Real Estate Investing Blog

In the recent years holiday investments in Lombok has been continuously increasing. Those who want to keep the paradise to themselves have been forced to accept the change as enormous potential brought wave of investments to reveals hidden beauties.

As of potentials, Lombok has everything that made Bali one of the World’s most sought after holiday destinations attracting both massive investments and crowd of tourists. In fact, many believe that Lombok has them all in better way.

Winding white-sandy beaches which are rather rare in Bali, pristine turquoise water with untouched coral reef underneath, beautiful offshore coral islands off in almost every side of the mainland, soaring mountain with verdant tropical forests, rolling hillside with small traditional villages scattering around, there are many other reasons why investors started to turn around from over-crowded Bali to the natural beauty of Lombok.
Among the most sought after area is the south coast, a breathtaking beauty which has been exclusive property of small local villages for centuries.

Kuta, the main resort area in the south coast, is definitely different from Bali’s Kuta. Here Kuta is a small resort town with limited range of holiday facilities including accommodations. Whilst it has an international-chain hotel, in general available facilities here are dedicated to cater backpackers and addicted surfers. Located a bit away from the current airport, most visitors to Lombok do not even have Kuta in their agenda. But those who have made their way to visit were amazed by the undeveloped peaceful bays, stunning beaches, and breathtaking vistas.

But it may not last so much longer. The new Lombok International Airport located about 20 minutes away from Kuta set to be open next year will bring flood of visitor straight to its doorsteps. Behind the quietness of the bay, massive investments have been proposed to the government and international real estate agencies are busy taking care their clients.

Currently the only luxury holiday accommodation facility in the area, Novotel Lombok will soon have neighbors as real estate analysts says that despite of significantly increased price – 100% to 200% in the last two years – big developers and investors are buying large plots of land to build resort properties.

In addition to investors, many riches are also making their way to secure their own piece of paradise to build private holiday homes for their family. Soon Lombok villas in this area will join their Bali counterparts in private holiday accommodation market.

While buying real estate on Mexico’s beachfront has been a favorite choice for decades now, a growing trend is to consider some of the beautiful cities within Mexico’s interior. On the route from Guadalajara to Mexico City (Mexico’s two largest cities, about 6-8 hrs a part), you will find several possibilities which are well worth consideration for Americans and Canadians, including the already favorite Lake Chapala, the beautiful colonial gem found in Morelia Real Estate, and the quaint town atmosphere of Valle de Bravo Real Estate, nestled between a beautiful lake and the surrounding hills.

Lake Chapala, just 45 minutes south of the Guadalajara international airport, has been growing as a retirement favorite for some time now. Retirees here enjoy the relaxing lifestyle of living in a peaceful, quiet village with cobblestone roads and traditional homes. There are enough Americans and Canadians in the towns on the shore of this lake that numerous clubs and organizations have established themselves, providing many activities for retirees.

About half way to Mexico City, Morelia, the capital of the state of Michoacan, was established in the early 1500′s and its city center is defined by colonial stone-work architecture, and the city as a whole provides a very traditional Mexican feel with an old aqueduct, many arches, beautifully decorated buildings complemented by lush trees, flowers and parks. Morelia is a true colonial gem, and is a great pick for an inland city which will begin to be home to more and more expats. A good deal of real estate options in this city, including single family homes, and lots are available for under $150,000 U.S.

About 2 hours before arriving to Mexico City, a little detour south past the city of Toluca will bring you to Valle de Bravo. Starting on the lakefront, this town has narrow cobblestone streets winding up into the hills between little homes, painted white with red roofs. Along the lakefront, homes with easier access provide excellent views and access to the waterfront activities, while further out in the country, more and more people from the city are taking interest in the ranches, with rolling hills, open pastures, spotted with woodland and little streams.

If any of these possibilities sound interesting to you, start investigating the possibility of buying in Mexico’s interior. As with beachfront purchases, non-Mexican buyers are strongly recommended to consult a professional Mexico Real Estate Guide for the purchasing process. Top Mexico Real Estate Guide: Buying Safely was compiled by 12 of Mexico’s leading real estate experts, and includes the information and advice you need to make a safe and informed real estate purchase.

TOPMexicoRealEstate.com; Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely

United Kingdom has been well- known for its active property investment industry. One of the centers of business marketing, UK countries are very popular when it comes to property investment.

The most active place in property investment in United Kingdom is Edinburgh. It is best known as the capital of Scotland. You can find here cultural and historical features and is considered as one of the most picturesque and attractive cities in the whole European continent because of its rugged place and wide collection of Georgian and Medieval architecture. Edinburgh has also become a popular tourist destination because of its museums, art galleries, beautiful mountains, beaches, and its rich historical heritage.

There are factors why Edinburgh has become attractive to property investors. The first factor is its climate that is very ideal for people who hate extreme conditions. Edinburgh is famous for its mild winters and warm summers. The place often experiences windy days. Rainfalls come every other day because its geographic location is adjacent to North Sea. It is best for UK property investment because many investors find it as an ideal place to live.

Another factor that has made Edinburgh’s real estate investment bloom is transportation. You can find easy transportation here in Edinburgh for it has a sophisticated and convenient public transport system. There are the basic transportation means such as buses and trains. Through this basic means, you can commute easily to and from other cities like Glasgow and London. This factor helps UK property investment to have more real state investors.

The population of Edinburgh is about 472,000 as estimated in 2007 and most of its citizens are living in apartments. This is why rentals and flats usually overlook UK property investment. The majority of property investors find and buy discount property units at low market value so they could lease such investments to other investors.

You can also find the most popular sites for rentals in Edinburgh such as Haymarket, Merchiston, Newington, Bruntstifield,The Grange, and St. Leonards. But if you want affordable housing developments, you can go to the city’s port, Leith.

Houses, apartments, and condos are among the Philippines’ most important prime real estates. They are popular places of residence for the masses, workers, businessmen and investors, because they provide lodging and everyday comfort. However, the real estate with the most value can be found in Makati, the financial center. This is due to their closeness to various companies and office spaces, including clothing shops, malls, bars, restaurants, and many more. As such, renting apartments and houses is widespread in Makati.

Condos, especially, are very popular in the country, especially among businessmen, investors, and high-ranking society people. This is especially true in Makati as a financial district. These days, the demand for leasing condos in Makati has shot up, with more and more corporate people and officials wanting to have their own.

Condos in Makati are not only instrumental in shaping the city skyline, but also the way its people live and interact. Nowadays, Philippine housing costs have skyrocketed, with low-cost homes on small tracts of land found almost exclusively at the city’s fringes. Condos, on the other hand, do not come with land costs, so one has a good chance to renting a cheap one.

As an answer to the rising demand of housing in Metro Manila, property giant Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) has formed a partnership with the Lucio Tan Group for a real estate undertaking in Mandaluyong City in a joint venture agreement. ALI chairman Fernando Zobel de Ayala and Lucio Tan signed the agreement recently, and entails the use of properties held by the Philippine National Bank (PNB) at Reliance and Mayflower streets close to EDSA. This was the result of an earlier deal between ALI and PNB (through the middle-income housing subsidiary Avida Land Corp.) for a P6-billion venture to build on the bank’s 2.3-hectare asset. By 2011, construction is expected to commence, and will go on three and a half years or so.

The project itself is envisioned to be a multi-storey residential community, and will offer features like a clubhouse, garden, children’s play area, and swimming pools. Said PNB, “It is positioned as an affordable housing ideal for young professionals and startup families working or doing business in Mandaluyong City, Pasig City and even Makati City.”

ALI also inked an agreement with Lucio Tan’s property from Eton Properties Philippines Inc. with the participation of its low-cost housing subsidiary, Amaia Land. It is a project entailing the development of a real estate measuring four hectares in Amaia Scapes.

Some recent indicators and statistics have revealed that Canadians may stand to gain more by purchasing Mexico Real Estate now, more than ever before. In fact, benefits to a Canadian national with a property in Mexico exceed those of a U.S. citizen.

So what has changed in recent months that have resulted in this trend? A study has revealed that some of the major home markets like Toronto and Vancouver have overheated and this combined with the rising strength of Canadian dollar vis-a-vis American dollar makes buying Mexican Real Estate much better financial investment.

In the Q1 of 2010, Canada property prices increased by an average of 10%. Popular markets such as Toronto rose much more. While this momentum in prices may excite some investors, experts keeping a tab on this industry have a word of caution for investors. They say that this is a classic case of irrational exuberance. And this rally is not sustainable and prices will fall later this year.

For Canadian home buyers, this means entering a market when it’s at a peak and more likely to taper off sooner than later. Such high prices coupled with a high cost of living in Canadian cities make living in sun drenched, economically affordable cities of Mexico much sound proposition. Mexican cities like Rocky Point, Playa de Carmen and Puerto Vallarta boasts of world class facilities like well maintained and connected roads, excellent & affordable Medical care, well stocked shopping malls, electricity and internet connectivity, championship golf courses and vibrant cultural scene. Everybody is aware that Mexico has some of the best landscapes & beaches in the world and the weather is also warm and sunny. The properties in Mexico are also affordable and a luxury villa in Mexico can be bought for almost the same price as a home in Toronto. This makes the case for relocating to Mexico much stronger. Retirees who want their hard earned dollars to last longer without sacrificing on the quality of lifestyle, healthcare facilities and financial security stand most to gain by buying a retirement home in Mexico.

For Canadian investors also Mexico real estate presents an economic opportunity of a lifetime. Almost all the best locations in Mexico have luxurious beachfront/oceanfront condominiums with world class amenities and facilities, facilitating an incomparable beach lifestyle. These condominiums can also act as a vacation rental property which gives a steady stream of income when not used by the owner.

By considering all these scenarios, it can be safely concluded that Canadian nationals thinking of buying a property in near future will be best advised to check out Mexico real Estate also.

Author: Donna Nocero

If you have been keeping an eye on Mexico Real Estate area’s growth, you cannot help but notice that Cancun Real Estate is not just areas number one beach destination but has also emerged as an international travel hub and a preferred destination for business conventions. Cancun has over the years beefed up its infrastructure and amenities thanks to which it has now acquired an important place in the Mexico and Latin American region.

As an indicator to its increasing importance and clout, annual meeting of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) was held in Cancun recently. More than 1,500 registered guests attended the meeting of the IDB. They met in Cancun Convention Center. End of March will mean a heavy influx of visitor to Cancun as thousands of American and Canadian university students on their spring break will also visit the city.

Despite the last year’s slowdown, Cancun ‘s tourism industry has bounced back with a vigor and confidence. Though, Mexico was one of the hardest hit countries due to a string of unfortunate events such swine flu scare, global recession and negative press regarding Mafia, Cancun steadily worked on developing its infrastructure and amenities and positioned itself as the one of the first regions in the area to emerge even stronger. With a renewed beaches and better infrastructure, Cancun is one of the leading tourist magnets in the region.

According to data from the Cancun Hotel Association, of the total 28,500 hotel rooms, about 74% are currently occupied. This figure is expected to increase in the coming months due more tourist inflow.

The meeting had a special significance since, as IDB President Luis Moreno observed, “the first IDB loan for tourism was granted to Cancun during its construction where “the funds were used to build an airport, a port and the first hotels in the city.”

The IDB meeting marks an important anniversary of boosting real estate for international investors in this region and aiding in the development of Real Estate in Mexico in recent decades. The meeting also reflects Cancun ‘s emerging role of being an international convention hub an achievement which promises to bring further growth to the region’s real estate industry.

This continued growth in tourism is a positive signal for Mexico Real Estate investors. The real estate market has got an extra dose of confidence which means that condos in Cancun will continue to be a hot choice for buyers and the region will be supported by an ever expanding urban infrastructure, with well maintained and expanding road network, shopping malls, restaurants and other facilities.

Author: Donna Nocero

Think ‘Egypt’ and what immediately springs to mind? The awesome pyramids, built over many years for pharaohs and queens? The Valley of the Kings, with its amazing tombs, the focus of much archaeological research and exploration since the end of the 18th century? King Tutankhamen and the famous ‘curse’? All of the undeniable wonders of this ancient civilisation continue to fascinate and intrigue us. But the Egypt of today has even more to offer the discerning investment, retirement or holiday property buyer.

This North African country represents an excellent investment opportunity and a good value alternative to the more traditional hotspots in Europe, mainly due to the strength of the euro which means that Egypt offers more favourable exchange rates with Britain. With its hot, dry climate, Egypt is now a popular year-round holiday destination for tourists. After all, where else could you expect to enjoy brilliant sunshine almost 365 days a year? Egypt’s government is marketing the country as a leading tourism location and by 2014, intends to double tourist numbers to 16 million.

Properties in Egypt are priced very competitively and are built to an extremely high quality standard. It’s possible to buy a delightful modern studio with a rooftop terrace near to the beautiful, white sandy beaches of Hurghada for about the same as (or less than) you’d expect to pay for a new car. The carefully designed layout ensures that space is used to its optimum potential. Whilst enjoying a quiet location that is set away from the lively promenade area, you’ll find you’re still within easy reach of all the amenities you may need, including a range of enticing restaurants, bars and shops.

For just a little more outlay and for fantastic value, how would you like to own a stunning Egyptian apartment in an exclusive development with a private beach, several swimming pools and a 24 hour concierge? Marsa Alan, once little more than a small fishing village on Egypt’s Red Sea west coast, is now a thriving holiday destination, famed especially for its amazing diving sites. This would be your own tropical paradise, where the Arabian Desert merges with the Red Sea; an area adorned with lush palm trees, mangroves and coral reefs. With supermarkets, shops, restaurants, bars, cinema, nightclub, tennis and basketball courts all at hand, you couldn’t fail to be smitten.

In the heart of Hurghada, you’ll find affordable one, two and three bedroom apartments designed by Egypt’s leading architects in a variety of sizes, all finished in a European style including marble kitchen worktops and pre-installation for digital TV and internet connections. They’re complete with private terraces that lead to communal swimming pools and tastefully landscaped gardens. The middle floor properties enjoy a fabulous taste of the village community and leisure facilities, whilst the luxurious penthouse suites offer the ultimate in spectacular views overlooking the Red Sea. While at this stunning resort, you’ll discover that there’s so much going on the vicinity that you certainly won’t be lacking in things to do; desert safaris, scuba diving, golf, tennis, bowling, health and beauty spas… the list just goes on and on.

If your taste is more for a townhouse, you’ll find plenty to choose from at this highly sought after resort too. Boasting a private beachfront location, these spacious dream townhouses have been designed by Europeans with Europeans in mind and are built to the highest specification, offering all the luxury comforts and facilities you would expect from a world class project. Each of these roomy, fully furnished properties has three bedrooms and three bathrooms, a large private roof garden with BBQ area and a private garden with breathtaking views over the Red Sea. For your comfort, there are ceramic floor tiles throughout and air conditioning units in the living room and all the bedrooms.

There’s never been a better time to invest in this beautiful country and buying your retirement, investment or holiday property from friendly, helpful people with a wealth of local knowledge and outstanding, individual service makes the whole process easy and hassle-free. Very reasonable payment plans are available, too. It’s all well worth investigating. Oh, and do say hello to King Tut while you’re there…

Tramita Real Estate Fund is a name for trust. It is the perfect solution for investing in real estate securities. The firm believes in giving strong return potential to its clients. Tramita aims to circumvent the numerous factors that typically affect the traditional financial assets. The boom in the real estate market in the Middle East has opened new avenues for profit making ventures. Tramita believes that real estate securities are a means of achieving meaningful diversification in order to enjoy the benefits that may be associated with it. The real estate in the Middle East offers strong opportunities for making money and Tramita aims at delivering the advantages to its customers keeping in mind the need for protection in a bear market and favorable returns.

Investing in the real estate funds in the Middle East has been made easy by the products offered by Tramita. Tramita Real Estate Fund offers the security of a growing investment with due consideration to its security. Tramita allows you to liquidate your assets within a span of twenty four hours since they are evaluated on a regular basis. The entire process is transparent and easy to understand. Tramita emphasizes on the importance of long term investments since you stand to gain the most out of them. Tramita Real Estate Fund jumped above $150 in 2007, which is nearly 600 percent since the inception in 2002. Also, Tramita Real Estate Fund has grown 2,342.40% since its inception, giving 86.42% returns in year 2007 and average of 62.52% since year 2002. Hence, the Middle East real estate fund is being regarded as the next big offering in the scheme of long term investments.

The boom in the real estate sector in the Middle Eastern countries is predicted to continue for another ten years. Experts are of the opinion that if this region does not face natural calamities in the coming years, this drift will continue to be on the rise for the next decade. Once upon a time, these countries were regarded as mere stretches of sand. Now, it seems to be an area of furious activities. In many of the Gulf countries, the cities have been customized and designed by the respective governments. One good example is the King Abdullah City, which is the largest project that has been initiated with the total expenditure at $26 billion targets the earlier underdeveloped stretches of Saudi Arabian coast lines.

Another good example is Oman that has been redesigned in order to accommodate the two million tourists that visit it each year. The entire real estate development also aims to provide added comforts to its 250,000 permanent residents. Examples of similar such developments are the New Town and Industrial Projects in Bahrain, which are believed to cost over $2.2 billion. These are typically constructed on reclaimed land since a shortage of land is being perceived. The Lusail development project in Qatar that is evaluated at 5 billion is set to hold 200,000 inhabitants.

Perhaps the best known example of the boom in real estate is Dubai. Dubai has many projects valued at a figure close to $200 billion. The demand for real estate in Dubai seems to be on the rise everyday. The American magnate Donald Trump who bought property in Dubai only to reap in the profits recognized this trend in the earlier days. Soon, many other celebrities too, followed suit. The residential, commercial as well as tourist estate suddenly has an increased demand. Not to be left far behind is Abu Dhabi and the adjacent areas. These areas, too are witnessing a rapid real estate boom.

Form above you must be convinced that the Tramita Real Estate Fund is most ideal and beneficial for making investments in the real estate market.

Abu Dhabi has become a favorite property buying spot after recent changes in property laws. These changes were predicted by experts in real estate business predicted and there was much speculation. The changes mean that business of real estate will experience soaring prices in Abu Dhabi. It is predicted that the value will rise to GBP 30 billion in just few years!

The property value will increase due to ideal location of Abu Dhabi. Situated strategically near Dubai and Dubai airport, the Jebel Ali free zone and harbor, Abu Dhabi is the ideal spot for investing in properties. The prices of property given on rent are going higher and higher in Dubai, there is a lot of concern as to how Dubai will accommodate the huge number of people entering in. It is a case of big demand and small supply. But inclusion of Abu Dhabi city to the prospect might solve this problem.

The price rise in real estate properties in Dubai has turned Abu Dhabi into a great alternative to investors for properties in real estate.

People in Dubai who cannot invest in real estate should not worry now with the arrival of Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi properties in real estate has to offer a lot and at a good price. If missing out investment opportunity in Dubai, see that you don’t miss it in Abu Dhabi. It will be highly beneficial with good prices and it is considered to be another Dubai. Although in Abu Dhabi you can buy apartments on a 50 year or 99 year lease only.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan recently passed this law and it is not assured how it will be accepted in the United Arab Emirates. But in spite of whatever reactions, people who are in real estate business are geared up already to purchase the apartments that are designed with investors in mind. A change in the law that will help investors who are interested in getting the land ownership on lease basis is predicted soon, considering the recent trends.

According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) house sales are at their lowest level since their monthly survey began in 1978. The annual fall, according to Halifax Plc, is 10.9% and house prices in August fell by 1.8%. Property prices have returned to the levels seen in early 2006.

There are a number of reasons for the fall. Crucially the credit crunch means that banks are less able to raise funds from wholesale markets and therefore do not have the funds to lend on. In addition, whereas this time last year banks were keen to invest in the housing market, they now see the housing market as a risky investment and want only to lend to buyers who are safe bets. This equates to buyers who have a large deposit plus a good credit score. Long gone are the 100% mortgages and the large salary multiples.

For the potential buyer household incomes are squeezed with higher costs for food, energy and fuel, and with a recession looming employment may not be secure. Such pressures have not been seen for a decade. Furthermore, of the buyers that have secured mortgages they may wait to see how much the market falls.

In a nutshell, there are fewer buyers who have secured mortgages and with fewer buyers there is less demand for housing and so prices have fallen. Some experts predict that prices will fall by as much as 25% in total from peak to trough and the market will begin to recover in 2010. In contrast, the Centre for Economic and Business Research predict a total fall of 15%.

So what will stop the free fall? The UK government announced some, in effect, minor measures: interest free loans, a stamp duty level rise and help for those not affording their mortgage. This was a welcome help but is unlikely to stabilise the market significantly as the key problem is the banks having funds to borrow and then those banks taking the risk to lend.

Hope glimmers as the US Treasury has in effect nationalised the US’s two largest mortgage providers, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac which will protect millions of mortgages and indeed, banks worldwide who are exposed to them. This hugely costly intervention is expected to stabilise the US housing market which in turn will stabilise the US economy. As a result UK banks will be able to secure funds to lend to consumers. However, return to the previous easy lending criteria is unlikely and even when banks have funds to lend they are likely to require the borrower to show that they are a good investment: with a deposit and affordable repayments.

The housing bubble has burst, but the fact remains that the property market in the medium and long term will be backed by the sheer necessity of housing requirements. The population is increasing and there is not enough housing to home everyone. With less sales, property developers are currently short of cash and are putting their projects on hold. As a result new building will be well below the government’s targets and as demand outstrips supply prices will go up. Indeed, the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR) expect house prices to rise by 30% between late 2009 and 2012.

And so the UK housing market is expected to be slow into 2009 but as the economy recovers so too will the housing market.