Overseas Property Investment Blog | Nubricks

Gazipasa Alanya Airport Opens Finally
We featured this story back in 2007 when Alanya airport was supposed to open in August 2008, since then we have had 40 comments asking when it will be open. Finally we can tell you that it has opened and tickets are on sale at Borajet, which will run flights between Alanya and Istanbul. This is beneficial for all current property owners in the are, who were likely sold properties on the basis that this airport would bring in much needed tourists to rent the properties out and bring prosperity to the local area. It is still not ideal as their is only one carrier, but as economic conditions improve it is likely to see an increase in competition and other airport connections. A happy ending to a long awaited airport opening. a

Using your mobile internet service whilst abroad
There was a time when heading abroad meant one or two weeks of sitting around the pool, enjoying the local entertainment and culture, and relaxing with loved ones. However, these days there is another activity that is thrown into the mix for many people, and this is to get online to enjoy entertainment, get on social networking sites, send emails to friends and family, and generally surf the internet. This is why so many people who head abroad these days are keen to have access to mobile internet services, and therefore end up going armed with their smart phone, netbook or laptop, mobile broadband dongle, and whatever else they need to get online as and when they need to whilst abroad. However, one thing that many mobile internet users fail to arm themselves with is information relating to the cost of data roaming whilst abroad. Checking the cost of data roaming If you are planning to head off on your holidays with your mobile internet device then it is vital that you contact your provider and find out what the cost of accessing mobile internet will be. The costs will vary based on the country that you are visiting as well as the provider that you are with, and by finding out what the charges are you can make sure that you do not get hit with a totally unexpected and very costly bill at the end of the holiday. Some people that have used mobile broadband abroad have not only surfed the internet and communicated with loved ones at home but have even gone as far as to stream data such as television shows that they are missing, which had gobbled up huge amounts of data and left them facing bills for thousands of pounds. This should serve as a reminder to be mindful of what you are using the mobile internet service for whilst you are abroad. One way in which users try and control the amount that they spend on mobile internet services whilst abroad is to opt for a pay as you go service, and this allows them to budget far more effectively and avoid costly bills when they get home. However, if this is an option that you are considering make sure that you keep tabs on your usage and remaining balance online, as if you exceed the pay as you go data allowance charges could then revert back to the provider’s standard tariff, which could then result in soaring bills. Advice for regular travellers If you are a regular traveller who tends to go abroad a fair amount, and you are looking for a cost effective mobile internet service that will enable you to get online whilst abroad without breaking the bank and getting the best mobile broadband deals, it is advisable to check out the deals and prices that are offered by different providers, as you can then try and get a mobile internet services that does not involve paying over the odds for data usage. a

SIPP Property Investment ? Guide To Self Invested Personal Plans
Initially the move of property investment money into SIPP’s was slow, but it has gathered pace and is now a very popular option amongst savvy investors looking for tax advantages. A Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) is the name given the type of UK government approved personal pension scheme, which allows individuals to make their own investment decisions from the full range of HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) approved investments. SIPPs are a type of Personal Pension Plan. Another subset of this type of pension is the Stakeholder Pension Plan. SIPPs, in common with personal pension schemes, are tax “wrappers”, allowing tax rebates on contributions in exchange for limits on accessibility. The HMRC rules allow for a greater range of investments to be held than Personal Pension Plans, notably equities and property. Rules for contributions, benefit withdrawal etc are the same as for other personal pension schemes. Rental income from properties can be directed back into the SIPP and not be liable for tax and capital tax gains from selling property is also not subject to tax provided the fund are kept in the Self Invested Personal Pension. The following are the most popular ways to invest in property through your SIPP: Commercial Property Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) Land This list does not include all investment options, but covers the main property investment opportunities. Typical investments would include: Shopping Malls, offices, factories and shops Portfolio of properties, without being a landlord Land plots on large holiday resorts overseas UK agricultural land, forestry and green investments Searching online for a SIPP property investment is the easiest way to start your search. There are many companies with SIPP products suitable for your self invested personal pension. The internet allows you to find the best investments as well as SIPP providers. a

Billionaires rows in London have average home value worth £1 million
Recent reports have disclosed the fact that in about 2000 streets in Britain, Europe, the average house value is around £1 million. You will find about 3 quarters of these so-called ?Golden Streets? in London. You?ll also find high concentration of such huge mansions in Richmond, Guildford and Leatherhead. As per Zoopala, a property related website, Virginia Water in Surrey is probably the only area outside London where the average value of properties is about 920,000 British pounds.   Amongst these streets, probably the most expensive one is Kensington Palace Gardens in London, where the average property value is 18 million British pound. This street is situated right at the heart of London and runs in between High Street Kensington and Bayswater. It being one of the notable attractions, people visiting to London never miss out a visit to Kensington Palace Gardens. Apart from multi millionaires, a number of foreign embassies also live in this posh locality. Another expensive locality in London is Bishops Avenue where you?ll find emptiest, weirdest and expensive properties. Though the average value per square foot is much more in Kensington Palace Gardens and the average price is comparatively much higher in Courtenay Avenue, yet there is no other street in London except Bishops Avenue, where you?ll find the highest concentration of huge and remarkably expensive homes. However, not all of the properties in Bishops Avenue are super mansions. A large number of UK billionaires are foreigners, who have chosen to live in Britain for tax reasons. Only 3 out of top 10 billionaires are British by birth or descent. Most of these people have become super-rich by investing in properties. There are also some foreign billionaires who?ve made money from businesses. The international buyers (billionaires not British by birth) are actually ultra-high-net-worth people who don?t have to worry about their credit and mortgage. Researchers have proved that despite the economic downturn and credit crunch, there are always people who?re extremely rich and want to purchase such high value super prime properties and keep them as trophy assets. For the past 2 years, the exchange rate has favored the overseas buyers to purchase super prime properties in London. The scarcity of such properties is one of the primary reasons of their high value. Contributed by: Samantha Taylor is the Community Mentor of MortgageFit and has been contributing her suggestions to the Community since 2005. Not just that, she has also made notable contributions through the various articles written on different subjects related to the mortgage industry. Few of her popular articles would include names like ‘Mortgage that you can afford’, ‘Mobile Home Loan with Bad Credit’, and ‘How much mortgage can I borrow’? a

Predicted Growth for International Property Market in 2010
The International property market has experienced a gloomy couple of years but it now seems that fresh optimism is spreading across the globe with an assurance that the market is back on track for growth in 2010 and beyond. New York and London properties markets have mirrored the continuous price increases in the East (Hong Kong and Singapore) over the past several months. It is this proven data that is giving the market this new buoyancy. In fact places like London, with the low interest rates and weak pound are even more attractive for the foreign investor. As soon as the wheel of optimism gains momentum in the market, then it quickly spreads, and with the first quarter of 2010 now behind us there is every reason to be positive about the International market. Latest reported property management figures show an increase of 60% on international enquires versus last year. The countries which are leading the way are Cyprus, Portugal, Spain in France and the South Eastern coast of Florida for the States. Their figures also show that the end user market is rebounding slightly faster than the investor market. A key indicator of the new confidence and growth is the fact that many major real-estate companies have now re-entered the market after a period of absence, after the global recession took a break from this market but have recently announced that they have new projects in the pipeline for specific markets. So, with major international cities experiencing an increase in both prices and the level of enquires twinned with the new optimism for the international market, it certainly points to growth in 2010 in the global market place. a

5 Prime Locations Worldwide to Secure a Great Property
Where?s best to invest? Here?s our list of the best global locations where property prices dipped but are sure to bounce back. Published annually, the Knight Frank Prime International Residential Index gives a reliable insight into the state of worldwide property markets. It?s impossible to ignore the effects of the global recession on the international housing market. However, decreasing property prices create opportunity for the canny buyer, and striking whilst the market is depreciated gives buyers a unique chance to catch prime property before it bounces back in value. Here are the five fastest falling property markets in excellent locations which are sure to see a strong recovery in the coming years. Dubai, United Arab Emirates Property prices in the coastal Emirate fell by 45 per cent last year, making Dubai suddenly a lot more affordable than it used to be. The architectural opulence of Dubai make the city centre one of the most desirable hot spots of the Middle East and a quick look at the figures on a mortgage calculator to help compare mortgages will soon tell you that Dubai is perfect as an investment project. The Algarve, Portugal Continental Europe has had mixed results with its fluctuating property prices but the Algarve has suffered worse than most areas. Property prices are down 30 per cent on average in this beautiful part of southern Portugal. It could be ideal for a holiday home to escape any miserable weather. Dublin, Republic of Ireland Ireland?s capital city is rich in culture and history and is always a highly desirable area to live. Prices fell by a quarter last year, meaning a deposit to secure a mortgage will be eminently cheaper now than in previous years. Barbados The idyllic Caribbean Islands are picture postcard perfect but, with fewer people taking holidays last year, interest in property has declined. Prices in Barbados are 20 per cent cheaper than last year, superb value for money on a tourist trap that?s guaranteed to attract holidaymakers all year round. New York, USA The Big Apple is one of the most expensive cities in the world to live, along with London, Paris and Tokyo. A dip in the exponential climb in property prices in New York is a rare event indeed, and one to be seized with both hands. With a 12.5 per cent decline in property prices in the 12 months up to January 2010, New York property has never been so attractive to the cash-rich investor. Sources: http://www.knightfrank.com/wealthreport/property/global-view/ Pic sources: flickr.com/photos/kevinl8888/1055253375/ flickr.com/photos/fredarmitage/3196251984/ flickr.com/photos/25533361@N00/1146176357/ flickr.com/photos/pamilne/1485961106/ flickr.com/photos/tarikb/49089681/ flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/4126733279/ a

Latest 2009 Property Analysis Proves Optimistic for 2010
The overall mortgage lending statistics for 2009 show a decline of 43% from £253 billion in 2008 to £143.7 billion in 2009. However, in December there was a positive uplift in lending figures. This was propelled by an intense period of growth of year end housing completions, hence a staggering 14% increase of mortgage lending in comparison to November. This is 3% higher than December 2008 and the first time since October 2007 that the annual figures have converted into positive comparison numbers. It will be interesting to see how the re-introduction of stamp duty into the market affects the initial set of mortgage figures for 2010. The stamp duty could also affect rental investment yields in the UK. In fact average yields have contracted around 85 basis points over the course of 2009. Although in the last quarter initial investment yields have remained stagnant. The wider country market is performing better than London with the average yield of 4.7% against 3.9%. Prime London properties are slightly below that with an average of around 3.7% for 2009. However the latest price tracker research highlights an average sale price increase of 3.5% in the final quarter of 2009, which is the third consecutive quarter of increasing prices. This reinforced the full year price increase of 12% which is a huge difference from the dramatic 20% decline in 2008. The area of the sales market which led the way for price increases was the larger units. These 4-bed or larger properties experienced gains of more than 14%. Another area of growth or more specifically an ascent back to previous levels is the recent results of the letting sector. The second half of 2009 ensured that the rental valuation figures finished the year practically the same as the beginning with only a 0.9% decline. This is impressive if we consider the acute declines of 2008 and early 2009. One factor that contributed to the price gains is the 38% increase in applicant competition due to the low property stocks. As the economy stabilised and confidence grew there was more demand from the corporate sector and also ex-pats returning to the country. The housebuilders and their noted rise in orders for new build properties further illustrates the increasing competition in the market place. Taylor Wimpey, a major housebuilder ended 2009 with an order book reportedly 28% up versus the same period in 2008. Consequently, selling prices increased which were attributed to the low stock levels for new builds and underlying price inflation. Despite rental management figures still maintaining that completions are running at a low level, another housebuilder, Barratt Developments affirms the increase of orders.  They reported a rise of 43% of planned sales with net private reservations per active site increasing 8.9% over the same period. In summary, the last few months of 2009 built on the steady growth that was seen throughout the year. In turn this is renewing confidence that the UK property market is a good investment for buyers and vendors alike a

Buoyant Price and Sales Figures for UK Property Market
Recent figures from Hamptons International, a leading UK based property company show the UK market to be back on terra firma. Let us first examine the volume of sales and completions. At the end of 2009 and beginning of 2010, the market has and continues to be dominated by buyers and sellers who are keen to make a purchase. This is in contrast to the majority of investment buyers in the market during 2006/7. This change in buyer?s motivations has meant that the level of completions is up by nearly 50% year on year.  This increase in sales has meant that prospective sellers have access to substantially more data; hence they can pick their selling price based on more accurate evidence. Furthermore, once buyers have found a property, they feel more comfortable to make and commit to an offer. This is clearly shown through in the astounding change in the fall-through numbers; a decrease by a fifth from 2008. In essence, buyers were most certainly out in the market in force as total sales agreed increased 39% in 2009. The average price of a sales property increased 12% in 2009. This is a substantial increase in comparison to the 2008 when pricing was down 20%. This positive incline is being accelerated by the lack of quality stock. Desirable commuter locations in the South-East such as Tunbridge Wells and Liphook have not seen any significant changes. In fact it is Maidenhead that leads the way with the most affordable properties (under £275K). This is followed by Oxford and Brighton. Overall, instruction levels finished the year 17% lower that the end of 2008. One key measure of the renewed force in the market is the 48% rise of applicants for new instructions. In 2008, the ratio was less than 6-to-1 and in 2009 it was more than 8-to-1 registering for each new property for rent. Another variable contributing to the overall buoyant figures is the change of rental levels across the UK. In 2008 and early 2009, at the trigger of the recession there were drastic reductions in rental levels. However for the last three quarters, (with Q4 of 2009 showing the strongest gain) lettings properties have slowly gained back their value. The average rental values ended 2009 only 0.9% down from the start of the year. After looking at all of these variables it is hardly surprising that Hamptons International, one of the UK?s premier property companies announced a 3.5% gain in sale prices for the final quarter of 2009. In addition, they also revealed that rental prices rose by 1%; this is the second strongest quarterly rise since late 2007. a

Housing Market Boom In For Sale By Owner Property
With the UK?s property market still looking a little gloomy, it seems there may be a glimmer of hope peeking through in the For Sale By Owner (FSBO) property market. NetMovers, the UK?s leading commission free property portal who let people property for sale, have announced a larger growth this year than in any of their eight years of trading, in the ?for sale by owner? market. NetMovers suggest that more people are searching for property on the internet, by using ?for sale by owner? search terms, rather than searching for ?estate agents? or ?property?, which is backed up by Google Trend?s latest figures. From 2004 to 2009, searches for ?property? and ?estate agents? show a steady decline while ?for sale by owner? searches soared at the beginning of 2009 and continue to remain high. NetMovers say as more vendors realise how easy it is to sell property online, demand for FSBO services is increasing. This trend clearly shows a massive increase in this way of selling property and it seems homeowners are willing to sell property online by themselves, instead of using traditional estate agents. NetMovers believe this ?boom? is down to people being more receptive to the concept of controlling the sale by themselves and thus reducing cost. NetMovers has adapted to allow both estate agents and individuals to take advantage of the cost effectiveness of its service and ease of being able to sell property online. This means as the NetMovers website grows, it attracts more users who have the ability to view both estate agent property and FSBO property. NetMovers have continued to grow through the recession and clearly hope 2010 will be the year in which more and more vendors look to them to sell property online. a

Finca Bellavista Treehouse Community Costa Rica : Phase 2 nearly sold out
Finca Bellavista is a sustainable treehouse community set within the spectacular backdrop of the south Pacific coastal mountains of Costa Rica. Perched overlooking the Golfo Dulce and nurtured by two whitewater rivers, the location of this unique neighborhood is unmatched in its magnificence and pulses with life. While it feels a world away, this 350-acre preserve boasts easy access to some of the country?s most stunning natural assets, like National Parks, isolated beaches and epic mountainscapes. Those with a taste for adventure will feel right at home amongst the multitude of outdoor activities available nearby and on-site, including hiking, biking, birdwatching, diving, surfing, kayaking, deep-sea fishing, sailing and more. The Finca Bellavista eco-village is a sight to behold and is beyond comparison to any other community in the world. True treehouses, ziplines, waterfalls, and rainforest combine to make the quintessential Costa Rica experience and provide a magical backdrop for this off-grid locale. Only a select few will know what it?s like to be a part of this life-changing place where the whimsical merges with reality. Finca Bellavista is truly a place that?s off the ground, off the grid, and out of this world! 2-acre parcels start at $55,000 ? only 6 left in our Phase 2 offering! Non-motorized community features zipline transportation network and amazing hiking trails Off-grid electricity available Amenities include an open-air community center, WIFI lounge, pool, and on-site property management company Future plans include yoga retreat and wellness center a