This article explores the advantages of buying preconstruction homes overseas, the risks involved and some precautions to take.

The Advantages of Buying Preconstruction Homes

Buying preconstruction homes definitely offer great advantages. First you get to CHOOSE! You don't just settle for any kind of property; you can select design features and specifications. You can actually be involved in the design of your new investment. If you're a property specialist, you will be able to tweak some features and make the home desirable to prospective tenants.

Also, these kinds of properties offer the best deals. You get the lowest deals on pre-construction homes within the first two weeks of the project's launching. Buying a preconstruction home also means that you don't have to worry about repairs and maintenance. You may not have to perform renovation on a new home for the next five years.

Buying Preconstruction Homes Overseas Is Risky

Just as they offer great rewards, buying pre-construction real estate overseas can quickly turn out to be a sour deal. Hence these investments require foresight, research and an ability to think and make deductions like an investor rather than the average buyer. You should be able to determine where the neighborhood is heading in the near future and also make a comparison of project options within your budget constraints.

The biggest risk behind pre-construction houses is that it's a non-liquid investment. For the period in which the property is being built, which can be two to four years, in the case of condo units, you freeze up a large chunk of capital. Although you might have access to visual representations or projections, you're practically buying an invisible property. You've not seen the finishes or the outward finishes.

These properties also require more down-payment requirements than their resale counterparts and you can't touch your cash or pull out should you need your money. So, it is a risky proposition. How do you protect your investment in this case?

Rules To Follow When Buying Preconstruction Homes Overseas

1. Never pay the full price upfront on a pre-construction property. It's standard to pay 30% of the cost during construction and the rest on completion. You should pay the balance when the property is move-in ready and when you can transfer the title to your name.

2. Check the specification. Do not leave this to the developer. The more detail you add to your contract, the more likely you are to get what you expect. Detail all. Start with the exact size of the home, broken down by rooms and hallways, patios, balconies and storage space.

3. Time. Get a clear deadline for the completion and delivery of the property. Most developers do not finish as scheduled. But do not allow the developer to add a 12-month overload period and go scot-free. He should have to pay a fine if he’s unreasonably late.

4. Make sure you are covered if something goes wrong. The contract should give you a decent time frame for snag-checking, and outline what type of builder's warranty you get. Be sure to include a clause that covers what kind of steps you will take if you cannot resolve a problem with the developer, be it mediation with a trade body, arbitration or a lawsuit. In some countries, if the developer doesn’t complete the property, you will get some of your money. That is not the norm, though.

Buying pre-construction property can be very profitable when you’re in the right market. These rules will help put you on the right track for a successful purchase.

Buyers with a foreclosure history have more to prove to the banks; hence getting loans might be tough. Below tips will help them get through the hurdles and secure financing for foreign property investment.

Are banks scared to give loans to boomerang buyers?

Applying for a loan after a foreclosure, if you're a property buyer in the US, is not a piece of cake. The lender wants to be sure of one thing: You are able to pay the loan and have learnt from your mistakes. If you're planning to buy a foreign property, getting financing becomes harder. If you do get financing, you might be immersed in a lot of paperwork.

Banks will want you to prove your income. They will look closely at your bill payment records after the foreclosure (hence the need to rebuild your credit). If you have a traditional job for which you receive a W-2 form, your lender will want to see it and verify your income with your employer. Boomerang buyers (property buyers with a foreclosure history) who work several part time jobs or are self-employed will face more scrutiny. They will have to show their income with several years of tax returns and other documents.

Yes, you might have a lot to prove to the bank when applying for mortgage as a boomerang buyer. This is why Realtor.com recommends including a letter in your mortgage application that explains the reason for foreclosure.

What Most Foreign Banks Require Before Giving Mortgage

Requirements for mortgages will vary from country to country as each country flaunt different taxation structures. Some countries will require you to open a bank account, get a tax identification number or get approval from Government housing agencies before you'd be allowed to buy a home.

You need to be conversant with the taxes that apply in your destination country. For example, foreign property buyers in Spain have to pay a wealth tax (patrimono in Spanish). Countries like South Africa also mandate a building insurance for foreign buyers.

The important thing when applying for a mortgage either as a buyer with foreclosure history or not is your ability to document everything. Mortgage has come a long way from the crisis periods and banks are more proactive. They want to verify any financial information provided.

Tips To Secure Financing for Foreign Property Investment after Foreclosure

Having a foreclosure history shouldn’t stop you from your dream of owning property abroad, here are three tips to get financing as a boomerang buyer.

1. Get equity from your US home.

Your friendliest partner will always be your property of the United States. You could get a second mortgage with 2.8% APR, only a fraction of what you will pay overseas

2. Home Collateral.

If you own a property in the United States, lenders in some countries, particularly international banks, will allow you to put that into collateral. You will have to establish that the property is free from liens. A lien will be dissuasive to the approval of your mortgage application.

3. Focus on International Banks.

When you begin to explore your financing options abroad, you must first visit the branches of foreign banks in the area where you are buying. If the same bank operates in the United States, they will have a better understanding and access to the facts related to your financial situation back home. You can even visit their branches in the United States to know your options.

These options would be effective if you work on your credit. You need to improve your credit rating when applying for a mortgage in the United States after foreclosure. The same is true anywhere in the world.

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.