat.On the finance side, mortgages are lower than the UK and you can normally fix your rate for the entire term of the mortgage.


A French Leaseback property is also a great way to invest in the European property as your investment is totally hands free; it can be totally managed, fully maintained and all rents are totally guarenteed, you can even take a Euro mortgage. It should be seen as a medium to long term investment that forms part of your property pension. The fully managed aspect means that you can invest and relax. Should you want to take up the optional lifestyle investment which gives up to 2 weeks personal usage a year, France is well served by all the economy airlines.