The Housing Administration of Turkey, more commonly referred to as TOKI is a great organization that helps low income individuals find the funding they need in order to buy a house. TOKI is in charge of many housing development projects in Turkey right now aimed at helping people who need it the most.

TOKI is greatly beneficial for people seeking to buy their own home in Turkey right now. With many very large development projects in the works, TOKI is “where it’s at” when it comes to development in Turkey for the average person.

This program works by helping low-income individuals and families obtain bank loans in order to buy a home and hopefully in the future obtain a mortgage on a home.

In order to implement these changes in housing development in Turkey, TOKI will endorse several programs and projects with the intention of helping deserving individuals get off the ground in the world of home ownership. Some of these projects include:

- Ensuring housing development follows a certain set of guidelines.
- Creating homes where they are most needed and private sector groups fail to build.
- Creating quality homes of a set standard.
- Putting a stop to the growth of slums.

As you can see, TOKI has taken a lot on their plates when it comes to housing development, but their aspirations are noteworthy and should produce favorable results for all those involved. For instance, in April, a conference was held by TOKI that allowed housing developers and individuals learn about this exciting new opportunity.

When poverty is a national crisis and low-income workers are forced to live in homes that are filled with pestilence and unhealthy living conditions, TOKI decided to stand up and make a change. Rather than sitting idly by and watching as families become disenfranchised and discouraged by their lot in life, TOKI takes those who need assistance and lifts them to their feet. And what material possession can bring a larger sense of pride and self worth than a home?

TOKI believes it is every person’s right to have a home of their own in a safe and stable neighborhood that is free of health hazards and risks. Their latest projects are striving to do just that and hopefully, with both developers and individuals in agreement, a really wonderful change can begin to show itself in the Turkey housing field.

Recently I received an email claiming that a certain promoter had been offered over $10,000,000 for his exclusive program by “a guru”. So I did a little research. (Its amazing what you can find online.) Unfortunately I am having a real hard time believing that this is accurate. The program promoted claims that it can put $10,000 or more in your pocket in 10 days. The sales material says that it usually costs about $500, but you can buy the kit now for only $39.95. Pretty sweet deal huh? Do you have any problem with this scenario? It seems to me that if this individual could in fact make one sale to the Guru for the same amount of money that he would make selling 300,000 of his kits, that he would opt for the one sale. I would have. I’m betting you would too. Let me save you the $40.

My research indicates that the program taught is one of the oldest methods for making money with real estate that there is. Much of the promotional material tells you what the program is not. Well, then let me tell you what I believe it is. It is a simple process usually accomplished by what is called simultaneous closings. Here’s the condensed version.

1. You find a deal that you can buy for less than you know you can sell it for.

2. You put the deal under contract with the ability to assign the contract.

3. You sell your interest in the contract for the difference between your purchase price and the amount of total investment the new buyer is willing to make.

4. The deal closes and you keep your spread.

Its not rocket science. This is same concept that is applied using various techniques. In one case an individual may use a lease/purchase option. In another they may just use an option to buy. In both of these cases their documents need to allow for an assignment of interest. Another way is to have a special deal allowing this with the seller. This is problematic.

There have been problems with breach of real estate licensing laws in a few states where individuals have received an agreement from a seller that establishes a price the seller will take, and allowing an individual to sell the property at a higher price and keep the difference. I believe that the problem with this structure is that it produces an agency relationship between the seller and person originating the agreement. It is obvious from numerous lawsuits that there are a number of regulatory groups that share that opinion. If the individual attempting this process is a licensed real estate professional then this structure constitutes what is known as a “net listing” which is specifically prohibited in most states.

So there you have it, straight up and to the point. Can this form of real estate investment work. Sure, it’s possible. Just take the time to do it right and keep it legal. Like any specific limited-use technique this process can provide for opportunity. Just recognize that it does so only in a greatly restricted number of cases. It is good to add it to your tool box, but don’t count on it to build the house for you. Wise real estate investment and operation requires that investors learn everything they can about the business. Only in this way can they recognize opportunities available and have the overall skill set to capitalize on them. Remember what Earl Nightingale said: “A great occasion is worth to a man only what his preparation enables him to make of it.” So get prepared for your opportunities and be successful. Good luck in your career.

I devised this exercise some years ago when I needed to find a new home. I'd just attended a workshop on creating your own reality and was greatly taken with what I'd learned so I carefully noted down everything I wanted in my dream home and then set about trying to find it.

No one was more astonished than I when a few weeks later I was offered a house to rent that not only ticked every box -- when I checked my blueprint I saw I had inadvertently written down 'telephone line' twice, and the house had two telephone lines running to it. This is a powerful exercise!

The technique can be used for a range of possibilities but, for the purposes of the illustration, I've chosen a dream home.

You will need some paper and a pen or pencil and, initially, an hour or so of uninterrupted time. But this is an on-going exercise, something you can keep adding to until you're completely satisfied with the end result.

What's crucial to success is identifying the limiting beliefs most of us hold that we can't have what we want, that we don't deserve it, that it's not possible. That's the hard part -- but help is at hand.

Start by writing 'My Dream Home' in the centre of the page and drawing around it a circle, a heart, whatever takes your fancy. Now you're going to sketch in lines leading out from the centre, like a star burst, and write down all the things you want in your dream home.

You can start by writing down basics like electricity and gas supply, mains sewerage, telephone line, or you can assume those are going to be there anyway. Are you going to own this home or rent it? Write down things like 'freehold' or 'good landlord' and 'affordable rent'. Do you like sleek and modern or something more traditional? Is it important that your home is well insulated, has central heating, double glazed windows? Write that down.

How many bedrooms will it have? And why do you want that number? If you want one as an office or a workroom, could you as easily have a dining room that doubles up? Are you trying to fill your needs for both now and in the longer term? Is this home going to last you forever or are you creating something for now, knowing that as your needs change you'll be able to create another dream home? (You're going to have to answer an awful lot of questions to get clear about what you want, but it's going to be worth it. You can't get what you want until you get clear about what you want.) When you're quite clear about how many bedrooms write it down.

Do you want a separate dining room and kitchen or would you prefer them combined? Write it down. What kind of kitchen do you want? What will it have in it? Washing machine? Tumble dryer? Would you prefer a separate utility room? Write it down. Do you love cooking or are you someone who does the absolute minimum on that front? Will you need lots of equipment or very little? A breakfast bar or the kind of large kitchen table that everyone can sit around?

This is your dream you're creating here and you make up the rules as you go along. If you find yourself thinking 'I'll never be able to afford that,' keep reminding yourself this is a game, this is a dream you're creating ... for now! This is what I mean by letting down your walls of belief. Doing this exercise not only helps you get clear about what you like and what you want, it also helps you get in touch with those beliefs that stop you being who you really are and getting what you really want. The more work you do on this the greater are your chances of success because you're also working on your subconscious, giving it encouraging affirmations, wiping the old negative tapes and replacing them with new, positive ones.

When you get to the point where you've had enough for now, stop. You're doing some really hard work here and you need to acknowledge that. We're generally much better at quantifying physical work than mental effort and it's important not to overdo things at this stage otherwise you'll end up exhausted, especially at the beginning. Put it to one side and come back to it later but try and set aside a brief time each day, or perhaps three times a week, to keep working on your blueprint.

As your vision grows start imagining yourself in your dream home, walking around it, looking at each room. How do you feel? Are you comfortable? Does it reflect who you are, who you'd like to be? What colours predominate? Lush, rich colours or something more subtle? Are there carpets, wooden floors, rugs and runners? Is it full of things, a cosy, family home or is it elegant and minimalist? What do the doors look like, the walls, the lights? If you change your mind about something as your vision develops that's fine. Just change it on your blueprint. It doesn't matter how messy it gets. You can always do a neater version as you get more clarity.

Are there any absolute essentials you couldn't live without? Do you need to be near public transport, within easy reach of the shops, close to people you care for or care about? Would you prefer to be out in the countryside or in the middle of a town? Are you passionate about the sea and dream of living within sight of it? Don't listen to the voice that says 'in your dreams'. Write it down. Is your dream home somewhere hot and sunny, a retirement home abroad, perhaps? Just put yourself in that place, imagine it, smell the scents, see the colours and create your home in the local style.

Is there anyone else to take into consideration, other members of the family, family pets? It's probably easier to do this exercise if you're doing it just for you but I'm assuming your dream home will accommodate what family you have so I guess you might have to make a few compromises. If a husband needs a garden shed to take refuge in, a garage to store assorted paraphernalia, build it into your blueprint. If the kids need somewhere to store their bikes, if the rabbit needs some grass, put it all down. Is there a dog that needs exercising -- do you need to be near to a common area?

Do you want a garden? How big will it be? Who's going to maintain it? Will there be hedges, fences, walls? Are you bothered about being overlooked, about privacy or would you be happy having neighbours you can chat to over the fence? Will there be a vegetable plot or just flowers and shrubs -- what kind? Put it all down.

Something that needs to emerge through doing this exercise is a sense of responsibility for what you're creating -- and that's a tricky one. On the one hand I'm saying 'go for whatever your want' while on the other I'm saying 'you have to take responsibility for what you create'. But there's no point in dreaming up a home like something out of Footballers' Wives if you've got small children which means you'll have to cover up the swimming pool and spend all your time picking up their toys in a vast garden.

It doesn't make sense to want a large garden with a vegetable patch if no one in the family has ever picked up a trowel, or to want an elegant, minimalist home you've seen in a classy magazine when you know you're really untidy and perfectly happy with that. You need to be realistic. This dream home has to be in line with your values and what you want out of life.

Keep working on your blueprint until you're confident you've covered every possible detail. Then start putting energy into moving towards that dream. What are you going to need to do to move you closer? What are you going to have to let go of?

The most important consequence of doing this exercise is gaining clarity about who you are and what you want. We so often spend our lives vaguely dissatisfied, not sure what we want but quite sure that we don't want what we've got. Ultimately you may end up taking a few tiny steps to bring your dream into reality -- clearing out stuff you no longer need, changing the use of a room from, say, a bedroom into a workroom or office. Or you might move on in huge leaps and acquire exactly what you wished for (even down to that second telephone line

Have you considered building a home lately? Many people believe that a stagnating housing market points to rough financial times ahead so they tighten their belts and put their wallets away.

What most people don’t know is that a cooling market means cheaper building materials, cheaper labor, and faster construction times.

Housing for low-income wage earners is more affordable than it was just a few months ago. The prices for most kinds of building materials are falling which is great news for owner builders.

The housing market is taking a huge down turn. While that is bad news for the economy in general, it does create an advantage for those with low income who wish to build a home. That means that the prices for lumber, cement, and everything else is going down.

Wafer board has already dropped by about four dollars a sheet in the last few months. I predict it will reach a low of around ten dollars in the spring unless the housing market turns sharply around. It's a fantastic time to be building your own home. The housing boom has been healthy for the economy, but not very good for those of us wanting to buy materials for a home.

Now it's good for us and it will get even better.

As a rule of thumb, I always consider the price of wafer board to be a good indicator of the over all price of building materials. It is used for many different things in home construction.

For those people who don’t want to try to build their own home, the opportunity is still there because as the housing market slows down, there will be many contractors willing to work for less money. The availability of experienced contractors will increase in the months ahead.

Affordable large home building projects have the advantage of serving a greater amount of people at once without sacrificing quality. This is exactly what is currently being implemented in the country of Turkey, where prospective homeowners are given options in their home loan choices.

Essentially, in prior years, Turkey had not been able to meet the demand of those requiring homes at affordable prices. Likewise, there were issues of sprawling slums, down and out neighborhoods and poor living conditions in the cheap homes that were available. But now, new affordable large home building projects are being utilized to serve the greater communities of Turkey and bring them the quality lifestyle they deserve.

Without affordable large home building projects, the average person of lower income is forced to live in unhealthy conditions, with pestilence, crime and all other sorts of nuisances in or around their homes. These new development projects will help raise the living standard in Turkey and allow more people to obtain the funding they need to buy the home they’ve always dreamt of.

It is easy to see how these new affordable large home building projects will benefit the masses. For instance, no longer will people be able to take advantage of the average worker just because their income falls within a lower bracket. Likewise, less people will have to suffer the indignity of living in slums that are owned and operated by greedy individuals. Finally, families will be able to purchase homes in good neighborhoods at decent prices. It really doesn’t get much simpler than that.

Specifically, an organization called TOKI is taking the bull by the horns and guiding these new affordable large home building projects in Turkey. TOKI is committed to the preservation of a high living standard for all and the promise that everyone deserves to have a roof over their heads without paying an arm and a leg for it. It is because of organizations like TOKI that those who suffer the most economically will soon be able to feel like any other person in the country with a quality home and a quality lifestyle at their fingertips.

Now that you know just what the latest home development projects will entail, you can learn how you can become a part of the action. Just visit www.KONUTKREDILERI.com and a whole host of opportunities will present themselves to you. Learn how you can be the proud owner of an affordable home in Turkey today!

With several big residential development projects in Turkey just getting off of the ground, you will surely be able to find a home that’s perfect for you!

Residential housing is becoming more and more difficult to come by these days. As the population grows, affordable housing becomes harder to locate and much more difficult to obtain. Luckily, big residential development projects in Turkey will change all of that.

With houses popping up left and right, you can now be a proud owner of a brand new home. All you need is good home loan or mortgage and you’ll be well on your way to unpacking your bags and settling in for a lifetime!

It would be next to impossible to buy a home outright these days, with home prices skyrocketing. Real estate is a very lucrative business. While this is good for the realtors, it’s not so good for the average person who must work long hours each and every day just to pay their rent!

Big residential development projects in Turkey are now making it so more people can own their own homes. Wouldn’t you like to be one of those lucky people? All you need to do is visit your local mortgage broker or bank loan officer to find out what your options are. Here is a list of some major residential development projects in Turkey. The first column is the name of the project and the second one give the estimated number of residence expected to be finished for the project.

Green building is a design process that grows out of a connection with the natural landscape. It is a set of informed decisions that considers the site and materials to reduce the cost, maintenance, and energy usage of the home. Conservation is central to the green building approach. Green homes are healthier, safer, more comfortable, and cost less to operate. They connect people to the land and community around them. Here are seven green building ideas:

Build a passive solar design.

Passive solar design for natural heating and cooling is practiced throughout the world under all climate conditions. As energy costs rise, it is critical to use building orientation, window placements, stone floors, roof overhangs, reflective barriers and other techniques to control natural solar energy.

In warm climates, face the broad side of the house to the north or south, to avoid excessive heat gain as the sun rises and drops in the horizon. Use deep overhangs or solar screens to shield glass areas from direct sun. Avoid skylights or greenhouse rooms, because they allow too much heat gain.

In colder climates, solar heat can be captured and stored in materials such as concrete or stone to be slowly released during the evening.

An open floor plan optimizes the effect of passive solar heating or cooling.

Doors and windows should be placed to catch the prevailing breeze and allow cross ventilation. Lower inflow windows and higher outflow windows keeps air moving, as hot air rises.

A thermal chimney uses a hot zone, such as a glass cupola with windows or vents, to create rising air currents to pull air through the building.

Double glass panes provide an insulating air space between the panes, reducing heat transfer.

The metal oxide coating on Low-E (emissive) glass helps to keep solar heat out, and interior heat in.

Ventilate attic spaces.

In hot climates, attic spaces can accumulate heat, transferring it to living areas below. AC ducts located in the attic will absorb this heat.

In cold climates, moisture can accumulate in unventilated attic spaces, causing wood rot or mold.

Continuous eave and roof ridge vents will create natural air flow through the attic. Air enters through the eave vents, and moves out through the ridge vents. As heated air rises, it ventilates the attic.

Lighter colored roof materials absorb less heat.

Reflective heat barriers on the underside of the roof deck help to reduce heat gain.

High levels of insulation in attics and exterior walls is crucial for comfortable indoor temperature in all climates.

Some research is being done on building sealed, highly insulated attics.

Optimize your heat and AC systems.

An oversized system will cool too quickly, and leave the room clammy. Smaller systems run long enough reach the desired temperature, and, at the same time, clear the air of humidity.

A smaller system lasts longer, does not cycle on and off frequently, and costs less to purchase.

Check for leaks in duct work joints, and around windows, doors, attic stairs, exhaust pipes, recessed lights, and electric outlets. Ongoing maintenance of central air systems is necessary to prevent air loss.

Use programmable thermostats to regulate your energy usage.

Use Pleated-Media Filters in AC return-air grills. This filter removes particles as small as mold spores from the air that is drawn back into the AC blower, keeping coils cleaner and improving the air quality in your home.

Heat pumps on electric furnaces reduce energy use by drawing heat from outside air, using the same technology that air conditioners use to remove heat from indoor air.

Check with your utility provider for free diagnostic testing and rebates for high efficiency AC systems, insulation, solar screens, and weather-stripping.

Reduce water needs.

Native landscaping that is suited to the rainfall in your area is fundamental to building green.

Keep as much native growth on your lot as possible.

Water pervious materials such as crushed granite or open paving blocks allow water to percolate into the ground.

Rainwater catchment systems use gutters and barrels to catch and store water that falls on roofs.

Front loading washing machines use less energy and water. Some dishwashers use less water and have no-heat drying. Check water and energy usage before buying appliances.

Low flow toilets and shower heads reduce water usage.

One man’s problem could be another man’s prosperity. For instance, the current housing market is witnessing an increase in the number of distressed homes for sale, opening up vast opportunities to the savvy buyer who takes full advantage of market conditions. A distressed property could be the best value for home buyers such as you while helping pressured owners become freed from a heavy burden. Let’s take a look at what distressed properties are and what the benefits of buying such a home could be for you.

Home foreclosure rates are on the rise and not expected to drop anytime soon. Higher mortgage payments, increased fuel expenditures and other factors are pushing a larger number of homeowners into the distressed seller category. These other factors can include:

Divorce
Death
Poor Health
Job Loss
A Myriad of Other Reasons
Together, once dutiful home owners are finding it difficult if not impossible to keep up with their mortgage payments. Therefore, within a three to four months timeframe a homeowner could see their home foreclosed.

One way that distressed property owners can avoid foreclosure is to attempt to sell their home before things totally spiral out of their control. In a soft real estate market, a distressed homeowner could find themselves selling a home for a price well below its value. However, this could still be an attractive option for the seller as the responsibility for paying for the house would be removed from their hands. For the buyer, a distressed home means paying less than market value and gaining a home that they possibly could not have been able to afford under normal market conditions.

In most cases distressed property isn’t the same as a fixer-upper but it could be. Likely, the current owner had been keeping up with maintenance, but recently fell upon hard times that have triggered the “sell now, before foreclosure later” action on their part. If the home has been neglected all along, a distressed property may not be the value you think that it could be especially if much needed repairs must be done. If that should be the case, your so-called “deal” could end up being no deal at all.

A distressed property seller may be more receptive to allowing you to pay a reduced price for their home if you negotiate the deal apart from a realtor. Usually, this type of seller is featuring their home on a For Sale By Owner {FSBO} site in the hopes of saving themselves the cost of realtor fees.

When dealing with a distressed property seller, sympathy and understanding on your part can go a long way toward clinching the deal. Chances are the current owner is embarrassed about their financial plight and doesn’t want to be too forthcoming about what lead up to their current troubles. Be prepared to close on the deal as soon as possible, therefore a pre-approval letter from a respected mortgage lender is essential to helping you secure the distressed property.

The subsequent few months in the process of constructing a new Miami real estate home could prove to be quite an overwhelming and time consuming task. One must realize how difficult it is, if not impossible, to ascertain that the whole venture is going to proceed smoothly, without too many hang-ups.

When buying a home in the Miami real estate market while it is under construction one must be aware of some key notes. First, the contract of purchase and sale must be clear and elaborate enough in delineating the buyer’s expectations. Hence, it must describe the specifications as well as the details of the materials used and labor employed that will satisfy one’s buying agreement. These forms of agreement are designed to provide an enforceable agreement between the selling developer and the buyer.

If the Miami real estate developer requests for a deposit or down payment make certain that the payment is going to be deposited into a trust account because if the agreement should default, return of the deposit to the payee is imperative. On the other hand, if the Miami real estate developer wishes to hold the deposit as a stake holder, it may be more difficult to have it returned. In addition to the standard contract of purchase and sale, one should also include a sheet for specifications and the plans for the house. Building contracts are quite long, complex documents and both the selling builder and buyer should obtain legal advice prior to engaging into a building contract.

Insist that before the date of turn-over, both parties should conduct a walk-through of the property. Make sure that all the work is completed as agreed upon. At this moment, both the buyer and the seller should sign and date the list. Both parties should procure copies of it.

In a slower Miami housing market, buyers are not eager to take risks, and therefore are less willing to purchase houses with problems. The reason is that buyers are less disposed to repair damages, even minor ones, after they buy a house.

Whatever needs to get fixed has to be repaired before the house goes on the market. That implies that sooner is better than later because with a slowing Miami housing market, the first house on the block that is listed for sale has an upper hand in the competition.

Sellers usually miss many of the things that will capture the attention of the buyer when they do get a house ready for sale; especially the home inspector or other professional that a buyer employs to make a point that the house he or she is purchasing is worth the dollars being spent.

A possible way that one might get around such trouble is obtaining a pre-inspection before listing a house for sale on the Miami housing market. This would ensure that all the minor details a buyer may notice will be covered, especially for the reason that homeowners usually overlook these details by forgetting to see their homes through a buyer’s lens. What this entails is taking a professional home inspector into service in order to come up with a list of stuff that the buyer's inspector might hit upon after the house is on the Miami housing market. Taking an action of knowing these beforehand might render the chance to correct them in advance, thus causing the transaction to proceed much more smoothly. Furthermore, you would be virtually ensured that your asking price won't be cut down because of roof replacements or a new heating and cooling system, for instance.

Nevertheless, depending upon where they are coming from, two inspectors could view your house in completely differently ways, and their lists could have just a few similarities as a consequence. For example, one home inspector that a first home-buyer may notice mold behind a wall in the second-floor bathroom and the condition of a roof that calls for replacement, while another home inspector hired by a second buyer may notice the mold as well but sees the roof to be in pretty good shape. This is a very typical example, and one that admonishes the seller of the different opinions that could arise from different home inspectors. Therefore, even if hiring a home inspector your own home inspector to check up your own house, it does not necessarily follow that he sees the same faults as another inspector that a prospective buyer might employ does. Two different sets of eyes don't necessarily see the same thing. Although hiring one for yourself can give you a worthy guide to start working on the aspects of your home that obviously does need some fixing.

Real estate agents are generally polarized with regards to their opinions about pre-inspections. Some agents do not encourage this idea, but other do because it means that sellers can get a head start on the problem and get the house quickly sold on the Miami housing market, which is becoming a buyer’s market as of the latter part of the third quarter of 2006.

A New Slant on Affordable Housing

Question: I have had a terrible time finding a place to live since I moved to Summit County. How in the world can anyone afford to live and work in places like Aspen where it is even more expensive than Summit?

Answer: Great question. Mountain resort communities in Colorado generally have affordable housing as a top item on their agendas. Here’s an interesting solution that has come out of Aspen. The Aspen City Council just approved a plan to buy a 1950’s chalet within the city limits for $3.5 million. It is a 2100 square foot house on a 6,000 square foot lot and it will be designated as an addition to its worker housing pool.

The plan is to put an additional $1.3 million into the property with the addition of two “carriage houses” to create 4 housing units, one of which may be sold in the open market. According the Aspen Daily News in an article by Curtis Wackerle, this potentially represents the largest housing subsidy in the city’s history. According to the article, the city is apparently mulling a number of options for the economic breakdown of the deal.

In Aspen, it’s not just affordable housing that is an issue. With extensive re-development in the core of the city and commercial rents skyrocketing, it has become impossible for some low-revenue businesses to keep their doors open. The town is in danger of loosing the Explore Bookstore, the Aspen Drug, Ajax Bike Shop, the Red Onion restaurant and the Isis Movie Theater. The only gas station in Snowmass is having difficulty staying open as they cannot find a location where they can afford to stay in business.

Lower end retailers and restaurateurs are in danger of being run out by sky-high rents and high-end retailers. Restaurants, with notoriously low profit margins and large staffs, lose out to jewelry shops that need to employ only a few people to sell $10,000 necklaces.

One of the options that the town is looking at is to create tax breaks, rent-subsidies or for the town to step into an ownership position in order for smaller businesses to keep their doors open. For the locals, it’s a real problem. They feel very strongly that the flavor of the town is being lost and their favorite hang-outs are disappearing. Many feel that unless there is intervention by the town, there will be no place to sit down and order an affordable beer and a hamburger, there will be movie theaters to enjoy the latest movies and no browsing for books in their favorite bookstore.

According to an article in The Aspen Times, the City Council called a six-month emergency moratorium on new building permits in the commercial core. The moratorium will limit the ability for retail spaces to convert from one use to another. City officials say the moratorium is necessary so the council can address what many perceive as the continued erosion of town character. Tips for Securing a Vacant House

Question: I just bought a vacation home in Breckenridge and it is going to be empty for much of the year. Do you have any suggestions for keeping the property secure? Answer: According to an article in The Charlotte Observer by Dan Tierney, if your home is going to be empty for the winter or even just the holiday season, here are some suggestions from police officers for keeping that property secure and discouraging intruders:

There is no denying the appeal of Thailand – from a travel and tourism perspective, from a retiree perspective and theoretically from a property investor’s perspective. The country is under priced, it is stunningly beautiful, it has increasing numbers of visitors annually and slowly but surely it is building up an international retiree community…however, a great deal of the nation’s investment appeal has been taken away from the market for a number of reasons.

Firstly the government does not want short term speculation in any of its investment markets and this includes the property market. As a result there are very strict restrictions in place preventing an investor from owning land in Thailand for example or from owning over 49% of any particular development. There are of course ways around this restriction such as the use of a well structured Thailand special purpose company (or SPV) but for smaller or one time only investors the fact that you have to enter into legal contracts over and above those to buy property limits and reduces the appeal of Thailand property as an investment commodity. Furthermore, the knowledge that you’re investing in a country where the government is not too happy for investors to derive a good income or strong profits makes investors wary of commitment in case policies change in the future and make it harder for them to take their investment gains out of the country.

Secondly the Thai economy, just like many in Asia, is currently directly affected by the Chinese manipulation of their currency - and in a bid to remain competitive Thailand has recently had to exact incredibly strict controls on inward investment to prevent their currency from rising. This has of course helped Thai exporters – as was the desire of the government – but it has not helped the appeal of Thailand as a good location in which to invest. While the property industry is not affected by the new measures it has sent a shockwave through the international investment community who are concerned about what could happen next.

So – why are we even discussing property investment in Thailand I hear you ask!

Well, because there is just SO much appeal in Thailand.

Firstly, as previously stated there is demand for property in Thailand from many sectors and this demand is actually increasing. On the one hand there is residential demand in the main employment centres in terms of rental and resale property, there is massive tourism demand for accommodation across the nation and this is increasing annually, there is even huge commercial demand for property and because in recent history the levels of investment in Thailand have been relatively low there is actually an undersupply in many quarters representing instant investment appeal.

Add to this the fact that the real estate industry in Thailand is now actively taking it upon itself to promote the delights and opportunities available in Thailand and lobby the government for amendments to rules affecting investors and you could quite possibly have reached a perfect time to enter the market in Thailand with very carefully researched purchases that you are willing to hold for the long term.

There are definite and definable risks and rewards for a property investor in Thailand. It’s just up to the individual to decide which outweighs the other and make their decisions accordingly. Ultimately there is much to be gained from property in Thailand over the long term but investors should be aware that this is not a market for short term focus nor is it a market for amateurs.

UK house prices are continuing to rise just as the world is opening up to the global market place. This means that more and more people are searching overseas for foreign property investment. Foreign property investment is seen as a cheaper and easier way to make money than the UK house market, and is allowing more people to become involved in overseas property. However, there are things that you should consider before deciding on foreign property investment. Apart from regular mortgage concerns, you also need to look at the factors for each country you are considering purchasing property in. Here are some tips about foreign property investment to get you started in the overseas property market.

Why choose property abroad?

Going into foreign property investment used to be rare, but it is now something that many people are looking into. This is because buying property overseas is generally cheaper than the prices in the UK. Also, the weather and standards of living are often better for many people, meaning that you can get a beautiful property for much less than in the UK with the added bonus of great scenery and weather. It is generally a little easier to make money through foreign property investment, although like all investment it is a risky practice.

Differences in legal matters

One thing you need to consider when choosing a country for your overseas property investment is the difference in local laws to the UK. You might know what the laws and regulations are for property investment within the UK, but these might be quite different abroad. Some countries have tough restrictions on foreigners buying property, and so you need to check this out before looking for a property. A good place to get information from others who have bought property in a country is through an investment property forum. One of the best investment property forums around is www.singingpig.com. Make sure you know the legal issues so that you don’t get into unforeseen trouble after you have purchased your overseas property.

Country and currency factors

Two other things you should think about are the country you want to choose and the currency you want to borrow money in to pay for the property. The country you choose all depends on what sort of property you are looking for and the budget you want. Generally, try and pick a country from an emerging market, but make sure the country is stable enough in terms of security and economy to make the investment less risky. In terms of borrowing money, it might be cheaper to borrow in that country’s currency, although it depends on the exchange rate. If their currency fluctuates a lot up and down, then borrowing in UK sterling might be a better idea. Some of the best markets to look at right now are the new entrants to the EU. These countries have proven their stability by being allowed into the body of the EU, yet house prices are still relatively low. With these countries having economies that are improving all the time, they are a good bet for foreign property investment.

Real estate investing: contract clauses' is an important topic to learn for real estate investors, because if you do not know the essentials of the clauses then your contract will not produce desirable results when presented before a listed broker. This is why what you learn from home study course is not very useful because it teaches you seminar type of drafting. Instead, real estate brokers like use of standard agreement because it is more in the favor of brokers rather than you. However, here you need to use your skills to change the standard format of agreement so that you are not at the disadvantage.

For the property buyers, here is some important real estate investing: contract clauses.

“And/or Nominees” or “And/or Assigns”:

If you put the word "And/or assigns" with your name, you will get the right of assigning your contract, which as a buyer you would always wish to have. However, the word "And/or nominees" is not as wide, yet it allows you to assign the title to any trust. One important point to remember here is that the real estate investing: contract clauses must not have any anti assignment provision. If there is any such clause, then you must cross it out.

Inspection Clause:

You must make it sure that you can perform a thorough inspection before a stipulated date and no professional inspector is needed for the purpose. If after inspection you find that the things are not in shape and the seller is neither interested in fixing problems nor he is ready for price reduction, then you should have the liberty of canceling the contract.

Right to Extend:

Most of the real estate investing: contract clauses have a definite date for closing. Any delay can make you defaulter. To avoid this kind of situation add clauses like "on or about June 1st". Nobody is sure about its meaning. However, one thing is sure that it gives you a little extra time. Alternatively, you can include an extension clause for 30 days by paying mortgage amount of one month to the seller.