Foreign Investments & Investing Overseas: buying international property
Showing posts with label buying international property. Show all posts
Showing posts with label buying international property. Show all posts

Monday, August 3, 2009

Monaco Rocks The Property World

Amazing figures are being banded around of just how valuable property is in Monaco, with one report indicating a 30 per cent in value while other leading areas such as London and New York's residential property markets stall during the credit crunch.

There is no doubt that property in Monaco is valuable, and that it is among the most sought after real estate in the world - but are the press reports suggesting astronomical prices for an average apartment accurate?

One company who can accurately state what is happening in Monaco is International Property Tribune, who uniquely run both leading property and travel internet sites for the tax haven.
'The problem with Monaco property prices', they say, 'Is that there are no official statistics to show what is happening across the Principality. Monaco is probably unique in that the country doesn't collate the figures. It wouldn't be difficult to do as each sale goes through a government notary - but figures aren't published.'

But the latest properties they have that are new to the Monaco property market suggests that prices are still, despite the recent global economic turmoil, higher than anywhere else in Europe.

On the Boulevard d'Italie, Monte Carlo, a 70m2 one bedroom apartment is available at a touch under 2 million Euros. Not too excessive for Monaco - but the apartment has no views, and doesn't even have its own parking space. Over in Fontvieille, near the helipad that connects Monaco and Nice International Airport, is a two bedroom apartment that does have views - of the Mediterranean - and a parking space, and that is priced at 4,700,000 Euros.

But it is a studio apartment measuring just 50m2 for 4,900,000 Euros - getting on for 7 million US dollars - that makes even a casual observer appreciate that Monaco property prices really are the highest in Europe.

Clarifying further why properties for sale in Monaco are so high International Property Tribune points out that Monaco is a tax haven - and during times of recession the wealthy realise that the money they have is going to work hardest when it isn't subject to tax and demand for tax haven property can increase as it is part of the process of gaining residency in Monaco along with having an account with one of the Monaco banks.


The supply of property in Monaco is pretty limited, with many owners keeping their properties longer than in the past - a good turnover used to happen as residents fulfilled their residency needs and then moved on, often after five years, but now keep their property as an investment instead of returning it to the market for sale.

New supply will come in the form of a new island Monaco will be building that will house apartments and infrastructure such as a university and art galleries, but the island - widely tipped to be called Princess Grace Island - is some ten years away, and until then Monaco property will continue to be in short supply.

In summary Tribune say that the current high prices for Monaco property are sustainable due to the lack of supply, but it depends upon demand continuing in the way it has in recent years.

'The British have made up an increasing percentage of the overall number of buyers for Monaco property in recent years to the extent that it's reached 40 per cent of the buying market originating from the UK, and if the City of London and the British banking sector continues to do hit problems as it has in recent months - then we might see overall Monaco property prices drop in value.'

Author: Henri Boulanger




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Land Parcels for resort development. Direct beach access, priced to sell Red Sea, Hurghada, Egypt. Red Sea Resorts

Egypt Apartments For Sale
Brand new 1 or 2 bedroom apartments/flats in Red Sea city of Marsa Alam Egypt.Egypt Apartment For Sale

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

How to Buy International Property in Mexico

Buying international property in Mexico is much different than buying property here in the United States. In fact technically a foreigner is not even allowed to own property in Mexico. While this doesn’t mean you can’t get property in Mexico it does mean you have to take careful steps to ensure you are doing the deal properly.

Owning international property in Mexico as a foreigner is known as owning in the Restricted Zone. Because a foreigner cannot legally own property in the restricted Zone you will have to appoint a Mexican Bank to act on your behalf as a trustee. As the trustee the bank will legally own the property, but you will hold the exclusive rights of ownership and can improve, rent or sell the property as though it was your own. One of the most trusted banks in Mexico is Banamex, which is actually owned by Citigroup.

The first thing you should do is hire an attorney. Make sure that the attorney is licensed to practice law in Mexico. Having an attorney with you can aid in the different legal proceedings that take place in Mexico when it comes to buying international property.

When you find a property in Mexico that you like, you need to make sure that the seller legally owns the property and can legally sell the property. If everything is alright with the property the seller should be able to provide you with a copy of the public deed stating ownership and a lien certificate with a description of the property. Have your attorney check to make sure that the paperwork is in order.

Next comes the offer. The offer should be done in written contract form and it is a good idea to have a copy done in both English and Spanish. The offer is usually accompanied with a deposit of between five and ten percent of the offer price. The contract is known as a “promise to buy” and the buying process begins after the seller accepts the offer. Once the seller accepts the offer, the buyer is normally expected to deposit half of the closing costs as spelled out in the offer to buy.

With any type of real estate acquisition, foreigners always need to register the ownership at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The rights to ownership are granted when you agrees to comply with Mexican law and to waive their rights to foreign government intervention. By doing so, you are considered as a Mexican National with the corresponding rights. In the case of acquisition of property in the Restricted Zone, it is the bank that requests the acquisition of the property at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Once all is in order you are now ready to close on the property. The signing of all contracts or the “closing” must happen in front of a Notary Public. Before all the papers are signed you will be required to deposit the remaining money needed to complete the transaction. Once the contracts are all signed the funds are transferred to the seller and the property is transferred to the buyer. Transfer of the property typically is completed within 45 days. After that you –or rather the Mexican Bank- will own a great piece of property in Mexico.


Author: Jason Kay


Beach Property For Sale
Land Parcels for resort development. Direct beach access, priced to sell Red Sea, Hurghada, Egypt. Red Sea Resorts

Egypt Apartments For Sale
Brand new 1 or 2 bedroom apartments/flats in Red Sea city of Marsa Alam Egypt.Egypt Apartment For Sale

Five Things to Consider When Buying Property in Egypt

International Property often makes a great investment. The likelihood of your investment appreciating in value over the next 5 to 10 years is pretty good, if past performance is anything to go by. Something that we are seeing more and more when it comes to property investments are holiday properties, rental properties and second home properties abroad. Buying property abroad allows an investor to maximize his or her investment potential by purchasing property in up and coming areas and areas with a high volume of tourism.

One of the most popular places to buy such property is in Egypt. Why? Like most other countries, Egypt is experiencing a much smaller decline in their housing market than that of most other areas but still they too are feeling the hit of the economic times. These days, sales are down and there are plenty of properties to choose from. This means that you can buy virtually any property you want for a bargain price. The culture, allure and beauty that have always been an integral part of Egypt are still there. But now you can buy a piece of it for a fraction of the cost than you could in years past. Throughout Egypt, there are apartment homes for sale and properties to purchase. Choose from the city life in Cairo or Alexandria or choose the beach life of the Red Sea area in Egypt. Red Sea city life is different than the rest of Egypt. Red Sea Egypt property owners always say the sun shines every day 365 days of the year. It makes a nice place to own an apartment near to the sea and owning property by the beach in EGypt.

Egyptian Property: 5 Things to Consider

Whenever you buy any type of holiday property whether it be in Egypt or some other exotic location, you will have many considerations that you will need to make. You should never buy a property in Egypt without weighing the pros and cons. Here are some things you should consider:

• Location – Location is everything. Egypt is experiencing a decline in the housing market, but some places are harder hit than others. Try to choose a property in an area that will recover quickly once the downturn is over. Areas that are holding their own in spite of current market challenges are the best places to start. The Red Sea area is one such place, anywhere along the Red Sea are well established destinations with good signs of growth potential on Egypt real estate investing.

• Use – How will you use the property? Will it be used as a second income, as a holiday home or both? If you plan to sublet it, will you hire a management company to take care of the details?

• Affordability – You should be absolutely certain that you can afford all of the costs associated with the property without the extra income from a tenant. After all, you might not be able to secure a tenant right away or at all. You should be prepared for all possibilities.

• Salability – How long do you plan to hold the property? Remember; sales are down in Egypt. If you’re looking for a property that you can buy and sell quickly, you might want to look somewhere else. If you’re looking for a long-term investment, on the other hand, Egyptian property is ideal.

• Laws – Buying property abroad is different than buying property at home. You have to abide by the country’s property laws where the property is located. Some of these laws might be favorable to your situations, some might not be.

Buying property in Egypt is a venture that you should not enter into lightly. Do your homework; study the market. Hire a great agent. Do everything possible to ensure that you get the property you want and the best deal possible.


Author: Sandra Peterson


Beach Property For Sale
Land Parcels for resort development. Direct beach access, priced to sell Red Sea, Hurghada, Egypt. Red Sea Resorts

Egypt Apartments For Sale
Brand new 1 or 2 bedroom apartments/flats in Red Sea city of Marsa Alam Egypt.Egypt Apartment For Sale
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