Luxury Real Estate

Entries categorized as ‘International Real Estate’

International Real Estate News and Opinions

May 25, 2009 · Leave a Comment

The real estate market is in a state of flux at the moment. These are a selection of news and opinions from around the world, showing that perhaps we have more in common with other countries than we thought. Everyone wants to know when the downturn will finish, and everyone is looking for  refinancing. The mortgage market is a mess, and there are some “innovative products,” coming to the fore. Remember what happened last time? Speaking of mortgages:

  • The saga of Yellowstone, the super-expensive luxury residence club in Montana is finally over. At an auction last week, the less-than-surprising winning bid of $115 million came from CrossHarbor Capital partners. $35 million will be in cash, $80 million a promissory note to Credit Suisse, the original lender. Yellowstone residence club
  • The Times, which has apparently become a government press release farm, is all excited about a new mortgage product by government-owned Lloyds TSB. “First-time buyer deal breaks mortgage deadlock,” says the Times, and the lead in is  “Lloyds TSB earns praise for new 95 per cent LTV.” 95 percent mortgages
  • To say it has been difficult to buy (or keep) a home in the last year or more is an understatement. If the neighborhood you live in, or are looking to live in, falls in the jumbo loan price range the difficulties have been even greater. Jumbo loans“
  • Are we there yet?” is the question on everybody’s lips. As in – are we at the bottom of the real estate downturn? If I could answer this question and be perfectly accurate, I would be a rich man. Real Estate bottom
  • As the name suggests a homeowner loan is a loan to a homeowner. Usually using equity in the home to secure the loan, which often gets a more reasonable rate of interest than other types of loans. UK homeowner loans
  • A 100% home equity loan is a loan against the value of your house. Or rather against the the total value of equity you own in your house. During the recent credit boom, these loans were freely available to… 100% home equity loan
  • Foreclosures are rising in the USA, and repossessions in the UK. In fact, the amount of homes repossessed in the UK this year is likely to exceed 75,000 – more than double the amount in 2008. Adverse credit remortgage

Categories: International Real Estate
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Real Estate Company, Panama Opportunities, Inc., Announces The Launch Of Its New Website

February 24, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Panama Opportunities, Inc., which has been in the Real Estate, Property Management, Interior Design and Relocation business, has announced the launch of its new website: http://www.panamaopportunities.com.

Panama Opportunities, Inc. is a licensed real estate enterprise in Panama City, Latin America. Panama Opportunities, Inc. has a wide variety of mountain, beach & city properties for long-term and short-term rentals. Other than Real Estate Services in Panama, the company also provides Legal Services in Panama, Financial and Banking Advice, Rental Management Services, Rental of Short-Term and Long-Term Properties, Interior Design Services, Personalized Furniture Shopping Services and Customized Real Estate Tours.

Panama Opportunities, Inc. has recently announced the launch of it’s new website. The website serves as a catalogue for the best beach, city and mountain properties such as condos and other rental properties. The website contains detailed information about the most popular properties with all amenities, their selling price and other relevant information. People can request for more information by filling a form at: http://www.panamaopportunities.com/panama-real-estate/contactUs.php.

Panama is the most sought after country in Latin America to invest in real estate. That is why Panama Opportunities, Inc. has acquired various reputable and diverse investment properties for its customers. In addition to its real estate knowledge and expertise, it offers additional value-added services to its clients. To know more about the recent additions to the property listings in Panama, customers can visit: http://www.panamaopportunities.com.

Maria Amelia Pezzotti, Administrative Manager of Panama Opportunities, Inc., says, “It’s our pleasure to serve foreigners & the local people with our value added services and to extend our reach and aura of services, we have launched our website so that we can closely understand the needs and wants of our customers”.

About Panama Opportunities:
Panama Opportunities, Inc. is a licensed real estate company in Panama City, Latin America. It’s a modern real estate enterprise, specialized in Property Management, Interior Design & Relocation Services. They are experts in assessing the investment goals of the public for city, mountain and beach properties in the Republic of Panama. The core values of the company are Responsibility, Compromise, Honesty, Excellent Reputation, Respect and Empathy. And their mission is to provide the best personalized services to their customers by providing a customized real estate portfolio based on their investment goal range, location, and type of investment as well as expected appreciated return.

Contact Details:
Maria Amelia Pezzotti
Administrative Manager
Panama Opportunities, Inc.
Phone: (507) 6611.4600
Office: (507) 270.0070
Email:map@panamaopportunities.com
Website: www.panamaopportunities.com

Categories: International Real Estate
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350 Foreclosed Homes Hit Auction Block

February 20, 2009 · Leave a Comment

More than 350 homes will go on the auction block starting Saturday in one of Nevada’s biggest foreclosed real estate auction events.

As you drive around the Las Vegas valley, you may notice bright yellow and black posters that are popping up on more properties. The signs represent the flip side of the foreclosure crisis — meaning what was one homeowner’s misery could soon be another’s gold mine.

Because there are so many Nevada luxury properties up for bid in this auction, it’s a two-day event starting Saturday morning and wrapping up Monday evening. There is no auction on Sunday.

The country’s largest real estate auction company, the Real Estate Disposition Corporation, or REDC, is organizing the event. Potential bidders were given the chance during an open house event last weekend to actually walk through the properties and inspect them which is always recommended.

Visit the REDC website for more information on the auction.

REDC Vice President Chris Alcedo says the opportunity created by Nevada’s current real estate market is what he likes to call a perfect storm.

“Because you have historically low pricing and tremendously low interest rates. You combine those together and it creates a great opportunity for people who otherwise couldn’t afford to buy a home to get into a home,” Alcedo said.
Many of the homes have low opening bids. For example, one 2,000 square foot home near Valley View and Washington sold for $215,000 and it’s starting bid price is listed at $19,000.

Categories: International Real Estate
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Romeo finds his heart in Belize DiCaprio to Build Eco Resort in Belize

January 13, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Hollywood A-lister Leonardo DiCaprio has fallen in love with the idea of building an eco-resort on an island he owns off the coast of Belize…

Leonardo DiCaprio has undergone a serious image overhaul in the last few years, transforming from a Romeo & Juliet/Titanic pre-teen dream to a bearded environmental activist.

The actor used some of his movie millions to snap up his very own paradise island in Belize in 2005 for £1.15 million and is now planning to turn it into an eco-friendly resort.

Leo purchased the island from Emerald Futures, who described it as a ‘beautiful, pristine island,’ and its famous owner is keen to preserve that natural beauty in a green manner.

The staunch environmentalist has great green plans for the 104-acre Blackadore Caye island which is lined with white sand beaches and dotted with coconut palms and rocky outcrops.

It lies between mainland Belize and Ambergris Caye and is just a 25-minute boat ride from the Belize Barrier Reef, a World Heritage Site.

Leo plans to fund the luxury layout, which will include an 80-room hotel and a selection of condominiums and luxury villas, all with private pools and a green theme.

The very latest in innovative green technology will be used, including hybrid power systems and eco tours, which will respect the island’s wildlife and tropical surroundings.

The Blackadore Caye project will be managed by hotel giant Four Seasons and construction is scheduled to begin next year.

Leo wants the island to become a ‘landmark example of sustainable development.’

Buying in Belize

Leo is not alone in wanting to build or buy Belize property. Known as ‘Mother Nature’s best-kept secret,’ Belize has become increasingly popular with foreign buyers over the last few years, fuelling demand for homes to buy and rent.

Although Costa Rica and Panama get all the publicity, Belize is renowned as one of the easiest countries in Central America for overseas buyers to buy Belize properties.

There are no restrictions on non-citizens owning property, no capital gains taxes and low property taxes and the country uses English as the primary language.

In response to heightened demand, there are a number of new residential developments being constructed across the country.

Belize also boasts one of most liberal retirement programs in the region, the Retired Persons Incentive Program, which was introduced in 1999. Under the programme’s terms, foreign citizens older than 45 can import their possessions duty free and gain special residence status as long as they meet some basic requirements.

For more information on Belize properties and the market in general, please visit http://belize.themovechannel.com/

Categories: International Real Estate
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Real Estate Market Predictions for 2009

December 27, 2008 · Leave a Comment

Every market analyst, real estate agent and would-be economist would like to think they can predict the future of the real estate markets. For once, they stand a chance of getting it right. No on in their right mind could think prices will go anywhere but down in 2009. This is a selection of predictions for 2009:

The Luxury Property Blog believes that 2009 luxury real estate prices will not settle down until the financial institutions come under some sort of control.

International Property Investment has some dire warnings about property prices in the UK,

The Times Online has a selection of predictions on teh UK from a variety of sources, none of it good news for the British market.

The International Herald Tribune is prepared to admit they got it all wrong in 2008, but is not going to make any predictions for 2009 just yet. Looking forward to Kevin’s opinions soon though. :)

The Urban Land Institute is suggesting Asia is going to go through a major correction in 2009.

The Wall Street Journal suggests home prices in the US will continue falling in 2009.

The only pundits saying prices will go up are from press releases by desperate developers in the UAE, where, it would appear the credit crunch is not happening, despite the fact that developers are canceling projects and firing staff all over the place. The only glimmer of positive news is the opportunities presented when the real estate market reaches bottom.

Categories: International Real Estate
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Luxury Golf Resort and Residence in Cortona Italy Breaks Ground

December 14, 2008 · Leave a Comment

Caribbean Residence Clubs has been reshaping the vacation experience since 2002. As one of the world’s premier Caribbean real estate experts, Caribbean Residence Clubs is pleased to announce they adding their first resort in Italy.

Manzano Golf Resort will be the first golf resort in Cortona Italy. It will cover about 200 acres and will include an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Gary Player Design, and a four star luxury hotel with 40 rooms and 36 units.

The complex will be a polyfuctional resort offering a wide variety of choices: from the classic room of the hotel to the exclusive villas, from the wellness center to the conference room, from the restaurant to tourist info point, from the golf course to other sport facilities.

Fractional shares are now available with limited founders club ownership. Fractional ownership along with independent real estate investment funds seems to be the preferred investment tack in the current climate.

Construction to be started this months and phase I is estimated to be completed in fall 2010.

Categories: International Real Estate · Press releases
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