Over the years, real estate has been pushed as a better investment to stock. With so many differences as wide as the fact that real estate is a solid, physical good while stock isn't, it's hard to see the similarities between both types of investments. An investment in real estate is similar to stocks, in the sense that, there are both negatives and positives, there is an amount of risk involved and there are no guarantees. However, comparing real estate and stocks over many decades, real estate has performed better in generating consistent wealth and long term appreciation for millions of people. But as mentioned earlier, there are no guarantees. Here are five important factors new investors should consider when buying a home abroad.

Factors To Consider When Buying A Home Abroad

1. Availability of good real estate agents. Hiring a good real estate agent is the single most important thing you'll do as a foreign property buyer. Hence you need to verify that these agents can deliver excellent service. This service will usually include post-purchase assistance. Your real estate agent should be able to help with service connections, home improvements and other requirements after the sale. A good real estate agent will also provide practical help and support. So ask questions and verify what your agent can help you with to ensure smooth purchase process.

2. Insurance. Few things done right will save you the hassles when buying property abroad. One of those things is getting coverage. This is particularly true of vacation home owners who might have to leave the property in someone else's care and investors dealing with tenants. Building insurance is a must for foreign property owners in some countries e.g. South Africa. But don't stop there! Get insurance for the contents of your home. While seeking insurance cover, check around. If you can find an insurance company with base in your home country, then go for it. If not, then settle for local insurers.

3. Property improvement. It's a given that you might not like some of the props and arrangement of your new overseas property. So, many new investors go along with renovation ideas and plans. However, home improvements can eat up your savings. Hence, before buying any overseas property, get a reputable appraiser. Don't expect to meet the property in tip-top shape. But if you'll be spending too much on repairs and renovations, then it's a bad deal.

4. Security. How secure is your new property? If there have been record of burglaries in the house, then having a big padlock might not cut it, you might need to move on. You need to determine how secure the area is. Your real estate agent might not disclose this information, so personal research is necessary.

5. Climate. You don't want to buy in an area prone to floods. Regions of extreme hotness or coldness are also out of the question. Look beyond how cheap the property is and get a house in an area you'd be able to 'survive' in.

These are just some basic factors you already know you should consider. But it's easy to take them for granted.

In a seller's market, like the US, buyers must be prepared to do some ground work and move fast whenever they spot homes that offer what they are looking for. In a competitive market, a buyer with cash doesn't necessarily win these days. 2015 Realtytrac stats say that about a third of property buyers in the US are cash buyers. Cash might still have an advantage over mortgage but below are some more tips to create a winning offer.

Only a few sellers can reject an offer of cash but chances are you're not the only one bringing cash to the table. Hence you need other strategies when making a home offer:

1. Move fast.

Moving fast could help you win when making a home offer in a competitive market. If you’re dealing with a seller who doesn't have much time (who does?) and wants to sell fast, all you need to do is put your best foot forward and follow other steps in these article to seal the deal.

You can also offer to close quickly. A standard closing period is about 30 days. If you can close in three weeks instead, this could convince the seller to accept your offer even over one that offers more money.

2. Get a professional.

A proactive and knowledgeable agent will know what works in that community and will be able to create a winning offer fast.  A good agent will be the strongest weapon in your arsenal when in a competitive market. A knowledgeable agent will guide you through winning strategies in that competitive market that may seem crazy when you try them in a slower market.

3. Be human.

Display personality with your offer. One way to do this is by writing a letter to the seller that tells him the reason why you want to buy. Indicate a subtle feature you like about the house (which other buyers didn't notice). Other sellers will appear impersonal.

4. An earnest deposit

A substantial first deposit makes a major difference. A reasonable first deposit will be about 3% of the value of the house. A seller often takes this offer seriously and can feel positive you are focused on the stand by position this offer.

This may give you a winning edge. Submitting a pre-approval notice with the first deposit puts your offer before others by telling the owner you are serious.

5. Money talks.

Of course, the more money you can offer upfront, the better your chances. If you can afford a 30% or 40% down payment (or more), sellers will be tempted to accept your offer. And, in the long run, it will save you money on a mortgage, shortening the length of your loan and the interest you pay. You can also waive some contingencies, depending on what your agent approves.

These tips can put your offer on top of the pile. However, in a competitive market, beating the competition depends on your creativity. 

Just like any investment where speculations are involved, there is risk with real estate investing. Investors who have gotten their fingers bit have fed us the ‘negative stories’ and have helped create many fears. Yes, there are risks, and they can make for a pretty bad fall if you don’t prepare for them. But there are also fears. Here we’ll explore five basic fears stopping you from making that real estate investing decision.

I also hope to expound on these fears to help you see that you can get past them. The best way to overcome fear is embrace it and do that which you fear. So, no matter what we say, the decision to take the plunge still lies in your hands. Will you create long-term prosperity with your real estate investment or let fear hold you back?

1.     Negative Cash Flow.

Cash flow is what remains when the operating expenses, the mortgage costs and other expenses have been deducted. The fear of negative cash flow, mostly fed by investors who have been there and done that, has held many people back. However, it is just about making the right calculations. You don’t expect to be 100% accurate about the possibility of vacancies or how much rental income you could make in a month but you can obtain past rental figures from the previous landlord, estimate possible repair expenses and still get your numbers close a notch.

2.     Right Timing.

You’ve always heard ‘you’ve got to time the market’. The problem with that is this: you might never find the right time. If you’re afraid that the market might just not be ripe for real estate investing, I say that’s FEAR. As long as you can comfortably buy a property without putting any strain on your family’s budget and the country in which you’re investing isn’t in a pothole, go right on. The time is right.

3.     Chasing the positive cash flows.

Some real estate agents who have tried and fumbled will tell you that you can’t cash flow positively on duplexes, condos, office complexes etc. With discouraging tales of despair, you catch the FEAR. This is actually an opportunity to learn from their mistakes. They failed because they went in with the wrong PLANS. Learn, attend seminars, buy DVDs and EBooks and develop a fail-proof strategy and you’ll get the positive cash flows.

4.     The hassles of management.

Chasing renters for each month’s rent and dolling out money on property repairs are all reasons to run far from real estate investing. What if you had a troublesome tenant giving you problems? The hassles could keep you awake at night. You however do not need to go through the stress of managing your property yourself. You can hire professional property managers or management companies to do the job and do it well.

5.     Lack of experience.

Yes, you do lack experience. All the seminars and courses do not make up for firsthand experience. So, if you lack the experience, why not work with a realtor who is a local expert and leverage their experience. (Check out the importance of a local realtor).

In conclusion, it’s not certain that investing in real estate will make you an overnight millionaire but if you do your homework and work with the right people, you’ll do just fine.