Investors who have been keeping an eye on the foreign property market news of late - and particularly news from Europe.
April 27, 2007 (Press Release) --
Investors who have been keeping an eye on the foreign property market news of late - and particularly news from Europe - will have noticed that commentators are advising them to avoid some of the places previously considered "investment hotspots". Spain, for instance, has seen rising prices in recent years that has made it increasingly difficult for British property investors to snap up a bargain.
Similarly, parts of eastern Europe were much vaunted in the last few years as places where the canny investor could make a killing. While it is true that countries such as Bulgaria enjoy good weather and have plenty of tourist-friendly attractions - such as long, clean beaches - the fact is that the holiday market in this and other former eastern bloc countries is as yet undeveloped, meaning that the buy-to-let investor for one cannot rely on a steady stream of income from holidaymakers.
At the same time, locals have been quick to react to the influx of foreign investment by raising property prices themselves. While this initial fed fuel to reports of property prices tripling in the space of a year, it has turned into something that makes an eastern European investment prohibitive for many investors, who do not want to pay an artificially high price for something that they cannot guarantee will be rented out year-round - or resold for a healthy profit in years to come.
One country that is attracting more interest of late is France. Recently declared the nation with the best quality of life in the world by International Living magazine, France is also benefiting from laws that allow foreign investors to avoid paying VAT on their purchase if they do not resell the property for 11 years. A further advantage of buying a property in France is that it can be let out to a management company who will guarantee a steady year-round income. Although the rate they pay will be below full market value at peak times, this is offset by the fact that the property will still be generating income in the off-season.
Potential investors may also be interested to learn that France has recently gone on a "charm offensive" in attempting to sell the attractions of a French holiday to foreigners that may not have previously considered a vacation there, thus expanding the tourist base. In Japan, the French government tourist office - known as Maison de la France - is running a campaign alongside iconic French companies such as Peugeot and winemakers from the Cotes du Rhone. Japanese tourists are being tempted withy the tagline "A treat for me: the French lifestyle".
Tourists from the Middle East are also being targeted in a sustained campaign called the France Travel Road Show. Passing through Kuwait, the road show will also take in countries such as Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan in an effort to show the attractions of France to people that may never have considered them before.
Similarly, parts of eastern Europe were much vaunted in the last few years as places where the canny investor could make a killing. While it is true that countries such as Bulgaria enjoy good weather and have plenty of tourist-friendly attractions - such as long, clean beaches - the fact is that the holiday market in this and other former eastern bloc countries is as yet undeveloped, meaning that the buy-to-let investor for one cannot rely on a steady stream of income from holidaymakers.
At the same time, locals have been quick to react to the influx of foreign investment by raising property prices themselves. While this initial fed fuel to reports of property prices tripling in the space of a year, it has turned into something that makes an eastern European investment prohibitive for many investors, who do not want to pay an artificially high price for something that they cannot guarantee will be rented out year-round - or resold for a healthy profit in years to come.
One country that is attracting more interest of late is France. Recently declared the nation with the best quality of life in the world by International Living magazine, France is also benefiting from laws that allow foreign investors to avoid paying VAT on their purchase if they do not resell the property for 11 years. A further advantage of buying a property in France is that it can be let out to a management company who will guarantee a steady year-round income. Although the rate they pay will be below full market value at peak times, this is offset by the fact that the property will still be generating income in the off-season.
Potential investors may also be interested to learn that France has recently gone on a "charm offensive" in attempting to sell the attractions of a French holiday to foreigners that may not have previously considered a vacation there, thus expanding the tourist base. In Japan, the French government tourist office - known as Maison de la France - is running a campaign alongside iconic French companies such as Peugeot and winemakers from the Cotes du Rhone. Japanese tourists are being tempted withy the tagline "A treat for me: the French lifestyle".
Tourists from the Middle East are also being targeted in a sustained campaign called the France Travel Road Show. Passing through Kuwait, the road show will also take in countries such as Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan in an effort to show the attractions of France to people that may never have considered them before.
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