If Rechavia is a neighborhood of gardens, Baka is practically a forest. I've never seen more full grown trees in a Jerusalem neighborhood than in Baka, and the variety is greater than in the newer neighborhoods as well. All the trees and the privacy they bring may be a large part of what's made buying a house or an apartment in Baka so attractive to Americans. The other attraction is that Baka is right across the railroad tracks from the German Colony, and a two minute walk from Emeq Refaim, it can hardly be considered the wrong side of the tracks. Baka is primarily a mix of private homes and modest sized apartment buildings.
There are some larger developments as you move towards Talpiyot, but Baka residents would probably call that area Makor Chaim. You'll hear quite a bit of English on the streets as you wonder around Baka, but the ultimate indicator of a heavy American presence is that number of real estate ads in the Jerusalem Post. I think Baka is actually the priciest neighborhood I've looked at so far in terms of available properties. There aren't a huge number on the market, and apartments that are for sale tend to be pretty expensive.
More : http://www.fonerbooks.com/guide_28.htm
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Guide for Buying an Apartment in Baka
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Real Estate Selling Tips
Selecting an Real Estate Agent
When the time comes for you to put your home on the market, make an effort to select the right agent. Find an agent who is familiar with your type of property. Ask for transaction data. Check to see if the agent is a member of the Institute of Estate Agents ( IEA ) and if yours is an HDB unit, make certain that the agent is a Listed Housing Agent. Interview the agent to ensure he has the knowledge and the skill required to successfully market your property. Most importantly, you must appoint one exclusive agent and allow him to conduct his duties in a professional manner
Why Exclusive ?
* Exclusive Authorisation means a dedicated agent handling the entire marketing process ensuring full discretion and personal reporting.
* Exclusive agents are more willing to share listing information thus ensuring the widest possible coverage within the real estate community thru Multiple Listings and Networking.
* All prospective buyers will be carefully screened by a single agent with your requirement and scheduling in mind thus ensuring a peace of mind marketing effort.
* Accepting a serious offer is easier since your agent is fully aware of all marketing activity associated with your property. This reduces your having to check with several agents for any other offers. Price control is easily achieved.
* An Exclusive Agent is authorised to negotiate on your behalf since you both have a customised marketing strategy, thus resulting in a faster closure at the best possible price.
* Most successful real estate transactions are conducted thru exclusive agency - the preferred method by both agents and sellers.
More Visit http://www.8links.com
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Property Rights and Wrongs
As investors in tech stocks and many blue chips watched their wealth evaporate with the demise of the great bull market, holders of real estate stocks were having a grand old time. And none had more fun than shareholders of two unusual no-load funds: Alpine U.S. Real Estate Equity, managed by Sam Lieber, and CGM Realty, run by Ken Heebner. cumulative 37% from July 2005 ...
The funds' post-bubble gains were unreal. From April 2000 through June 2005, CGM (symbol CGMRX; 800-343-5678) returned a resounding 29% annualized. Alpine (EUEYX; 888-785-5578) did even better, gaining 34% per year. Over the period, the average real estate fund earned 21% annualized while Standard & Poor's 500-stock index lost an annualized 3%. But after marching in near lock step for years, Alpine and CGM began to part ways in the summer of 2005. In as stark a divergence as you'll ever see, CGM gained a
More Click Here
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Dubai Property Investments
Dubai property investments
Buying, selling or investing in Dubai real estate use our property search to find overseas the latest Dubai investment property from off plan property to ready to move in resale property. We offer the investor advice and information about overseas property investments and best of all selection of cheap investment property
Property investors and investment property
Dubai property investments have already provided some investors with short term capital gains but has the Dubai property investment market got any more to offer the seasoned investor?.
Property investors set to make profits in Dubai
It is clear that short term gains may not be as impressive as in the last few years but in the long term Dubai offers sound investment opportunity. Prices are now more expensive with Dubai investment property much harder to find priced under £60,000.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Singapore Property Buyer Guide
The process for buying property in Singapore for expatriates, foreign residents living in Singapore and overseas investors is slightly convoluted and confusing as many exceptions, exemptions and requirements exist.
This is a general guide about how to buy property in Singapore and details the main specifics of the process. However a potential purchaser should seek personalized legal advice before entering the market to ensure that they are aware of any restrictions or permission requirements that they will have to be aware of or fulfil in order to buy property in Singapore.
Overseas buyers are generally freely permitted to purchase an apartment in a building which has at least six stories, a housing unit in an ‘approved condominium development’ or alternatively a leasehold property a building which has at least six stories. All other properties may be available for sale to an investor but they have to seek the permission of the Singapore Land Authority before proceeding to purchase.
In many emerging property markets investors have to seek legal permission to purchase from the local government and this process is simply par for the course and never a real hindrance to the buyer; in Singapore the situation is very different. Many properties are deemed ‘restricted’ and are unavailable for sale to a foreign buyer, therefore anyone looking at properties for sale in Singapore needs to be aware of this fact and have a good property specialist lawyer on board from the start to quickly assess whether any real estate an investor sets their sights on is legally for sale to them.
Interest rates in Singapore are currently relatively low which is helping to attract more buyers to the property market. Home financing can be quite affordable and if an investor decides they want a mortgage to buy their investment property in Singapore they should have this agreed in principal before making any offer to buy otherwise the sale could fall through and the potential buyer could lose up to a 10% deposit. Restrictions exist especially where an investor is hoping to buy an investment property with a limited lease – generally the shorter the lease period the higher the interest rate applied to any loan and the more difficult it will be to obtain financing. Anyone who requires a mortgage to purchase must keep this in mind.
With any mortgage required having been pre-approved and with a real estate lawyer standing by, an investor should begin their search for suitable properties in Singapore to match their investment objectives. Local estate agents are used to dealing with foreign buyers and are generally very well versed in the complexities of the property buying process in Singapore so should be well able to assist an investor locate suitable properties for sale.
As soon real estate has been located that an investor believes will meet his requirements he can secure an ‘Option to Purchase’ the property by paying a non-refundable 1% of the purchase price to effectively take the property off the market and allow the investor’s solicitor to have time to check out whether all is in order with the property and whether the investor will require permission to buy it.
The ‘Option to Purchase’ is valid for a 14 day period after which time a buyer either forfeits his 1% and the property goes back on the market or the buyer pays a further 9% of the purchase price to make up a 10% deposit. At this stage the property buying process moves forward and a preliminary contract is signed by the vendor and buyer.
Any further surveys, searches and permission seeking will take place before the final contract is signed and the property is exchanged. There is usually a 1% fee payable by the buyer to the estate agent in Singapore and the property investor also has to pay stamp duty which amounts to a further 3%. Lawyer’s fees and any charges attributed to acquiring permission to buy property in Singapore or securing a mortgage are extra.
It’s worth pointing out that short term property speculation is not really an option for a property investor in Singapore because if they resell their real estate within one year of purchase they will become liable for 100% capital gains tax. This drops by 33% a year for the next two years therefore anyone who wishes to profit from equity accrual needs to wait at least three years before reselling
Source : http://www.amberlamb.com/index.php/a/m/how-to-buy-property-in-singapore/
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Buying a property abroad - 10 key questions
1. Do you want to emigrate completely or split your time with the UK?
The idea of leaving Britain once and for all may seem tempting, but what happens if you get fed up living abroad? Lots of émigrés miss their families and friends more than they had anticipated, or find that life overseas just doesn‘t meet their expectations.
Some become ill or lose their spouses or partners and end up heading back home. Don’t assume you’ll be immune from such problems, and if you can possibly afford it, keep a property in the UK so you’ve got somewhere to come back to if needed.
2. How accessible do you want your new home to be?
Part of what drives many people to retire abroad is the desire to escape overcrowded Britain and find a rural idyll somewhere.
But bear in mind that life in the sticks can feel doubly isolating if you’re in a foreign country, especially as there are usually fewer English speakers in more remote areas than in bigger towns.
And remember that although budget air routes may have widened your choice of retirement destinations, they are not all suddenly flying supersonic.
So be realistic about door-to-door journey times when you think about whether your new home is close enough to the UK - and about how you would cope if the airline pulled the plug.
3. What sort of climate do you want?
It’s important to do your research into what the weather’s like in your possible new home all year round. Even in the Mediterranean the climate can be much more variable than meets the eye.
Winters in parts of Spain, Italy, Greece and the Balkans can be harsh, for example, and especially if you buy in a mountainous region you may find your ‘place in the sun’ spends several months of the year far from it.
4. What’s your ideal environment?
Being beside the seaside might be great for holidays, but if you’re choosing somewhere to live in for keeps it’s important to choose a location that suits your temperament.
If you like to busy yourself with cultural pursuits and enjoy the buzz of being surrounded by shops, bars, restaurants and galleries, don‘t banish yourself to the back of beyond.
Maybe all you want is a quiet life and plenty of good wine, in which case that sleepy village the locals can’t wait to escape from might be just up your street.
5. How much space do you need?
If you’re selling a valuable home in the UK, it can be tempting to buy something huge overseas, simply because you can afford to - but why bother if you’ll be rattling around in it on your own?
Equally, if your children have flown the nest, it’s easy to go to the other extreme and choose somewhere tiny - but remember you could end up cramped when family and friends descend and what about practical issues like where you’re going to store your car, bikes and golf clubs?
6. Would you like other Brits nearby - or are you trying escape them?
Some people who retire abroad do their best to integrate into the local community, gradually improving their language skills through total immersion and welcoming the opportunity to try new things and have their beliefs and preconceptions challenged.
Others prefer to live a more expatriate lifestyle, choosing more obvious overseas property hotspots, clustering around fellow Brits and ‘getting by’ with limited knowledge of the local language. You need to decide which category you fit into.
7. Do you want to have facilities and other retirees on-tap?
The growth in overseas retirement is leading growing numbers of foreign property developers to construct secure, purpose-built retirement communities, where shops, restaurants, leisure facilities, social events and even medical care are provided on-site.
Normally marketed at the healthy 50s end of the market, Spain is probably your best bet within Europe for such developments, with other countries sure to follow.
Some people find such complexes a complete turn-off, but if you are interested, do plenty of research and check the small print about details like age limits and service charges .
8. Do you really want to cope with a renovation project?
Romantic as it may seem to buy a country pile somewhere and do it up, it’s vital to tread carefully to avoid coming a cropper when renovating. Renovations can work brilliantly, but many end up costing much more than anticipated.
You might hear otherwise from dodgy builders, but in most places planning controls are just as tight as in the UK - if not tighter - so take time to find an architect or master builder you can trust.
Keeping a lid on building costs when you’re not on site to manage the project is a really tough call; taking a DIY approach can also be disastrous unless your language skills are fantastic and you find a way of collaborating successfully with the locals.
9. What about your finances?
We all know Britain has a high cost of living, but that doesn’t mean you can forget about finances when moving abroad. Apart from the need to borrow, especially if you are keeping a base in the UK there are a host of other issues to consider.
You have to think of things like furniture removal, relocating pets, the costs of a letting agent back home, and the possible effects of exchange rates. Tax, pensions, other investments and inheritance arrangements all need careful planning.
10. What about healthcare?
There’s plenty wrong with the NHS, but at least it’s free at the point of delivery, which is more than can be said for most other countries’ health systems.
Even if you’re healthy now, chances are you’ll need increasing amounts of medical assistance as you get older - so think carefully about how much it’s going to cost to surround yourself with a decent level of care.
Many retirees end up returning to the UK at least partly because of healthcare concerns - make sure you do your homework first if you want to avoid doing the same.
Written by Jeremy Davies, the author of the Which? Essential Guide to Buying Property Abroad, available at all good bookshops and via www.which.co.uk
Source: http://www.saga.co.uk/magazine/money/planningforfuture/abroad.asp
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Buy Properties in Bulgaria
The Off-Plan Purchase Process
When you have chosen to buy properties in Bulgaria that are off-plan, the first step is to take the property off the market and reserve it for a limited period of time.
This is done by paying the estate agent a non-refundable reserve fee of anywhere between 500 to 1000 euros, which typically buys you 30 days to arrange for signing a private sale contract and making the first payment. The reserve payment should be accompanied by a signed contract (reserve contract) that specifies the terms of this payment. Don't make any payments when you buy properties in Bulgaria without a signed contract that you understand.
Once the reserve is paid, then you have 30 days (or the period specified in the reserve contract you have signed) in which to do all the appropriate checks before you go past the point of no return. This point comes when you sign the private sale contract and make a substantial non-refundable payment of around 20%. Once you have signed the private sale contract with the developer and made the first payment to buy off-plan Bulgarian property, there is not much to do until the off-plan property has commenced construction.
The second stage payment of 20% is usually requested when the first floor has been completed, and this can take anywhere between 12 and 18 months. The third stage of payment when you buy properties in Bulgaria is made on the completion of the roof – again this is usually 20%. And finally, the remainder of the funds of 40% is sent upon completion of the development.
Please note that these amounts are approximate figures, and each developer specifies different stage payment amounts within their payment contracts.
Final Legal Checks
Once you buy properties in Bulgaria and the transactions have has been completed, you can take possession by signing the public deeds before a Notary. Before doing this, your lawyer will need to carry out a series of final checks:
* Confirm that the property has been certified as finished by a registered architect.
* Verify that the property has been given a residential-use licence by the local government. Once the property has been built, an official from the planning department of the municipal authority will inspect the property to ensure that it complies with regulations for newly built residential properties.
* Request a land registry filing for your specific property to check that there are no unexpected debts or encumbers on it.
* Have the local authority confirm in writing that the property has no outstanding debts (such as unpaid taxes) with the local government, or other outstanding issues that might cause the buyer problems.
Signing Public Deeds
This is when you gain full legal title after you buy properties in Bulgaria and receive the keys. A document of deeds will be signed by both you and the developer before a Notary, and the deeds can then be submitted to the land registry, at which point you become the owner of the property.
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Deal Completed
At the same time as signing the public deeds when you buy off-plan Bulgarian property, you will need to settle all outstanding payments with the developer and the tax authorities. If you are paying with your own funds, you will need to produce a bank-guaranteed cheque to cover the amount, or demonstrate that the funds are being paid in some other way that is acceptable to the developer (by bank transfer for example). If you are using a mortgage, then a representative from the mortgage lender will be present to confirm that the developer is receiving payment from the lender.
Taxes and Other Administrative Costs
When you buy properties in Bulgaria that are residential from a developer, you pay exactly the same taxes as you would were you to buy a finished property from a developer. You will pay VAT of 20% on top of the purchase price. Any stage payments you make will include VAT, unless the developer has incorporated the VAT within the price.
The relevant taxes that investors who buy properties in Bulgaria will be liable for will vary from person to person due to a number of factors, including your tax domicile, the extent of your business activities in Bulgaria, the nature of the property transaction, and more.
Finally, as is the case when you buy any property in Bulgaria, you will have to pay the Notary fee and the land registry fee. These fees vary according to the price of the property and the number of clauses in the deeds.
