Foreign Property Buyer

Already renowned as a luxury location favoured by the yachting and sailing communities with classy restaurants, gorgeous properties and of course the magical Mediterranean Sea, Mallorca has just been announced as the start and finish of the Global Ocean Race 2011-12. With over twenty entries from at least eleven nations it puts the Island on a new international stage. Although many boating enthusiasts are attracted by the facilities, many more stay for the beautiful climate, excellent food and luxury premium property close to the marinas.  Read more... (963 words, 1 image, estimated 3:51 mins reading time)

Most people wouldn’t dream of buying a home in the UK without seeing it – walking through each room, inspecting the quality of the build, researching the local area and its amenities. But what happens if the home you want to buy is located hundreds if not thousands of miles away, overseas? The solution? An inspection trip.

Thousands of potential overseas property buyers go on inspection trips each year, be they organized privately or through an agent or developer. They are designed to offer buyers the opportunity to experience the culture of the country they wish to buy in, meet with local property experts who know the market and buying procedures and view properties which meet their requirements.  Read more... (668 words, 1 image, estimated 2:40 mins reading time)

Turkey continues to buck global trends with GDP growth rates of 12% recorded for Q1 2010, domestic banks increasing the availability of credit by up to 30% and now levels of foreign direct investment in Istanbul are up by 27% according to the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO).

Turkey’s second city and economic powerhouse, Istanbul, has become a honey pot for international investors with the number of foreign investors planning to establish businesses or expand their operations in Istanbul up by over 6% in the first half of 2010 (compared to the second half of 2009). The ITO released data also revealed a 27.16% increase in the total value of these investments for the same period.  Read more... (395 words, 1 image, estimated 1:35 mins reading time)

Think South of France and St Tropez, Cannes, Nice and Monaco will probably spring to mind but this summer all eyes are looking west of these traditional tourism destinations, to La Camargue – Western Europe’s largest river delta, just 1 hour from Marseille.

Covering some 930km, where the river Rhône meets the Mediterranean Sea, La Camargue occupies a coastal area between the Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence. Established as a national park and nature reserve in 1972, La Camargue contains exceptional bio-diversity with over 400 species of birds including the ubiquitous pink flamingos, the famous Camargue horses, unique breeds of bulls and now a new eco-friendly leaseback development.  Read more... (405 words, 1 image, estimated 1:37 mins reading time)

Investors can once again hold confidence in the Brazilian land market as the President of the ADIT (Association for Real Estate and Tourism Development in the north east of Brazil) has dismissed worries over proposed new restrictions on foreign nationals owning land.

Concerns over protection of Brazil’s natural resources led to President Lula da Silva reportedly calling upon ministers to tighten the laws on foreign ownership of land however ADIT President, Felipe Cavalcante, speaking with trade publication, OPP, commented that “these proposals only apply to agricultural land – any changes in the future would have no impact at all on people who have already invested in real estate.”  Read more... (699 words, 1 image, estimated 2:48 mins reading time)

Fancy owning a piece of Italian history or culture? Or maybe you fancy your own island off the coast of Sardinia or Venice? If you have the cash, you may be in luck as the Italian government is set to sell off around 9,000 properties.

Amongst the sale are palaces, beaches, islands and forts estimated to be worth in the region of $6 billion. Italy’s current debt is around $2.3 trillion.

Some of the highlights of the sale include:  Read more... (323 words, estimated 1:18 mins reading time)