Property Abroad
Downsize and Afford to Buy Property Abroad
As seasoned expats the ShelterOffshore team have probably seen and heard it all when it comes to buying property abroad stories - and yet it never ceases to amaze us how many relatively cautious individuals risk their entire life’s savings and whole financial stability and security by selling up lock, stock and barrel at home before buying pretty much the first property they see abroad in their overseas country of choice.
If you don’t want to run such a huge risk and potentially leave yourself high and dry one day down the line if you decide living abroad isn’t for you, why not downsize and afford to buy property abroad whilst retaining a bolt hole and maintaining a foot on the property ladder ‘back home?’
Buy to Let Property Abroad
As the European Union continues to expand and buying property abroad becomes even easier for British citizens throughout the EU, buy-to-let as an investment strategy is starting to capture the attention of thousands. From Spain and Portugal to Bulgaria and beyond, the attraction of buying property abroad remains high. When buying property with an eye toward letting for financial returns is the plan, there are some things investors need to think about to help them boost their chances of earning a solid income.
If you’re considering buy to let abroad, read on. There are some excellent tips worth considering that can help increase chances of good returns. Keep in mind though that there are no guarantees when it comes to real estate. If crystal balls worked, we’d all be wealthy investors!
Buying Resale Property in Bulgaria
Buying property in Bulgaria offered a lot of potential in 2007. With full European Union accession achieved in 2007 and the spotlight most certainly on Bulgarian property investment, this country’s market transformed from one that was often characterized as “emerging,” to one investors and real estate professionals now describe as “stable” and “mature.”
The attractions for buying property in Bulgaria are many and they likely will remain so heading in to 2008. This European country has a lot to offer potential investors, retirees, expats and holidaymakers alike. With its diverse geography, incredible resort areas and stately old cities, Bulgaria remains a country of interest and in this article we’ll look at buying resale property in Bulgaria in particular.
Why We’re Buying Property Abroad
In an incredibly witty blog entry by Penny Wise published on the LowTax.net website in early December, the writer comments that by about 2020 the UK will be inhabited by “Polish plumbers, Turkish bricklayers, Russian billionaires and Brazilian football players” because the rest of us will have all bought property abroad and expatriated!
I’m not sure if Penny Wise is completely correct in her findings, but then the most recent statistics do reveal that 3.8 million Brits and Irish already own overseas real estate – meaning that if you count each family as having an average of four members, 15 million of us can escape abroad if we want to already. So why are we all buying property abroad?
5 Top Tips for Finding Affordable Property in Portugal
According to 2007 statistics from the Instituto Nacional de Estatistica, which is the National Statistics Institute in Portugal, property prices in the nation had risen by as much as 17% over the five years to date. That marks significant yet sustainable progress and bodes well for the ongoing development of the Portuguese real estate market – however, it doesn’t bode so well for anyone hoping to find affordable homes in Portugal, especially in the most popular regions such as in the Algarve or in cities such as Lisbon or Porto.
In this article we’ll give you 5 top tips for finding affordable property in Portugal because there are ways to find a dream home that you can purchase without having to break the bank! The secrets lie in location and negotiation and mean that if you really have your heart set on buying property abroad in Portugal for vacation, retirement or investment, you can make your dreams come true.
Panama Property Abroad Showcase Altos del Maria
The expansion of the Panama Canal, the decline of the US dollar’s dominance against the euro and sterling, the development of some stunning real estate and the expansion and advancement of the business environment in Panama have resulted in a property boom and an international intensification of interest in living, retiring, working and investing in this central American nation.
As a result how could we ignore what’s going on in Panama? In our Panama property abroad showcase we are going to focus on Altos del Maria in Sora where you can land bank, buy completed stock, buy off plan property or develop your very own bespoke, dream property abroad.
British Buyers Buying Property Abroad and Renting in UK
It’s not just first time British buyers who are looking abroad for their property fix, an increasing number of Britons are making the conscious decision to sell in the UK to buy abroad and rent in Britain. Meet the Barby – someone who uses overseas property markets to get ahead, well aware that they can rent in the UK for less than they can buy now that the British property market has become ridiculously overpriced.
At a time when UK landlords are being forced to admit that often, their rental income is falling far short of their mortgage payments and that nowadays, property price appreciation cannot be guaranteed, it’s no wonder that savvy British buyers are buying property abroad and renting in the UK.
Words of Advice When Buying Property Abroad
Phrases like ‘credit crunch’ and ‘global financial crisis’ are having little effect on us resilient Brits, and whilst we may actually be feeling something of a financial squeeze and saving less and spending more cautiously, this has had nothing of a dampening effect on our insatiable desire for a place in the sun it seems!
Whether your reasons for considering buying a property abroad stem from the fact that you can’t get a foothold on the British property ladder, you’re fed up with life in the UK or you want to invest in a property abroad rather than a poor returning pension plan back home, there are some words of advice that we would like to impart for you to think about when buying property abroad.
Buying Property Abroad in Emerging Markets
The Association of International Property Professionals’ ‘International Property Market Report’ found that around 30-35% of British money spent on overseas property is spent in emerging markets. But how is this figure likely to compare now that there is a globally understood downward trend in real estate investment?
In this article we look at buying property abroad in emerging markets and try to determine whether it makes fiscal sense or not to go out and buy a home overseas in a non-established marketplace given the current fiscal situation.
Using Your Overseas Property to Pay Off Your UK Mortgage
Well, well, well, the irony of it all! Who would have thought that there would come a day when you would be considering releasing the equity in your European second home to pay off your UK mortgage!
Gone are the days it seems when Brits were happily re-mortgaging their British property to buy a home in the sun; today greater numbers of us are more likely to be cashing in the money we have overseas in real estate to get a better mortgage deal on our principal residence back in the UK.
How to Make a Successful Investment Property Purchase
There are no two ways about it - historically speaking those who have made a long-term commitment to bricks and mortar have done okay for themselves! We all know this fact which is why we all look to property for our financial successes. But at times like this when all the talk is about falling prices, foreclosures and lack of mortgage credit, many people are left wondering what to do next and whether they can actually make a successful investment property purchase anywhere in the world.
In this article we’ll explore some fundamental facts about what makes a successful investment property purchase. You can then take the information away and apply it to your own research into where to buy a property abroad for income and gain benefits. Please bear in mind that this article is about buying property abroad for investment purposes – it is not about the UK housing market!