Foreign Real Estate Financing: Ways To Fund Your Dream Home Overseas Author: Margaret Summerfield
Finding financing for that overseas dream home on the water can be a challenge for some people, but there are options that can help investors close the deal. One way to get a discount is to pay in cash, although experts recommend only doing this for properties already built. Another thing to remember is that borrowing in some countries can be difficult because of loan-to-value lending caps and age restrictions. To avoid these complications, prospective overseas homebuyers may want to consider developer financing. It often involves less paperwork, fewer limitation and opportunities to pay lower monthly rates. A final consideration may be to use IRA or 401K funds for the perfect opportunity.
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Property Taxes: Heed Tax Assessment Notices Author: Chris Meyer
The beginning of each new year brings many things, and for property owners one of those things is a Notice of Assessment from a property tax assessor. These are not tax bills and so many people ignore them, but they contain valuable information that every property owner should know. The primary reason notices should be examined is because a property owner may appeal numerous decisions a tax assessor may make regarding the value of the property. Main issues that may be appealed are the valuation of the property, the occupancy rate of a rental property, the classification of the property and possible any possible exemptions overlooked by the assessor.
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Lebanese Property Market Facing Decline Author: Global Property Guide
Lebanon may have seen soaring property values from 2008 to 2011, experiencing a peak increase of 15.1% in 2010, but a year of growing unrest has taken its toll on those gains. Bank Audi reports values dropped 2.7% in real terms at the close of 2011 due to slowing economic growth and political uncertainty. Sales also dropped at the end of last year, as did demand for construction permits, although the country’s mortgage market has seen considerable expansion. Of all these concerns, however, experts believe Lebanon’s shrinking rental yields may cause the most harm. Moving into 2012, yields were down nearly 10% from those seen just six years ago.
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Best Real Estate Investment Markets For 2012 Author: Jerold Leslie
HousingPredictor.com has released its Best Investor Markets for 2012 study, which identifies the best investment markets for residential real estate in the U.S., and it appears much of the action will take place in America’s heartland this year. Three of the five best cities for investment in 2012 are located in Kansas due in large part to its growth in the agricultural market: Wichita, Topeka and Kansas City. The remaining two are Charleston, W. Va., and Miami. The website makes its predictions based on 20 different factors including the speed of real estate market growth, economic growth and business development.
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New York Top Investment Pick for Multifamily Investors Author: Betsy Kraat
A forecast of low vacancy and higher rents is expected to keep investors flocking to New York City in 2012, according to experts. Records indicate that a whopping 80% of households in the city are priced out of homeownership, with areas like Tribeca, Manhattan and SoHo attracting strong attention from developers and investors that have formed, or will form, REITs to handle the large amounts of capital needed to enter the market. Meanwhile, city families looking to reduce costs will move to outer boroughs like Queens and Brooklyn, which is expected to drive down vacancy in those areas as well.
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Investing In China's Real Estate Market: A Look At Funding Options Author: Qin Qu
Prior to the global financial crisis and subsequent restructuring and monitoring of banks, most real estate investors in the U.S. and abroad relied on banks for loans to fund development projects. Now, tougher regulations are forcing banks to be choosier and investors have sought to fill the gap with alternative ways to raise capital. Two methods include real estate trusts and real estate private equity funds. These are investment vehicles that involve the collaboration of investors outside of banks with particular legal and tax structures that many people are finding favorable to the growing difficulty of dealing with banks.
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D.C. Property Tax Code Key to School Improvement Author: Scott B. Cryder
Washington D.C. is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country, having seen its population increase 16% in the last decade. While this is good news for the economy in a general sense, the strain it is putting on public schools in the District is starting to show. Many families with children are deciding to move to the suburbs, leaving the core a home to singles and empty nesters. Experts believe introducing a $1,000 property tax credit for each child enrolled in a D.C. school would attract more families to the area as well as provided needed income for school improvement.
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Dominican Republic Peninsula Great for Beach Living Author: Ronan McMahon
The Samana peninsula in the Dominican Republic is a beautiful region with winding beaches, wonderful weather and quiet little beachside restaurants that serve cold drinks and delicious food. Las Terrenas is particularly attractive for anyone looking for the perfect place to buy a beach home. Located just under two hours from the capital of San Domingo, properties in the town are just minutes away from the beach sell for very reasonable prices. Condos can be found for as little as $80,000, while a new luxury townhouse can be had for $165,000. Expats who choose to buy will also find they’ve got an attractive rental property on their hands, and can defray costs by renting it when it’s not in use.
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US States to Enter Foreclosure Settlement Author: Shanthi Bharatwaj
A recent announcement regarding a possible settlement between banks and U.S. states over unscrupulous foreclosure practices may amount to less than the final word when it comes to future litigation, according to experts. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has since sued Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo over their use of the Mortgage Electronic Registration System, which is blamed for being the source of many foreclosure practice problems. This move combined with the fact that some states may not reach full agreement, and that any agreement will not guarantee a bar to future litigation, has both banks and investors concerned about the outcome.
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Costa Rica’s Best Beaches Author: Jason Holland
Locals, tourists and expat residents agree that there are a lot of things to love about Costa Rica, but for many nothing else compares to the Central American country’s beautiful beaches. The country has a great deal of coastline considering its size, and many beaches offer a different feel depending on which stretch a beachgoer decides to visit. Examples that demonstrate the range of possibilities are the beach towns of Quepos and Jaco, which both attract young partiers with themed restaurants and chain hotels, and Dominical, which is a sleepy beach town with a more laid-back feel. For those looking for a little of both, Quepos and Jaco are only a 45-minute drive from Dominical thanks to a recently paved road.
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