Investing in the Baltic Tiger: What Has Estonia Got to Offer?
May 14, 2008
Estonia’s reputation is growing within the property investment market. Rising far above her new European neighbours in terms of infrastructure and growth, Estonia is fast becoming the Baltic’s very own ‘Tiger’ economy with a healthy growth rate of 5.5% in 2004. In fact, all the economic indicators are looking very positive with employment growing steadily last year in construction, transport and communications, areas that suggest a growing emphasis on attracting inward investment and a strong property development market.
All these factors have contributed to Estonia being ranked 28th in the IMD’s "World Competitiveness Yearbook" of 2004 and 6th place in the Heritage Foundation’s "Index of Economic Freedom" of 2004. The rankings are a further affirmation of Estonia’s positive economic development, which stands in contrast to many European states, which are now experiencing economic slowdowns.
The ‘interest war’ of early 2004, helped fast track thousands of Estonians onto the property ladder and the trend has continued. While interest rates are set to stabilise, the number of property transactions every year in Estonia is growing by on average 16 %. The current interest rates are 60% lower than they were three years ago, so it’s not surprising that home loans are at an all time high. Banks are offering mortgages for as little as 3%.
Buying A Holiday Home in Rural Ireland
May 14, 2008
Ireland has recently witnessed an upsurge in the number of investors buying holiday homes in some of the country’s most scenic areas. With stars like Jeremy Irons and Daniel Day-Lewis popping up in the quaint villages of West Cork, prices in many of these areas are at a premium. Kerry and West Cork, in particular, and the south coast in general, known as the Irish Riviera are attracting a steady flow of Britons and American’s. The majority of the British buyers are investing in a property to use as a holiday home with the intention of retiring to it in the future.
The south coast of Ireland tends to have a milder climate than the rest of Ireland, experiencing warm summers and milder winters brought in by the Gulf Stream current that flows past its shoreline. The climate, coupled with the breath-taking scenery and strong sense of heritage and culture, has made Cork an attractive location not only for Britons searching for a rural retirement idyll but also for the French and Dutch who have long been attracted to county.
The Irish Property Market - Expensive But Worth It?
May 13, 2008
Lying on the edge of Europe facing out to the Atlantic Ocean sits Ireland, one of Europe’s smallest countries and often described as ‘The Emerald Isle". A beautiful country characterised by vibrant, colourful cities and towns set amidst endless unspoilt green fields, Ireland is now officially the best place in the world to live. Combining increasing wealth with traditional values gives Ireland the conditions most likely to make its people happy, according to the Economist’s quality of life assessment for 2005.
Add to this its longstanding reputation for a green and clean environment and Ireland has become a very desirable place to live in. Already 60,000 Americans have claimed a piece of Irish soil as their own, planning to live out their days in the Celtic gem and many of our Europeans neighbours are following suit.
How to Buy Fixers for Profit
May 12, 2008
Do you dream of becoming a multi-millionaire real estate investor? Here’s how to get started: find a bargain “fixer-upper” owned by a worried seller. The hardest house for a homeowner to sell is a “doghouse,” “dump,” or “fixer-upper.” These run-down houses turn off most home buyers, who don’t have the money to cover the down payment, plus closing costs, new furniture, carpeting, appliances, roof repairs, and other deferred maintenance required to bring the home back into top condition.
As you look through the classified ads or at real estate listings, keep an eye out for terms like “handyman special,” “as is,” “fixer,” or other tell-tale phrase. Ask your buyer’s agent to list these words when scanning the Multiple Listing Service for you.
Why Home Sellers Accept Rock-Bottom Prices
Home owners’ troubles often keep them from staying on top of their home’s maintenance. Circumstances such as divorce, job loss, devastating illness, assorted addictions, or other personal problems quickly overcome distraught home owners, forcing them to sell. These home owners can’t keep up with monthly mortgage payments and/or repairs because of financial or physical limitations. When these troubles arise, their home becomes a low priority and sometimes goes into foreclosure.
How To Increase Your Homes Selling Price by $3,306.75 In The Next 33 Days
May 11, 2008
According to the Federal Housing Finance Board:… "As of October 2004, The U.S. national average purchase price for a single-family home reached $264,540." If your house is worth at least the U.S. average and you can add an additional 1.25% in value to your home’s selling price, you’d pocket an extra $3,306.75. Minor changes can really add up.
1) Know your market. If it’s down, consider holding on. If it’s up, consider selling. Markets like California and Boston have had a sky high price increases over the last few years. Can they keep going? Maybe. Figure out what’s really going on in your market and then sell if you think it’s peaked. Just because everyone is going into real estate in your local area doesn’t mean that you should be to. After all, a lot of the best investors only buy when things are out of favor. Your goal should not be to go with the crowd, your goal should be to maximize the amount of money that your house commands.
Conversation & The Real Estate Investor
May 10, 2008
One key that makes investors is conversation or should I say “The Art Of Conversation”.
All successful investors are skilled in conversation and I’m not talking about the investors that does 10, 20 or even 30 deal a year! I’m talking about the “BTO” Big Time Operator; The Big Dog’s slamming down 100 or more deals every year.
This is no discredit to any that do not fall in the arena with the “Big Dog’s”, but if you want to play with the “Big Boy’s” you must master the art of conversation!
Have you every wondered why you have not been able to get to the next level in your investing carrier it’s simply in your conversation as most professionals in real estate investing rise simply from respect from others. You need to develop this skill so that you can converse with any type of homeowner in any type of situation.
How do you improve this skill?
Get a micro cassette recorder and record your negations and review to improve.
Improve your self-confidence - By expressing your views, thoughts and all conversation in a positive and non- threatening manner.
Stay Motivated With REI Till The Deal Comes
May 9, 2008
I know many investors step into the game of real estate investing with high hopes of landing the deal that will turn their financial situation around and yes some do and this is not for you - this is for the investors still looking for that first deal!
The best way starting out in this business, staying motivated and sticking to real estate investing has to do with one big factor!
Keep your JOB - Yes you may be “Just Over Broke” but real estate investing comes with no guarantees of doing a deal in 30, 90, or 120 days as a matter of fact deals come and they go. real estate investing has its good times and it’s bad times!
You need a source of income and without it the likely hood of failure will soon follow!
Having a stable income is the number one goal to having financial well being and your mental and emotional well being also.
How to stay motivated in this game of real estate investing until you succeed can be a process but in the end the benefits of a successful real estate business outweigh the time from beginning to success.
Boston Real Estate - Interest Rates and Inventory Must be Analyzed when Selling Your Boston Home
May 9, 2008
When selling your Boston home, it’s good practice to be aware of what similar homes in your neighborhood have recently sold for. Recent comparable sales are not only what a good Boston real estate agent should use for guidance when pricing your home, but also what a bank appraiser will use if and when your buyer applies for a mortgage to buy your home.
(Keep in mind though, that very rarely will you find a perfect "comp" for your home. Unless the home next door to you sold yesterday and it was exactly the same house, there is no perfect comparable for your home. A good Boston real estate agent should be able to come up with a list of five to ten comparable properties that sold within six months of the date of analysis. Your agent should then be able to make adjustments for location, size, condition, and other variables to come up with an appropriate suggested asking price for you home.)
Real Estate Internet Marketing Is The Way To Go
May 8, 2008
Real estate Internet marketing is a booming business, along with all other forms of Internet businesses. Now, it seems that very little can’t be sold over the Internet. An estimated 20 million people shop online for things as diverse as airline tickets to vacation homes. Research firms estimate that online shopping exceeded $200 billion in 2003. They predict that the number of online shoppers could double in the coming years. With such huge numbers, it only makes sense to consider real estate Internet marketing.
Real estate Internet marketing makes perfect sense to the savvy real estate agent. A web site can promote not only the properties that you currently have, but also the services that you render. With a site of your own, you can not only sell your properties to local clients, often times, people considering a move from another state can view your offerings on online and have a good knowledge of the market before they step foot into it.
Victorian. Modern. Colonial. What?s Your Architectural Style?
May 7, 2008
You are attracted to a home for more than its number of bedrooms and square footage. Whether consciously or subconsciously, you are drawn to the individual character of a home. Part of what makes up that character is its architecture style.
During various periods of our history, different architectural styles were prevalent with builders. If you were to take a home tour around town, you can get a feel for when different neighborhoods were built based on the architecture of the homes. Today, many new homes incorporate different aspects of these styles on the exterior and interior.
The Queen Anne, Gothic Revival and Empire homes are all variations of the Victorian style. Popularized after the Civil War, these homes were most popular in the South and West. With its intricate shapes, elaborate trimming, and fish-scale shingles, these homes truly reflect the Victorian age. Inside, the homes are finely detailed with stained glass windows, elaborate trim and molding, and side-by-side entry doors. Other common elements are wraparound porches and bay windows.
Greek Revival-style homes were built during 1820-1850. Many of its elements represent the style of Greek Temples with columns, gable or double-sloping roofs, and pediments over windows and doors. The windows are usually square and rectangular with fan windows over the entryways. The interiors are symmetrical as well, with detailed woodwork and baseboards.
