Merida Real Estate is an area known for its traditional Mexican homes near its charming colonial city center, and along with the surrounding Yucatan Real Estate area (of which it is the cultural and economic center), it also offers a broad range of property types – beachfront condos, old haciendas, state-of the-art homes in new gated communities, comfortable homes in small villages and much more. To add to a unique charm and a variety of real estate, Merida and Yucatan enjoy a slew of activities to enjoy as a part of day to day life. Whether you enjoy sight seeing, fishing, diving, sports, history, art, or live music you will find something for your taste in the area.

For history and culture, you couldn’t ask for much more than the rich history of the Yucatan peninsula. Real estate owners have the choice of visiting the landmarks of the Ancient Mayan Civilization, including the world famous Chichen Itza (one of the modern wonders of the world) and numerous other colonial cities, such as the very traditional Valladolid, or the city of Campeche which was built as a fort to protect against pirate raids.

The oceanfront provides many water activities, such as diving or boating, and there is also a very unique flamingo reserve a few hours away where the birds can be seen in their natural habitat.

Almost all Merida options are also close to excellent sports facilities. While private, gated communities will often include their own tennis courts, etc., individual properties also enjoy the benefit of an excellent public sports infrastructure, both for watching the local soccer games, and playing sports of your choice. The rest of Yucatan real estate also enjoys good facilities, and will soon have access to even more; during 2010 the state will be investing about 3.5 million dollars for sports infrastructure in various communities, including Merida.

For real estate owners, these options of activities are a lifestyle bonus for the quality properties available in Merida and Yucatan; in many cases the properties here are priced very competitively. Thousands of Americans and Canadians have already chosen the Yucatan as their home, and as the benefits of living here become more clear, even more will continue to do so.

TOPMexicoRealEstate NETWORK; Mexico’s Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Mitch Keenan

Real estate investing can take many forms.  If you work 50-plus hours a week, you likely don’t want to spend your spare time searching for, selecting, negotiating, financing and managing real estate properties.  Here’s a simple investment guide to real estate profits, how to invest without the hassles.  Or, you might say, how to speculate the easy way.

Picture April of 2009, and you are willing to bet that real estate prices are low and will not go much lower.  This basic investment guide will show you how to invest and get in on the action, with little time or effort required, whenever you think you see opportunity in real estate.

First, if you don’t have a brokerage account, open one with a major discount stock brokerage firm.  Then, after you have deposited some money, you are ready for action.  You will be buying shares of stock in real estate ETFs.  These are simply index funds whose stock price tracks the stocks of companies in the commercial real estate business.

One of the greatest advantages of real estate investing is financial leverage.  For example, some folks buy real estate properties putting very little money down.  They borrow heavily.  With ETFs you can get financial leverage without personally borrowing anything.

When you invest (or speculate) in these ETFs that trade like any other stock, you simply buy and sell on your computer or over the phone in your brokerage account.  A transaction can cost as little as $10.  That’s your total cost to buy or sell this real estate investment.

Here’s an example of how to invest, how it works.  If you want to be a bit cautious, you could buy shares in a real estate ETF with the stock symbol (IYR).  It does not employ financial leverage.  In late 2007-early 2008 it sold for $70 a share.  In March of 2009 it could be bought for $25.

If you want more action you could go with a real estate ETF with the symbol (URE), which employs leverage.  In late 2007-early 2008 it also sold for about $70 a share.  In March of 2009, a bit over a year later, it sold for $2.50.  Leverage works both ways, to magnify losses as well as gains.  Let’s talk about URE, which I personally bought at $4.25, $2.65, and $1.85.

URE gave investors plenty of action.  Those who paid $70 for it had lost their shirt a little over a year later.  The upside potential could be a rocket ride, if the markets and real estate prices turn around.  In terms of how to invest, it works like this…

If you buy 1000 shares at $2, it will cost about $10 in commissions to make the simple transaction.  You will have $2000 invested.  If URE were to go back to $70, you could sell at a cost of about $10, and you would then have $70,000.  Of course, you can sell anytime, at any price.

Are there any guarantees that you will make money?  This simple investor guide wants to make one thing crystal clear.  When you invest or speculate, forget about profit guarantees, unless the government backs up the investment.  

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by James Leitz

Some people find that it’s most expedient to create a new Facebook profile for selling their real estate. However, if you already have friends and family that are also contacts, you might want to just go with the profile they already have friended. In any case, setting up a Facebook profile to further your real estate business is easy, but requires some thought.

Unfortunately, Facebook is not yet to the point where you can automatically designate specific posts or applications as not-to-be shared. If you have your Wall open to the public or your News Feed, you may want to ensure that everything posted is client-friendly. This may mean censoring both your and your friends‘ contributions to your Facebook profile.

Setting the Privacy controls on your Facebook account will help you make this a dual account for both clients and friends. Depending on the nature of your contacts, you may want to designate certain areas as „certain friends only“ and similarly restrict who can contact you certain ways.

Deciding whether or not you want to open your entire profile to the world depends on how accessible you want to be. You can always request a client as a friend or give them your Facebook contact info to request you. However, if you want people to be able to access your real estate information on Facebook, it could be a good business move to judiciously open up a few key parts of your profile to the public.

Your basic information is probably something you should keep to a select group of friends. Your clients don’t need preconceived notions about you based on what they can read about your sexual preferences, your religion, or your political views. Unless you are aiming to sell real estate only to persons of a certain religion, noting that you are a passionate follower of the Flying Spaghetti Monster may cause people to pass you by, even if you aren’t actively proselytizing to them.

Your profile pictures are a good one to leave open, but make sure they are professional and simple. Don’t post pictures of your family or your dog or your wood tick farm. Your clients like to be able to see a clear photo of you, so they can recognize you. It’s okay to have a photo or two of your family in a different album (some people like to have a feeling of connection with their realtor) but don’t overdo it.

Applications are a hard one. Consider not adding too many frivolous ones. If you absolutely must have some, place them at the very bottom of your Facebook page, where only the determined ever go. And, whatever you do, don’t use them to contact clients with. Attacking someone with your zombie is generally not a good way to convey a professional impression. Applications can also work for you if you install a few good real estate-related ones, so take some time to check them out.

Your Wall may best be hidden. Many spammers will use the Wall to place ads or phishing scams. Also, if your friends are using your Wall, it doesn’t make for a professional impression if they’re posting things like „U R so hawt! Wanna see U soon, sweetcakez!“ Use your own discretion. Remember that clients can always use the Message function to send you private messages into your Inbox.

Keep an eye on your photo albums and keep your personal ones to selected friends lists. The real estate albums you will, of course, wish to keep open to the public. Make sure every photo is properly tagged and given some kind of information. A link to the listing your actual website is good, but including as much information as possible can make a photo a better tool to get people to your website.

The Search function can be modified to show as much or as little information as you want. Since you are using this profile as a business tool, you will probably want people to be able to contact you. Set the Search Visibility to Everyone, create a public search listing and allow people to find information about you and send you messages.

Your News Feed and Mini-Feed you should keep open. Every time you change something on your profile, it will be noted and is a great way to let people know what you’re doing with your real estate without actually annoying them with direct messages. This can be modified to show people certain actions and hide certain actions. Play around with the Facebook Privacy controls to find the best combination. This is where you can hide updates to personal information that clients need not see.

Use the Privacy Applications section to restrict views of anything else you don’t want people to see. It’s up to you to consider whether they would benefit from knowing which groups you belong to or events you’ve been invited to.

Look at your Facebook profile from a client’s view. Block everything that could leave them with a negative impression, but leave enough that they get a definite idea of your approach to your business. Facebook is an incredibly fast-growing social networking site which is enhanced by its easy-to-use, professional-looking layout. It definitely can be a valuable tool when used to enhance a professional image.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Kevin Bilberry

As the Great Recessions is slowly but surely fading away with the hopes of eventual recovery showing up on the horizon, foreign buyers and investors starting to pursue opportunities in the US real estate market again. Even though stable recovery of the housing market is still „work in progress“, many foreigners recognize that American real estate is „On Sale“, plus the dollar is historically weak, so many buyers are trying to snatch the bargains in residential and commercial properties here. However, a foreign buyer investing in the US must take extra diligence to plan the acquisitions due to nuances in taxation laws, title holding rules, money transfer rules and many other factors. There are many aspects to consider, I’ll concentrate on some key points:

(1) DOCUMENT EVERYTHING: Before you transfer even a dollar here, make sure you can verify where the money came from. Any transfers over $10,000 into the US, including your all cash real estate buys, will be reported to the federal authorities, and when the Feds come asking questions, you need to make sure that you can prove legal sources of your cash. According to 2001 Patriot Act and the Money Laundering Control Act of 1986, escrow and title companies, brokers, banks must report to the federal authorities any large deposits and money transfers over $10,000. Make sure you have documentation backing up your sources of income, taxes paid overseas, bank account statements, investment account statements, in other words – the paper trail.

(2) FINANCE OR ALL-CASH? If you are planning to buy with all cash, it will give you many advantages as the „all cash“ buyers might enjoy deeper discounts from motivated sellers in many areas. All cash buyers can close deals very fast, and some sellers prefer to deal with buyers like this. However, I recommend that you plan the acquisitions with a real estate investment adviser to see if buying with some type of financing will be financially more beneficial for your investment strategy because of leverage-enhanced ROI and distribution of risk among several properties.

If you’re looking to finance your real estate acquisition in the US, be prepared to encounter some tough times. Real Estate Financing is pretty tough for even Americans these days, but for foreigners it’s even tougher. There are only a handful of institutional lenders who will consider loans for foreign nationals, but they will all require a large downpayment (at least 30% or more) and verification of income from your country. If you have a work visa in the US, such as H or L, and have an established credit history in the US, you may be able to qualify for regular financing with as little as 3.5% down even though you are still considered a „foreign national“.

If you have established relationship with your bank in your own country or another foreign bank, you may consider obtaining financing from them and then bringing the loan proceeds into the US as „all cash“ purchase, again just make sure to have documentation as to where the money came from.

Alternatively, there a many private lenders who will lend up to 65% of the asset value at 9-12% annually regardless of your immigration status, and if you are looking for a commercial property, you might be able to finance it easier too, because commercial lenders underwrite loans primarily on the merits and income of the property itself, rather than the borrower.

(3) CONTROL YOUR ASSETS: In the US you can hold title to the property in many different ways: as an individual, corporation (either domestic or foreign), Limited Liability Company, partnership, living trust, pension fund, or many other form of entity. Each of these forms has advantages and disadvantages, especially when it comes to taxation of the rental income received from your investment property, transfer of the property to related or unrelated parties, estate planning and many other situations. You need to decide BEFORE you buy a property in the US how you will own the property, spend some time with a knowledgeable international tax advisor to learn about your options.

Investing in real estate is a very hands-on enterprise. You must think through the details before you buy the first property. It’s very hard to operate a rental business when you don’t see what’s happening yourself. I’m working with many investors and have owned many rental properties, and can tell many horror stories about property management companies embezzling money from out of town investors, renting units for cash but reporting them vacant, overinflating repair bills, etc. How are you planning to control your investment physically while living in India or Russia and owning properties in the US?

(4) BEFORE YOU ENTER, PLAN YOUR EXIT. Are you planning to sell for profit? How long before you sell? Did you account for the future capital gain tax? Will you take the money out of the country? If you are planning to sell for profit but re-invest proceeds into another property, you need to become familiar with 1031 tax-deferred exchanges that allow you to trade and consolidate properties for years and decades without paying a dime of taxes until their final disposition. It’s a great tool for smart investors that can make you very rich, but again, you have to plan for this strategy in advance and consult with a knowledgeable person. Besides, when you are selling a property here as a foreign individual, you are subject to all kinds of withholdings regardless if you made any profit or not, including 10% withholding under FIRPTA just because you are a foreigner, 3 1/3% withholding in California because the property is non-owner occupied, etc. But, you can avoid some of these withholdings if you learn the rules and plan your title holding strategy in advance!

(5) VISA CONSIDERATIONS: Important misconception I see among many foreign buyers that I’d like to address here: don’t assume that owning real estate in the US will automatically entitle you to a US visa. You can own $10 million of properties in the US, but still be denied an entry visa. So, make sure to get your visa status cleared first and then come to the US to look at areas of interest and specific properties. DO NOT EVER BUY PROPERTIES SIGHT UNSEEN!!!

(6) WHY REAL ESTATE? Finally, ask yourself honestly: why are you investing in real estate in the US? Because of visa, passive income, future market appreciation, or because you are thinking of making it your future home? If visa and investment potential are your main decision factors, consider some alternatives that can provide you with similar ROI (return on Investment) and visa opportunities, such as EB-5 visas ($1 million dollar minimum), „Regional Centers“ ($500,000 minimum), E-2 small investor visas ($200,000 investment), etc. Or you can combine several strategies, depending on your preferences and access to capital.

Bottom line: your investing in real estate here should be a RESULT and the FINAL STEP of some serious planning path. Measure seven times, cut once, as we say in Russian. It’s much easier to avoid costly mistakes before you step into this market than waste time and money undoing mistakes made in the course of a rushed poorly planned real estate venture. Happy Investing!

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Alex Lisnevsky

In the United States, there are well – over, one – million, licensed real estate professionals, although, only a relatively, small percentage of them, are responsible for, the vast – majority, of closed – transactions. Therefore, whether, you seek to sell you home, or are a potential, qualified buyer, it is wise, to carefully, choose, your agent, based on, your personal, best – interests, and, after interviewing them, feeling, they have the combination of attitude, aptitude, skills, persistence, professionalism, and expertise, to serve your needs, goals, and priorities! After, over 15 years, as a Real Estate Licensed Salesperson, in the State of New York, I strongly, believe, these 6 things, you must demand, of the individual, you hire. With that in mind, this article will attempt to, briefly, consider, examine, review, and discuss, what this means, and represents, and, why it matters.

1. Integrity: The real estate professional, you choose, must, consistently, exhibit, absolute integrity! To serve and represent you, you need, and deserve, someone, you feel confident, you can, consistently, trust, in good – times, or less!

2. Allegiance: Nearly every state, as well as Realtor Board’s, include a Code Of Ethics, regarding, the conduct, required by a realtor, to his clients, and customers, etc! One of the key components is, owing a client, complete allegiance, and protecting their privacy, etc. Your chosen professional must put – you – first, consistently, and never provide, any information, which might harm or compromise, your interest (however, that does not mean, violating the law, and/ or, providing any material misstatements!)

3. Tell what they need to know: My service – marked, slogan, is, I will always tell you what you need to know, not, just, what you want to hear. You need, and deserve, someone, who will inform you, in a realistic manner, rather than, wearing, rose – colored, glasses!

4. Prepare a client: Agents owe their clients, a readiness, and willingness, to thoroughly, consistently, prepare them, for potential, possibilities, in order to make this process, as stress – free, as possible! When one prepares his clients, properly, the transaction period, becomes, an easier one!

5. Negotiating expertise: One of the reasons, to hire, a specific agent, is their degree of negotiating expertise, in order to achieve the best price, in the shortest period of time, with a minimum of hassle! This requires the individual, to thoroughly, understand, and know the local, real estate market, etc.

6, Handling details: The transaction period, is, often, full of challenges, and requires, handling the details, effectively, and efficiently, on a consistent basis!

Since, for most, the value, of their house, is their single – biggest, financial asset, doesn’t it make sense, to do, whatever, possible, to ensure, you protect it, and make the best decisions, and take the smartest actions! Consider these 6 things, when you hire your real estate agent!

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Richard Brody

If you haven’t been living under a rock for the past 12 months, you’ve probably heard all the doom and gloom predictions about the housing bubble bursting, home value averages slumping and the real estate market taking a big hit. Guess what? They’ve a bit over-exaggerated. Looking at the real estate market nationally, it is very true that it’s definitely over the boom of the past few years, however, most areas are still fairing well.

When you’re considering buying or selling a home, the national median home value isn’t going to do you much good (but if you’re curious, it’s at about $221,900). Real estate is an investment, so it is important to move somewhere your home value is sure to appreciate. The best way to see where home value prices are going in a given area is to examine past home value and sales trends, the economy, population, job opportunities, unemployment rates and attraction of that area.

New Mexico (capital city: Santa Fe) is one area that has seen quite a bit of appreciation in some areas. With a large and diverse population of about 1,954,599, New Mexico uses it’s diverse economy to keep job growth and opportunities growing, which is one major factor that can affect home value prices in an area. New Mexico relies on cattle, dairy products, hay, nursery stock and chilies as it’s main agricultural contributions. On the industrial side, New Mexico’s major sectors include electric equipment, petroleum and coal production, food processing, printing and publishing, stone, glass and clay products and of course, tourism.

With such a rich and diverse history and culture, it’s no wonder New Mexico has a big tourism sector. The strong job base and attractions to out of state visitors is one thing that has kept most of the New Mexican real estate market and home value prices steady. With several major cities (Santa Fe, Albuquerque and Las Cruces) New Mexico has plenty of opportunities for the nightlife lover, not to mention that Santa Fe is the 3rd largest art market in the United States! But it is the ancient cultures, world famous cuisines and diverse and varied landscapes that really keep people coming to New Mexico.

With over 30 state parks and varied landscapes (snowy mountains, green forests, blue lakes and white deserts) New Mexico has plenty of outdoor adventures, including camping, hiking, water sports, winter sports, cave explorations, etc. Some major historical and educational sites include the Billy the Kid Museum, Roswell and the International UFO Museum, the Space Museum, and Chaco Canyon National Historic Park – the major urban trading and cultural center of ancestral Puebloan culture. With so many different climates in one state, it’s no wonder New Mexico has so much to offer – not only do people visit, the sites make them want to relocate, therefore providing the state with a steady flow of new residents and therefore stable home value prices.

New Mexico’s unemployment rate reached a historical low of 3.5% in February and is now at about 3.7%. This low unemployment rate means job opportunities are plentiful. The median household income in New Mexico in 2005 was about $39,936 – much lower than the national value. On the flip side, the median home value in the Santa Fe area is at about $350,000, while the Albuquerque area was at about $285,000 in 2006. This means that while home value averages seem to being staying pretty high in New Mexico, the household income is low enough that it makes it more difficult to afford a home in the state.

Most real estate agents agree that since New Mexico did not experience as major a boom as other areas of the nation, they did not experience as much of a bursting of the housing bubble. The uniqueness of the area keeps home value averages high, and the first quarter of 2007 saw many higher priced homes sell – so that the median home value in the beginning of 2007 was almost $520,000. Housing under that price has been moving fast.

In Albuquerque the median home value of single family homes is about $199,000, while median home value of condos are at about $145,000. Housing is affordable, and with a large inventory, now is a good time to buy into the area. Agents in the area expect activity to increase in summer months, though interest rates are rising.

All in all, while New Mexico has some fairly expensive areas (Santa Fe) there is still affordable housing to be found, and not in such high demand that sellers can set any price they want. Home value averages continue to appreciate at a good rate overall, and as more housing and jobs become available, New Mexico is likely to see a decent rise not only in home value, but in new residents as well over the next few months.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Ashley Lichty

The real estate market is the economic sector that involves the buying and selling of infrastructure such as buildings either for residential purposes, business premises, and the industry segment. Like any business sector it is susceptible to the economic forces of supply and demand. The main people involved in this field include the owner, renter, developers, renovators, and the facilitators.

This sector has a number of characteristics that are specific to it. Real estate is durable since the buildings can last for many years while the land it stands on is indestructible. As a result the supply is composed of a large share of already pre-existing stock and a tiny percentage of new development. Thus the stock varies in price only according the deterioration, renovation, and the new development coming up.

Stock in this sector could be referred as heterogeneous since every piece is unique. All buildings are different in terms of the location they are situated in, their structure and design as well as how they are financed. Change in this field takes quite a long time. This is as a result of the long duration involved in financing and construction of new property.

The real estate has the very unique feature in terms of the buyers in this market. The property can be purchased either as an investment with the expectation of earning returns or as a consumption good with the thought of using it. Individuals could also invest in the market for both reasons whereby they use the property for a while before selling it at a profit. As a direct result of its dual nature, there is a high demand since individuals tend to over-invest in this sector.

Immobility is yet another characteristic unique to this sector. The properties as well as the land it lies on are both immobile. As a result there is no physical market place meaning one has to go to where the property is situated. Therefore this issue makes location a prime factor before investment.

The main factor in demand for property is demographic, that is the population size and growth. The demographic composition plays a huge role in determining the demand and as a result the price. The performance of the economy also affects the performance of the sector since it plays a role in the ability of investors to take loans and mortgages for financing their business ventures. Naturally, the pricing determines the level of demand in the sector.

There are a number of ways to finance investment in the real estate market from government and commercial institutions. Financial aid can be obtained from commercial banks, savings banks, mortgage brokers, life insurance companies and other financial institutions. However, the best practice still remains getting funding from your own savings.

In view of the recent real estate market crash it is best to follow some guidelines. As a buyer ensure that the price you pay for the property matters a lot as well as the ability to dispose of the purchase later down the road. If not it is advisable to downsize your mortgage to be on the safe side. As a seller, identify when it is the right time to put your property on the market in order to avoid low offers.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Kevin Elvis Johnson

Opportunities for real estate investment for foreigners is wide and varied in the United States. It doesn’t matter where you’re from and what currency you’d be using to purchase a property, you have a property waiting for you.

There are generally three kinds of real estate investment available to foreigners. These investments include the commercial estate investment and residential property investment. Residential properties are further classified into single family properties, apartments or condominiums and recreational properties. Regardless of what kind of real estate you are interested in, there are all sorts of tax ramifications, financing options and legal requirements that you have to deal with.

Why Should You Invest in the U.S. Real Estate Market?

You’ve probably heard of the increasing number of foreign real estate investments in the United States. This is not surprising. With the troubles that the real estate investment market is facing in the United States, greater opportunities in real estate investment were opened to foreign investors.

With the dollar’s value in its all time low, foreign investors are finding real estate bargains all over the United States. There are no shortages of deals in this market. More and more distressed properties are being sold everywhere and foreigners are pouring in millions buying these foreclosed or distressed properties. The United States real estate has become a fairly attractive long-term investment for foreign investors.

In November of 2006, the National Association of Realtors released a report entitled „Foreign Investments in U.S Real Estate: Current Trends and Historical Perspective“. The report showed that there has been a steady increase in foreign real estate investment in the United States. This is especially after the euro and the loonie became stronger in the face of the continuous devaluation of the US dollar. Prime bargains were opened to foreigners. Many foreigners have now looked into the possibility of retiring or settling in the United States.

If you’re a foreigner, you would find a lot of reasons why you should invest in the United States real estate market. Aside from the fact that the floating exchange rate has given you a lot of leverage over the bargaining table, the financial market is a pretty good reason why you should invest in the US real estate.

The financial market in the United States in relation to the real estate market is quite liberal and the restrictions against foreign investors are pretty reasonable. This is ideal for foreign companies that are seeking to invest in the real estate market in the United States in order to avoid tariff restrictions and are considering setting up an office or a company in the United States.

Furthermore, despite the devaluation of the US dollar and the wide foreclosures of a lot of property, the real estate market remains to be stable, though slightly shaky, due to foreign investors‘ capital appreciation. Domestic real estate buyers may not necessarily share the same opinion, but the market has remained to be strong for foreign real estate buyers. This may be largely credited to the fact that there is minimal risk for them.

Why are Foreign Real Estate Investments Safe and Profitable?

There are a lot of investments you can make, but the safest you can make right now is investing your money in real properties. This is another good reason aside from the fact that you can make a pretty nifty profit, if you like, particularly now with the widespread property foreclosures and seemingly continuous US dollar devaluation. This is especially true if you are going to use the euro or the loonie when making your investment.

But why is US real estate investment safe for foreigners?

It is undeniable that stock investments are not a safe avenue at this point. The recession has not only affected the US economy; the same recession has greatly affected worldwide stock investments. Stocks values are dropping. It is also a fact that even without the current economic situation, stock values fluctuates.

On the other hand, real estate investments are pretty stable if you would compare it to stock investments – or even bond or mutual fund investments. With real estate investment, you’d be putting your money in an investment that would grow in value as years go by.

What are the Benefits of Foreign Real Estate Investment?

US state government supports foreign investments and along this line has formulated various tax breaks to encourage foreign investment on real estate. Many of these tax breaks are not available in many countries. In fact, most countries would frown at foreigners owning real properties within their territory.

Foreign real estate investment in the United States is open to everyone. As long as you can afford to buy the property or at least comply with the mortgage requirements and payments, you can secure for yourself a pretty good property in the United States. Again, with the current economic situation of the United States, this is the perfect chance for you to make an investment.

Another great benefit that you can take advantage of is the availability of mortgage financing. Lenders have opened their doors to foreign investors who are looking into purchasing a property. So, you don’t have to actually deplete your bank account. You can actually secure a mortgage loan and gradually pay it off.

I’m Canadian, What Are My Financing Options?

There is a steady increasing rate of Canadian real estate investors in the United States; and accordingly, the government has made certain that they have attractive financing options available to them.

If you’re Canadian – or if you’re a foreigner – you’d find a lot of reasons why you should buy a piece of real property in the United States. For Canadians, the parity of the currencies or the apparent devaluation of the US dollar is a pretty good reason itself. But how do you finance your purchase?

There are various financing options available to you depending on which state you are in. In Arizona, for instance, you’d get favorable financing terms if you are purchasing a property for recreational purposes, that is, you do not derive any income or benefit from your purchase or ownership. You will be required, however, to sign up a disclosure agreement and give a 30% down payment for your loan. To qualify though for a loan, you may be required to show availability of liquid reserves for a period of three to six months. You may also be required to present a minimum of 3-month bank statement.

If you are purchasing a property for investment, you’d probably meet stricter terms. Requirements may be more stringent. For instance, you could be required to give a down payment of more than 30% and you may be required to show one year worth of liquidity reserves.

Regardless of your reasons, if you feel like you can fulfill the requirements of a financing loan, you can then proceed to actually applying for a mortgage loan. Also, keeping yourself updated with the financing terms flux may be a wise idea.

Understanding the Tax Ramifications of Real Estate Investment

The first foreigner to have ever bought a real estate property in the United States was Peter Minuit. This opened the doors to foreign real estate investors. After a couple of centuries later, foreign real estate investment has grown into huge proportions, accounting for billion-of-dollar worth of industry.

The low risk attached to US real estate market, the availability of countless properties, and the steady market liquidity attract foreign investors in droves. The initial snag, however, is the process of understanding the legal ramifications of foreign real estate investment.

What you have to understand is that foreign investment in the United States can take a lot of forms. A foreigner has various options. He can acquire direct interest. He can acquire an interest in the real estate through a partnership, a corporation, or a limited liability company. The latter is the typical structure used by foreign investors.

Limited partnership or Limited Liability Company offers financial protection or indirect asset protection, especially in cases of bankruptcy, law suits and taxes. Foreign investors are generally taxed on the property as if they hold the property in direct interest.

Ideally, you should secure the services of a real estate accountant to help you out with the tax ramifications, but it would help if you, at least, know the basics before you actually talk to an accountant.

There are tax consequences that you have to deal with when you buy a real estate in the United States. You would need an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number which you will use with all your tax transactions. Your investment in real estates can be treated as a portfolio investment and will be accounted for as an investment income which can either be fixed or a periodic income. This is typically taxed at 30% on gross revenues. This tax though does not apply though to all foreign investors. Tax rates would vary depending on the tax personality the foreign investor opted for. For instance, a corporation would be taxed differently.

Other things that you should take note of are availability and requirements of tax refunds and state tax laws on real estate properties as they may differ from federal laws, among other things.

By knowing all these things, you may save yourself from a lot of hassles when you finally approach a real estate accountant. You’d be in same wavelength when you finally get down to talking business. It is, however, very important that you secure the services of an accountant. You’d have an easier time dealing with the taxes ramifications. You’d also have assistance ensuring that you comply with all the accounting aspect of your investment. This is especially true if you are purchasing a real property for investment purposes.

Do You Need to Secure the Service of a Real Estate Lawyer?

If you are considering buying a property in the United States, you need to secure the services of a real estate attorney – someone who could help you with the legal issues concerning your purchase. It is tempting to forego securing the service of a lawyer to save money, but this could cost you a lot of money in the long run. Make sure that you have an experienced and trustworthy lawyer to help you out. Make sure that you have thoroughly checked out his credentials, profile, history of successful cases handled by him, and other factors that would influence your decision. You could check online and look for a lawyer working within the state where you are considering purchasing a property.

Functions of a Real Estate Lawyer

There is no actual distinctive function for a lawyer in a real estate case. However, you would really need the assistance of a lawyer for various tasks. A real estate lawyer would review the sales contract for you. He would also check on the title and other documents relating to the property. A lawyer would also review your mortgage contract and make the necessary adjustments or corrections. You could also get him to review with you the legal and tax issues concerning the purchase. A real estate attorney could also make the necessary adjustments relating to various expenses and costs involved in the purchase. He would assess your eligibility for tax refunds and draft the documents and statements relating to this.

Putting it simply, a real estate lawyer will be your watchdog. He would guide you through the whole process of purchasing a real estate in the United States in order to make sure that you will be legally protected. You will have a capable and trustworthy liaison to help you out with the contract. He will also face legal disputes if any arise.

Tips on How to Invest in Real Estate Successfully

Now, if you’ve fully bought into the idea of real estate investing in the United States, you might just want to know how to go about investing in real estate successfully. If you want to be successful in this venture, the first thing that you have to avoid is overanalyzing. Of course, it is a good idea to carefully think through your actions but it is a bad idea to overanalyze your investment to nonexistence. You might lose a great opportunity.

Before you purchase the property though, it might be wise to check the property value. If it sits well with you and you can reasonably afford the property, go ahead and make the purchase.

If you are considering the property for a quick flip, make sure that the property is in perfect condition and in good area. This is to ensure that you could double or actually triple your return of investment. If you can inspect the property yourself, do so. If not, a good and trustworthy agent can help you with this task.

Another important thing to remember when you’re buying real estate is good financing. You should take your time to carefully consider all your financing options. Foreign investors can email in their queries to various lending institutions. It is a good idea to make sure that you’ve had their terms and rates on paper because they tend to change these terms and charge you with a lot of junk. Your real estate agent can help you with reviewing the escrow charges.

The bottom line, however, is that it is very important that you do your homework before you actually buy a real property. Investing in real properties in the United States can be profitable especially during these times. In fact, it may be the wisest and most perfect investment you can make right now.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Maria Gudelis

In spite of the growing popularity of professional home staging services in most locations today, you will still possibly meet some real estate agents and brokers who just do not like to use staging for their listings. Within the home selling industry itself, you will find certain real estate agents who are either skeptical of the staging process and how it helps a property sell faster, or those who are immoveable from their own marketing techniques and are not open to trying any new system such as staging.

The hesitation by some real estate agents to use the services of staging professionals may, at times, stem from less-than-positive experiences they may have had previously with other staging companies or specialists. There are home stagers who overstage properties, doing too much with the space and end up distracting from the real emphasis or purpose of the technique altogether. Staging cliches are easy to spot and always come off as bland or fake, and prospective home buyers might end up assuming that something about the true nature of the property is being hidden if there is an excess of staging techniques used in a property.

However, the entire staging industry should not be broad-brushed based on the errors of some of its practitioners. Looking at the big picture, home staging remains a very effective tool in adding to the marketability of a home for sale and achieving a quick selling process. The shorter average time in which staged properties end up being sold compared to the longer average time for non-staged houses is proof positive that this method does work, and it will work if used the right way.

Some real estate agents hesitate to broach the idea of home staging to their clients because of the perceived cost. As many homeowners strive to be more conservative about their expenditures and want to keep costs down, staging updates are often seen as unnecessary or even too expensive. However, the average investment in home staging is not a burdensome amount at all, especially if the home seller is open to put in some time and sweat equity in getting their property into market ready status.

As a matter of fact, home staging that is planned carefully and executed correctly can increase the value of the home listing and speed up the time that it sits on the market. That in itself is a good investment return, as the homeowner can avoid losing money while the house sits longer in the market and loses its value. A well-presented, well-staged house can command a good price and is easily marketable.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Wesley Morales

A foreclosed home is one in which the home owner was unable to pay his home loan so that the lender took over home ownership through the foreclosure process. These bank owned properties are also known as REOs (real estate owned).

The process in Arizona is similar to that in other states and will be the basis for this article. When you work with a real estate agent he will write up your purchase offer with you on a standardized contract which was developed by the Arizona Association of Realtors. The contract allows the agent to customize the contract for your particular purchase and has many built in protections for both the buyer and the seller.

When you make an offer for a foreclosed property, you can expect to receive back from the seller (the bank currently owning the property) an addendum to the contract. These addendums are in essence a counter offer that the buyer must accept if he wants to purchase the property. In some cases the seller will negotiate with the buyer over these terms but most sellers expect the buyer to agree to their terms. We have seen a wide variety of addendums in the past year as we have worked with buyers. In all of them, many of the protections for the buyer in the standard contract are eliminated or modified. Here are some of the things we are seeing.

Inspection Period

In the standard contract, the inspection period lasts ten days from the date the contract has been signed by both parties. We have seen addendums that change that to be ten days from verbal acceptance of the contract and have even seen a five day inspection period that must be completed before the buyer signs and accepts the addendums.

Title/Escrow Company

The seller will typically require the buyer to utilize the escrow company of the seller’s choice. Usually using this company helps facilitate the timeliness of the transaction because the escrow company is familiar with the seller’s requirements.

AS/IS & Disclosures

When you purchase an owner occupied property, you will usually get a Seller’s Disclosure Statement. This will provide information about the property and a history of repairs done. When you buy a foreclosure property, the seller has not occupied the property and typically will not provide any disclosure statements. Additionally, the buyer is generally required to purchase the property in its current condition „as is“ and the seller will not make any repairs. If something is missing such as a kitchen appliance or garage door openers the seller will not provide it. What you see is what you get. Read the addendum carefully to understand what the seller will be responsible for if the property is damaged during the escrow period. The escrow period spans the time from when the contract is agreed upon by both parties until the sale records (close of escrow).

Cost for Extension of Close of Escrow

Most of these addenda have a per diem charge if you need to extend the close of escrow beyond the date in the original contract. The most common reason buyers need to ask for an extension of the closing date is that the lender has not completed loan processing and delivered loan documents to title several days prior to closing to allow time for both the seller and the buyer to sign. We have seen costs ranging from $40 to $100 per day.

Loan Approval

The Arizona contract allows for a return of earnest money deposited by the buyer if after a good faith attempt to obtain a loan at prevailing market rates to purchase the property the buyer is unable to do so. Some addendums are limiting the buyer’s time to obtain loan approval to a set number of days from contract acceptance, for example 25 days. If the buyer does not notify the seller of his inability to obtain a loan within that time frame, he will forfeit his earnest money to the seller. This holds true even if the inability to obtain the loan had nothing to do with the buyer’s financial qualifications. We have seen loans turned down in the past few months for condo purchases because the community had too low a percentage of owner occupied units or the HOA was not financially solid or some cases for both of these reasons.

Tenants or Other Occupants

Most of these properties will be vacant; however, if you see evidence that someone is living in the property when you are viewing it and prior to writing an offer, you need to ask questions. Who is living in the property? If the property has been rented, what are the terms of the lease? We’ve seen addenda that indicate that the seller will not evict any occupants of the property and that it will be the responsibility or the buyer once he has purchased the property. You should also be aware that tenants have rights too. Be very cautious about writing an offer for a foreclosure property that is occupied.

What Does the Buyer Need to Do?

It is very important for the buyer to read the entire addendum provided by the seller prior to signing. If he has questions about the addendum he should ask his real estate agent for clarification. He should also verify that his real estate agent has read the entire addendum and made note of key dates.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Amy Monahan