Buying Property Abroad Advice
European Mortgages for UK Property Buyers Abroad
Published on 23 July 2007
Because we receive so many enquiries from our British readers about the best way for them to go about getting a mortgage when buying a property abroad we have decided to dedicate a week’s worth of research and articles to examining fully the subject of European mortgages for UK property buyers abroad.
The four main European countries where British property buyers desire property are Spain, France, Italy and Portugal and these are the four markets we will be looking at all this week in our quest to provide the most comprehensive advice about European mortgages, international mortgages and British based mortgages to use when buying overseas real estate.
How to Buy Overseas Real Estate
Published on 21 May 2007
In real estate markets in countries like the US and the UK a great deal of property investment potential has been and gone and been snapped up by others - and now affordability issues, interest rate hikes and talks of crashes versus soft landings are dominating the property market landscape - therefore it’s time to look further afield for affordable and profitable real estate.
If you’re scanning the internet for opportunities you’ll see there’s still a wealth of nations offering potential for sustainable growth in the property sector, and because even the most conservative independent financial advisers suggest a healthy and well diversified investment portfolio should have 10 – 15% of investment in property, it’s time we discussed with you how to buy overseas real estate…because there are pitfalls to be aware of and practical advice that we can impart.
True Story of a Man who bought Property Abroad Unseen
Published on 09 May 2007
This is the sad but true story of a man who bought a property abroad not only unseen but in a country he’d never been to before and without even using a solicitor for the purchase transaction! Sounds too mad to be true? Well unfortunately it’s not…this is a man who has obviously never read ShelterOffshore and therefore never heeded a single word of warning and advice that we give about buying property abroad carefully and therefore successfully.
If you want to laugh and despair at the same time whilst learning a valuable lesson from this guy’s mistake, read on to learn all about the man who bought a house in a country he’d never been to from a man he’d never met before and who of course lived to seriously regret the decision.
Get Rid of Pitfalls When Buying Property Abroad Once and for All
Published on 02 April 2007
They say that ‘to be forewarned is to be forearmed’ and so the best way to get rid of the main pitfalls when buying property abroad once and for all is to be forewarned about all of them so that you can prepare and guard against them.
In this guide to the top ten buying abroad mistakes and hazards that you could possibly encounter we will outline the potential pitfalls and show you how to guard against them so that your buying property abroad experience is safe, pleasant and secure.
Protecting Your Property Abroad
Published on 28 March 2007
There is just so much to think about when buying a property abroad – in fact, I think that if anyone who’s ever done it realized the enormous amount of time, effort, expense and sheer brain power and thinking time that they would have to invest to achieve the desired result, they’d walk away immediately!
Fortunately though, the process progresses in bite sized chunks that the majority of us can face and deal with, and so we can end up with a beautiful home abroad for holidays, investment or retirement. But the thinking time doesn’t stop there you know! You now need to think about protecting your property abroad…
Are You Crazy Hiring a Surveyor when Buying Property Abroad?
Published on 23 March 2007
Engaging the services of a surveyor to check out a home before you make a final commitment to purchase it is common place in countries like the UK and the USA – but if you’re off hunting for a home in the Med or in an emerging market for example, you might begin to ask yourself ‘am I crazy hiring a surveyor when buying property abroad?’ because of the reactions you’ll receive.
It’s true, it is not commonly requested that a surveyor checks out a resale property in many popular overseas countries, and what’s more, even if you do manage to overcome the objections and get someone in, most buyers will be more than a little reluctant to add a ‘subject to survey’ clause in a preliminary contract. So, are you crazy? Or should you stick to your guns and get your potential new home surveyed?
Finding a Good Lawyer When Buying Property Abroad
Published on 19 March 2007
How many times have you heard it said and how many times have you seen it written and read it with a sinking heart - “when buying a property abroad you need to engage the services of a good lawyer” – yeah right! How much easier said than done is that then?
When buying abroad how on earth are you supposed to know a good lawyer from a chancer, a decent solicitor from your estate agent’s brother or a qualified notary from an incompetent pretender? Yes it’s true, finding a good lawyer when buying a property abroad is utterly essential, but it’s also true that it’s not especially easy. But, fear thee not, with our guide you’ll breeze through the process.
Should I Invest in Property Abroad Instead of a Pension?
Published on 13 March 2007
So much media attention has been given to the fact that there is a looming pension crisis about to impact us, to the fact that pension plans consistently fail to deliver expected returns for many people and also to the fact that buying investment properties abroad can generate us an income and create a nice tidy lump-sum-type-nest-egg in the future.
And so seemingly a greater number of us are considering these factors together and asking ourselves the inevitable ensuing question – ‘should I invest in property abroad instead of a pension?’ According to recent research from self-catering-breaks.com, almost half of those surveyed who had already bought a second home abroad had bought it at least in part as an investment towards their retirement. In this article we examine whether foreign property is actually a good investment asset for a retirement plan.
Off Plan Property Abroad Versus Resale Real Estate
Published on 09 March 2007
A commonly asked question when it comes to buying property abroad is whether off plan property represents a better decision than buying resale real estate but in all honesty there is no simple answer to this question. A great deal depends on the country, the location, the market, the reasons for buying the property in the first place and even the personal circumstances of the buyer in question.
In this article we examine the pros and cons of off plan property abroad versus resale real estate to enable you to apply the issues raised to your own buying decision and hopefully make the best informed choice at the time.
Property Insight not Hindsight - Property Signals
Published on 01 February 2007
A brand new internet based property resource has been released; it’s brought to you by the publishing team behind the likes of Amberlamb.com and ShelterOffshore.com – PropertySignals.co.uk is the new site which will examine market indicators signalling the direction property markets around the world are likely to take.
The researchers and writers working on Property Signals will never be accused of ‘positive framing’ – their approach is to provide honest insight into property markets not redundant hindsight, and falling predominantly within their scope is the UK property market as well as real estate economies from as far afield as America to Vietnam.