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.

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. 

The most important aspect of agent-client relationship is communication. A house seller or buyer can find it stressful dealing with an agent or buyer who is not a good communicator. An agent that stays in constant contact with clients and answers their questions proves his or her proactivity.

Yes you need to let buyers and sellers know where they stand quickly so they can move on to another property or potential buyer. Real estate is time sensitive. Buyers and sellers need the right information and need it fast. Hence, one of the qualities of a good agent is the ability to give the right information to the right kind of buyer at the right time. What an experienced agent might deem insignificant information might be important information to clients who are new to the real estate game. Putting the right information in front of clients communicate that you're an agent who puts clients first.

It's the responsibility of a good agent to sort out what clients need to know and provide this information. Hence it's important that an agent has a well updated website complete with valuable information. You don't really need to pressure your clients with too much information. Just the right information will do. Here are five content types that real estate buyers and sellers find valuable.

REAL ESTATE CONTENT TYPES THAT WORK

When correctly done, real estate content marketing can be a game changer for your real estate business. You have the chance to attract thousands of new leads through well-researched, helpful content. This is why effective real estate bloggers put a lot of plan and effort into creating the right content for their real estate website. Here are some of the real estate content types you should be posting for your real estate business.

1. Market Reports. Writing a recap of real estate activity in your community for the month shows you as a knowledgeable real estate agent in the community. Buyers and sellers want to be informed about the real estate market in their area of residence. Even if they aren't going to take action immediately, when you post fact-based market reports, they know whom to approach for questions. Also, Google ranks market reports high. Since few realtors are posting them, your posts have less competition.

2. Local Community Information. A local community guide includes details about a neighborhood such as detailed information about the local real estate market, local economy, housing and population, local school information, parks and restaurants and attractions. This type of content is important because it increases your real estate website's SEO value and helps the area residents see that you have strong knowledge of the community.

3. Home buyer and seller tips. Both buyers and sellers have a lot of questions on their minds about real estate. Providing helpful information on your site can be timely and help you gain more leads. However, when covering the questions, your visitors would find it much more helpful if you cover the topic in 'extreme' detail and they'll love you for it.

Cold calling for sale by owners or door knocking is old school. A much better way of gaining trust and new leads is through helpful content.  When you consistently post content that real estate buyers and sellers love, you'll start reaping the benefits of real estate content marketing.