When you hear stamp duty, don't run for cover! Stamp duty fees are only applicable in the Commonwealth of Nations countries, Singapore, Australia and a few states in the US. It is a tax that arises from the transfer of property, usually, you pay when you sell. In this case, there will be a transfer of documents. Stamp duty legally requires that these documents are stamped, this shows the amount of tax paid. This means you’re actually paying for government stamp. Where enforced, stamp duty is placed on transfer of lands, homes, buildings, copyrights, patents and securities.

Facts About Stamp Duty fees

Stamp duty can be one small additional cost to your home, especially if you're dealing with a second home or investment property. Here are some things you should know about stamp duty:

* In the UK, the government levies stamp duty tax on all share transactions, currently at 0.5%. This generates £4bn for the treasury.

* In the European Union, Germany, Sweden, Luxembourg and the Netherlands have no stamp duty.

* France charges stamp duty only for transactions above £5,000. In the US, stamp duty is more or less insignificant, only 0.003 percent is charged.

* When you deal with really big money, it becomes a problem. Stamp duty is the reason why influential fund manager, Fidelity, moved half of its £6bn UK special situation fund offshore in 2016.

* Stamp duty came into being 200 years ago in the UK and some people believe that it was the sparking flame for American Independence Movement. When it was introduced to the American colonies in 1765, it was met by protests.

* Stamp duty is only paid on brick and mortar of the house. It shouldn't feature fixtures and fittings, white goods or items of furniture as they are exempt. You pay stamp duty on land and property purchases.

* You also pay the stamp duty when you buy shares valued at more than £ 1,000, although it is a different system, and the rates are different as well.

* You do not pay it on properties in Scotland. Instead you have a Land and Buildings transaction tax on properties costing more than £ 145,000.

* In the UK, just because your property is below £ 125,000 does not mean you can ignore Stamp Duty. You still have to submit a Stamp Duty land tax return.

* Even though your lawyer usually takes care of it, it is your responsibility to make sure that the return and payment are shipped on time. If it is late, you will pay a fine of £ 100, plus any interest.

* If you are transferring a portion of your home to an ex-partner after divorce or separation, or if you are giving the deeds of your house to someone - as a gift or in your will - you do not have to pay stamp duty.

How Much Stamp Duty Should I Expect To Pay?

In the UK, there are several price bands for Stamp Duty. The tax is calculated by the part of the purchase price of property that falls within each band. For example, if you buy a house for £ 275,000, the tax on the stamp duty (SDLT) you owe is calculated as follows:

0% on the first £ 125,000 = £ 0

2% on next £ 125,000 = £ 2,500

5% in the final £ 25,000 = £ 1,250

Total SDLT = £ 3,750

In this case you pay £ 3,750. This will not be the case in other countries. So, it is important that you contact a lawyer in your destination country who’d give information on how stamp duty is calculated.

Driven by affluence and a thriving tourism and travel industry, increasing number of people are looking overseas. According to a Knight Frank survey, between 1993 and 2003, overseas home ownership by British households rose by 95%. While the rewards of buying foreign luxury property can be great, the risks cannot be ignored. So, before you buy a luxury property Jim Gillespie, president and chief executive of Parsippany, a New Jersey based Coldwell Banker real estate firm advises that you should know the place in more than a passing fashion. "Take several trips to the area and rent a house instead of staying in a resort", he advises.

For majority of British who have invested in Europe's luxury properties a decade ago, it turns out they had made a wise move since the euro has increased in value. But currency does not always increase in value. Currencies can take a nose-dive, taking the value of properties with them; political ownership laws can change and the buying process can seem very complicated. Hence, more research is required for people who have set their sights on luxury property abroad. Impulse decisions in these cases can be disastrous. So whether you're buying overseas luxury real estate to live in, diversify your investment or generate rental income, here are some important questions to ask.

Questions to ask when buying luxury real estate abroad

1. How much risk can I take? Putting money on a new luxury property overseas is risky. You alone know your tolerance for risk, your motivation to buy and your preferences. You might have researched the location and the house and known what needs to be known. But you should also look inward to determine your level of readiness. The decision to buy or not buy that luxury real estate might just be dependent on your gut feeling.

2. Why am I buying? The answer to this question usually determines your other considerations. If you're buying for personal use in retirement, you definitely have different priorities. One such thing might be waking up to a view of the sea from your bedroom window. An investor wouldn't care less about the views. If you're looking for rental profit, your priority would likely be price.

3. What's my budget? Now let's talk about price. The most practical advice you can get when buying real estate overseas is: be clear on how much you want to spend and don't consider properties outside your price point. Or you may, if you feel it won't really hurt your pocket. Having a budget and sticking to it, you won't waste time meandering aimlessly.

4. How far is my property to amenities? You don't want to drive long distances to shops, medical centers and eateries. Millennials might also need to consider the nightlife. Families will need to consider proximity to schools and the grade of schools around. You need to familiarize with locals and get as much information about the area and the city. Don't neglect to look at transport and traffic patterns. You might think it's the norm to have good transport. You will be surprised to find that some areas might be hard to access because of bad roads.

Everyone likes the idea of living in their own overseas luxury real estate. This would probably give a great retirement. But before you take the plunge, make sure you're ready.

A combination of cheap mortgages and plunging prices have triggered and are still triggering investments in foreign property. 5.4 million Britons consider buying a property abroad. But buying foreign property is not easy. Many of the British folks who bought Spanish properties before the financial crisis now contend with legal battles, touting to pull their foreign property down and that dream of foreign property ownership with it. Many of those who rushed into foreign property investing have sad stories to tell. The most important advice when making an international property investment is still to take your time, do careful research and get legal advice.

Buying property abroad, where currency value favors you is a lucrative arrangement. Currently, the Pound leads the Euro by 10%, so British property buyers looking to buy in Italy, Spain, Portugal etc. would have to pay 10% less on comparable properties. It might not be worth it if you consider travel costs and other expenses. Hence, apart from knowing legal and property rules in your destination country, you should also consider how much you're going to spend and if the expenses would justify itself.

Moreover, there could be scrupulous characters you have to deal with. In property buying, you have to let your head make the decisions. More so, when buying abroad. Let's explore the five common mistakes international property investors make and how they can be avoided.

MISTAKES INVESTORS MAKE WHEN MAKING INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY INVESTMENT

1.      Lack of information.

You can easily get burned when you are not aware of the nuances and trends of your chosen real estate market. It's not just enough to research and find out the particulars of making an investment in a specific country, be aware of the mistakes specific to foreign property investors in that country. If the eager Brits of the pre-recession had been well-informed, they wouldn't have fallen into legal traps.

2.      Planning on the move.

Don't buy a house, then put together a plan later. Have a plan before you buy. This is all the more important for investors. It is the most common mistake made by newbie investors. You might spot a good deal and be prompted to make an offer quick. Don't. Make sure you form a plan beforehand and get a property that fits your investment strategy. This will keep you focused.

3.      Trying to make money quickly. Real estate, unlike stocks, is usually a long term investment. If you think you'll make a load of profit on your property within a short time, you might be setting yourself up to be disappointed.

4.      Flying solo. Professional investors always have a team. The team usually comprises of real estate agent, an appraiser, an attorney and a lender. If you want to achieve success in overseas real estate investing, don't fly solo.

5.      Paying too much. Flying solo and inadequate research most times will lead to paying too much on a property. New investors abroad usually goof up by paying too much on the properties they buy. Making this mistake will leave you working with less if you plan on buying for investment.

As much as it is lucrative, buying a home abroad is risk bound. It is always important to exercise caution when making an overseas investment deal and learn the fundamentals.