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| Greece Buying Guide Newsletter |
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| Hello there – how are you? Well, I guess this is autumn… When I was a child, living in South Africa with my English Mum and Dad, they always used to say that what they missed about ‘home’ – England – was that the seasons were always so clearly distinguished. Spring with its air of expectation and beautiful spring flowers everywhere; summer with long, warm days; autumn with the leaves starting to turn all sorts of gorgeous reds and yellows and the days drawing in and then cold, unfriendly, dark winter – and the Queen’s Christmas message. But somehow it all seems to have run together a bit, into a rather chilly, grey kind of succession of days…or is that just me? Anyway, here’s a suggestion that I’m guessing you will like! Travel to Greece in September and even early October is the best of all worlds – fewer crowds, lower prices, weather that is a little cooler but still filled with the magical Greek light and an air of relaxation as the local folk kick back and take a well earned breather! Also, as I mentioned last month, because there are fewer people at this time of the year, Athens is a wonderful city to walk. You do not need to pay for guided tours - just Google ‘Walking in Athens and you will get a whole slew of suggestions, including the National Geographic Society at: http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/places/places-of-a-lifetime/athens-walking-tour-1.html Right, what do we have for you this month? Firstly, I tell you about the opportunities to buy abroad at the moment, then there is a wonderful opportunity for you to pick the brains of property experts right here in the UK.. A tempting Rhodes property, some very Smart news, a financial up date on the ‘autumn of your years’ and an apology about something I wrote in a previous newsletter. Please do keep in touch won’t
you? I wish you all the very best in your property endeavours and warm
regards, |
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Autumn sales!!Buying Overseas – There are Bargains Everywhere! Despite the fact that the economy is uncertain it seems that demand for overseas property is still healthy. And why shouldn’t it be - there are excellent deals out there. Whether you want a renovation project or a holiday home, it’s now a buyers market and properties can be snatched up at a massive discount. Both private sellers and developers alike are discounting properties while adding incentives to achieve sales. Around the Mediterranean many developers are slashing prices, throwing in white goods, air conditioners and in some cases you can get your entire property completely furnished at no extra cost! Many private sellers are experiencing difficulties as they purchased off-plan property several years ago with the intention of selling upon completion for a profit. Due to the fact that there’s a surplus of new homes for sale and lack of matching demand, many sellers are happy to sell at a break-even price. Imagine getting a property for the price someone paid for it three years ago – it IS possible! So – how can you get the best deal? The quick answer is to make lots of discounted offers on lots of properties – sooner or later someone will agree to negotiate. What is ‘lots’ and how much should you ‘discount’? That all depends on how eager you are to get a good deal and what your intentions are. In some countries and regions, property prices have increased astronomically – a couple years ago, reports of 10% to 30% increases per year were normal. Many investors purchased off-plan property with the intention of renting or selling upon completion. Now that the economy is gloomy and times are difficult, many property owners are finding that they can’t rent or sell. Provided they purchased the property before the ridiculous price hikes, it wouldn’t be difficult for them to drastically reduce their sales price to get a quick sale. In many cases, property owners can slash their property price and still make a profit! If your intentions are to emigrate or buy a holiday home, there are some exceptional opportunities out there. Make offers below the asking price and negotiate for as many extras as possible. And if you’re interested in investing it’s absolutely paramount that you do your homework and create a strategy. If you’re going to buy to sell on you need to determine the real market value (not the price the property is up for sale for). The real value is what people are prepared to pay for the property. You also need to determine who’s going to buy the property (target market) and if there is enough demand. Provided that you think you can sell the property at market value, you have to make offers way below that price point. Do your research, determine the costs associate with buying and then factor in your profit – people make a living from buying at below-market value and it can be very lucrative. It can also be extremely expensive if done incorrectly. Whether you’re interested in overseas property for a home or for investment purposes, there are definite deals to be had. Don’t be afraid to make low offers and negotiate for extras! As you will know,
we at the The Overseas Guides Company have sourced a whole bunch of
good, dependable property people (and resources) to help you along your
way. Just go to: http://www.greecebuyingguide.com/property.htm |
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How Much will Euros Cost You (or in other words, how many Euros will you get for your £££'s)by Smart Currency’s Charles Purdy.Latest on
Sterling and the Euro Why be Smart? That is why Smart is so focussed on supplying a win-win service to their clients. Clearly we make money but the number of times I have had a client thank me for saving them money is too may to count. One client told me we had saved him £20,000 which was wonderful. If he hadn’t dealt with us the £20,000 would have been sitting in some banks profits with more than likely a hefty slice paid in commission to a greedy trader. That is why Smart does not pay its traders commission (the only currency company in the UK that operates on this business model). It keeps them focussed on customer service and working as a team rather than focussed on maximising their own income from the next trade. This is why we receive so many wonderful testimonials and this is why we will be here for a very very long time. If you want to save money and enjoy the experience then please give us a call on 0808 163 0102 or get a live quote right now: http://www.SmartCurrencyExchange.com/smartsquotation.htm
Or...if you'd just like a bit of information on how the whole process of buying and transfering money overseas works, please read our report at: http://www.smartcurrencyexchange.com/freereport.htm
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I have really good news for you – help is at hand!!
It would be hard to hazard a guess as to which part of Greece is the most popular with our Greece Buying Guide readers, but as I said last month any list would have Rhodes right up there near the top. Greece Buying Guide readers enquire about Rhodes on an almost daily basis so I have come up with a wonderful solution!! Our recommended property professionals on the island are going to be visiting the UK, bringing with them all their invaluable expertise – and they have issued a very special invitation to all Greece Buying Guide readers interested in the island to join them. As a guest at one of their 'Rhodes Shows' you will meet an Estate Agency team that focuses on listening and learning about your property hopes and dreams in order to guide you through the whole process most effectively. They ask that you join them in a relaxed environment, sip on "Athiri Mountainslopes", one of Rhodes' finest wines, nibble at Greek bread, tsatziki and olives while chatting about your individual requirements without having to fly all the way to Greece! Well, initially anyway – any excuse to go to Rhodes is great isn’t it?!! During the event they will welcome your questions and invite you to interact with both themselves and with other like-minded people with first hand experience of the buying process. Voted Greece's Best Estate Agency for a 3rd time in the UK, they are uniquely positioned to provide valuable insight into the current and future real estate opportunities on the incredible island of Rhodes. Whether you are an expert investor or a first time buyer they will provide valuable insight and step by step guidance to purchasing your property. Property experts
will explain to you why Rhodes is still one of the most interesting
property markets in the Mediterranean and will discuss topics related
to the dynamics of the Rhodes Property Market. Mortgages, taxation and
the check list of the buying process will be covered extensively. They
will also be launching the latest off plan apartment and villa developments
for you to have a look at….It’s a really great opportunity
to really hone your Rhodes buying skills!! Saturday 11th October
2008, 11:00am, Just click here for more information: Sea view house in Gennadi, South Rhodes District
And just to really tweak your interest, have you ever seen a more adorable house than this? Rhodes of course….! Details: Price:
€ 275,000 / £ 218,666 * This property is located in Gennadi, one of the most popular areas on Rhodes, an area that has experienced a tremendous growth in the last couple of years. This two storey house, built in 2007, consists of a fully equipped kitchen, a living room, 3 bedrooms and a bathroom. It will be sold as is, furnished and equipped. The house is within walking distance from the beach and is ideal for incorporating your own design and style! Distance
from the beach: 0,2km And just to prove my point about Rhodes here is an abbreviated copy of an email I received from Greece Buying Guide readers just a short while ago:
Contact Elaine on
0207 898 0549 or go to http://www.greecebuyingguide.com/property.htm
if you want to receive more details on this or any other property. |
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The autumn of your years!!Retirement Home When people hear the words ‘retirement home’, it generally conjures up the image of geriatrics sitting around with nothing much to do but reminisce about the ‘good old days’. However, we are all going to need to have somewhere to call home when we retire. And with little chance of being able to fund the roof over your head with a mortgage in your golden years, it’s necessary to build up a significant cash sum to fund said retirement home – whether it’s a care home, a rural bungalow or a villa on sunny Crete! You know, life changes constantly, and we have to change with it. But blessed are they – and I am happy to include myself amongst their number - who are fortunate enough to have family or close friends that care about us as we get older. Greece seems to be something of an anachronism in today’s world in that older people – especially parents and grandparents, are respected and revered as fonts of wisdom!! Sadly this seems to be a declining feature of much of today’s modern world….now I KNOW I am getting old when I say things like this!! Anyway, my point is that to be older in Greece is to be made much of and respected, and to retire there is something of a treat!! The financial aspects – property prices, tax and day-to-day cost of living – are just a few of the key reasons why people choose to retire abroad. Not to mention getting away from the notorious British ‘summer’ and boosting health and happiness with a bit more sunshine! With property prices still considerably higher in the UK than in Greece, downsizing – selling your UK residence and using the proceeds to buy a less expensive property – can be an attractive option, particularly if there is equity in the property. In these circumstances, downsizing enables you to pay off any outstanding mortgage and buy a smaller property that is mortgage-free. Intelligent use of currency exchange and financial advice will help considerably in this process. Whether you have a mortgage or not, there are still going to be bills to pay. And wherever you go, inflation will mean that the cost of living will always rise. However, if you’re retiring to Greece you can draw income from UK-based investments and benefit from good exchange rates as well as cheaper groceries and utilities. With really good investment managers and financial advisers, you can structure your portfolio to enable you to draw the maximum income from your investments. Some popular retirement destinations also have very advantageous tax benefits. This is another factor that financial professionals can advise you on to improve your quality of life in retirement. Go to our links
page for a full list of all sorts of resources www.GreeceBuyingGuide.com/links.htm
And if you would like me to put you in touch with a really brilliant
IFA…please enter your details on our resource page at: http://www.greecebuyingguide.com/resources.htm | ||
Learning Greek - Linkword LanguagesHere is a very interesting website with a good demonstration available before you decide whether to purchase. Language courses can be purchased for different levels for very reasonable prices. Courses are very simply constructed. I have tried the PC version which was very entertaining and educational. I managed to learn few sentences in less than 5 minutes! This is really worth
looking at if you would like to enhance your language knowledge. Just
follow the link below, click on the Greek flag and then follow the demo.
(Let me know what you think!) |
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| THE IMPLEMENTATION OF HELLENIC NATIONAL CADASTRE IN 340 AREAS OF THE COUNTRY (the initial programs) I received this from a Greece Buying Guide reader:
Lynn is absolutely right and I am sorry if I misinformed you. I have discovered a wonderful website about all this – for a full update just go to: http://www.ktimatologio.gr/HelCadastre_Page.aspx There it tells you that
The Hellenic Cadastre expands in 107 new areas in the prefectures of
Athens, Thessaloniki and the capital cities of all prefectures throughout
Greece which had not been included in the country’s cadastre with
previous projects.
I have a Greek lawyer that
I can recommend that can help with this just go to: http://www.GreeceBuyingGuide.com/resources.htm
with your request or phone Elaine on |
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In last months newsletter I mentioned a really good insurance company. I've had a great response from people who have since received quotes from them and just wanted to give you the opportunity to receive you own quote from them. Just click on: Insurance Quote That’s all
for now. Please do remember that any comments and experiences that you
may want to share with us about buying property in Greece are always
welcome. The more we share about this the better equipped we will all
be to ensure a safe and happy buying experience, both for ourselves
and for others. You can also go to our forum at http://www.gbg-forum.com
and share your stories… This comes with all best wishes and warm regards, Carol |
