Real Estate Finance Overseas

Author: Rhiannon Williamson

After the technology bubble burst back in 2000 the stock markets suffered a bleak period of decline and investors chose to place their focus on bricks and mortar rather than falling share prices and they began investing heavily into real estate.

As a result the second home and the buy-to-let real estate markets in many countries around the world such as in the UK, US and Australia boomed. However, as the real estate affordability gap continues to widen in these nations and fewer first time buyers can even get onto the first rung of the real estate ladder, property price increases have begun to cool off and the ability to generate impressive rental yields and strong capital appreciation has slowed right down for at least the short term.

At the same time the stock markets around the world remain volatile and so now many more investors are looking overseas for alternatives to cooling domestic housing markets and bumpy rides on the stock market. Many are finding that there’s an abundance of real estate opportunity in emerging countries around the world which has created a strong demand for real estate finance overseas.

For those considering joining the jet-to-let real estate investment set here are the three main options available when it comes to raising real estate finance, loans or mortgages to buy property abroad.

1) In many of the nations that were the first to boom the property markets are now stagnant and because lenders have fewer customers to provide finance for they are actively targeting those who have yet to upsize, release equity or take out a second mortgage and offering them increasingly favourable terms, conditions and interest rates.

For anyone thinking about buying real estate overseas in a country where they believe it will be difficult for them to secure local finance or where interest rates are unattractive, the option may exist for them to re-mortgage their existing property or take out a loan secured against the equity in their primary residence.

The negative side of this option to raise real estate finance to buy overseas property is that the purchaser’s primary residence will be the security against the loan and naturally this introduces an element of risk.

2) The second option available to buyers looking for real estate finance overseas is getting a mortgage locally in the country in which they want to buy. Some countries such as Spain, Germany and France for example offer attractive interest rates and payment schedules to buyers from other European nations and many countries offer mortgages to international purchasers who can provide a decent sized deposit.

Anyone thinking about buying abroad would do well to also research which banks and lending institutions exist in that country, whether they are allowed to lend to foreign buyers and if so, are the criteria for getting a loan and the terms and conditions of the loan favourable?

3) The final option available to the majority of real estate investors looking to finance the purchase of a property abroad is an international mortgage provided by an international lender who usually has experience in the country from which the borrower heralds and also in the country in which they wish to invest which can make the whole finance process so much simpler?but the downside is that arranging such mortgages can be far more expensive than the first two options available to those contemplating their real estate finance options.

How To Buy Investment Property The Smart Way

Author: Jim Johnson

Many people turn to investing in real estate to help them achieve their financial goals. But before you get started, you first need to identify exactly what your financial goals are. Are you simply trying to make money quickly, establish some supplemental income, or build long term wealth? The answer to that question can help you determine what kind of real estate investment you need to make to get started.

If making short-term money is your goal, perhaps the best strategy for you would be looking for properties that you can transform and sell easily and quickly. This is often called flipping in the real estate industry, and can be very effective if you look for houses that appear to me more run down than they really are, and only need a few cosmetic changes to be made in order to greatly enhance their resale value.

If however you are looking to either increase your monthly income or build long term wealth, perhaps you should consider buying investment rental property instead. Again, you can look for properties that appear to be somewhat neglected, buy them at a very good price, and then make the changes needed to bring them up to market value. You will also need to do your market research well in advance to determine that the rental value of these properties will meet your expectations when all improvements are made though.

But regardless of which direction you take when investing in real estate, there are a few things that will greatly affect how well your investment properties perform. And here are some of those things that you need to consider:

1. First and foremost is to buy the property at the right price. In order to do that, you generally are going to need to have a good overall idea of property values in a particular area. So you need to get to know the area that you are investing in very well. And never buy a property because you fall in love with it for any reason, always let the numbers drive your financial decisions.

2. Investing in real estate property is made so much easier when you keep your credit in excellent shape. Of course, investment properties can be bought with poor credit. However, you’ll pay a lot more for financing each property as a result. So get your credit score in great shape and make sure that you keep it there in order to make the most money.

3. Whether your investment goals are long term were short term, you need to get familiar with ways to improve your property and raise its value as inexpensively as possible. You need to find out where the areas are both inside and outside the home where your investment dollar will go the farthest and make the best return on investment for you.

When your first starting out as a real estate investor, it can almost seem overwhelming. That’s why it’s usually advisable to start smaller and work your way up to gain more confidence as a property investor. If you follow the simple tips provided in this article, and learn as you go, you can be a successful and profitable real estate investor in no time.

Florida Real Estate Market Still Hot for Land & Lot Investors

Author: Buzz Scott

Is the Real Estate bubble going to burst? We have heard this statement hundreds of times. While there are definitely going to be strong corrections in some overly priced markets there are other markets that will tolerate it differently.

Most of us have seen the Real Estate cycles. In the late Eighties and early Nineties Real Estate was in a lull. It wasn’t until the stock market decline in 1999-2001 that many people started taking money out of stock and investing them in Real Estate that we started to see the boom. This was also coupled with very favorable interest rates.

Some cities are super inflated and this has caused many home buyers to get interest only loans because they could not afford to make payments on the traditional 15 or 30 loans. Many of these interest only loans have principal payments and increased interest payments coming due soon. This will force many people who purchased on speculation to sell there home quickly. As this begins to happen the listings on the MLS will begin to drop in price as one desperate seller lowers his price another will lower even further to stay competitive. We see this happening now in major cities in California and in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Now with this understanding here is why Florida has a great shot at riding out this burst, maybe with a small temporary decline, only to keep a more realistic value increase.

Florida has an over abundance of job opportunity. If you live in Florida have you tried to get your roof fixed lately? How about fix your pool screening? Or even get an appliance fixed? You may have seen how backed up everyone is. It is very hard to find people to give services now. Look around and you’ll see all of the Now Hiring signs in retail stores. The Florida economy is booming. Jobs are available.

Also, the population of Florida is fast growing. There are quite a bit of states that are actually loosing population where Florida is expected to grow very rapidly especially with the new influx of the baby boomers. They are leaving there Northern homes, retiring and moving to more moderate climate. The coastal areas of Florida have been growing like never seen before and it’s not going to stop any time soon.

While some areas around the Country may be in danger of home and land value decreases, most of Florida may have a small slow down, but don’t look for a big burst here. It will retain it’s value and be on the rise again. Now might be the window of opportunity to invest.