This article explores seven basic reasons why people nurture the dream of owning foreign property

The ebbs and flows of foreign property rules in many countries have caused an influx of foreign buyers into their real estate markets. The current trend is that many countries are more accepting of foreign property buyers, unlike before. In some countries, like Australia, it is becoming a malaise, where the overpowering of foreign currency is causing an affordability crisis for residents. Hopefully, this would balance out soon. But, the fact still remains that more people are drawn to global property. In many cases, when countries have modified their laws to be more accommodating to foreign buyers, there have been real estate boom. The historical constitutional change of Thailand's foreign property laws in 1979 brought an influx of foreign investors and few months later, Thailand began experiencing its first real estate boom.

Motivations For Buying Property Abroad

It's not just about wanting to fulfill the lust for adventure. Recently, there have been an increased number of British buying foreign properties. Many of them buy for many reasons, let's just examine three:

·         Cost. Will you buy a house in Britain if you can buy two houses for the same price in Brazil? The principal motivation is pricing. The appeal of buying property abroad lies in the fact that you can buy a home conveniently and still have enough money left to have a whale of a time in your chosen country. For most people, cost is the strong motivation for buying overseas.

·         Possibility of an investment. Some property investment hotspots abroad are experiencing influx of foreign buyers. While these areas may not be the first choice for people who want to slash price in half; it is a catch for those who are seeking investment opportunities.

·         Second home. A personal reason for buying property abroad is to own a vacation property. For many affluent individuals, having a place, maybe a seaside location in Turkey to retire from the hustle and bustle, is important. With lower cost of living and interesting destinations, expats can live the good life abroad. These vacation properties also offer sound return on investment.

Benefits Of Buying Property Abroad

Broadly speaking, let's take a quick look at the 7 benefits of buying property abroad:

1.      Diversify your portfolio.

Buying property abroad is a great way to diversify your portfolio. Having all your investments, stocks and all, in your country of Birth, is like putting your eggs in one basket. Also, you can invest in a hard asset, real estate, which is proven to be more reliable than stocks.

2.      Diversify currency. Having all your investments denominated, in your local currency, is also 'putting your eggs in one basket'. You don't want to be at the mercy of the local economy.

3.      Reinvent your life. Apart from building your net worth, owning a home abroad is a way to gain a rich cultural diversity and more momentum, especially during retirement.

4.      Own a second home.  Instead of spending your life savings on a second home, buying a second home abroad can be 5 times cheaper. There could also be a chance to make good vacation rental income as your vacation home increases in value.

5.      Retire overseas. You can take advantage of the low cost of living abroad to enjoy your retirement.

6.      Tax deductible travel. In the US, the cost of traveling to manage your overseas property is tax-deductible.

7.      Earn income. A rental income overseas will generate an income that is not determined by your citizenship country's economy. For instance, rental returns in Medellin, Colombia can be up to 10% and the cost of property ownership there is low.

Buying property abroad is a smart move. But, anybody who wants to take the plunge must be ready to put in work. Don't just expect to sit and wait for your property to grow in value. An investment in real estate requires active and ongoing management.

Your overseas property purchase doesn’t need to be stopped by financing. You can apply for a mortgage. However, getting mortgage for foreign property isn’t like getting a mortgage at home. This article considers some ways to tip the balance in your favor.

Why bank financing isn't always available for overseas property

When it is available and comes with no string attached, bank financing is the best option to buy foreign real estate. But alas, it’s not usually available. In many markets, it's hard to get loans as a foreign buyer. In Colombia for example, banks don't care if you're a legal resident, as long as you're a foreign buyer, you're not getting mortgage. It's easy to see why this is so. A foreign buyer isn't tied to the country; he can up and leave at any time, taking the bank's money with him. Banks wouldn't want to take this risk. Hence the hassles of getting mortgage for foreign property. This is one of the things stopping passionate investors from traversing foreign lands.

Resident and non-resident bank financing

So, let's say bank financing is available; it most likely would come in one of the following categorizations:

Ø  Resident financing: Except for countries like Colombia, most local banks would treat your loan application as they would treat that of a citizen if you're a legal resident. You'll have to prove credit worthiness just like any citizen and may not have to go through any other process or requirements. This is called resident financing.

Ø  Non-resident financing on the other hand is difficult to secure. Wherever it is available (countries like France, US, Mexico, Panama, The Dominican Republic, Portugal and New Zealand), it comes with a number of restrictions and requirements. Also, the rate you get may not be favorable, except in France, where it's possible for a non-resident with good credit to access a 20-year mortgage at a rate of just 2.25 percent.

Tips To Get Mortgage When Buying Foreign Property

So, here are some tips to help you secure mortgage when buying foreign real estate

1. Don't go it alone.

Even professional property investors get professional assistance when buying foreign property; this could be through experienced local agents or friends. They understand that investing overseas is a much different ball game. If you're in the UK, you can seek the help of an agent selling property overseas through the following bodies:

1. The Association of International Property Professionals (AIPP) and
2. The National Association of Estate Agents International

2. Find a bank that has a presence in your country and the country in which you want to buy a property.

According to Glenn Carter, a Canadian investor who works for Condo Capital "The problem is a foreign credit score does not count for anything, it's just like having no credit score”. This means the interest rates you’ll be quoted will be that of someone with no credit. But a bank with presence in your home country will offer favorable rates. "The interest rate I was quoted from a US Bank was 9%, versus the 3% we got from a Canadian bank with branches in the US.” Carter says.

3. Get an Agreement in Principle

Before signing any contracts or paying deposit, get an Agreement in Principle. Learn more about Agreements in Principle. If you're planning on getting finance on the house, make sure this is explained in the contract, and seek an 'opt-out clause' if the loan is not agreed. This will ensure any first deposit paid is refunded.

You don’t want to pay excess on a property. So, it’s important to know what a home really costs on the equity scale

Real estate whether home or abroad is a substantial, long-term investment. It is therefore imperative that you research various countries and neighborhoods before choosing one to invest in because economists agree that there is an opportunity cost to investing in a particular property.

Your research should include the existence of changing political and economic scenarios, as these would have profound impact on the housing market, especially influencing central bank rates and lending policies.

Factors Affecting Market Value of Foreign Real Estate

Location is critical. Apart from the real estate conditions existent in the country, you don't want a place with high crime rate and bad transport system. But looking ahead, you have to examine the profitability of your investment. Home appraisers looking at homes consider features like property age, lot size, internal square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, amenities and overall condition. Hence the first step in determining your home's market value is taking an appraiser’s glasses and looking at the home objectively, writing down the principal features of your home.

How to Determine Market Value of Foreign Real Estate

Valuing a home is not an exact science but here are some things you can do to make a ‘scientific’ guess on the fair market value of a property abroad.

1. Check out comps.

Find four or five comparable homes in the area that have sold within the past six months. A local agent should be able to help you with that data. Your research on comparable homes (comps) will give you a good indication of what your intended property might be worth. Comparable homes should be roughly the same size, construction, age and style with the same number of rooms, layout and other features. You want to identify the prices at which these properties sold and how fast they left the market.

2. Calculate the rate per square foot.

For each of your comps, divide the selling price by the square footage of the property. This gives you a price per square foot or PPSF. Find the average value of these homes by adding the PPSF figures and dividing by the number of comps you are using. For example, suppose it has the following compositions:

Property A is 2,000 square feet and sells for $ 420,000. The PPSF is $ 210.

Property B is 2,200 square feet and sells for $ 480,000. The PPSF is $ 218.

Property C is 1,900 square feet and sells for $ 390,000. The PPSF is $ 205.

Property D is 2,000 square feet and sells for $ 475,000. The PPSF is $ 237.

The average price per square foot is $ 217. Multiply this figure by the number of square feet of your home to get a rough idea of ??the market value of your home.

3. Consider the special qualities of your home.

While the PPSF gives a benchmark, it does not take into account the unique features that could raise or lower the value of your home. Improvements like a new bathroom, kitchen or siding tend to add value; On the contrary, it is likely that a home in poor condition will have a lower value than a well-maintained property. There is usually a wide variety of prices per square foot based on these factors. Ultimately, you have to decide if your home is worth more or less than the average PPSF in your neighborhood.