Luxury Real Estate

By Simon Turner of Marquette Turner Luxury Homes

Not so long ago, every second television show seemed to be about renovating run-down homes. With the current real estate market being less enticing, these shows seem to have dropped off.

The irony is, of course, that now is the time that you’re more likely to find a bargain.

If indeed there are more and more buyer’s markets throughout the world, then for those with finances available, there’s never a better time to get a good deal.

Therefore, we’ve put together four essential factors that you must consider to ensure that you complete the project with as much financial reward as possible.

CONSIDER THESE

1. Purchase Price — The lower price you pay, the more potential there is for profit it at the end. Remember, you generally make the money when you buy, not when you sell!

2. Renovation Expenses – Be as exact (and honest with yourself)as you can for each room that you are renovating, and include some “room-to-move should you be faced with the inevitable surprises (such as dampness, termite problems, legals).

3. Holdings Costs — The longer you own the home, the higher your costs for mortgage, taxes, and insurances will be.

4. Anticipated Sale Price — Be honest with yourself and compare your property like-for-like with others that have SOLD (not that have just been on the market for an eternity).

When undertaking a renovation, take into account how long it will take to complete. From “go to woe”, the market conditions could have changed immensely (for good or for bad) so try and take into account each scenario and what your subsequent actions will be (eg. if the market is worse, what would you do?)

Simply by doing your homework you’ll ensure you reduce the number of surprises.

Good luck!

By Perry & Co.

You’ve gotten the call and it goes something like this: “We’re thinking about putting our house on the market to see what will happen. We’re not sure if we really want to sell right now because of the market, but we want to know what it could sell for.” As a real estate agent, this is a call you love to get – an opportunity to work with new or former clients and show them your expertise at pricing, reviewing their home versus the competition, showing them your marketing savvy and implementation and your follow-up – and that’s all before you really go to work: negotiating that sales contract. But if they are sitting on the fence: “We’ll sell if we can get our price,” they might not really be ready to sell. And, you could take a listing that may linger.

Every real estate agent I know has their own determining factors on whether or not they want to take a listing. One such factor you may not have thought of is a Feng Shui analysis with the homeowner. Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese practice of object placement in an environment to change the energy of the space and ultimately of the people using the space; in this case, a Feng Shui analysis’ purpose is to create positive energy which leads to a home sale.

The first step in this kind of analysis is for the Feng Shui practitioner to ask the sellers some questions about their goals for selling their home. Are they looking for a quick sale so they can move before the start of the school year? Will one person have to move first and settle somewhere else while other members of the family stay put until the house sells? Are they downsizing or upsizing due to family circumstances? All of the answers will help the Feng Shui practitioner make recommendations that will help the sellers to reach their specific goals.

A most important aspect of a Feng Shui analysis with a seller is to ascertain their connectedness to their space and their willingness to say good-bye to the house as a whole, and/or to each room specifically. This process – whether formal and vocal or informal and silent – is very personal and can be deeply moving for owners but it helps them to begin to see themselves in a new way: as sellers of the home instead of its owners. New owners will be invited and welcomed in as the space is cleared; the process begins with this good-bye. It can be a very powerful experience for all family members.

A Feng Shui practitioner can give agents and sellers some guidelines for detaching from a home, but there aren’t any right ways of saying good-bye. The process should feel natural and comfortable. Some ideas include:

• having each family member write a poem, sing a song or make a drawing about an experience of being in the home and sharing that with other family members
• lighting candles and saying a blessing
• inviting friends over for a farewell party, announcing your intention of leaving the space but maintaining your circle of friends.

Once the owners have said their good-byes, there are space-clearing measures and Feng Shui practices that will help potential buyers to feel welcomed into the space.

By Eric Kodner of Wayzata Lakes Realty

Minneapolis is one of the 30 busiest airports in the world by passenger traffic. In the United States, only Denver serves more nonstop airline markets per capita than Minneapolis.

Minneapolis is one of the ten largest airline hub metro areas in the United States, along with Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas, New York/New Jersey, Denver, Orlando, Phoenix and San Francisco.

The Twin Cities are home to NFL (Vikings) Football, Major League Baseball (Minnesota Twins), NBA Basketball (Timberwolves) and NHL Hockey (Wild).

Nine Minnesotans made Forbes Magazine's list of American billionaires. Minnesota ranked eleventh among all states in number of billionaires.

There are just over three million people in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. The metro is home to two major symphony orchestras, opera, ballet, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Walker Art Center and the Guthrie Theater. Minneapolis & Saint Paul supports more repertory, nonprofit and for-profit theatre companies per capita than any city in the United States except New York.

Minneapolis is home to the world's second largest private corporation, Cargill.

Fortune 500 corporations in Minneapolis include Target, General Mills, US Bancorp, Xcel Energy, Thrivent, and Ameriprise Financial. Saint Paul is home to The Travelers Companies, 3M, Ecolab, Securian Financial and Patterson Dental.

Other major metro area companies include Anderson Windows, Aveda (subsidiary of Estee Lauder), Toro, Nash Finch, Medtronic, St. Jude Medical, CHS, United Health Group, Carlson Companies, Best Buy and Seagate Technology.

The world-famous Mayo Clinic is located less than an hour and a half away from the southeast Twin Cities metro area. Minnesota had one of the largest percentages of leading cardiovascular hospitals among urban areas in the United States.

According to CNN Money, Minnesota ranks among the top ten wealthiest states in the U.S., by median household income.

Woodland, Minnetonka Beach and Sunfish Lake (all in the Twin Cities metro area) rank among the 100 highest-income places in the United States. Minnesota ranked ninth among all states in its number of highest-income locales. Luxury real estate communities include the Lake Minnetonka area, Edina, Stillwater, Afton-Bayport, White Bear Lake-North Oaks, Kenwood-Isles-Lowry Hill, Crocus Hill and Summit Avenue in Saint Paul.

By Ole Jespersen of IRG International Realty Group

The Market Situation

Ole Jespersen, sole owner of IRG International Realty Group, says: “At every function - private or business - I am being asked about the market situation. This is not new or as a result of the present economic situation, but also happens in the good times. People like to hear about the property market as it is a topic that actually interests the majority of people. The simple fact is, the property market is the most influential factor for the private, national and the international economies. Just remember what started the ongoing situation: American sub prime lending.

 

IRG is in a unique situation to comment on the ongoing property financial trends and effects as we are not just a local Portuguese firm, but through our international affiliations and networks we receive constant information and updates from around the world. Within Portugal we are represented in key areas such as the Algarve, the Blue Coast, the Silver Coast and Estoril/Cascais & Sintra as well as Lisbon city. We are involved in normal brokerage (single properties mainly for private buyers) and the institutional and development market with resorts, hotels, residencies and golf courses.

We have for some years published an annual report on the Luxury Residential Tourism Market. The report has become a “reference work” within its area and is statistically based on historical factual figures. The report for this year will be published in May. The following comments are therefore based on observations and personal experiences.

Yes, the market is tough and has seen downward trends in specific sectors. Hardest hit is the low to middle market with especially off-plan, speculative apartment acquisitions. High debt financed purchases have become very scarce with banks no longer being willing lenders and this has had a severe overall effect for developers.

But still, prime locations, prime quality or landmark properties are still in demand. Yes, DEMAND. We are transacting a number of high profile properties in all key areas such as Quinta do Lago, Estoril, Cascais including Quinta da Marinha and Quinta Patino as well as some central Lisbon properties. Some deals are land, some deals are renovation properties and some are brand new, high quality villas and luxury apartments. We represent a number of high value, high quality, prime location residence projects where we are taking substantial reservations - even in this market.

Additionally we also have a number of clients waiting, waiting for THE deal or a distressed sale, but in the high end of the market there is still resilience to "vulture" price cuts. The market has stayed pretty stable which means transaction numbers have been reduced as buyers in general expect "deals". Most transactions also involve lengthy negotiations involving legal, tax and financial issues.

At IRG we are not just sitting it out. We are proactive, we are diligent and flexible and we adapt. And finally we try to create solutions for our clients - be it buyer or seller. For our institutional and development clients we are advising on new activities in the markets internationally and we are constantly working on new approaches to product, marketing and PR. We want to sell real estate as real estate is the catalyst for turning the markets.

Based on the above we will announce shortly a number of new business initiatives running alongside our main property mediation business. These initiatives will be an additional service for all our clients and will reflect our overall aim to be of service and to find solutions for our valued clients.

At IRG we are not pessimists - at the moment we are cautious optimists and we see great potential in the future. We always have to remember we are based in Portugal - the most ideal location for European short and long term holidaying, for the second home or for a change in life. Portugal has everything going for it. So let's make it happen together”.

About IRG International Realty Group

IRG International Realty Group is one of the leading international brokerage companies in Portugal and specializes in sales of Portuguese high-end and luxury residential real estate. IRG is the exclusive affiliate in Portugal of Christie’s Great Estates, a worldwide real estate network and subsidiary of the world’s oldest auction house, Christie’s. IRG’s Head Office is located in the prestigious Avenida da Liberdade in the heart of Lisbon and there are also boutique offices in Quinta do Lago in the Algarve, Estoril and in Kensington, London, United Kingdom.

www.irgportugal.com

By Ann Adenius of Signature Residences Worldwide

The Mallorcan property market has been booming in recent years and is one of the healthiest in Europe. With strict building regulations in force to prevent over development, it is anticipated that prices will continue to rise and when taken into account with the buoyant holiday rental market on the island, Mallorcan property can be considered to be an excellent investment.

Located north of Mallorca, Spain on a breathtaking cove, this contemporary villa offers a luxury escape.

The luxury villa comprises large living and dining area with open-plan kitchen and access to a huge terrace. The villa offers 3 bedrooms with 3 bathrooms.

The modern villa also boasts a guest apartment, offering one bedroom and one bathroom along with an open space for dining, kitchen and sitting room. The guest apartment has an independent entrance, and has no connection to the main house although it is part of the building.

Big windows and wonderful terraces boast sensational sea views. The house is surrounded by numerous pine trees, ensuring a high degree of privacy.

Price: Euro 2.5M

For further information, contact Signature Residences Worldwide, www.signatureresidencesworldwide.com ,email info@signatureresidencesworldwide.com or call +44 20 7095 8703

An up-to-date report on how the worldwide economic crisis is affecting

the property market in Spain's most important resort city.

By Christopher Clover, owner and Managing Director of Panorama, Marbella’s longest established Real Estate Agency

Before the critical events of September 2008 and the following months, the property market in Marbella was suffering severely, as throughout Spain and the rest of the world, especially in the lower end of the market, and especially with newly built properties.

As the year advanced, it became clear that Spain's own economy was nowhere nearly as strong as the politicians were announcing before the March elections. The "easy credit" which was a primary factor in fuelling the Spanish property "boom" of the mid-1990's to 2006 had virtually dried up. Property companies started to go bankrupt, affecting the entire economy. The Bubble burst, hard times began with a bang and the repercussions ran deep.

On the Coast, the market for "off plan" touristic properties peaked in 2004 and has been on a descending curve since then, reaching crisis proportions last year. Nationally, the demand for new homes hit its peak in mid-2007, according to national statistics. Today, (with reliable statistics still lacking from the Government) the Bank of Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria estimates that at the end of 2008 there was a glut of between 800,000 and 1,400,000 new unsold homes in Spain (19/12/08, http://prensa.bbva.com), including the Coastal properties, with an estimated 24,000 living units on the Costa del Sol (Diario Sur Domingo, 04/01/09), which will take years to be absorbed.

 

However, one cannot really analyse the market from the press reports which generally concentrate on new properties and the national market. There are different sectors belonging to different markets in different areas where there is a variance of some of the basic fundamentals at play, and one should not make the mistake of lopping every sector of every market in Spain into the same basket and reaching the same overall simplistic conclusion. For example, until September of last year, it went virtually unreported that the higher end of the luxury market, comprising mostly resale properties, had held up reasonably well, as elsewhere in the world, and the most expensive properties belonging to the Super Rich were even marginally increasing in value.

The World Financial Meltdown, starting in mid-September, changed the scenario

The rapid slowdown commencing in September began to affect buyers of Luxury Residences not only in Marbella but globally, exacerbated by the credit crunch and the difficulty in obtaining mortgages. A very low volume of sales has characterized the market on all levels in general in the last quarter of the year.

 

 

How much have prices dropped from their peak prices?

The percentages stipulated in the following paragraphs are intended to be indicative in nature and are based upon the first hand experience of seasoned agents in the Marbella area who deal daily with buyers and sellers, including property developers.

• Properties most severely affected are the least expensive (under €700,000), comprising principally newly built properties but not excluding resales, in the less consolidated areas. They have gone down in price from their peak values in 2005-2006 (defined as real sales values, as compared with asking prices, of similar properties at their highest historical point) by generally 20% to 30%, but in some cases, even up to 40%.

Properties in this price range achieving the best prices in a shorter selling period are located in better areas, and are usually resales, have descended in value from 15% to usually not more than 25%.

• Properties priced from €700,000 to €2,000,000 have seen a 20%-25% decline from their peaks (again, less so in the best areas) while those priced at up to €3.000.000 have suffered a lesser drop of 15%-20%.

• In the higher price brackets: fewer properties are for sale and although owners may be receptive to reasonable offers, in general they have the financial wherewithal to "hold out" if necessary. There are and will be some very good buys as, in some cases, even very wealthy owners simply want to "move on".

· Very special “one of a kind” properties, with unique characteristics, qualities and location, have not been substantially affected by the crisis, provided their asking prices are sensible.

Again, the same is true for the most expensive properties as the less expensive ones: the better the location, the better the market, and the easier it is to sell.

The pricing of properties by their owners, in most price categories, is now far more realistic than in the past. This process has been complicated, as usual, by some agents who tell owners what they want to hear, rather than explaining the realities of the market. Most sellers, however, have already sharply reduced their original asking prices, but many potential buyers do not take this into consideration when they place an offer.

What is selling?

Barbara Wood, (www.thepropertyfinders.com) in a well-written market report of Andalucia, stated recently "in the quality resale market it is not so much about over-supply but more a factor of how badly and how quickly does the seller need to get out that is driving the market."

There have obviously been sales since last September, but generally at substantially reduced prices, with the notable exception of truly unique properties which cannot be easily reproduced, or which a buyer has not wanted to risk losing by delaying. Many potential buyers think that vendors will drop their already reduced prices an additional 25% to 50%, without careful analysis of either the current market, intrinsic value, historical value, reproduction cost, or comparable sales being made right now. The result is that such offers simply throw a bucket of cold water on most sellers, and do not engage their interest to negotiate.

Other sales have been made between reasonable buyers (looking for a very good deal), and reasonable sellers, (looking to make a sale and move on, often to another property). Further sales are being made by those willing to trade up or down. These types of sales will continue throughout this difficult period.

Warren Buffet, who ranked number one on the World's Billionaire list in 2008, said in an interview last November: "I don't worry about the things that I really am not going to understand anyway. I worry about what's important and knowable."

What is knowable about the property market in Marbella that will be important in the coming months?

1. The demand factor is still there. The number of potential purchasers enquiring about and visiting properties for sale in this area has not plummeted, as worldwide property market stagnation might suggest. Viewings have dropped around 25% over last year's levels, as reported by the top agents in Marbella, coinciding exactly with Panorama's statistics of its own activity. However, enquiries via the internet actually increased during the last quarter of 2008, with respect to DM Properties and Panorama. The difference is that very few offers are being made, and many of these are totally unrealistic, as mentioned above. What is selling is limited to either very sensibly priced properties or very special properties from the standpoint of location, quality of construction or architecture, where a willing seller is ready to sit with a willing buyer and a good agent and see if they can realistically come together in harmony.

Strong supporting evidence of the still-present demand factor can be found in the study published last December by the company Globaledge (www.globaledge.co.uk). Claimed as the "biggest ever" study into global demand for overseas property", the study examined 1.4 million English-language searches on Google using property and real estate keywords.

In essence, the study measured curiosity and Spain was clearly more interesting to Web surfers than any other destination, beating France into second place by more than a two-to-one margin.

Clearly there is a continuing and increasing demand of people who want to buy property in Marbella, waiting for the right time to move, and some of them will unquestionably act in the coming months. More than a few potential buyers, having located “the right property” for themselves and taken the decision to wait, will be disappointed when they decide to take action and find that their ideal property not only has been sold, but that there are no similar properties at similar prices on the market to replace it.

What else do we know for sure?

2. The off-plan purchaser has disappeared, for the foreseeable future, and will not be missed. Speculators of this nature only distort the market place. The end-user has taken his place, a good sign of a healthier market to come.

3. Quality locations hold value best: The three most important words in buying property “location, location, location!” remain true. Prime locations in the Marbella area and everywhere in the world are holding property values and selling far better than non-consolidated and secondary locations.

An excellent illustration of the above can be taken with the Urbanization Marina Puente Romano, in the middle of the Golden Mile, beachside, and situated next to the famous hotel of the same name. There are a total of 248 apartments in this magnificent estate. Only 13 of them are for sale, at the date of this report. And of these, only two owners have shown clear signs that they want to sell quickly, have dropped their asking price and are encouraging offers. La Zagaleta, located just outside the Marbella municipal boundaries, representing a quality estate environment virtually unique in Europe, has just 200 completed villas, amongst which only around 25 are for sale. Therefore, those potential buyers who place all sellers in the same category, and are expecting a deluge of properties for sale in the very best areas at rock bottom prices, are in for an unpleasant surprise.

4. Buyer insecurity is history: With the recent provisional approval of the new General Plan of Marbella, which is due to receive definitive approval later this year, buyers will not be responsible for developer's sins, or failings of prior Municipal governments. Less than 400 living units are considered illegal under the new plan (compared with 19,000 before), and this phase of bad press and buyer insecurity is now virtually in the past.

5. Safe Haven seekers: Trust in banks and their investment products has declined. The stock market has burned so many people, that many will be unlikely to return. The logical alternative or “safe haven” for many will be that of well-located "bricks and mortar", bought at rock bottom prices, as among the most effective medium for future long-term investment, especially when coupled with usage and the well-known life style factors which make Marbella unique in Europe.

6. After the crisis, inflation: Governments have embarked on immense deficit spending in an attempt to pump their economies out of recession. Along with other measures taken, this enormous amount of money just now starting to be spent will eventually assist in reviving economic activity. But inevitably, printing money, pump priming, will result in inflation, significant inflation, and the prime beneficiaries of inflation will be those who bought properties at prices which are now reaching lows never anticipated only a few months ago.

Sophisticated investor buyers who have seen the above rule work time and time again, are right now in the market, looking to pick up the highest quality real estate they can at the best price, and will continue to be present for at least another two years.

7. A concentration of Wealth: There is a tremendous amount of wealth concentrated in the Marbella area. Economically speaking, this area of Spain will be less affected compared to the rest of the country, due to the higher level of stability in the quality end of tourism, which is its number one industry, and in the so-called residential tourism resulting from the use of first and second homes by international part-time and full-time residents. Wealth attracts more wealth, and there are still lots of wealthy people in Europe who want to live all or part of the year in Marbella for well known reasons.

8. A multi-source market: Although the Marbella market includes a good percentage (easily over 30%) of Spaniards who represent the foundations of the market in the first instance, it is nevertheless substantially more international than it is national. It is a multi-source market. This diverse international market base is the biggest factor which distinguishes the Coast from the national market, and will provide strength for a quicker recovery.

9. British sellers are providing better deals: With the pound plummeting by over 25% of its value at the beginning of 2008, and over 40% since its peaks in the year 2000, many buyers are finding that the very best buys can often be found with British sellers, who count their assets in Pounds Sterling, and can afford to sell therefore for a lesser amount of Euros compared with Euro zone resident sellers.

What about the future?

The Coastal market will probably start to recover during the last half of 2009, depending on the evolution of the current world situation, but certainly before the national market. However, this recovery will be very slow, and very gradual. One should anticipate at least three years minimum before the market can return to normal activity. In the context indicated, the beginning of a market recovery is defined as “a significant perception by the market of an increase in the volume of sales”. Price levels of course depend on the level of both supply and demand, and as buyers come back into the market in significant numbers, prices will gradually increase.

Why is it possible for a beginning of market recovery so soon?

When the last setback commenced in 1990, the beginning of market recovery took easily 4 years. The market then built up year after year, to a speculative fever commencing around the year 2000 and double digit annual price increases. However, Marbella today is not the Marbella of the early nineties, for the following reasons:

* In 1990, Marbella was seasonal in nature and had a real population (i.e. “off-season residents” including the floating population of people living here but not officially registered), of around 120,000 people. But when recovery was well underway, between 1995 and 1996, there were at least 150,000 people really living in Marbella off season. It was this “core population”, or critical mass of residents in the winter months which allowed Marbella to convert to a 12-month season, where restaurants, nightlife and sporting facilities could have enough business to remain open all year round. Today, this real population off season is estimated to be in the region of 225,000 inhabitants.

* A critical factor in making the above happen was the investment of hundreds of millions of Euros in infrastructure, improvements and new facilities of all types, both by the municipal government of the early Mayor Gil years, as well as by private investment which Gil was influential in attracting to the city. These were the “show business” years of the early Gil government.

* Events and their repercussions move today at lightning speed compared with just twenty years ago, due to “globalization”, interdependence of economies and the speed of communication. As the prices in Marbella reach their lower limits, which is happening already in some categories and in “distress sales”, the word will spread instantly and those who have been waiting to buy will come into the marketplace, which will be the start of what will no doubt be a long period before returning to normal market activity.

* But the most important factor is that there is just not a great number of quality apartments and villas out there for sale in the best areas, i.e. there is a limited supply. Marbella is not, in terms of numbers of villas or apartments, the West End of London, or Paris, or New York. The last official statistics date from the year 2001 census of the Instituto Nacional de Estadística, just at the beginning of the explosion of growth and building fever in Marbella and throughout Spain, and estimate that there were 80,172 living units in Marbella in that year. Extrapolating by the number of building licences granted in the interim period until now, there are only about 105,000 villas, townhouses and apartments in all of Marbella today. Of these 105,000 dwellings, in very rough terms, about 25% would be rated in the luxury end of the market, let us say properties priced over €500,000, and in quality, homogeneous residential areas. And of these, how many might be for sale? Certainly not more than between 5% minimum and 15% maximum. If one takes an overall estimate of 15% on average for all of the quality end of the market in the previously mentioned price range, that would give us only around 4,000 units for sale. Compare that with the estimate of between 800,000 and 1,400,000 unsold living units in Spain quoted earlier, and it is easy to see why we are talking about a different market sector.

It is for the above reasons, therefore, that it is probable that the market will start to lift off later this year. But, in the meantime, before this recovery commences, a gradually increasing volume of sales will be made, generally to buyers who have decided they do not want to postpone their plans further. Generally speaking, the type of properties they will purchase will be well-priced, or viewed as excellent buys for their location, price, condition and lifestyle factor, or rare and unique properties which cannot easily be reproduced. A good agent will have these properties on his books and the knowledge and skill to help the buyer negotiate successfully with the seller.

There are of course conditions to securing a solid, long-term recovery. Apart from the obvious financial liquidity necessary for the beginning of a world economic upturn, these comprise: transparent, corruption-free and efficient local governments (this is certainly happening now in Marbella with the brilliant management ability and transparency of Marbella’s new Mayoress Ángeles Muñoz and her team); better public services and communication along with increasingly good infrastructure, which has already been ensured by the Regional Government and recent municipal grants by the National Government to the Town Halls; and greater care of our environment for which, finally, all levels of government are bearing the responsibility, as is apparent in the new territorial plan and urban plans for this part of the Coast.

Provided the above comes to bear, and there is solid evidence to this end, Marbella will not only come out of the current recession stronger than before, but will set the standard for other quality resort cities worldwide.

By Abercromby's Real Estate

Recently two of the directors Jock Langley and Robert Vickers-Willis returned from Hong Kong meeting expatriates and building new relationships with migration companies.

Having worked in more discerning markets we feel it is important to look outside the square and attract different buyers to the residential market place.

This has born fruit with our agency being a Finalist in the recent Age REIV Awards for

Excellence:

• Residential Marketing Campaign Budget $2,000 - $10,000

• Residential Marketing Campaign Budget in excess of $10,000

We are also please to advise that we were awarded First Prize in The Classified Display

Advertisement category.

The Board of the Reserve Bank of Australia decided to reduce the cash rate target by 100 basis points to 4.25 per cent at its monetary policy meeting on 2nd December 2008.

The Australian economy has been more resilient than other advanced economies.

With confidence affected by the financial turbulence and a very negative media, it is likely to see demand for housing purchases remain subdued in the near future.

With inflation expected to fall, we will probably see further interest rate cuts in the near future. Given the current economic climate, strong employment will ensure property prices will not drop significantly as they have in the UK, USA and EU.

By Jason Leach of R.CHAYLA Immobilier

What should you be doing right now if you want to buy property in France? Are prices rising, falling or stabilising? Or should we just stick our finger up and try and decide which way the winds blowing. Having looked at the market long and hard and scratched my head a lot I think I have concluded that serious buyers can strike serious deals with serious buyers.

Prices have reduced in most cases and now the adjustment in prices seems very much more realistic and the serious sellers are being more than reasonable. Do you wait a bit more? Do you take the gamble on sterling rising against the Euro or do you waste your chance and curse your luck the moment the Pound reaches parity with the euro and any advantage you had has just been negated!! I had a client back in August whi had sold up in England and was renting, waiting for the dream house to come along, cash in the bank and in no immediate rush who would blame them. I called them when a new suitable house became available and he informed me that his money had been frozen as it was invested in an Icelandic bank and they could not withdraw there life savings. If this wasn't bad enough the calculation on the exchange rate fell from approx 1.34 to 1.20 reducing his purchasing power by a further 28000.00 euros. Interestingly a large amount of hits on the website are coming from the United States and with the Dollar back to a very good exchange rate it seems the Americans are going to be investing and realising their dreams of owning a house in Europe, it couldn't be a better time for them to buy property.

By Robert Lockard

I am sorry to keep talking about sad things in my luxury real estate blog entries, but I just read an article in CNN entitled “Ex-bankers on pushing customers to rack up debt” and it once again brought up many familiar concerns to my mind on the topic of consumer debt. I wish that I could talk about happy topics. I would much prefer to discuss luxury properties or any other topic, including how getting adequate sleep can lead to more success, but, alas, I feel it much more pressing to focus on the problems upon us.

I am absolutely disgusted by the state of our financial markets. It seems to me that dishonesty is rampant and the very people who are responsible for this mess are asking for a great deal of money to supposedly solve the problem. But I care about people much more than institutions. And, based upon the testimony of the two honest women in the CNN article, who both have good consciences, I see little difference between the practices of certain banks and lenders and the practices of drug pushers. Many lenders trick people into taking more money than they need, they strive to get young people addicted and they keep people in a state of dependency for extended periods of time. All of that adds up to trouble.

Debt is a plague that, when handled unwisely, can lead to all sorts of problems that I think are even worse than the horrible effects of drug abuse. People can at least stop taking drugs and eventually go through a process of withdrawal and recovery. But with debt, even if a person stops going into more debt, they still have interest building up on the money they owe and they face all sorts of roadblocks on the way to recovery.

The very institutions that have pushed so many people to get addicted to debt are now suffering from a major withdrawal (pardon the banking pun) and seem on the verge of collapse… wait a minute – collapse? How is this possible? It starts with how good people are treated. We have not been treated fairly and now those who have been engaging in dishonest practices are reaping the bitter fruit. We have become a nation of debtors, instead of a nation of wealth.

Perhaps our financial market, as it currently stands, should not be saved. Perhaps we must soon create an entirely new and honest way of working with our money. Whatever we choose, we cannot keep doing what we have been doing.

I feel like I’ve been ending every blog entry with an apology for being so negative. I just don’t want to leave my readers with a sense of anger or hopelessness. I think that there is much to hope about. There are plenty of good people in this world and in our wonderful nation, the United States. I am confident we will make it through this sad time. I just want to make sure this never happens again.


Editor’s Note:
Robert Lockard is the Public Relations & Media Specialist with LuxuryRealEstate.com. I am Robert. I create all of Luxury Real Estate's newsletters, write the editorials in LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine and much more. The photo of the parrot biting a credit card is from www.flickr.com/photos/djkbird214/2695122732 and it is the copyright of dj-squared.

By Michael Marquette
From his blog: View from the Bridge: Michael Marquette’s comments to the Australian Financial Review

Homeowners and investors have welcomed suggestions that the Reserve Bank of Australia will cut interest rates this year, but will the banks pass the rate cuts onto borrowers?

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has told Australians to change banks if they fail to pass on rate reductions. The banks have had no problem increasing rates to levels higher than official rate increases and have even increased rates despite the Reserve Bank keeping them on hold.

In an interview with The Australian Financial Review last week I was asked what it would take to restore confidence in the market. I expect buyers to remain cautious until the banks show that any rate reductions will be passed on. I believe a rate cut of around 1 percent is needed to restore buyer confidence as I’m hearing increasingly that buyers and vendors are skeptical that banks will pass on the rate cuts. A reduction of 100 basis points will result in the market reacting in a positive way, even half a percent will be looked on cautiously.

So the question is buy now or wait? The answer is simple. There are some fantastic buys in the luxury market at the moment and this will continue for the foreseeable future. As the stock market wobbles, dividends decrease and share prices drop bricks and mortar will become a major focus for many investors.

If you find the right luxury property at the right price and choose the right lender, your decision is an easy one to make. My only advice is to ensure sure that you keep your lender honest, and if “changing banks,” as PM Rudd suggests, make sure you are aware of all fees and costs that may apply.


Editor’s Note:
Michael Marquette is the co-Founder and Director of Marquette Turner Luxury Homes in East Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Founded on Australia Day 2007 by Marquette and Simon Turner, Marquette Turner is a property consultancy company covering the Australian states of New South Wales and Victoria. Marquette has a background in medicine and a large retail and wholesale business. When banks charge unfair fees for their services, they are not building good relationships of trust with potential clients. I prefer kindness and openness when working with people. Thanks for the insightful blog entry, Michael! The photo of the Australian dollar coins is from www.flickr.com/photos/astro-dudes/913087028 and it is the copyright of Claire L. Evans.