Top 7 Benefits of Buying Property Abroad

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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.

 

 

 

 

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Buying a Property Abroad Tips for Investors Entering the Foreign Property Market for the First Time

  • 01, June 2023

It's easy to see why many people dream of buying a property abroad. You can retire on a sea front property or a beach house on one of the popular European costs. Some people have a lifetime dream of living in an alluring resort villa abroad.

As a traveler, it's easy to fall in love with a particular place so much that you develop an ambition to buy a house or an apartment there. If your job requires travelling a lot and you have the means and the courage to buy a property in one of the cities you frequent, why not? This would be a home you can return to on your next business trip.

You can also make a living off renting out foreign property. If you have an investment unit in a tourist location, you'll be getting big returns. This becomes more profitable as currency exchange rates tip in your favor. Exploring foreign housing opportunities is good but here are some things to consider if you're going in for the first time.

Factors You Need To Consider When Buying a Property abroad

1. Purpose of Purchase and exit strategy.

Why are you buying property abroad? Whether you're buying to live in it, for future retirement, for a family member who might be living or working there, perhaps to rent out or to resell at a higher rate, going in with a clear purpose will give you direction and keep things in perspective.

Having an exit strategy is also important. If things don't go as planned, what are the prospects of selling? Knowing your exit strategy before you make a purchase is key. You need to check the attractiveness of the location and the expected demand for housing as well as any renting or selling restriction on foreign property.

2. Growth prospects of the location's economy

You'll want to purchase a house that is situated where there are flourishing businesses or there are forthcoming growth potentials.

3. Land Regulations.

Unlike the purchase of local property, buying a house abroad is not so simple. This is because the laws of foreign ownership differ from country to country. Foreign buyers tend to have more hoops to jump through the purchase of land and face a more complicated buying process.

 

 

4. Potential Property Performance.

Any person buying a property abroad expects to earn from their investment. Before signing any agreement, be sure to ask for evidence to substantiate the projected returns, either through supporting investment reports or external surveys from credible sources.

Tips for New Foreign Property Buyers

1. Thoroughly research the market.

Although global trends in property prices occur, real estate markets in different countries will likely go through separate cycles of rise and falls. If real estate values ??are increasing in London, that doesn’t mean that they are also increasing in Italy or Spain. For those who buy to invest, it is important to pay attention to these trends - the ideal is to buy near the bottom and sell close to the top of a cycle.

2. Use a real estate agent.

Buying directly from an owner can sometimes be a big deal. However, if you are not familiar with the foreign real estate market or struggle with the local language, buying through a real estate agent or a reputable real estate developer can provide a useful guide and help you avoid a number of pitfalls.

3. Have your documents translated.

Before signing any documents related to a potential purchase, make sure that you have translated them professionally. It is essential that you understand any document you will be signing.

By Bebuzee Admin Read More
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Buy a Home Abroad Why You Need a Local Realtor

  • 10, March 2023

Information is power, especially when it comes to real estate investing on foreign soil. You have to know the area, the schools around, transport, new developments planned and real estate laws that apply. Staying ahead therefore means you have to do considerable research. However you look at it, you’ll find that having a local realtor is still the best way to get important information you need. Here are five things a local real estate agent will help you with if you wish to buy a home abroad.

1.     Local pricing.

The important thing with buying or selling real estate is price. How do you assess the ‘fair’ value of a property in another location? You have to rely on data from comparable properties. The price of a similar property in the next town may be lower than the price in your current city, for example. Real estate agents have access to such data, given their access to the MLS and can help you determine if what you’re paying for a property is ‘fair’.

 

2.     Get pre-approved for mortgage.

Sellers give more preference to pre-approved buyers and you might be able to lock in a favorable rate with your bank. You need an agent’s help when getting pre-approved for mortgage. They have gone through the process many times before and can be of invaluable help.

 

3.     Help find catalysts.

One sign that an area is coming up and that will be desirable in the future is the development of new infrastructures. When you see new roads and built schools, it is a sign that the community is ready for growth. Investing in a growing community can be very profitable.(check how to spot a developing market). In addition, certain types of development, such as new shopping malls, can be extremely attractive to home buyers, and can also help keep the tax base low. Real estate agents have a general idea of ??what new projects are about to take off.

 

4.     Explore low-tax alternatives

 

If there are two cities side by side - one with high property taxes (or the progressive increase in property taxes) and the other with low property taxes - the one with the lowest taxes will usually be more in demand.

 

Real estate agents can help you determine which areas have the best and worst tax structures. Also look to see if a revaluation is set to take place in the near future as it may mean that property taxes are about to rise.

 

5.     Check school rankings.

Almost all states rank their schools for how well students in each district benefit from math and English tests. Sharp investors should look for schools that are moving up or are at the top of the list. These areas are often desirable for parents. Access to quality education is a great selling point for new home buyers. Agents have access to this information.

 

The bottom line: Doing your homework, getting free information and putting in the leg work alone might not do the job. A local real estate agent is an invaluable resource when looking to buy property abroad. 

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5 signs youre cash flow negative on your vacation rental property

  • 17, October 2023

Spending money consistently on a cash flow negative rental isn't smart. It might be time to change your strategy.

 

Vacation rentals are a great way to make extra income from your property investments. Short term rental provider, HomeAway https://www.homeaway.com/info/getting-started/income reports that the run-of-the-mill vacation rental property owner nets $11,000 a year.

 

But if you consistently have to spend rental profits on roof repairs, vacancies, regular maintenance, bad tenants etc, you probably have a cash flow negative property on your hand. And there are two approaches to dealing with this problem. You can either wait it out and hope things will somehow change or kickstart an exit strategy to move on.

 

While cash flow doesn't have to be a decisive factor, especially when you have a vacation rental property in an up and coming neighborhood with strong potential appreciation rates. Many times, you might be spending more than you bargained for with your rental. And the faster you discover this, the better.

 

This article outlines five signs of negative cash flow vacation rentals but before we proceed let's see a simple formula for measuring cash flow on an investment property:

 

Cash Flow = Total Income (Application fees, Rent, etc.) - Total Expenses (Monthly mortgage (if applicable); General Maintenance, Electricity, HOA, Property Management, vacancies etc.)

 

As a rule of thumb when buying an investment property, it is wise to set aside an emergency fund to cover at least first six months of expenses. So let's dive right in and see some of the signs to watch for.

 

1. High vacancy/Low occupancy rate in a location: What's the occupancy rate for your neighborhood? An important sign of a cash flow negative property is high vacancy rate in the neighborhood. According to Turnkey VR https://blog.turnkeyvr.com/much-money-can-make-vacation-rental/ specializing in the management of turnkey vacation rental homes, "Occupancy rates for vacation rentals can be all over the map. For instance, a vacation rental home in a big city might create more demand than a rental property at a seasonal location like the beach". Location is key when buying real estate, especially for investment. Hence it's wise to spend time researching a neighborhood before taking the plunge.

 

2. High Maintenance property: Are you doling out high monthly fees for property maintenance? Then you might be dealing with a cash flow negative property. A 30-year-old property might offer a great deal but when you have to spend considerable time and money on maintenance and fixes monthly, you have to ask yourself if it's worth it.

 

3. Declining Rental Property Market: How strong is the rental property market? There is a strong correlation between a thriving property market and low vacancy rates. Many times a declining rental market is a sign of underlying economic issues, most times accompanied by high unemployment rates and slow growth. Sticking around in such a neighborhood would be unwise. Unless you're confident about a significant development in the neighborhood in coming years.

 

4. High Property Taxes: Did property taxes go up? Taxes can get tricky, especially when you're buying as a foreigner. However, when sudden tax changes are eating up your income, then you have a negative cash flow property.

 

5. Problem Tenants: Are problem tenants eating up your profits? You have two options, regarding managing your rental property. You can either hire a property management company, which means more expenses but better management. Or you can just ride it solo. While this offers you the chance to take an active role with your property, dealing with problem tenants (tenants who break things, tenants refusing to pay rent or pay promptly, tenants causing disturbance etc.) is a major headache and can eat into your profits.

 

Hence the importance of having a screening process that's hard to bypass. However, if you deal with problem tenants a lot, it might be time to consider setting an exit strategy in motion.

 

You can take advantage of short-term rental cash flow with sites like HomeAway and AirBnb. While tenant turnover rates can be high in the short term, short term rentals can be profitable, especially in a popular destination such as a ski resort or beach community.

By Bebuzee Admin Read More