Investment Property Abroad

The Canary Islands are unquestionably one of the most delightful places in the whole of Spain for a round of golf. Although tour operators like to sell mainland Spain as a year round hot and sunny location, quite frankly it’s not. Even on the Costa del Sol or “Costa Del Golf” as it’s known, it can get incredibly cold in winter.

The Canary Islands, on the other hand boast year round sunshine and genuine warmth right throughout the year – winter, spring, summer and autumn. And with some of the finest courses in the country, it’s no wonder these “Fortunate Isles” are described as a golfer’s paradise.

Some of Spain’s most prestigious golf schools are located here on the Canaries. They provide expert tuition for both beginners and advanced.

What easier way to improve your swing – with professional instructors, on breathtaking courses, under endless blue skies, in just shorts and a t-shirt.

Golf accommodation in the Canaries is always easy to find. The standards are exceptional – the highest of quality with everything you could possible need for the perfect golfing holiday. There are numerous accommodation options to choose from, whether you’re looking for hotel accommodation close the course or a luxury villa right on the course.

Background
The Canaries are a group of Spanish Islands located off the northwest coast of Africa. These island paradises are known the world over for their amazing beaches, perfect climate, volcanic landscapes, vibrant nightlife, easy lifestyle and (of course) excellent golf courses and playing conditions.

All the islands are vastly different from each other; from the lush green forests of La Gomera to the endless deserts of Fuerteventura. This is what makes playing here so unique.

On Tenerife, you can play golf beneath the staggering peak of Mount Teide – Spain’s highest mountain peak. On Lanzarote, the courses are set amongst the red Martian-like landscape that the island is famous for. Playing golf in the Canaries is like nowhere else on earth – literally.

Golf in Fuerteventura
Golf is still quite new to Fuerteventura. The first course (Caleta De Fuste) only opened as recently as 2002. Since then, this PGA Championship course has gone on to hold the Spanish Open.

The golf market is an important sector in the islands economy, bringing in revenue through golf property acquisitions and tourism. Golf is growing steadily on Fuerteventura. There are now five world-class courses on the island.

Golf Courses
Caleta De Fuste
Caleta De Fuste (the island’s first course) was opened in 2002. It’s located in the east of the island, just eight kms from the airport. The Spanish Open was held here in 2004 and it put Fuerteventura firmly on the map as one of Spain’s most important golfing destinations.

La Oliva Golf
This course is located in the north of the island, just four kms outside of Corralejo. When opened it will be the fourth and newest course in Fuerteventura. They expect to open in late 2008 or early 2009.

Golf Resort Salinas de Antigua
Salinas was designed by twice world champion Manuel Piñero. It comprises 18 holes and has a maximum distance of 5,395 metres for men and 4,690 for ladies.

Jandia Golf course
Located in the south of the island, Jandia was the third course to be opened – just at the start of this year (2007).
 The course covers 335,086 square meters and designed by Ron Kirby. It’s a par 72 nestled amidst Fuerteventura’s surreal desert-like landscape.

Playitas Golf
This 18-hole course is still under construction. It’s set on a slope that travels all the way down to the Atlantic Ocean, offering superb views. It’s a tough par 70 course that will present many exiting challenges from start to finish.

Buy-to-let Investing (Fuerteventura)
Compared to properties in standard developments, golf properties can offer significantly higher rental yields.

If you own a high standard property, be it a villa or an apartment, on a golf course, you can command rental fees way above your average property. And in Fuerteventura, with its perfect year round climate you can charge this premium at any stage of the year.

Many golf developments throughout the Canary Islands offer rental schemes where the company looks after the whole renting process for you, from start to finish.

Alternatively, you can choose to advertise the property yourself over the Internet. There are plenty of sites available, all offering varying levels of service, from simple on-line bookings to actual key-handovers and cleaning.

The spread of the European Union has opened many new property investment opportunities for western Europeans. Britons are choosing to invest in bricks and mortar everywhere from Hungary to the Costa del Sol! Now is an excellent time to buy.

The European Property Market
Property prices are dropping all over Europe. In Ireland and Spain and the UK for example, we’ve seen a significant shift in the value of properties. Experts predict that we’ll see deeper adjustments in the near future.

In Spain, the drop in values was partly due to overbuilding, amongst other things. With supply well exceeding demand, developers have become desperate to offload their properties, often at bargain prices. Spain has once again become a buyer’s market with some great bargains.

Although prices have dropped in Ireland, they were so high to begin with that finding a genuine bargain is still quite a challenge.

Overall, the EU is confident that growth will continue but at a much slower pace. For long-term investors, the advice is to hold tight because the market will eventually stabilize itself. In the meantime, homebuyers and investors can enjoy a more much realistic price range than in the previous years.

Finding Information
Up until recently, finding information about new emerging markets could be quite a challenge. But nowadays, with the internet, you can find every possible bit of information you need – everything from property listings and descriptions to local area information, market analysis and legal advice. It’s unquestionably one of the best ways to find out about new and existing property markets.

Popular Investment Areas
For many UK and Irish investors, Europe is still the most popular investment area, mainly because of its proximity.

The number of property “hot-spots” is growing all the time. Unlikely places like Hungary and Bulgaria are now offering some excellent investment opportunities for the record numbers of Brits that are buying foreign properties.

Developers and investors have already made significant profits in Bulgaria and now the idyllic Hungarian countryside has been put firmly on the map. It’s seeing rapid development, in an attempt to cope with the demand for properties.

Top Investment areas
Established markets like France, Spain, Portugal, The Canaries, Greece and Florida etc. still remain popular.

One of this year’s hottest new emerging markets is Cape Verde (just one hour south of the Canary Islands). With year round sunshine, affordable properties and a rapidly improving infrastructure, it has already produced significant returns on investment.

Other places to watch out for this year include: Budapest, Dubai, Morocco, Estonia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Barbados, Thailand, Brazil, Australia, Turkey, Slovakia and Bulgaria.

Investment Tips
Anyone looking to invest in Spanish property will have to be realistic. The market has unquestionably slowed but still has very promising long-term potential. If you’re looking for a get rich quick investment, you’d be better off trying Cape Verde.

With property prices in Spain at a more reasonable level, there’s the possibility of buying and either renting the property or simply holding on to them in order to make a profit through long-term appreciation.

Extensive research is essential when dealing with both established and emerging markets. Buy-to-let investors need to thoroughly investigate the rental potential of the location and property. There’s an endless amount of factors to consider before determining the rental potential of the property, in both the long and short-term.

In places like Cape Verde, Canary Islands Barbados, Dubai, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, you can achieve high rental yields all year long as they have a perfect year round climate.

Financing potential. At the moment banks are saying “no” to clients more often than not. Although a short while ago, it was fairly simple to get mortgages, under the current economic conditions banks are being a lot more frugal. So, remember you’ll need to make sure your credit is intact and that reasonable deposits can be put in place in order to get financing.

Overseas Investment Outlook
The opportunities are out there. It’s just a matter of finding them. In Spain, anyone looking at the long-term potential is likely to find many bargains.

Once you’re cautious, calculated and do all the proper research, buying a property abroad can be an exciting and very financially rewarding experience.

Every year, more and more ordinary people are investing their hard earned cash into bricks and mortar as opposed to traditional stocks and shares.

Overseas investment property is a popular and profitable option for UK buyers. You can find properties abroad, in often-exquisite locations with tropical climates, for significantly less than back in gloomy England. If carefully researched, these properties should have excellent buy-to-let potential and provide healthy property appreciation.

The Golden Years
Retiring to a dream home on some paradise island beneath endless blue skies is no longer something for the rich and famous. In fact, hundreds of thousands of Brits do it every year. And it’s not just retired people too. There are an increasing number of middle-aged people investing in overseas property with the intention of using it as a permanent or semi-permanent home in their forthcoming retirement.

It’s more than just a warmer climate that attracts UK buyers. Places like Spain, Portugal, Cape Verde, Turkey, Brazil and Barbados etc. offer a lower cost of living and a better quality of life – much better than living on their pension back in the UK.

Recently Turkey and Bulgaria have become very popular with UK buyers. Spain and Cyprus have always been favorites for UK retirees because of their established communities, warm climate, and high standard of living.

Buying a Holiday Home
With a holiday home you can use it yourself as well as rent it out and make significant earnings, especially in places with year round sunshine like Cape Verde and the Canary Islands. More and more couples are choosing this option. With the costs of air travel decreasing dramatically, it’s becoming easier and a lot cheaper to travel abroad.

Investing in Bricks and Mortar
Investing in property is a much more stable option than stocks and shares. The obvious difference is that the property value can’t be wiped out as easily as the value of the stocks and shares. Generally speaking, property investment is one of the safest forms of investment.

While it may not produce instant riches, in the long run it should produce significant returns on investment provided the market is strong and the choice of location and property are good.

Getting on the property ladder is a crucial step towards financial well being. If you borrow against your existing property it is significantly cheaper, meaning you might even be able to create a portfolio of properties.

Nowadays it’s quite common to find UK and Irish investors from a middle-income background with a portfolio of properties across various markets – Spain in particular.

The more adventurous or those with more disposable income, choose to diversify their risk and maximize their returns by investing in new emerging property markets like Turkey, Bulgaria, Cape Verde and Barbados etc.

Where to Invest
Along with traditional favorites like Greece, Spain, France and Portugal, Cape Verde, Brazil, Thailand, Australia, Turkey, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Budapest, Dubai, Morocco, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines and Barbados represent significant opportunities.

The Internet displays hundreds of thousands of overseas property for sale and
provides a wealth of information about new emerging markets, established markets and specific geographic locations – and their potential both as a place to live and invest.