Buy Properties Below Market Value

Buying of real estate property is a very tricky and risky investment to make, especially if you are not knowledgeable enough about the market, or about the value of your real estate property.

A lot of people do not know exactly how to determine the value of their property, and end up either pricing it too high or too low, something that you would not want to do, especially if you want to be able to make the most out of your investment. People who price their real estate property too high will not be able to sell the property for obvious reasons.

The price of the property should be reflective of its value, which should be determined not according to your personal assessment, but to the assessment of the real estate market. If you do price your real estate property too low, on the other hand, you only end up getting the shorter end of the stick since you are getting less than what you should be getting from your investment.

In order to be able to put the right value over your real estate property, you will need to have a better understanding of the real estate market in order to get the most out of your real estate property.

One basis for determining the value of your real estate property is called the cost or summation approach. This method determines the value of the real estate property by reducing the cost of any improvements that needs to be done on the property from the value of the land of the property. Basically, what this method does is it makes a person decide if whether the cost of modifying the existing home would be cheaper as compared to buying another home which already has those features. This approach, however, may not be the best way to determine the market value of any real estate property since this method has non-market based components, which is most noticeable when their exists a limited demand of a property in the market.

Another way of determining the value of your real estate property is by comparing the price of similar properties that are being sold in the market with your own existing property. You get the sales prices of the properties that are similar to your own, and you take into considerations the differences that are comparable between the two properties in order to determine the fair market value of your property. However, this type of method is only effective if there are good comparable sales that exist.

If the property’s current rental value and passing income are known, then the property value would be easily determined as well, just as long as the market-determined equivalent yield of the property is present. Also, certain factors, such as the revitalization or rehabilitation of a particular area can also affect the sales prices of such properties.

Determining the value of your real estate property can be very difficult to do, especially if you have very limited to no knowledge and experience about the real estate market. One good way of being able to make sure that you give the appropriate value to your real estate property is by hiring the expertise of professionals.

Vanessa Arellano Doctorhttp://realestatepress.org

While many fortunes have been made and lost in the real estate business, many people overlook the value of real estate investing when it comes to planning for retirement. There are many great ways that you can let real estate build a nice little nest egg for your retirement and the sooner you begin the process the better.
While there are all kinds of stocks and mutual funds that confuse even the most intelligent among us, real estate is a pretty straightforward business to get into. The problem is that many people feel it is too risky.
The truth is that there are many different types of real estate investing that all carry different risk to the buyer. One thing is for sure and that is that with proper care and attention properties tend to gain value over time rather than lose value.
If you purchase properties today and properly maintain them, you can not only reap years of rental income while paying the mortgage on these properties but you can also find your retirement home and pay today’s prices for it rather than the prices of tomorrow.
When it comes to real estate it is always good to arm yourself with knowledge before taking any steps and you should carefully discuss all plans for your financial future with your trusted financial planner or advisor.
His or her job is to give you guidance when making plans and purchases that will affect your financial stability and security. They can also help you with the matters of taxation, cost analysis, estimated inflation, and the average rise in property value for an area.
As I mentioned before there are always risks when it comes to any sort of investing. The same holds true for real estate investing. Things can go wrong. On occasion you will find lemon properties, for this reason you need to have a complete and thorough inspection performed before you purchase the property.
You should also make sure that you are aware of your state and local laws as they apply to landlords. For this reason it is a good idea to consult with an attorney that specializes in this type of financial investing in addition to your financial advisor.
Rental properties aren’t the only way to build a property investment portfolio. There are all kinds of property investment opportunities for those that are willing to take the risk. When it comes to property investing, the greater risks often net the greater potential rewards.
The thing you must remember is that you are gambling with your financial future. I tend to stick with rental properties as they are a fairly safe bet and actually pay for themselves over the years while building a nice nest egg for my future.
There is the eternally fascinating investment opportunity that property flipping presents for one. When flipping a property you purchase a property below market value-preferably one that requires minor cosmetic repairs. Make the repairs. Then sell the house for a substantial profit.
This is a risky venture for those who are novices to the field and many would be investors have lost a great deal of money doing this. Successful investors however can net significant profits in a very short amount of time if they have the knowledge and skills to do the work themselves and time things perfectly.
There are even more property investing opportunities that provide even greater risk, as they are highly speculative known as pre-construction investing. This is the type of investing that creates millionaires. On the flip side it has sent many into bankruptcy along the way as well so tread very carefully before engaging in this sort of real estate investing and take great care never to invest more than you can afford to lose.
As you can see there are ample opportunities in real estate to create an outstanding financial retirement plan for you and your family. The only decision you need to make is whether or not this type of investing is a good fit for your comfort zone.

Once you have decided that you want to invest in property, you need to decide how to source your property at a good price.
There are several methods that you can use to source property below market value. Three such methods are listed here.
The Internet
One of my favourite Property Mentor’s Dolf de Roos talks about the 100 – 1 rule (he calls it the 100:10:3:1 rule) in his book:
“Real Estate Riches”
If you don’t have this book, I would highly recommend that you buy it. It’s one of my favourite ‘right-to-the-point’ books on real estate.
The 100-1 rule stipulates that if you were to look at 100 properties, you may end up buying one good deal! Property is very much a numbers game. The more you look at, the more chances you have of knowing exactly what it is you’re looking for, and henceforth finding your deal.
Not a day goes by when I’m not looking at property, if not physically, I will be analysing deals in the local property paper or on-line. I prefer on-line as I can literally analyse hundreds of deals in one sitting.
If you are a beginner and are not sure of the type of property that would best meet your needs, it is definitely worth spending time doing research on the internet. You can also search for properties to let.
This will allow you to understand rental values and help you to decide how much funding you will need in you purchase, as buy to let financing tends to be based on rental valuations.
Estate Agent
Regardless of what people say, I find estate agents to be a valuable resource when it comes to buying property. I have bought several below market value properties through estate agents.
By being persistent, and proving to an estate agent that you are a serious investor, you will have them ringing your phone of the hook with potential deals. However as with anything, you need to be careful that you are not receiving ‘dogs’ and that the deals are indeed deals. Once you understand your market, this should be simple.
Get to know your local estate agents and get them to know you. Be persistent in your approach. Go around in person and speak to them. Use them to give you their opinions on any particular area. If you are serious about investing in property, you need to maintain regular contact with at least three good estate agents in your preferred area. Over time, as I have found, these agents will be worth their weight in gold!
Do Your Own Marketing
This is my preferred method of acquiring property. You could start off by advertising in your local newspaper.
Typical adverts might read:
“Properties wanted. Cash buyer waiting, any area considered”
“Repossessions stopped. Don’t wait for your house to be repossessed.
Ring now for an instant decision”
TEST your adverts. What works in one location may not work in another area for any number of reasons ranging from social demographics to the type of newspaper you’re advertising in.

There are a number of things that people need to consider before they should enter the real estate market, and one of those things is to properly determine the value of their real estate property. This is important if they want to be able to get the most out of their real estate once they have decided to put it up for sale in the real estate market. There are some things that can affect the value of your real estate, and one of those things is your real estate property tax.

People sometimes just compare the value of their real estate with the price of similar nearby properties in order to determine if their real estate property has been properly valued and taxed. Unfortunately for this type of method, there are no accurate readings. Some properties will sell for below-market value, while others will cost more than your own real estate property, even if their property is similar to yours. These differences are due to certain situational factors and circumstances which helps determine the value of your real estate property.

Being able to accurately determine the value of your real estate property is important if you want to appraise it for its full sale price in the market. This means that you need to factor in all the necessary elements in order to get the value of your real estate property so you can get the best out of your property once you have decided to enter the market. There are a few factors that helps determine your real estate and property tax valuations, and these are important if you want to be able to determine your property’s actual real estate price.

Your real estate property’s market value determines the amount that any potential buyer is willing to spend on buying your property. This will help you gauge how much your property value is worth, although the market value is not exactly determinative of the price of your real estate property. Still, it is an important aspect of it nonetheless.

Your real estate property’s market value will chance once your property tax changes. There usually are changes in property tax once you have made certain improvements on your real estate property, which could help increase the value of your property. The common misconception of people is that they try to avoid or delay the improvement of their real estate property due to their fear that their property tax will be increased.

Although this is true, the rise in the property tax assessment rate does not happen until a few years, which should have already raised the value of your property if you were able to spend a considerable amount in its improvement and development. Many small businesses who improve their real estate property are valued higher nowadays, although their property tax assessment rate has been increased. Still, the increase in their property value is still a welcome change.

When a person’s property tax increases, especially if it was due to certain improvements done on the property, like the changing of the property into a type that produces much better profits, will also indicate the increase in the value of the property in the market, thereby making your real estate property more valuable than what it was before.

Vanessa Arellano Doctorhttp://realestatepress.org

The worldâ??s housing markets are showing signs of recovery, according to the latest survey of world-wide house price indices prepared by the Global Property Guide.

Seven countries have emerged from the house price slump (see below). However, most countries suffered sharp house price falls during the year to end-Q2 2009, so that the general situation remains negative. The Global Property Guide uses price-changes after inflation, giving a more realistic picture than the (more upbeat) nominal figures usually preferred by real estate agents. After experiencing declines in 2008, house prices in China, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, France, Sweden and Hong Kong rebounded during the latest reported quarter, Q2 2009.

 

Seven countries are in recoveryIn Shanghai, China, house prices were up 1.96% during the year to end-Q2 2009. These gains occurred entirely during Q2 2009, when Shanghaiâ??s house prices rose 2.09%. Chinaâ??s house prices started falling in the last quarter of 2008, but a strong increase in government spending revived both the housing market and the economy, which has seen 7.1% GDP growth during the first half of 2009. Chinese  property prices are now widely expected to increase further.

 

Average house prices in the Algarve, Portugal, at EUR1,429 per square metre, were up by 2% during Q2 2009.  House prices in Portugal as a whole rose 1.01% during Q2, and were down only 0.43% on the year to end-Q2 2009, compared to -7.24% during the year to end-Q2 2008.  New construction orders in Portugal increased 12.3% during Q2 2009.

 

Australia and New Zealand saw house price increases of 3.73% and 3.31% respectively during Q2 2009. All regional capital cities in Australia registered quarterly house price increases, ranging from 2% to 5%. However, over the year to Q2 2009, there was a price decline of 2.80% in Australia. In New Zealand, the annual change is still negative at -3.07% in the year to end-Q2 2009. But in July 2009, New Zealand  had the first yearly house price increase since 2008.

 

After falling for the last five quarters, house prices in France were up by 3.31% during Q2 2009, thanks to government subsidies. In Sweden, house prices were up by 3.16% during Q2 2009. Hong Kongâ??s house prices increased by an average of 8.9% during Q2 2009.

 

The US housing market is strongerThe Case-Shiller house price index was up 0.35% during Q2 2009, from a decline 6.46% during the previous quarter, Q1 2009. Over the year to end-Q2 2009, house prices were down by 13.96%, an improvement from 18.51% fall year-on-year to Q1 2009.

 

The FHFAâ??s purchase-only index was however down by 1.74% during Q2 2009, somewhat worse than the 0.04% drop during Q1 2009, so the signals in the US are mixed.Over the year ending in the second quarter of 2009, seasonally-adjusted prices fell 5.03%.This was a lesser fall than in the year to end-Q1 (-9.16%) and than in the year to end Q4 2008 (-9.69%) (all figures inflation-adjusted).

 

Some countries avoided the crunchIsraelâ??s housing market has continued to sail through the global recession. The average price of houses rose 8.40% year-on-year to end-Q2 2009. But the quarterly increase in Q2 2009 was down to 1.02%, a drop from 5.52% in Q1 2009.

 

Switzerland saw an increase of 4.90% over the year to end-Q2 2009. However, house prices barely increased during Q2 2009.

 

The momentum signals improvement A key indicator of improvement is the marketâ??s momentum, i.e., the number of countries that did better this year, than during the previous year.  Nine countries improved their year-on-year performance to end Q2-2009, compared with the previous year.   In contrast during the year to end-Q1 2009, only six countries did better than the previous year.

 

Many countries are still sufferingThe Latvian housing market continues its extraordinary decline. Riga, the capital city, saw the average price of standard-type apartments drop 60.81% (inflation-adjusted) during the year to end-1H 2009. Prices dropped 26.75% during Q2 2009.  Demand for houses and apartments has been affected by high interest rates, which in June 2009 stood at 17.72% for credits to households.  Residential construction has been dismal since 2008, but in Q2 2009, the value of housing construction plunged 71.6% in comparison to the previous quarter.  Latviaâ??s overall economy shrank 18% y-o-y to Q1 2009, and its recession is predicted to continue until 2010.

 

The house price index for Dubai, UAE, fell 49.9% during the year to end-Q2 2009.  But quarterly data indicates that Dubaiâ??s downward house price spiral is moderating. House prices fell 8.92% in Q2 2009, much less than the 42% drop in Q1 2009.

Double digit year-on-year declines were also experienced in Bulgaria, Singapore, Iceland, UK, Japan, Denmark and South Africa. Most recent quarter declines in these countries range from 2% to 10%.

 

Nearing recovery?The International Monetary Fund has declared that global recovery has started. The three big economies of Japan, France and Germany have recently exited from recession. The emerging economies of Asia have revived, with China leading the pack. Whether this recovery will be sustained is the big question.

 

 

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Description:  The Global Property Guide is an on-line property research house.

 

Terms of Use: On-line newspapers, magazines, sites, etc wishing to use material from this press release MUST provide a clickable link to www.globalpropertyguide.com. Sites and newspapers found not to be providing a link to us will be removed from our press list. 

 

Requests for Comments:Requests for comments are best made by telephone to 44-117 973 5492.

 

Publisher and Strategist:Matthew Montagu-Pollock

Phone: (+632) 867 4220

Cell: (+63) 917 321 7073Email: editor @ globalpropertyguide.com

 

Address: Global Property Guidehttp://www.globalpropertyguide.com  5F Electra House Building115-117 Esteban StreetLegaspi Village, Makati CityPhilippines 1229info @ globalpropertyguide.com

 

 

It has been a dismal year for house prices, according to the Global Property Guide’s latest survey of publicly-available house-price time-series for the year 2008. And seen from a global perspective, the downturn is still accelerating.The collapse of the world’s housing markets can be seen from three points of view, and unfortunately, all of them reinforce the bad news. During 2008, the downward price momentum accelerated, as compared to 2007. Only 2 countries saw positive momentum in 2008 (a slower downward house price movement than last year, or faster upward movement), while 28 countries saw their housing market momentum deteriorating, compared to the previous year. The two countries with a positive momentum were Germany and Switzerland. During 2008, house prices fell in most countries. During 2008 only 8 out of 32 countries saw house prices rise, after adjustment for inflation, while 20 countries experienced house price falls. In contrast, during the year 2007, the downturn was just beginning, and only 6 countries saw house prices fall, while 24 countries saw house prices rise (all figures inflation-adjusted).Many house-price falls during 2008 were extremely severe. Countries with house price falls of over 10% during 2008 were Latvia (Riga) (37%), Lithuania (Vilnius) (27%), the US (20%), the UK (18%), Iceland (16%), Ireland (12%), and the Ukraine (Kiev) (12%) (all figures inflation-adjusted). During the final quarter (Q4) of 2008, the downward price momentum significantly accelerated, as compared to Q3, suggesting that the situation is deteriorating. During 2008’s final quarter, 9 countries saw house price falls of 5% or more during just that quarter. Price drops of more than 10% during this single quarter occurred in three countries – in Latvia (Riga), which saw price falls of 15%, in Ukraine (Kiev) (13%), and in Hong Kong (15%). Other countries with Q4 house-price falls of 5% and over, included the UAE (8%), Lithuania (7%), Iceland (7%), Singapore (6%), Bulgaria (5%), and the UK (5%) (all figures inflation-adjusted, except UAE).These price falls were much greater than during the previous quarter, Q3. During that previous quarter, only two countries experienced house-price falls (inflation-adjusted) of 5% or more, and no countries experienced house-price falls of more than 10%. REGIONAL SURVEY BY GLOBAL PROPERTY GUIDEEurope has major problems The Baltic countries of Latvia and Lithuania suffered the hardest price falls both in nominal and real terms. In Riga, Latvia, the average price of standard-type apartments plunged 37% during 2008. Prices have been going down in Latvia since late 2007, after a remarkable increase of about 70% in 2006. The most alarming decline took place in the 4th quarter, when prices declined by 15%, the steepest quarterly drop in real terms in any country. These price falls were triggered by increased interest rates, and by the tightened credit rules which Latvia imposed in 2007. Average prices of apartments in Vilnius, Lithuania, fell by 27% during 2008. House prices started slowing in mid-2007, and crashed in early 2008.House prices in the UK plummeted by 18% in 2008. Although mortgage interest rates dropped slightly, to 4.48% in December 2008, the number of loan approvals for house purchases fell 58% in 2008. There is serious trouble in Iceland (house price fall of 16% during 2008), Ireland (12%), Ukraine (12%), Malta (9%), Portugal (8%), France (8%) Finland (7%), Norway (6%) and in Spain (6%). North America’s woes In the US, the centre of the global financial crisis, in 2008 house prices fell 20% according to the Case-Shiller house price index, which emphasizes urban areas. OFHEO and FHFB figures, which are associated with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans and have somewhat lost credibility, suggest a smaller decline of 6% and 3% respectively, during 2008. The US government recently approved a $ 787 billion economic stimulus package, of which $275 billion will be allocated to rescue the ailing housing market.Canada has been much less affected than the US.Pacific heads downBoth Australia and New Zealand saw house price declines during 2008, of 7% and 8% respectively. Asia no longer insulatedHousing markets in Asia have not been insulated. Singapore, Hong Kong and Philippines recorded house price falls during 2008. Singapore’s private residential prices dropped 9% during 2008, in sharp contrast to the 26% price increase of experienced during 2007. The developed countries’ economic troubles adversely affected Singapore’s exports, and during 2008, output in the manufacturing sector, particularly of electronics, precision engineering and chemicals, shrank by 10.7%. Singapore was officially in recession in Q3 2008.Hong Kong has been badly hit by the crisis. House prices were down by an average of 6% in 2008. But during the last quarter, Hong Kong experienced a severe decline in prices of 14%. In Makati, Philippines, prime 3-bedroom condominium prices fell by 2% during 2008, after an 11% price rise during 2007. Nevertheless construction of high-rise residential buildings continues, with residential condominium stock rising by 7% during 2008, according to Colliers Philippines. Japan recorded modest Tokyo condominium price rises of 1.2% during 2008. On the other hand, land prices in Japan’s six major cities fell by 6% y-o-y to Sep-2008. In Shanghai, China, house price rises slowed to 5% y-o-y by the end of 2008, after peaking at 30% y-o-y to May 2008. However Shanghai is likely to be somewhat exceptional, and Xinhua News Agency reported house prices declines in 70 major cities during 2008. Shenzhen suffered the hardest fall, with prices down by 18% during 2008UAE on shaky groundIn Dubai, UAE, despite the bleak global picture, saw surprisingly large dwelling price rises of 41% during 2008. However during the year’s final quarter, prices fell by 8% in nominal terms. This downturn is attributable to strongly tightening lending criteria, an increase in interest rates, multiple layoffs, and alarm among buyers. Forecast: No recovery in 2009History suggests that in a crash, housing markets take many years from peak year to full recovery. In view of this and of the pessimistic IMF forecast for the global economy, no real recovery is likely in the global housing markets this year. The IMF has predicted that the world economy will grow by 0.5% in 2009, the lowest level in 60 years. GDP in advanced economies is expected to decline by 2% during 2009. The United Kingdom and Japan will be hit the hardest. Output in the UK may contract by 2.8%, while Japan’s may fall by 2.6%. Growth in emerging economies is expected to slow to 3.3% in 2009, down from 6.3% in 2008. Developing Asia is forecast to be the least affected, with growth of 5.5%. China’s economy is predicted grow by 6.7% in 2009, but this is a substantial decline from 9% growth during 2008.We cannot be optimistic for five reasons:• Valuations still clearly remain stretched in most countries, in terms of price/rent ratios. • Economic growth is slowing or negative in many countries, which is negative for housing values.• There are no signs that banks are becoming more willing to lend.• The unprecedented nature of the financial system’s collapse has greatly added to the difficulties facing the world’s housing markets. • Some national governments are experiencing difficulty in refinancing their national debt, putting their currencies under pressure. Currency instability is likely to aggravate housing sector problems in countries where many loans were taken out in a foreign currency.The positive news is that the US government and several others are acting with vigour, as has the IMF. Nevertheless, there is a long tough road ahead. ###Description of the Global Property Guide: The Global Property Guide (http://www.globalpropertyguide.com) is an on-line property research house, specializing in analyzing residential property valuations around the world.Terms of Use: On-line newspapers, magazines, sites, etc wishing to use material from this press release MUST provide a clickable link to www.globalpropertyguide.com Sites and newspapers found not to be providing a link to us will be removed from our press list. Requests for Comments:Requests for comments are best made by telephone to +(63) 917 321 7073. UK-based callers should telephone before lunchtime. Our local time is Hong Kong time, i.e., standard time + 8.00Economics Team:Prince Christian Cruz, Senior EconomistPhone: (+632) 750 0560Email: prince@globalpropertyguide.comPublisher and Strategist:Matthew Montagu-Pollock Phone: (+632) 867 4220 Cell: (+63) 917 321 7073Email: editor@globalpropertyguide.comAddress: Global Property Guidehttp://www.globalpropertyguide.com 5F Electra House Building115-117 Esteban StreetLegaspi Village, Makati CityPhilippines 1229info@globalpropertyguide.com

The Caribbean is a playground of the rich and famous. It is also seen as business-friendly. Perhaps surprising, then, that some Caribbean countries have strongly restrictive almost socialist-style housing market systems, with strict rent controls, and strong security for tenants.

In a study, the Global Property Guide(http://www.globalpropertyguide.com) examines the landlord and tenant systems of 19 Caribbean countries and territories in terms of rent control, security deposits and tenant eviction. With contributions from local law firms, each economy is rated as strongly pro-tenant, pro-tenant, neutral, pro-landlord or strongly pro-landlord.

The study notes that, against popular notions, a “pro-tenant” rental market is actually harmful to tenants in the long run. It discourages landlords from investing in new rental units, leading to less supply. As demand for rental units increases with population growth, shortages develop. Landlords lose the incentive to maintain and upgrade their rental units. The quality of the existing rental housing stock deteriorates.

The most restrictive rent control law in the Caribbean is enforced in the US Virgin Islands. For housing accommodations, the maximum rent ceiling is the rent in force and in effect on July 1, 1947. For buildings created and/or rented after July 1, 1947, the maximum rent allowed is the first rent charged for the unit.

In Jamaica, the Rent Assessment Board sets the rental for all commercial and residential premises. The annual rent ceiling is 7.5% of the assessed value of the premises.

In the Dominican Republic, there is universal rent control with the maximum monthly rent fixed at 1% of the value of the rental property, in effect, 12% annual rental returns.

Evicting tenants is a serious problem in some parts of the Caribbean. In the Dominican Republic, tenants get more or less perpetual security, notes law firm Guzman Ariza. Rental agreements normally last for three to six months. However, even if the contract has already expired, the tenant can continue living in the unit as long as rent is paid. If the landlord refuses to accept the rent, the tenant can simply deposit the amount Banco Agricola. The bank will hold the amount for the landlord and the tenant can stay in perpetuity.

The law in St. Vincent and the Grenadines also generously protects the tenant. Prior to eviction, the tenant is given at least six months to look for an alternative dwelling, according to law firm Knights Chambers.

The Global Property Guide’s view is that free rental markets, with adequate incentives for landlords, tend best to encourage the supply of rental housing. In the Caribbean, most housing projects focus on the direct provision of housing units with limited and, at times, dismal results. The misplaced focus on direct housing provision, long ago abandoned in Europe, is still in force in several countries.

By removing restrictions, most notably in the Dominican Republic and the US Virgin Islands, the rental market for local tenants could be developed, improving living standards.

—Economics Team:

Prince Christian Cruz, Senior Economist

Phone: (+632) 750 0560

Cell: (+63) 917 735 2228

Fax: (+632) 325 0642

Email: prince@globalpropertyguide.comPublisher and Editor:

Matthew Montagu-Pollock,

Phone: (+632) 867 4220

Cell: (+63) 917 321 7073

Email: matthew@globalpropertyguide.com Global Property Guide

5F Electra House Building

115-117 Esteban Street

Legaspi Village, Makati City

Philippines 1229

info@globalpropertyguide.comwww.globalpropertyguide.com

This is www.buypropertyportugal.com ’s next chapter of how to buy a property in Portugal, here we focus on the Algarve as it’s currently one of the most attractive places to invest and to enjoy investment growth while enjoying the sunshine on the beach

The Property Market

Why not choose to base yourself in an area with over 3000 hours of sunshine each year and give yourself the quality of life you deserve?

Portugal is an attractive location for house buyers, with the Algarve being the most popular area for British buyers, mainly due to the weather, golden beaches, and the abundance of golf courses. It is Portugal’s busiest, most developed region and it is reported that 90 percent of all property sales to foreign buyers are in the Algarve.

The age of Internet and ADSL means that mobility of labour is very much a reality and it is easily possible to maintain instant contact with colleagues anywhere in the world. Satellite TV means access to English language television and VOIP systems give you a U.K. telephone number and U.K. calls at low rates.

There are excellent air connections to anywhere in Europe and intercontinentally from Faro or Lisbon airports, making it perfectly possible to base yourself in Portugal and ‘commute’ back to the U.K. Many of the ‘budget’ airlines fly into Faro from Stanstead, Luton, Bristol, Gatwick, Heathrow, East Midlands, Dublin or Manchester and offer excellent value charter fares. Additional routes come on stream during the summer months.

Where to Buy

The Portuguese property market is showing consistent growth, strong rental demand, relative living costs and safe environment.

There is a wide choice of great properties in wonderful locations and often less expensive than the equivalent in France or Spain.

Remember that the summer months in the Algarve, especially August, are very busy in terms of traffic and there are visitors from the north of Portugal and from Spain as well as holidaymakers from all over Europe, all expecting good access to the beach. Unless you enjoy being part of the crowd you may appreciate being a little removed from the bustle. Being just a few kilometers inland can have considerable benefit.

Don’t forget to take into account your proposed usage of the property, if you are expecting to live in Portugal permanently then the factors that affect your decision on what to purchase will vary from those required if you are planning to rent the property out for part of the year.

Many properties inland or ‘up in the hills’ do not have mains water or drainage. Instead they rely on a system of cisternas (tanks) to collect rainwater and store water brought in by or pumped from a ‘furo’ (a bore-hole), whilst a ‘fossa’ or sceptic tank contains and treats sewage waste.

All of these facilities are reliable and capable of many years of unattended operation. Bear in mind if you plan to re-plant the garden, water can be at a premium in the summer months and a new garden may require a bore-hole to be drilled to obtain the necessary extra water needed for irrigation.

Drilling companies charge per metre for drilling and then the cost of the pump, control equipment and electrical installation must be added.

At Exclusive Algarve Villas, we  try our hardest to give you the latest and most up to date information on the Portugal property market and costs.

Please feel free to question our consultants about anything to do with buying and investing in Portugal, in person, via email at info@eavillas.com or on the telephone (+351) 282 353 019

Portugal remains an exclusive location, with fewer of the ‘over development’ problems of some of its neighbours. The opportunity to buy quality property in a great location remains excellent but, like all good things in life, availability can’t last. Portugal is slowly but surely being ‘discovered’ and if you’re going to do it, now could be the perfect time to step in to this beautiful country!

Portugal is an utterly charming country and relatively speaking still overlooked by second-homebuyers.

Many areas have an exclusive feel and second-homebuyers and investors are waking up to the advantages of buying in a country which has not suffered the mass development of other parts of Europe, which is quick and easy to get to, and where the cost of living is still relatively cheap.

The Portuguese market is very active, with purchasers from across Europe.  There are plenty of Dutch, French, Spanish and Scandinavians buying, as well as the British. This means that to buy your dream property, quick and decisive action is often required. New developments are selling particularly quickly at the moment and many properties are sold from plans.

Santiago and Concepción are attractive for residential property investors, Viña Del Mar less so, says the Global Property Guide There are surprisingly large differences between returns on residential property in Chile’s main cities. The Global Property Guide (http://www.globalpropertyguide.com), the research site for residential property, released today the results of research into rentals in major cities of Chile. It revealed that: • Apartments in prime areas of Santiago have excellent average rental yields of 8.16%.• Apartments in the city of Viña Del Mar yield only half as much, on average, with gross rental yields of around 4.31% only.

The rental yield is the annual rental income on a property, as a percentage of today’s property purchase price. This is what a landlord can expect as return to his investment. The rental yield is one useful yardstick of whether property is over-valued or under-valued

The high yields on apartments in prime areas of Santiago – Las Condes, Providencia, and Vitacura – suggest that these Santiago areas make good residential property investments.Apartments in prime areas of Santiago cost on average US$ 98,520 for a 60 square meter apartment, according to the Global Property Guide’s research, versus US$ 87,480 for the same sized property in Viña Del Mar. However, 120 square meter apartments are more expensive in Viña Del Mar than in Santiago.

The result? Looking across the different sizes, prices in the two cities are more or less the same, on average.

Though apartments in Santiago and Viña del Mar cost around the same, per square meter, yet Santiago apartments produce twice as good rental returns – i.e., rents for the same sized apartment in Santiago are nearly twice as high. This means that Santiago is much more attractive as a residential investment.

In the southern city of Concepción, 120 square meter apartments have excellent gross rental yields of 9.04% – also, an excellent level of rental yields, making Concepción a very attractive investment.

Why consider rental yields? Some investors in residential property may ignore rental returns, being more concerned with capital gains.

Yet even they would do well to consider rental yields. The rental yield, or price/rent ratio, is similar to the price/earnings ratio in the stock market. As in the stock market, property investments with high rental yields tend to perform better, and have higher capital gains, in the long-term.

###Extensive Report – http://www.globalpropertyguide.com/Latin-America/Chile/Rental-YieldsDescription: The Global Property Guide is an on-line property research house. Terms of Use: On-line newspapers, magazines, sites, etc wishing to use material from this press release MUST provide a clickable link to www.globalpropertyguide.com. Sites and newspapers found not to be providing a link to us will be removed from our press list. Publisher and Strategist:Matthew Montagu-PollockPhone: (+632) 867 4220Cell: (+63) 917 321 7073Email: editor@globalpropertyguide.comAddress: Global Property Guidehttp://www.globalpropertyguide.com 5F Electra House Building115-117 Esteban StreetLegaspi Village, Makati CityPhilippines 1229info@globalpropertyguide.com

One of the most important jobs of a property investor is to source below market value property – that is, a property bought for less than its value if it was to sell on the open market.
For example if you were to purchase a 100,000 pound property for 80,000 pounds you will have bought it at 20% below market value. This property will have 20,000 pound of equity which is yours to keep. Furthermore, since the property is under valued, theres a strong likelihood that you will be able to buy it with no money down.
In other words, without requiring a deposit. Theoretically, you can buy as many properties as you desire without ever using any of your own money whatsoever! If you are able to do this repeatedly, your business will experience phenomenal growth.
In contrast, if you were to buy a market value property, the traditional routes of property purchase would demand a deposit of anything from 5-10%. As a Property Investor, if you were only to buy property at full price, you would soon run out of money and your business would come to a stand still.
This is why it is so important for a Property Investor to invest as much as possible in properties below their true value.
So, how do I find below market value properties?
Regardless of what people say, I find estate agents to be a valuable resource when it comes to buying below market value property.
By being persistent, and proving to an estate agent that you are a serious investor, you will have them ringing your phone of the hook with potential deals. Initially, an estate agent may pass you deals that are not below market value.
If this was to happen, thank the agent for calling you and let him know that the margins dont work for you. However, you are still looking to buy several properties that month and he should contact you again if he receives anything.
At all times, remain polite and check with the agent at least once a week. Over time, a relationship will develop with your estate agent and he will start passing on good property leads which meet your investment criteria.
Once you have completed on a couple of deals why your specified agent, you will find that he places you on his preferred list of contacts. This is where you need to be to receive the great deals.
Ideally, you should be a preferred contact for several agents in your area. This way, you will ensure that you will hear about any potential property deal first.