Property Investment

2009 – A Property Investment Review

Article by Colin Murphy

Well, we’re almost at the end of 2009 and what a year it’s been eh? I’ve been running through the major political, economic and industry events over the past 12 months in my head and it can be quite overwhelming.It seems certain that there will be a bigger than usual selection of newspaper supplements covering this years major elections, bailouts, budgets, bankruptcies, protests, weather disruptions and goodness knows what else.For what it’s worth, I’ll be digesting the views of The Economist, The Irish Times & The FT on these issues over the next few days as the Torcana team takes a well earned break from our day jobs.

2009 – A Property Investment Review

Before we do though, I’d like to give my own opinion on the changes I’ve seen in the property investment markets this year, plus a preview of the types of products we will be promoting from January onwards.

Pretty much every property market has had a turbulent and record breaking year in some shape or form over the past 12 months, and a range of books (authoritative and otherwise) will no doubt be published about them in the new year. The following countries are the ones I’ve been paying most attention to.Ireland is certainly one of the worst affected. Sometimes that can lead to incredible opportunities, but sadly, I’ve no intention of investing any money in Irish property in 2010. Prices have fallen, but nowhere near enough, and the oversupply of very average quality apartments throughout the country is quite shocking. Yields are low, financing is difficult to get and the outlook is highly uncertain.Spain is no better unfortunately and its banks and developers seem hell bent on using their energy and resources to convince us that the market is levelling out and that prices are stabilising. The truth is the opposite and the unwillingness of these vested interests to take some tough medicine is forcing the entire economy into a slow and painful decline.The UK is home to a more diverse and interesting property market than either of the above. I see real value in well built city centre apartments in places like Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. In London, indisputably one of the worlds great cities, a huge range of commercial and residential assets changed hands during the year. This trend of long term investing at discounted rates will continue in 2010 and the newly incorporated Torcana UK Ltd intends to source and broker a wide range of investments for our clients.Emerging Markets have suffered more than most this year. With the notable exceptions of Brazil, India and China their governments did not have the fiscal capacity to stimulate their economies and foreign direct investment all but evaporated. Both local and foreign property owners were faced with dramatic falls in property prices, and a shattered mortgage market that was previously dominated by foreign owned banks who had recklessly contributed to the property bubble. Many of these countries will successfully reinvent themselves as green investment hubs and manufacturing specialists, but I fear the days of significant Irish & British property investment are gone for at least 5-7 years.The USA is a vast country that has probably done more than any other to stimulate its economy and stabilise its property market. The willingness and determination of banks and insurance companies to force developers into liquidation and/or sell their assets at firesale prices was extraordinary.Torcana identified a very specific niche – well built and managed tenanted residential property in the state of Florida, and we invested major amounts of time, money and energy packaging these types of products for our clients. It was a very successful strategy, and we will continue to bring these and other types of US investments to you in 2010.Torcana in 2010

The new year will see even more people joining the Torcana team, and we have an exciting range of new products and services in the pipeline.

Torcana Property

In the USA, more tenanted, well built, well managed and high yielding investments such as Visconti will be released to our clients. We will also be promoting a small range of commercial products and bulk residential investments in the -10 million dollar range.In the UK, we will continue to source high quality city centre apartment developments in central and northern England, while catering to high net worth investors seeking prime residential and commercial assets in Central London.If you know somebody who you think might enjoy receiving these updates as and when they are released, please send us their details or ask them to subscribe via the website or by emailing investments@torcana.com.

Torcana Financial Solutions

Our financial services arm, Torcana FS is now fully up and running and the response from our first two newsletters has been terrific. Gerry Ward, our QFA with 20 years experience is on standby to answer all your questions and worries regarding your financial plans.

Torcana Energy

January will see the launch of our first solar energy investment. For quite some time, it has become apparent that many of the next decades most successful investors and entrepreneurs will come from this sector. Part of Torcana’s medium term strategy is to both broker and invest substantial amounts of money in the renewable sector during the next two years. Our first alternative energy product will be a solar based product in Germany. It will be government backed, it will generate double digit returns and 90% non recourse finance is available.

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Property Courses – Which Property Investment Study Course is Right For Me?

Article by Ross Peterson

Buying my first property did not mean that I could now stop learning about property investment. In fact, it was the exact opposite. I was now spending more time learning the different property investment strategies; I was attending more seminars and courses and reading specialised books on investing. Had I stopped learning after my first purchase I would not be a successful property investor today.A couple of weeks ago, I did some research to see what courses were being offered to help people get into property investment. Quite frankly, I was shocked by the results. I found single day courses and workshops ranging from £500 to £10,000′s. And, that’s not all.I even found several portfolio companies requesting 6 figure sums in return for an ‘off the shelf’ property portfolio! Today, every other person appears to be offering a property investing course. How do you choose which one is right for you?Firstly, my advice would be for you to not pay anyone to buy a property portfolio for you. If you want success in property, you need to understand at least the basics of property investing. Paying someone a truck load of money to buy a few properties for you will not give you this knowledge.Attending property courses should by definition increase your knowledge of property investment. However, prior to parting with any money you need to address the following issues:o What are the credentials of the course organizer? Is he/she a property investor himself and how much experience does he/she have?The best person to advise you on property investing would be someone who walks the talk – there’s little to gain from a presenter who has never bought a property before.o What are the course contents? Will advanced techniques be addressed?It’s the advanced techniques used by successful property investors that will set you apart from all those other wannabe property investors.o How many people will be attending the course?A course attended by hundreds of people may lack the personal touch, but will present networking opportunities to you.o How much and how long is the course?Paying several thousand pounds for a one day course is too much. You need to weigh up the cost, length and contents before making up your mind.o Will I be given the opportunity to network with other attendees of the course?The property business is a business of relationships. You need to network with others in the same business as you will not be able to do it alone.o What is the location of the venue?Is it worth traveling hundreds of miles to a course that may be offered closer to where you live?o What support will be provided after completion of the course?Course attendees quite often become unstuck after attending a course. You need to find out if any support is offered after you complete the course.Only once you are satisfied with your answers to the above questions should you part with any cash.Be warned though, attending a course by itself will not make you into a successful property investor. What will set you apart from any other attendee on the course is your level of motivation and determination to succeed in property investing.

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Investment Property in Queensland

Investment property is a great means of building wealth in a long term measure through acquiring and disposing of properties at prices which are often discounted. Anyone considering investing in property throughout New Zealand should strongly consider property along the Gold Coast in Queensland  During the 1980s and 1990s, unethical business practices such as marketeering tainted the reputation of the Gold Coast, but now that smear in history is long forgotten as this surfer’s paradise has emerged.  Having a sound property portfolio is the first step in creating fixed returns as in investor. Creating wealth can be done through any combination of apartment ownership, townhouses, houses, or land packages.  
Throughout Australia, there are many prosperous investment properties.  Popular areas for investment include the Gold Coast, as well as the Sunshine Coast, the Tweed Coast, Brisbane, and Townsville.

  As of now migration rates in each of the areas above have reached a high and future expectations are nothing short of continuing this trend. With Queensland dominating the current investment property market, high growth areas offer an effective vehicle to maximizing the wealth of any property portfolio.  
By including a range of properties, contacting consultation services of experts in the local area will greatly increase one’s knowledge of returns, investment appeal, as well as pricing for projects and features that come with luxury apartments, modern apartments, house and land packages, quality townhouses, as well as residential land and acreage land.  Whether, as an investor, one wishes to opt for the services of a consultation company, or act on their own, investment options include fixed rental incomes which rank up to 7% per annum and up to five years.

One does not have to work with finances and the stock market to invest in property in New Zealand. In fact, creating a property portfolio is well suited for anyone including those who are self-employed, work for a salary, are seasoned investors, have self-managed super funds, are first home buyers, or are owner occupiers.   Whatever one’s label might be, Queensland offers real estate and property investment opportunities throughout the Gold Coast which yield promising and positive returns. 
Southeast Queensland offers some fantastic property deals.Investors are able to enter the Gold Coast market for a low entry opportunity with potential for strong capital growth.  Beenleigh encompasses the Gold Coast-Brisbane Corridor and within it are areas such as Eagleby, Beenleigh, as well as Mount Warren Park. In these areas, unit price and median house prices have risen by over 20% during the first five years.  The M1Motorway links Brisbane to the Gold Coast, offering a viable transportation infrastructure.  The Gold Coast railway line is another means of transportation, linking the airport to the Sunshine Coast. Very close to these investment properties is the Logan Motorway which links the area to the western suburbs nearby.South of Beenleigh one will find the Yatala Enterprise Area which offers the largest industrial area and an workforce which is projected to increase to 16,000 workers in the next decade, encapsulating a working population in need of rental homes.

property investment in Melbourne

Article by Sang Duong

If purchasing real premises for investment, the investor ought to be sure that his investment will never go to waste knowning that he is shelling out his money to the right house. It is advisable that before investing on the property, the real residence investor should analysis his options in avoiding committing costly mistakes that might make him loose big money.The following will be the tips one should evaluate before purchasing real estate properties to make a wise investment:1) Location of the home and propertyThe primary concern when buying real estate properties is the position. The marketability additionally, the profitability of the real-estate property you want to locate and resell would depend the location. Hence, it is advisable that you really purchase the real property inside of a suitable area.2) Purchase the property market from motivated ownersIt is wise to purchase properties from motivated retailers or sellers who wish to sell immediately. It is much easier to purchase real estate properties from motivated home sellers because of their immediate need for the money and is almost certainly going to agree on that offer notwithstanding the cost.3) Appraise the property or homeBefore deciding to purchase investor property, specifically bank attained houses or real properties foreclosed from the bank, it is advisable so you can get adequate information depending on house you need to put your profit. Conducting an check up and assessment for the property will let you determine the specific market value from the property and your possible of additional expenses like repairs. It will also allow you to prevent paying hidden costs together with other related expenses.4) Compare feesCompare prices using the market analysis that allows you to conclude how much money the similar property will be offered for sale as opposed to other properties during the same location. It will likewise enable you decide the 1st asking price in the property.5) SafetyAbout the most important things to become considered in purchasing a real estate is the safety and security of the environments. Places with higher rates of criminal acts will unlikely catch the attention of tenants for use of will definitely want in which to stay places where there is danger in lifestyles and properties.6) Earning potential in the propertyMost people should to obtain properties due to many different reasons. Properties with big earning potentials along the lines of generating income through rents will in all probability attract many purchasers. It is important that before you’ll decided to choose the property you’re already painfully aware what your designs are from making such an investment and which will such investment will be feasible.7) Accessibility to help prime locationsThe accessibility to facilities and infrastructure to nearby residents during the adjoining neighborhood ought to be considered. The site should be on the market to transportation, hostipal wards, colleges and universities or colleges, shopping malls, chapels, and general enterprise offices. Everyone who wishes to buy property will ultimately consider the convenience and comfort on how to obtain their necessities which includes food.The above mentioned tips are are just some of the things you’ll need to mull over when you may obtain real real estate properties for investment decision. Having adequate knowledge on all of these significant matters will help you to a productive real property financial commitment venture. If you like to learn more about property investment.

Ways to Fund Property Investments

Article by Ken Boutilier

Real estate and property investment are great ways to diversify a portfolio and gain a large personal profit. Investment properties allow the investor to have a high level of control over assets and allow investors to keep a close on their investments at all times. Unlike stocks and bonds, which are heavily dependent on the economy and the stock market, for example, real estate is a tangible investment that can be very lucrative when done the right way. People who become property investors stand to make a large profit if they do the initial planning and research required to be successful.

To get started in the world of investment property, it is important to be realistic about costs and money, as well as to develop a plan in regard to how you will purchase your first property. The most obvious choice when figuring out how to fund a major purchase like property of any kind is a loan from a bank. Many property investors start there in order to have the funds to purchase a property unless they are the rare person who has their own initial funds for start-up costs.

The first thing to do when looking at investment properties is to asses the overall quality of the home and get an appraisal for the property you are interested in. Once you know the value of the property, you can figure out how much you should borrow from the bank that would allow you to purchase the property without getting in over your head with loan payments. If you’re going to keep the property and act as landlord, be sure to figure out what you can charge for rent before deciding on a loan amount. If you are interested in remodeling and selling a home for a profit, be sure to develop a realistic renovation budget and stick to it as you continue on with the process.

Budgeting is key in property investment, and if you can ensure that you keep detailed and organized budgets, you can experience great success in investment properties. Rental properties are always in high demand and being able to meet that demand leads to a lucrative business for landlords and property managers. Be realistic about your own financial limitations, and be sure to talk thoroughly with your bank lender or financial planner before taking out any loans. Choosing properties carefully, being realistic about renovation costs, and borrowing money from reputable lenders can carry you very far in the realm of property investment.

Dubai Property Investments- The Scenario

Dubai is one of the rapidly growing real estate destinations in the world. Dubai is considered home to the real estate buyers. Attracted by the cosmopolitan ambiance, lifestyle and the sub tropical climate, many people are considering Dubai property investments to be a profitable venture at least for the near future.

In the last few years, property prices have increased to about 25 percent per annum, making it a budding international property destination to invest in. The subsequent surge in the new residential developments in the city has fuelled the property fizz, but the demand of Dubai property investments is exceedingly popular and is not expected to slow down in the short term.

What’s most interesting is that of all the major real estate markets in the world that emerged onto the global property scene at the beginning of this century none proved to be as vibrant and captivating as Dubai real estate.

 This small emirate located at the south eastern end of the Persian Gulf has been on the heart of the real estate and construction boom.

Dubai houses some of the world’s most spectacular building projects that include the tallest structure of any type ever built along with the countless number of head line hogging mammoth developments and high towers. The emirate has successfully attracted several thousands investors who are seeking to catch their fortunes out here.

Dubai city comprises of two primary areas, the Deira and the Bur Dubai. The Deira faces across the Dubai Creek and is now the center of the city. The residential locations which are favored by the western investors include Jumeirah that lies on the coast of the southwest city center and the Al Garhoud, located on northwestern side of creek, close to the international airport.

The types of homes favored by the foreign purchasers include villas, apartments, often situated in the secured complexes with the communal leisure facilities like swimming pools, courts and gyms.

Since the year 2002 when by the royal decree, the foreign nationals became eligible to take part in Dubai property investments; there has been a surge in the total number of interested foreign buyers in the emirate.

Dubai property investments actually opens the door to be a part of the latest development, of them are extremely luxurious and feature the latest in the technology and coming up in particular areas. The process of property purchase has no formal procedure. The one and only piece of paperwork needed is a straightforward sales agreement.

Before you sign a deal for a Dubai landmark property, it would be recommended to take expert advice. There are registered real estate brokers in Dubai who are much familiar with the laws and about the Dubai property market.

In a majority of cases, people buying the freehold property in Dubai would not incur any sort of survey fees. There are no stamp duties as well. The only important cost is the 1.5 per cent of the land registry fee, which is to be paid on the completion of the deal. Due to the absence of any regular purchase process, it is significant to deal with the reputable real estate agents Dubai.