Archive for November, 2011

Capital Growth and UK Property most sought after in 2012 according to latest Investor Survey

The findings of the 2011 Property Frontiers’ Investor Survey reveal that Capital Growth is by far the most important investment criteria with the UK the top destination for a third of potential property buyers.

Conducting the annual survey, the award-winning investment agency with offices in Oxford and London, asked their client base what they wanted to invest in, why and where in 2012. For 46% Capital Growth was of the upmost importance followed closely by High Yield at 33% and Security at 11%.

In terms of global destinations, the UK, perceived as a safe haven for real estate investment, was the top choice for nearly a third of potential buyers followed by the USA and interestingly the BRIC economy of Brazil in joint second and rising star, Turkey in fourth position. Traditional lifestyle favourites including France, Spain and Portugal did rank within the top 10 destinations however a number of Asian nations including Malaysia, China and Singapore also ranked highly.

Commenting on the findings, Chief Executive of Property Frontiers, Ray Withers, said,

“Our annual investor survey is extremely useful for us in assessing the state of the market. As a customer focussed organisation, we try our hardest to listen to our clients’ and the market needs and offer investments that make sound fundamental sense”

“Over the past year we have seen a huge increase in demand for UK property especially buy-to-let so we are not surprised to see this level of interest continue into 2012 and whilst we remain in uncertain economic times, Security and Capital Growth will prevail over riskier, often higher yielding opportunities.”

Interestingly despite fears of a double-dip recession, the investment sector in 2011 has seen signs of life with over half of survey respondents revealing that they had made an investment in the last 12 months with the UK, USA and eco products the most popular.

Indeed interest in alternative and eco products such as Property Frontier’s popular asset backed bamboo bond which has sold $8 million worth to date, was remarkably high with three-quarters of investors looking into this market.

The way in which investors digested investment information was also assessed through the survey with 75% of potential buyers regularly using social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn upon which Property Frontiers enjoys an active presence.

Ray Withers concludes,

The 2011 Investor Survey certainly paints a positive picture for the market in 2012. Investors, although maybe cautious, still believe in the merits of bricks and mortar and other alternative asset classes such as student accommodation, hotels or eco investments.

“One thing that the Survey did reiterate as well however, was that customer service remains one of the most important factors for any agency operating today. Hearing Property Frontiers being described as “trustworthy, ethical and customer focused” and “helpful and truthful in their representation of an opportunity” makes us really stand out amongst the crowd.”

For the full 2011 Investor Survey findings or more information on what and where to invest in 2012 contact Property Frontiers today on + 44 (0) 1865 202 700 or visit www.propertyfrontiers.com.

Press Release Focus: Property Frontiers The 2011 Investor Survey real estate investment property buyers Property Frontiers’ Investor Survey

November 10th, 2011  in Property Frontiers No Comments »

Turkey voted Frommers favourite for 2012

Where do travellers want to visit next year? According to the leading guidebook publisher and travel website Frommers, 51% of readers quizzed about their top destinations to visit in 2012 voted in favour of Turkey.

Amongst a list of 10 destinations compiled by Frommers, Turkey was announced as the reader’s top destination to visit in 2012, despite being up against strong contenders such as Paris, Italy and Hawaii.

Described as a Frommers ‘favourite’ since the publication of Turkey on $5 a Day in 1971, the nation’s economic powerhouse, Istanbul, has been marked as one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities as well as one ‘packed with a rich Byzantine history, divine architecture, fantastic street food and one-of-a-kind shopping.’

Ray Withers, Director of Turkish property investment experts Property Frontiers comments,

“With Turkey becoming one of the biggest success stories of late having emerged as a sound economic marketplace underpinned by an already thriving tourism industry, positive acclaim from a leading and trusted source such as Frommers will certainly help propel the nation even further, much to the delight of foreign property investors.”

Further positive news arrives from the latest REIDIN.com index which has revealed that Turkey has experienced an increase in the value of residential property with average house prices rising by 0.73% in September 2011 compared to the previous month, while rental values jumped by 0.90% across the same period.

Meanwhile, the Turkish construction sector has grown by 13.2% in the second quarter of 2011 according to data released by the Association of Real Estate Investment Companies (GYODER) with property sales reaching 107,308 in the country in the second quarter of 2011, an increase of 17.8% over the first quarter.

With Turkey ranked in seventh place in the list of most-visited global destinations, according to the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Turkish government has revealed that foreigners invested in excess of $1.3 billion in the Turkish property market last year, thanks to heightened confidence in the market.

With this in mind, the projected demand of 2.9 million houses by 2015 has led investors into the lucrative Buy-to-Let world where there is high demand for good quality rented housing in Istanbul and surrounding areas with Property Frontiers recognising the growing potential of Istanbul as a lucrative property investment hub.

Located in the western suburb of Beylikduzu, one of the fastest growing areas presenting not only one of the best opportunities for property investment but cheaper property price tags than the rest of Europe, the spacious 1 and 2 bedroom luxurious modern apartments of Kensington Residence, affording immediate and guaranteed rental income at 7% for 2 years, will present tremendously good value for money with an investment of only £17,325 required for a 1 bedroom and £30,450 for a 2 bedroom apartment based on the investor utilising 70% LTV finance.

On the other hand, those looking to invest in a key asset class in the proven market of Istanbul can look no further than the booming student accommodation sector.

With University Dormitories and Government Funded Dormitories accounting for only 12.7% of rising student housing demand, a shortfall of housing stock for around 254,000 students has emerged and the new student accommodation development HAN Florya, located in the booming western suburb of Küçükçekmece, will provide an optimum opportunity to capitalise on the growing demand for student housing offering a secure high yielding low level investment starting at £14,965 with no buying, ongoing maintenance or management costs while investors can enjoy a guaranteed NET yield of 10% per annum.

For more information on investing in the Frommers favourite, please contact the experts Property Frontiers today on +44 (0) 1865 202 700 or visit www.propertyfrontiers.com.

Press Release Focus: Property Frontiers HAN Florya property investment Turkish property market foreign property investors Turkish property investment

November 10th, 2011  in Property Frontiers No Comments »

Property in Istanbul – The New Great Investment.

What do we know about Istanbul? Istanbul at this moment in time is very much at the heart of the growth in tourism to Turkey and plays a massive part in the European capital of culture.

Property in Istanbul, stands out from other destinations as giving the best investment opportunities in Europe, offering low risk and high growth in property sales. Previous buyers of investment property in Istanbul have seen a growth of 42 % since February last year and lucky buyers who purchased property three years ago have now seen the benefits as they have reaped rewards of up to 85 % on both residential and commercial properties.

Both markets still experiencing record and almost unprecedented growth and offer fantastic returns on investment. This is something that we at Property Frontiers take a great interest in and want to make sure every customer receives great returns on every property investment made through us.

Turkey’s economy is still growing day by day, as is Istanbul’s population.  Its demand for purchasing property has also increased as it is becoming a great investment to be a part of.

Here’s an interesting fact -

Did you know that many foreigners seeking to buy property in Turkey must be citizens of a country that reciprocates by allowing people from Turkey to buy property there also? For example an American can buy a Turkish home, because Turks are allowed to buy property in the US.

This reflects positively on people from the UK who are wishing to buy property in Turkey as we are a country that also reciprocates.  However, it is said that foreign buyers are restricted from buying properties larger than 6 acres or in certain rural areas and that they may not own more than 10% of the land in a town.

So why not look into buying a property in Turkey or Istanbul?  Here at Property Frontiers having extensively researched the Turkish real estate market, we have established exclusive relationships with reputable developers and secured a number of diverse and exceptional investment properties in Turkey.

In the event that you do not find an investment property in Turkey please contact us directly at Property Frontiers and we will ensure that our Europe Property Sourcing team handle your specific Turkey property requirements for:  Turkish Flats, Turkish Apartments, Turkish Houses and Turkish Property Investment Deals.

For more information please visit Property Frontiers or you can contact us at info@propertyfrontiers.com or call us on 01865202700.

Author: Emma Keast

Blog Focus: Property Frontiers Property In Turkey Property In Istanbul Investment Properties In Turkey Investment Property In Istanbul

November 10th, 2011  in Property Frontiers No Comments »

Boom time for Brazil – The Economic Superpower

When Lula Da Silva emerged victorious in the 1984 party leadership elections, his party The Workers’ Party helped re-write the country’s post militarian constitution, a move that proved to be the defining moment in Brazil’s future.

Supported by a strong and vast population, the largest in Latin America, the last 20 years have been an era of change in which many social reforms were introduced to bring morale into the middle and lower class. This included goals to end hunger in Brazil, counter juvenile pregnancy and redistribution of goods to the poor. A program called the Bolsa Family was started and has become the largest social assistance program on food and gas, and conditional on school attendance for children. Having impacted on the growth of the middle and lower class, the county has ensured a continuity of economic growth through relative low volatility on interest rates and exchange rate markets.

Brazil has maintained a well integrated economy that allowed it to prosper through jubilant bursts of progress. Its trade with the U.S has been the backbone of economic growth, being a larger partner than India, Spain and Italy combined.

This period throughout the 1990’s made Brazil the world’s top exporter of tobacco, sugar, beef and iron. During that time, it grew to be the largest market in South America, grossing domestic output over 60% of total output in the area. According to the Financial Times, China is the only country to have received more foreign direct investment among the developing countries between 1988 and 2001.

Although the case, potential wasn’t truly visible until the late 2000’s, before which Brazil’s GDP averaged a modest 2.5%, way below the 10.2% for China,7.8% for South Korea and 5.7% for India. Furthermore, past presidents have each played a big part, from the Program of Targets in the late 50’s, the Economic Miracles in the late 60’s to early 70’s and Fernando Cardoso’s Golden Years of the late 90’s.

Whilst it has become expensive for locals to travel abroad due to the devaluation of the Brazilian Real in September 2008, it has become less expensive for incoming foreigners. The availability of private sector debt has gradually started increasing again, and thus investors will be able to achieve higher returns.

According to Jones Lang LaSalle, many investors will have a lower execution risk due to the increased liquidity. The Central Bank has also been in range with its inflationary targets. This has allowed domestic demand to increase consistently with the rise in the middle class.

Over the last 5 years, Brazil saw 26 million people move into the middle class sector and is expecting more than 16 million to do the same in the next 5 years. Brazil has also become less dependent on mining and is being pushed by what may be termed as “the China Effect”. Banks are also less leveraged and continuously supported by high interest rates.

Property Frontiers share a great interest in the development of Brazil, especially as we are delighted to present the most credible property investment in Brazil, Golden Fields.

Our luxurious investment properties in Brazil provide up to 6% Rental Guarantee for 4 years, this superb pre-launch Brazilian buy-to-let investment is located in the heart of Natal city with pre-launch prices from £59,200, to find out more visit Property Frontiers.

Blog Focus: Property Investment in Brazil Luxurious Investment Properties in Brazil Property Frontiers Brazilian buy-to-let investment

Golden Fields.

November 10th, 2011  in Property Frontiers No Comments »

Making money quickly within the property market?

Regardless of whether you consider yourself to be an investor or not we all naturally worry that not having the right amount of knowledge about the property market could lead us to purchasing a high risk investment.

Companies such as Property Frontiers are designed to make sure you are getting the most out of your investment opportunity and are making the right decision. For example, If you were looking into buying a property in Istanbul they would make sure you had all the vital information to know that you were making the right decision on a overseas investment before you jumped in.  All investments contain an element of risk, guided with the right research and resources you can make sure it’s the right investment choice for you.

It is said that the path to success is to wipe the slate completely clean and stick to a basic investment formula which consists of four key principals to help you find your perfect oversea property investment; Industry, trends, immigration and transportation.

These four principals along with the correct amount of research can help minimise the high risks of purchasing the wrong investment and should help you to be on the right path to purchasing the perfect overseas property investment with guaranteed returns.

Immigration is known to be a huge indicator of the strength of an overseas property investment and it’s potential.

Here’s an interesting fact –

Immigration in any one area is raised depending on the amount of consumers and workers that are there, therefore a rise in income levels.  There is also then a natural increase in goods and services provided, these benefit the local economy which creates attention, attracting even more immigration and as a result of this more and more people are looking for housing which pushes prices up.

We all look for an oversea property investment that can provide ‘better living’.  Several factors are important to us such as standards and education, increasing economic activity in the area and especially in the property market. This leads to more potential investors as they see this area as a honey pot and will want to grab an excellent investment opportunity.

A good example of this is the city of Istanbul in Turkey; it’s quickly on the rise to becoming one of the best investment opportunities out there, not just because of the wide selection of modern investment properties, but because of its renowned culture and historic value also.

Immigration is a huge indicator of an excellent investment opportunity especially as information about immigration is so easily available. If you do wish to find out more about oversea property investment opportunities please visit Property Frontiers.

Author: Emma Keast

Blog Focus: Oversea Property Investment Modern Holiday Homes buying a property in Istanbul

November 10th, 2011  in Property Frontiers No Comments »

$1.3 billion invested into Turkey – Ranked 7th most visited global destination by the UN

Turkey has become one of the biggest success stories of late having emerged as a sound economic marketplace; but let us not forget what it was that that helped propel the country into the dominant powerhouse it is today. Thanks to a highly successful tourism industry, Turkey has sky rocketed to the top much to the delight foreign property investors.

At present, Turkey ranks seventh in the most-visited global destinations list, according to the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Since 2000, Turkish tourism operators were able to record the first noteworthy increase in tourist numbers, resulting in an impressive 10.4 million visitors that year. From then on, Turkey has experienced consistent growth in its inbound tourists leading the country to reach an incredible 28.63 million visitors in 2010. Today, the tourism sector continues to grow and is a primary contributor to the nation’s national income and success on the global stage.

Indeed, increased tourist numbers over the years certainly contributed to the 11% year on year economic growth seen in Q1 2011 with Turkey’s ‘city of desire’ Istanbul seeing a 30.1% increase in tourist revenue this year helping Istanbul become the 34th richest city by GDP in the world according to data from PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

Recording better growth than any of the largest emerging markets in the first quarter of this year, Turkey’s $735 billion economy grew 8.8% in the second quarter, developing faster than India and more than four times the Eurozone’s expansion. And, with the help of ever growing tourist numbers and credit growth prompting rising consumer demand, Turkey has been experiencing the best year for takeovers since 2008 with the value of transactions involving Turkish targets rising by 59% annually to $8.8 billion.

Meanwhile, figures from the Turkish government have shown that foreigners invested in excess of $1.3 billion in the Turkish property market last year. At present, there is a shortage of homes across the country, especially in urban areas such as Istanbul, which is currently on the receiving end of massive internal migration. With this in mind, the projected demand of 2.9 million houses by 2015 has led investors into the lucrative Buy-to-Let world where there is high demand for good quality rented housing in Istanbul and surrounding areas.

Ray Withers, Director of Turkish property investment experts Property Frontiers comments,

“Thanks to huge waves of tourists to the country over the years with some 1.4 million Arab tourists visiting the country between January to August this year alone, it seems everyone wants a piece of Turkey. Certainly, for investors, the Turkish government’s plan to make the tourist industry reach 15% of its GDP by the year 2020 will be a big attraction.

“Currently, the Turkish property market is underpinned by a strong economy with a growing tourism sector, and savvy Buy-to-Let investors understand that this can be converted into solid rental yields. As a result, we at Property Frontiers have recognised the growing potential of Istanbul as a lucrative property investment hub with the western suburb of Beylikduzu, one of the fastest growing areas presenting not only one of the best opportunities for property investment but cheaper property price tags than the rest of Europe.”

Available £17,250 below comparable projects in the area, the spacious 1 and 2 bedroom luxurious modern apartments of Kensington Residence located in the heart of Beylikduzu will present tremendously good value for money with an investment of only £17,325 required for a 1 bedroom and £30,450 for a 2 bedroom apartment based on the investor utilising 70% LTV finance.

The finance is available for EU and North American citizens while investors can enjoy an immediate and guaranteed rental income at 7% for 2 years, the perfect opportunity to capitalise on the positive growth and ever growing popularity of the nation.

For more information on investing in Kensington Residence please contact the experts Property Frontiers today on +44 (0) 1865 202 700 or visit www.propertyfrontiers.com.

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Turkish Property Market

November 10th, 2011  in Uncategorized No Comments »

Reasons to Buy Property in Turkey

What do we all look for when buying a property abroad?

We all deep down dream of owning a property abroad (if we’re honest with ourselves), lying out in the sunshine all afternoon, eating Turkish delight until the sun goes down. If we all had the opportunity to snatch up a property in Turkey with guaranteed returns on investments would we really want to turn it down?

What does Turkey have to offer us?

  • With over 300 days of sunshine a year, the warm climate which ranging from March to November is a great reason to invest in buying a property in Turkey. Stunning scenery and beautiful beaches in my opinion Turkey has something to offer everyone.
  • Eating out in Turkey is never a chore. How much did you pay for your meal for the two last week? Cut that bill in half, and then in half again Turkey. The overall cost of living is tiny compared to the UK.
  • Turkey is a modern country with a young population. This is a country that is taking its place at the forefront of modern economics (one of the fastest growing economies) and society, and it intends to stay there too.

Here’s an interesting fact -

  • Modern properties in Turkey now all conform to EU standards and regulations. Turkey is in the process of applying to join the European Union and is expected to complete the process in the next few years.

The majority of people visiting will prefer to rent an apartment in the city for a few weeks at a time as opposed to staying in hotels; this means that there is more money to be made by anyone who owns a modern Istanbul property.

Finally Istanbul has an excellent transport system which makes it very attractive to people who have relocated to Turkey for work. The city also has about two international airports making it easy for the frequent visitor. There are many exciting reasons to invest in a property in Turkey.

For more information on investing in a property in Istanbul or a property in Turkey please contact Property Frontiers.

Author: Emma Keast

Blog Focus: Property in Istanbul Property Frontiers Properties in Turkey Istanbul property

November 10th, 2011  in Property Frontiers No Comments »

Turkish delight: With a 30% increase in Russian visitors this year, Turkey is fast becoming a hotspot for savvy Russian property investors

Russians are currently one of the most active global players when it comes to property purchases searching not only for sun, sea and sandy beaches but for strong and stable economies where their rubles can stretch far and wide.

Of course, it will come as no surprise that Turkey, where visa -ree travel now exists for Russians is one of the country’s favourite holiday as well as second home locations, becoming the number one destination favoured by Russian tourists according to search engine Yandex.

Currently, Russian tourists constitute the largest percentage of visitors on southern Turkish holidays having seen a 30% increase in visitors this year compared to 2010 with 13.03 million Russians visiting Turkey between Jan and June this year, climbing 12.58% compared to 2010 according to the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry.

A survey conducted by the Russian magazine International Residence at Moscow’s leading property show this year which surveyed 499 Russian property buyers revealed that the majority surveyed wished to buy Turkish apartments within the next 12 months with 53% saying they were buying property there for lifestyle reasons while holiday home or rental purposes appeared a popular choice also. The survey also found that 40% of buyers were looking to spend between 100,000 Euros and 250,000 Euros, a higher percentage than has been seen at previous shows.

Ray Withers, Director of Turkish property investment experts, Property Frontiers, comments,

“Russians were voted the most desirable shoppers by Turkish shops, hardly surprising when they spend a total of $3 billion a year within the country. And, considering 25 million Russian tourists are expected to visit Turkey this year, this spells very good news for the already booming Turkish economy experiencing 11% GDP growth in the first half of 2011 making it the fastest growing economy in the world.

“Property havens like Istanbul, Europe’s premier buy-to-let city which has experienced a 30.1% increase in tourist revenue this year has seen a big influx of Russians buying property there attracted to a city where east meets west and one that offers exceptional facilities and cheaper property price tags than the rest of Europe.”

With this in mind, perhaps the biggest attraction for Russian property investors is the package they get when buying in Turkey. With a rapidly expanding economy, a strong and stable banking system, low interest rates and cheap property prices not to mention the booming tourism industry, Russian buyers have been clever enough to identify the Eurasian nation as a perfect second home destination as well as huge returns generator from the buy-to-let market.

As a perfect opportunity to capitalise on the positive growth within Turkey, Property Frontiers has a stunning new key ready development comprising 1 and 2 bedroom luxurious modern apartments located in the heart of Beylikduzu, one of the fastest growing areas of Istanbul with almost 204,000 people living in the western suburb.

Available £20,000 below comparable projects in the area, the spacious apartments of Kensington Residence will present tremendously good value for money with an investment of only £16,500 required for a 1 bedroom and £29,000 for a 2 bedroom apartment. In addition 50% non-status LTV finance is available while investors can enjoy an immediate and guaranteed rental income at 7% for 2 years.

For more information about investing in Istanbul property contact the specialists Property Frontiers today on +44 (0) 1865 202 700 or visit www.propertyfrontiers.com.

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November 10th, 2011  in Property Frontiers No Comments »

London’s East End is hot pick for investment as borough ranked Top 10 Destination of 2012

Investors considering buying in the Capital should take a second look at the Royal Borough of Greenwich in the East End of London, ranked by Frommers, the worldwide travel guide, as one of the Top 10 Destinations of 2012.

Sitting alongside exotic global destinations such as Ghana and Beirut, Greenwich, often considered to be the gateway to the East End of London, is set to enjoy its time in the limelight even further next year due to the numerous Summer Olympic events happening right on its doorstep.

Ray Withers, Director of investment experts, Property Frontiers, which is marketing a new hotel investment in the Royal Docks, comments:

“We are delighted to see that the East End of London and indeed Greenwich receive internal accolade for its touristic appeals. The area as a whole has developed considerably in the last two decades with the establishment of the Canary Wharf financial centre, revitalisation of the Docklands, expansion of London City Airport and the Olympic Site having a very positive impact. It is certainly one area which holds a great deal of interest both to us and our clients.”

An up and coming tourist destination within London, if you get under the skin of Greenwich it is easy to see why this ‘little green patch’ of London has been given such an exciting accolade. Greenwich was the main naval centre of England in the 18th and 19th centuries and is steeped in history, to the point that it is now an UNESCO heritage site. The architecture is awash with remarkable baroque facades by architects such as Wren, Hawksmoor, and Vanburgh as well as fine cuisine, interesting shops and a wonderful covered market which sets this area apart from many others in London.

Home to the largest leisure arena in Europe, the O2, Greenwich will also be the place to alight the new Emirates Air Line cable car which is being installed across the River Thames, expected to take thousands of tourists to and from the Olympic Park at Stratford.

With already high levels of tourism to the area and Frommers ear-marking the borough as a top place to visit in 2012, demand for accommodation is also set to rise, creating a lucrative opportunity for savvy property investors.

As Withers explains,

“If you want to make a property investment which has a winning formula not just for today but for the future then you need to select an area that is just about to hit the ‘big time’ and where there is long term growth forecast. Rising tourism and a shortage of accommodation makes the East End of London the perfect investment environment.”

Over 5,000 hotels rooms have been opened or re-opened in the east of London already with thousands more expected in the next few years. Global brands, such as Holiday Inn Express, have identified the potential of this area and are investing heavily. Following the opening of Holiday Inn Express at Stratford, the new Royal Albert Dock Hotel, operated under the Holiday Inn Express brand will over have 204 en-suite rooms just minutes from the Royal Albert Dock DLR station.

Opposite London City Airport, the Royal Albert Dock Hotel affords a premium location with easy access and modern on-site amenities including meeting rooms, restaurant and bar. Rooms across the three floors are available to purchase at 22% below official RICS valuations at £125,000 with 50% non-status finance available upon completion.

Owners can expect up to 10.5% NET yield but year 5 and only £5,000 deposit is required to invest.  For more information contact Property Frontiers on +44 (0) 1865 202700 or visit www.propertyfrontiers.com .

Press Release Focus: Property Frontiers Royal Albert Dock Hotel Holiday Inn Express Property Investment New Hotel Investment

November 10th, 2011  in Property Frontiers No Comments »