Selling a property abroad is similar to selling at home. You have to make the home look inviting to buyers. However, in the UK and some other countries, you have to report your sale and pay a capital gains tax as a citizen selling property abroad. Whatever your reason for selling overseas property, here are some tips to help you sell fast.

1. Set the right price.

Don't try to ply smart. It's normal to want a high price for your property but when you price too high, people will walk away. Buyers are wiser now. They also check comps. Your prospective buyer, who'd likely be a cash buyer in the US, China or Russia would check similar homes in the neighborhood. If he notices something fishy, he would walk away without a second thought. If many people are walking away from your home, that will keep your home on the market for the long hull. This will leave a bad impression like a big greasy stain on a white-painted wall. You want to find an agent who'd help you set the best price for your overseas property and set a right first impression.

1. Use Online Marketing to Great Effect.

This is something that you can rely on your real estate agent to do for you. The idea is to promote property abroad, on foreign property portals, blogs, online forums and social media. Your ads should be highly targeted and be where potential buyers are likely to find them.

Relying on the marketing strength of local agents may not be enough to sell your property in a slow market. They may not put in the marketing effort to advertise individual listings - after all, it's an open listing and anyone can sell it.

Private sellers can advertise their property abroad on Properbuz for free, for the time it takes to sell the property. The statistics are very clear - your buyer will start his/her search for property online, almost exclusively. So all you need to do is join them. List your property with us to expand your reach.

1. Pictures tell a story

The pictures or images make all the difference to your prospects of selling property. Professionally taken photographs that emphasize the best features of the property increase the chances of getting the house sold faster. It is always better to hire a professional photographer for this purpose than to do it yourself. Also, make sure your home looks your best before the photo shoot. Have small renovation jobs such as gardening and painting done, for example, without spending too much on it.

1. Cleaning

No one imagines themselves living in a shed and so your buyer will want to see a very clean house that they can make their own - even if they turn it into a pigsty as soon as they move in. So, clean your house.

Buying overseas real estate often comes with increased responsibilities. Hence you need an efficient local real estate agent

While you might be a real estate guru in your home country, buying real estate in a foreign country can get messy without a knowledgeable local real estate agents

Here are just three ways things could go wrong when buying overseas property:

Over-the-top valuations: A foreign buyer probably doesn't have the stats on comps and recent sales that would help him make the best decisions on pricing. Locals might see this as a chance to price the property above market value. Without an agent on your side and banking on exchange rate advantages, sellers might feel justified to charge you more.

Taxes and paperwork omissions: In countries like Spain where there could be local rules and taxes regarding foreign home ownership, it's easy to ignore a few details. Not having the necessary licenses and permissions can be very costly.

Lopsided Communication: Sure your developer wants to come to terms quickly, which you find appealing as you don't want to hang around too long. However, you don't want to sign any form or contract without understanding what it entails. It's always important to get expert advice before signing on the dotted line.

You should have two people on your side when buying foreign real estate, a lawyer, to help with legal complications, taxes and paperwork and a real estate agent to guide you through the home buying process. You might want to ignore an agent's services as a way to save on agent charges. But here are six reasons why hiring a real estate agent for foreign property purchases is vital:

1. Full access to the market: Buyers in North America who work with agents have a full access to the Multiple Listing Service (A service that offers access to information regarding market value, comps and properties on the market). While some countries do not have a property listing service, a good agent will likely have a slew of properties and connections with other agents. This ensures he can secure a property that fits your criteria.

2. Detect overpriced properties: Where there is no MLS to set pricing, sellers and their agent often pad the asking price on their properties. Especially when the buyer has no agent on their side. Even in countries with MLS, ignorance can be a justification for an agent to charge you up to 40% above asking price. You can take advantage of an agent's market knowledge in this case. An agent has comps and data coupled with market experience and should be able to tell you instantly when a property is overpriced. However, do not neglect to do your own research about properties that catch your fancy. This will help you keep unethical agents in check.

3. Help with securing mortgage: One of the risky aspects of buying property abroad is getting financing. When considering going for a mortgage, your real estate agent can give you the low-down on mortgages for foreigners. He or she might also be able to connect you with bankers. An agent can also facilitate your loan by helping you with the necessary paperwork. This is one major reason why the services of a real estate agent are invaluable when you're buying a house overseas.

4. Negotiating and drawing up an offer: Negotiating tactics you have mastered in the US might fail to work when negotiating with sellers in Japan. The reason is that there are culture and language differences which can be difficult to fathom. So instead of trying confrontation or hard sell tactics, it is usually best to hire a professional agent who understands your situation and can persuasively represent this to a seller.

5. Help with finding good deals: You're probably trying to scoop up a good deal on a property. However, it's unlikely you'll find great deals by driving around a neighborhood. Agents have connections with other agents and access to a lot of properties. Hence it's much easier to find great deals by working with them.

6. Recommend trusted professionals: A trusted real estate agent would probably have a number of reputable service professionals in his network from inspectors, lawyers, handymen, mortgage lenders etc... This would be highly beneficial since you have little experience in the neighborhood and might be susceptible to pseudo professionals.

Caveat: When choosing agents to work with, work with vetted professionals. Don't just go with the agent down the street as that might turn out costly. This is why we periodically recommend agents in select communities who are vetted and have significant market experience to make your foreign property dream come true.

With delightful sights and enticing cuisine, it's no wonder France is at the top of the list for many tourists. And not only tourists, people who are banking on profiting from these fascinations are snapping up properties fast too. France also boasts collections from masters of both modern and contemporary art.

However, if you're looking to buy a home in France as a foreign investor, don't be distracted by the sights. It's easy to be carried away by the beaches of Riveira, wandering through the battlefields of Normandy or viewing castles along the French countryside. You will need to focus your efforts on getting the deal done right. Let’s consider some stats on French property prices.

Facts about property prices in France

Prices are competitive and mortgage rates are currently low in France, according to Notaires de France. In the past year, over 900,000 properties have changed hands. Even though a surprisingly large number of these properties (90%) were bought by people looking to live in, rather than let. For investors, this means there hasn't been a property bubble and this might just be the right time to buy a house in France. Price is increasing steadily. Notaires de France estimated a year on year increase of 1.2% in property prices by August of this year and a jump of 4% in property prices by the end of the year.

What to know when buying property in France

Although the process of buying property in France is fairly straightforward, here are some things you need to know:

1. You're not required to hire a solicitor. As a general rule, buying property in France must proceed without an advocator or solicitor. It can't be delegated. So you have to travel and spend time and effort on acquiring the property.  Although property buying and land registration in France are secure, you need to have your wits about you.

2. You should learn French. If buying a house in France, you should know French or at least hire a translator. Trying to infer what the other person is saying will only give you a false sense of security. On the other hand, a knowledge of the language will bolster your confidence.

3. The notaire will not verify everything. The notaire may not be able to tell you if the property would give good ROI or what liens are currently on the property. There is room for you to do your own research about the property and about prices in that neighborhood. It's also advisable to get a specialist property lawyer.

4. Estate agents mostly act for the seller. Take care to read through any written offer. Make sure that the content of the offer are subject to a written sales and purchase offer. Also make sure you read through the content of the sales and purchase offer prepared by the agent to ensure equity. As with buying property anywhere, take your time before signing on the dotted line.

5. Local mortgages can be favorable. You might want to consider buying with a French mortgage as mortgages in France are relatively cheap. If you'll be seeking a mortgage, it's important you throw in a conditional clause in the sale contract.

In conclusion, having your own notaire is advisable. Don't expect the notaire working for both seller and buyer to seek your best interest.