Posts tagged: properties in dubai

Non-Performing Notes (NPN’s) are an excellent way to invest in Real Estate, without getting dirty, or dealing with toilets, termites, or tenants. It involves buying the defaulted mortgage and promissory note from a bank, hedge fund, or its current owner. Now you are the bank, and no one ever calls the bank if the toilet is clogged, so you can have a restful night and weekend.

The promissory note, or note for short, is a secured debt, attached to the mortgage on the house. Depending on the state, the mortgage might sometimes be called Trust Deed, Contract for Deed, or Land Contract, though they are all instruments used to buy a home. Once the note is paid off, the mortgage & note is marked as paid, and the owner has full title to the property.

However, life throws many problems at us, and for whatever reason, someone stops paying the note off. They could lose their job, spouse, or sadly, their limbs and they don’t have the money to make the payments at this time.

When this happens, the banks for the most part really don’t care, and just want their money past due, now! They are not that good at getting them to repay no matter how hard they try, as you can’t squeeze blood out of a rock. Nor do they want the property back. When they can’t get the homeowner to pay, they want to clear this bad debt off their books. They sell them in bulk by the truckload to equity or hedge funds, which then sell them off by the case or the bottle to investors.

These defaulted and secured notes are available for pennies on the dollar. Ideally the goal would be to try to get them to repay. Getting them repaying is goal #1 goal, though it does not always work that way, so here is a list of 12 exit strategies to profit from them as investors.

Since you now own the note, and are now the bank, you can do whatever you want, and if you are creative, you can come up with many ways to exit.

Here Are 12 Ways To Profit From Non-Performing Real Estate Notes:

1. Repay or Modify The Note

The #1 goal is to help the homeowner stay in their house, and since the new owner paid very little for it compared to the value of the property, they can forgive some of the past due amounts, and still make a nice profit, though only If the homeowner wants to stay. You can lower the unpaid balance, payments, interest, or any combination of the three. After 6-12 trial payments to show good faith, we can modify the loan with any term we want.

2. Assumption Of Note By Someone Else

Since we own the note, we can find a family member or friend of the homeowner who would like to move in, and have them start repaying the monthly payments. If they keep paying, there is no need to modify the terms if it’s mutually agreeable to both parties.

3. Resell The Note For A Profit

Many people are looking for NPN’s, and they can be resold quickly for a higher price to another investor. Sometimes this makes sense to get a small amount upfront vs. spending time and money on a note that be a little too hairy, or you need the funds quickly.

4. Short Sale

If the homeowner has equity, a short sale is a good way to let them exit, and get their equity out. It requires our blessing as the mortgage holder, and a Real Estate Agent who will list it on the MLS. It’s a win-win for both parties.

5. Deed-In-Lieu Of Foreclosure

If the person does not want to stay, the next exit would be to ask them to sign the deed over to you in lieu of foreclosing or a DIL. Many times they will do this if they are upside down, and just don’t want the headache any more. It allows them to “save face,” exit with dignity, and we will not go after them for any amounts owed over the sale price, as well as not filing a 1099 with the IRS.

6. Cash For Keys

Sometimes they want to leave and they have equity, or are just being stubborn. This is when we offer them cash to leave, and sign the deed over to us. We typically give them a small amount to show good faith, then, give the rest after they leave the place cleaned out, and not damaged. The amount can vary from $500 to $100,000 or more depending if it’s a shotgun shack in the Ozarks vs. a $3 million Manhattan condo.

We saw a note for such a condo, and the person living in it was a retired schoolteacher with rent control, whose monthly payments were less than the taxes and HOA fees & they had no desire to move. The note was being offered for $1.5MM, so even a $500,000 cash for keys would have been a good deal to have a $1MM profit!

7. Foreclosure

Foreclosure is our last resort when all else fails. On a vacant property, we always start foreclosure right away. If the homeowner is still there, and refuses to work with us, we also foreclose. This takes anywhere from 2 months to 4-5 years, depending on the state. We will also pursue a deficiency judgment for any balance owed us over the price we get for selling the property when we have title, and if they are really jerks, we can submit a 1099 to the IRS for that amount.

The last three exits above are the starting point to obtaining title to the property, and also have multiple exits depending on how creative you want to be.

8. Sell As-Is

You can then just sell the property AS-IS to a rehabber or handyman, on your own, or with a Realtor. Advertising on Craigslist or at a local Meet Up is a great way to sell this.

9. Fix & Flip

In this case, you are like a traditional rehabber; you obtain title, fix it up, and sell it to a homeowner or investor as a move-in ready property for more than As-Is.

10. Fix & Rent

You can perform a low cost rehab, using lower quality paint, carpet, and tiles to rent out if there is a shortage of rentals in the area. Though you are now a landlord, and have to deal with the toilets, tenants, termites, roof, hot water, and all the other issues since you own the house.

11. Fix and Sell

This is a great way to create your own paper. You sell the rehabbed property, either As-Is or fixed up to a homeowner, typically for a higher price than selling. Since you are the owner, you can create a note out of thin air, and a mortgage or Land Contract or Contract for Deed that has terms the homeowner can afford and collect the payments, just like the bank for 20-30 years.

12. Fix, Rent, And Sell To An Investor

You can sell a “loaded” rental to an investor as a turnkey investment, typically for a higher price than a standard fix & flip. One method is 25% to 50% down, and write a seller carryback note that will use the rents to pay the balance off, with a monthly payment that is lower than the rent, so the investor gets some cash flow each month with the difference. This way, the renter pays off much of the cost of the property.

With so many ways to profit from a defaulted real estate note, it’s hard to lose money unless you pay too much for the note. There are no bad notes, just overpaying can get you into trouble.

Home ownership, has been considered, an essential component of the so – called, American Dream, for generations! However, every potential, qualified, buyer, does not seek the same things, nor, necessarily, has the same combination of needs, priorities, qualifications, necessities, and finances! Therefore, not only, must these people, proceed, without rose – colored glasses, and have, some focus, on balancing their needs, and wishes, as well as comparing it to their personal finances, etc, but, nearly all, would benefit, by hiring the right, professional, real estate agent, to meet their personal, best – interests! Since, for most, the value of their house, represents, their single – biggest, financial asset, doesn’t it make sense, to take the time, and make the effort, to carefully, interview, prospective agents, to choose, the one, best, for you? A great agent, realizes, he must, be ready, willing, and able, to FIND the right house, for his clients, based on their personal needs, necessities, and requirements, in an attentive way. With that in mind, this article will attempt to, briefly, consider, examine, review, and discuss, using the mnemonic approach, what this means and represents, and why it matters.

1. Face facts; features; funds/ finances; future; feelings: Begin the process, facing – the – facts, in a realistic way, because, if, you, merely, seek to Keep Up With the Joneses, rather that, what your personal needs are, it won’t serve you, effectively! Evaluate, the features, you need, versus, those you like, know what you can afford, as well as the quality of the, Bones of the House! Realistically, know your true feelings, by giving yourself, a thorough, self – analysis, and/ or, check – up, from the neck – up! It’s also important to consider future issues, including family needs, affordability, and whether, you plan to live there, for a considerable period, or only, as a so – called, Starter Home!

2. Instincts; insights; inspiring: Many homeowners discover their home, inspires them, and, have the instincts, to realize, what means the most, to each individual! The greatest agents respect and understand these feelings and perception, and proceed, with the expertise, and insights, which best serve a client’s best – interests, etc!

3. Needs; nuances/ niche; neighborhood: Before buying a house, a potential buyer, should walk – the – neighborhood, and discover, if he would feel comfortable, and, truly, enjoy, living there! True professionals know and understand their client’s needs, perspectives, and priorities, and respect these, thoroughly, while addressing the nuances, and niche, which might provide the highest – quality, personal service, and representation!

4. Delve deeply; discourse; deliver: You can’t customize, properly, unless/ until, one delves deeply, and listens carefully, during the entire discourse, emphasizing, delivering, the best house, for the particular client!

How a quality real estate agent, proceeds, forward, to FIND the best house, for a client, differentiates the greatest ones, from the rest – of – the – pack! Doesn’t it make sense, for a prospective buyer, to carefully, choose, who, he hires?

There are millions of licensed, real estate agents, brokers, etc, in the United States! Only, a small percentage of these individuals, however, are responsible, for the majority, of all the transactions, etc, however! The finest professionals, consistently, put, their clients, best interests, first, as well as consistently, proceeding, with the highest degree of personal and professional ethics, and integrity! Although, a combination, of a variety of skills, behaviors, abilities, attitude, etc, are important, and necessary, this article will attempt to look, specifically, at 5 specific areas, in terms of the most essential characteristics, etc! With, that in mind, this article will attempt to, briefly, consider, examine, review, and discuss, these items, and why they matter.

1. Client – first, ethical behavior/ focus: To serve and represent his clients, effectively, the finest professionals, consistently, proceed, with the highest ethical behavior and standards (ethics), and putting the best interests of his clients, first! Most states, and associated, real estate boards, require, conformity, with their Code of Ethics, but, the best agents, go further, consistently!

2. Pricing: Markets change, times change, and so do, needs, and market conditions and types, so the finest professionals, are experts, at pricing houses, according to specific, current conditions, and the local market, etc! It is important to realize, there is usually, a significant difference, between, listing, and selling prices, and buyers, and sellers, must realize, these differences, etc. If you are a homeowner, you need an agent, who, proactively, suggests pricing, based on local conditions, current trends, and, to a great extent, using a Comparative Market Analysis, etc.

3. Marketing: Great agents must be experts, in both, marketing, and selling houses. Marketing refers to the process, and actions, to attract, qualified, potential buyers, and taking the steps, and using the means, which get it done! On the other hand, selling is bringing the deal, to fruition!

4. Negotiating: Creating a meeting – of – the – minds, between a homeowner, and a well – suited, interested buyer, requires professional expertise, when it comes to negotiating, and getting the best deal (for his clients) done! When representing a seller, it means doing, everything, possible, to create, a combination of the best available/ plausible, price, at the best – terms, in the shortest period of time, in an effective, responsible way!

5. Pay attention to all details, and obstacles, from start, to finish: Great agents must pay keen attention, to all, related, details, from the start, to the closing! He must be prepared for all eventualities, and obstacles, handling these, in a positive way, as challenges, to overcome, instead of being overwhelmed, by perceiving them, as problems! It often means, holding one’s client’s hand, throughout, the entire transaction period!

You have a choice of selecting the right, real estate agent, to represent you! Since, for most, the asset value, of a house, is their single – biggest, financial asset, doesn’t it make sense, to interview, carefully, and choose, wisely!

There are many emotional factors connected with the ownership of Real Estate. Do the historical returns on Real Estate investments justify the confidence so many investors have in them?

The ownership of land has been something that has been rooted deep in the minds of man. Land is seen as the one investment that is solid and permanent. The American Dream has long included the ownership of your own home, but when you move beyond this natural impulse to own property that you can call yours and look at Real Estate purely from an investment opportunity, how does the picture change? Have the historical returns on Real Estate Investment measured up to the confidence it has received.

The answer is a cautious yes. Between 1926 and 1996, the annual average rate of return on Real Estate was 11.1%. During the same period the rate of inflation was around 3%. So, it was obviously a better investment to buy Real Estate than to bury cash in jars in your backyard. However, the rate of return for small stocks checked in a bit higher at around 12% while the Dow Jones Industrial Average was a bit lower at 10%. These figures would suggest that Real Estate investments were right there at a par with Stock Market Investments.

Real Estate Investors might want to make the claim that land ownership and its value as an investment predates the Stock Market by thousands of years. They will point to the role that the ownership of land played in the Middle Ages in determining wealth and even nobility. This is true, of course, but in many ways irrelevant to a discussion of the historical returns on Real Estate investments. The new global economy has created a whole new playing field and return of investment must be determined within the scope of this. It is all well and good to study the past to get clues to the future, but in investment the past only offers clues and not answers.

A look at the historical rates of return on Real Estate investments shows that they tend to be more stable and less likely to spike up and down in erratic and unpredictable fashion like the Stock Market. Many investment advisors suggest all portfolios have at least 10% invested in Real Estate for a hedge against market fluctuations. On the other hand, Real Estate investments tend to have high transaction costs and to be in larger units. All properties are unique and each has its own characteristics and potential.

These negative factors have led to the popularity of investments in Real Estate through REITs which are Real Estate Investment Trusts. REITs are a sort of mutual fund of Real Estate which gives investors a way to invest in Real Estate without the problems of high transaction costs or property uniqueness. If you are considering Real Estate investment, either on an individual basis or through a REIT, the historical record should give you some confidence. As much as past performance can reassure us of future success, Real Estate’s past has indicated that it is a safe, sound, and high return investment.

Is real estate still a good investment? As a landlord dealing with sometimes rowdy tenants or unexpected repairs, you may wonder whether or not it’s still worth it. Despite these headaches and the ongoing doom and gloom reported about real estate prices, owning investment real estate continues to provide a number of benefits. Buying a property offers a number of favorable tax benefits, a way to generate income, diversify a personal investment allocation and in some cases have a tenant pay for your personal housing expenses.

As an investment property owner, you can deduct a host of expenses connected with operating the property including mortgage interest, property taxes, utilities and repairs. Aside from actual expenses incurred, property owners also benefit from a valuable non-cash expense: depreciation.

Losses generated from rental activities are typically considered to be “passive activity losses” with an exception for real estate professional. These losses can then be used to offset other passive income from another real estate investment or another type of passive investment such as in a private limited partnership. Disallowed passive activity losses and credits are deferred until there is passive income generated or the property is disposed in a taxable transaction.

Like all good rules there are exceptions. Although “passive activity” losses by rule must be used to offset other passive activity income, there are additional tax benefits available to those who are low- or middle income earning households.

For those who have adjusted gross income below $100,000 and “actively participate” in the management of the rental property, a real estate investor may use up to $25,000 in passive activity losses to offset non-passive income like income from wages or a business.

This remains one of the few tax shelters available to moderate income taxpayers. And like any other gift from the IRS, it comes with certain strings attached. In this case, the ability to use this passive activity loss exception phases out above certain income thresholds starting at $100,000 of AGI reduced $1 for every $2 of income above the threshold until eliminated at $150,000 AGI.

The key to “active participation” generally means involvement in management decisions about the property. Choosing the kind of paint or wallpaper? Reviewing bids for different contractors? Collecting the rent? All may be considered part of the active participation of the property owner.

After, over 15 years, as a Real Estate Licensed Salesperson, in the State of New York, I strongly, believe, in order to maximize one’s potential to succeed, profit, and be happy, with any real estate purchase, decision, etc, it is important to proceed, wisely, carefully, and in a well – considered manner! I refer to these, often, as the truisms, of any involvement, actively, related to this industry! Since, for most people, the financial value of their house, represents, their single – largest asset, doesn’t it make sense, to proceed, as wisely, as possible, in an informed way? With, that in mind, this article will attempt to, briefly, consider, examine, review, and discuss, 5 essential, realistic considerations.

1. Don’t try to market – time!: Very few, are able to, and lucky – enough, to market – time, when it comes to this, specific industry, and component, of our economy! Rather, one should consider, several other factors, including: affordability; ability to meet present and future needs; liking the specific neighborhood; financial/ economic issues; etc.

2. Will it be a starter – home, or, longer – term?: From the onset, it is wise, to consider, whether the specific house, will be, a starter – home, or one, which you keep, for a longer – term! This process makes it easier, to make the best decisions, in terms of the specifics of a house, such as size, rooms, features, and needs/ priorities! Obviously, one can’t accurately, predict/ read, the future, but, if the objective is longer – term, it means planning, for a family, quality schools, and other conveniences, needs, priorities, etc!

3. Differentiate between wish – list, and, actual needs: A wise home – buyer, enters the process, with two lists: one, which is a wish – list; and the other, one’s actual needs, and priorities! This means, realistically, evaluating your personal circumstances, as well as finances, and comfort zone! The wish – list, should help one’s selection, when the actual needs, directs you to a few options, and fall – into, your budget, and other priorities, needs, and perceptions!

4. Why would you want to live in this area?: What might one specific area, offer, which makes it attractive, to you? Consider factors, such as: safety/ crime; schools; convenience to stores, transportation, houses of worship, etc; and other personal priorities, etc!

5. Why any, specific, home/ house?: What makes any, specific house, appeal, to you? Be careful, to have it inspected, by a professional Home Inspector/ Engineer, so there are far – fewer, undesirable surprises! Consider, what you feel are the highest priorities, for your home, and why? Also, identify, how a property, might enhance, or harm, your personal happiness, and well – being! Obviously, be certain, you don’t become, House – rich, but financially – poor!

If you proceed, paying attention, to these, and other considerations, your potential to make the wisest, personal decision, is enhanced! Will you be, your own, best friend?

Real estate is said to be one of the best investments that an individual can make, but if this is true, why do so many people fail at it? The truth is that an adequate real estate education is needed in order to help you out along the way because the real estate industry can truly turn on you in a real hurry if you are not prepared. Real estate investments are very likely to yield a generous return if the proper steps are taken, but too many people simply do not have the skills to make these deals happen. These are the people who did not take the time to get a real estate investing education and, therefore, will be more likely to fail when things do not go according to plan.

A proper education will prepare these investors for the problems that they will deal with along the way and give these people the skills that they need to work through these problems. In addition, this education teach innovative techniques that many more seasoned investors might not have, which will give these students an advantage in this very competitive industry. During the course, the real estate investor will also be introduced to lenders, builders, attorneys and bankers who can help them close the deals in an efficient manner. Having these connections could be the difference between succeeding and failing, so this is reason in itself to get a real estate education. These courses can even be broken down into specific types of investing, which can cut down on your classroom time and get you into the game even faster.

Even with a real estate investing education, there might be some bumps along the road, but this education will give the investor an idea of how to deal with these bumps without losing too much. There is so much more that goes into real estate investing than simply buying properly, developing it, and selling the finished product and all beginning investors need to know about these nuances before getting involved. Even more seasoned real estate investors are now taking these courses to refresh their memories and possibly even add new techniques to their knowledge base. All successful businesspeople will tell you to never stop learning and this education is one way to stay on top of things.

A real estate education is becoming almost mandatory for those who wish to become real estate investors because so many successful people have already been through these courses. Therefore, taking them can level the playing field somewhat because you will have access to the same techniques as people who have already made a lot of money. This field is not for everyone and it requires a great deal of risk when starting out, so it is extremely important that you are aware of these immense risks. This education will also help you make you aware of what you can lose during this process, which will allow you to make the best decision possible for yourself.

At the present time, in many areas of this country, there are more, licensed, real estate agents, than, houses, currently, listed and available, on the local market. In addition, there are some, who believe (in my opinion, falsely), they don’t need to hire an agent, and proceed, to try, to do it, themselves! For many reasons, it makes little, to no sense, to do this, primarily, because: studies/ surveys, indicate houses sold by real estate professionals, generally, sell, for considerably, more; the degree of expertise, to be prepared, for contingencies; avoiding the hassle, of showing your home, regularly; transaction advice; and, perhaps, most importantly, often, professional negotiating, and knowing/ understanding the market! After over 15 years, as a Real Estate Licensed Salesperson, in the State of New York, I strongly, believe, smart agents, use, at least, these 5 steps, to being a quality, effective, real estate negotiator.

1. Know/ understand/ consider your client’s goals/ perceptions/ priorities: Properly marketing, and getting someone’s house sold, for the best combination of terms, requires, focusing, and emphasizing, taking the time, and making a concerted effort, to know, and understand, your client’s goals, perceptions, and priorities! Effective listening, and paying keen attention, enhances the possibility of proceeding, with, the highest degree of genuine empathy, and understanding! How can you properly represent someone, unless you begin, with this knowledge?

2. Understand other side’s needs: If, you are representing a buyer, you must understand what the seller, is seeking. When, you represent, a homeowner/ seller, you must look at his house, as a potential buyer might, and commit to telling your client, what he, needs to know! When, you make an offer, and/ or, receive one, it’s important, to recognize, and realize, the negotiations, begin!

3. Seek common ground: The best negotiating approach, is normally, not, adversarial, but, rather, proceeding, with a win – win, strategy! Quality negotiations must be based on, seeking common ground, and bringing about, a meeting – of – the – minds!

4. Address pricing, and other key issues: Pricing is, often, the deciding issue, in getting agreement, but, it’s important, to discuss these, as they relate to other terms, financial, emotional, time – related, potential stress, and/ or, risk/ reward considerations!

5. Close the deal: It’s not a professional performance, unless/ until, an agent, brings – about a deal, both sides, are satisfied with! Valuable representation must end – up, effectively, closing the deal!

Will you commit to using these 5 steps, in order to being a better, real estate negotiating professional? Are you committed, and willing, to be better?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of China its star is rising as fast as China’s and the entire real estate sector in Hong Kong is benefiting.

The physical geographic restrictions of Hong Kong mean that there is a finite supply of residential and commercial real estate available for sale and rent; and as Hong Kong further strengthens its already robust economic, trade and investment ties with China, the demand for real estate in the region is intensifying.

Competing for space are multinational companies and their massive expatriate employee base, local businesses and local residents, tourists and students. In fact the demand for residential and commercial space in Hong Kong is at its highest today since the glory days pre-1998. Having suffered an acute recession from 1998 until 2003 real estate prices are for sale at deflated costs and are therefore seen as being undervalued which means the real estate market is in a great position right now to grow and expand.

Because demand for real estate in Hong Kong is so intense…

Because Hong Kong’s economy is going from strength to strength…

Because domestic purchasing power is so strong…

And because the real estate market is believed to be currently undervalued – the wealth of opportunity for profit in Hong Kong’s property market right now is intense.

Real estate investors from around the world are buying into the projected period of growth and are committing substantial funds to the Hong Kong market. In terms of any restrictions placed on foreign investors there are none in Hong Kong…in theory anyone is permitted to purchase property. As with all city based real estate economies property in Hong Kong – though currently considered to be undervalued – cannot be regarded as ‘cheap’. However anyone who wishes to get into the market can get mortgages locally in Hong Kong to purchase and can almost guarantee the rental income they will generate if they choose to buy residential or commercial units to let.

The medium term prospects for the real estate market in Hong Kong are good with analysis showing that the number of renovation and new development projects started in recent years is below what is required for the current level of demand. This undersupply will last for at least the next four years according to expert industry analysis. This has resulted in predictions for property price growth of up to 12% annually for at least the next four years, making the real estate market in Hong Kong today a highly attractive prospect.