House for Sale in Bulgaria

Writen by Surrinder Ahitan

Over the course of the past five years, there has been something of a housing boom throughout Bulgaria.

This has particularly been the case in rapidly developing resort communities such as Sunny Beach, Messambria and other locales in Bulgaria. If you are looking for a house for sale in Bulgaria, particularly new houses for sale Bulgaria in a pleasant, beautiful community, you might want to consider properties for sale in Bulgaria located in one or another of the booming resort communities.

There are a number of definite benefits to investing in a house for sale in Bulgaria resort communities. Of course, there is a tremendous personal benefit to be had by buying a house for sale in Bulgaria that is located in a resort area you can be the proud owner of a holiday property in a truly spectacular location.

The Black Sea resorts that are being rejuvenated in Bulgaria are likely to become some of the hottest holiday spots in the world. By getting through the door early, by making the purchase of a house for sale in Bulgaria that is situated in a resort community, you will be able to obtain a property at a much more reasonable price than you will be able to find even a year from now. You will be able to take possession of a house (or apartment) in a lovely resort that will provide you with tremendous pleasure through in the years to come.

One of the other definite benefits to buying properties for sale in Bulgaria that are situated in resort communities is found in the fact that these houses for sale in Bulgaria can end up being tremendous investments. With more and more people scheduling holiday and vacation trips to Bulgarian resorts each and every year, the demand for properties that can be rented or leased by holiday travelers has increased dramatically. By investing in houses for sale in Bulgaria that you can turn around and rent or lease to visitors to the country can be an exceptional way for you to broaden and strengthen your financial portfolio both in the short and the long term.

Surrinder Ahitan’s website Bulgarian Property Advice.com provides detailed information and advice on the most lucrative areas to invest in Bulgaria. You will learn how to get around, get a flavor of the language, history, culture and more.

Specific Performance Demands In Real Estate Transactions

Writen by Raynor James

Every so often, real estate transactions can go bad. This often results in one party demanding the other specifically perform pursuant to the real estate contract.

Specific Performance Demands In Real Estate Transactions

Once a seller and buyer agree on a price for a property, a real estate contract is signed. The contract contains provisions each must comply with, provisions that are legally binding. If problems arise during escrow, particularly if things turn nasty, one party may look to legal remedies to force the other party to do something.

Specific performance is a legal demand that a party perform some act. Although the theory can be applied to many situations, it is often seen in real estate transactions. This is because courts have determined that property is unique, and specific performance is often more valuable than monetary damages.

In the case of real estate, specific performance demands often involve the conveyance of title. Having met the conditions of the contract, the buyer demands the seller convey title to them. Why would sellers not do this automatically? Situations can include seller remorse, basic flakiness or the realization the seller accepted far too low an offer compared to what the market would produce.

Specific performance demands are a two sided situation. Courts often are reluctant to grant them because human nature is such that the defendant will often poison a situation by damaging the property or screwing up title. This does not mean the seller is off the hook.

While courts are hesitant to grant specific performance demands, they are not hesitant to enforce real estate contracts. Depending upon the laws in your state, the court may grant something called a lis pendens. The lis pendens represents the equivalent of the monetary damages suffered by the buyer. More importantly, it is recorded against the deed of the seller’s property. This effectively forces the seller to pay the buyer if the seller ever hopes to sell the property. When a title insurance company reviews title for any subsequent sale, it will notify the new purchaser of the lis pendens and refuse to issue title insurance. With no title insurance, the seller is going to have an extremely hard time moving the property. In fact, it will be nearly impossible as it is difficult to imagine any buyer that would want to get involved in the dispute.

While there can be sniping in real estate transactions, most go fairly smoothly. When they fall apart, specific performance and lis pendens can become dominant issues.

Raynor James is with the FSBO site FSBOAmerica.org homes for sale by owner.

Property in the Languedoc Area of South Western France

Writen by Gary Ingram

Languedoc Property Finders, the property search specialists for this popular part of the south of France , have just launched their new website.

Their site is designed to be a guide for people looking to research an area of the Languedoc that they are considering buying a property in. Right down to individual towns and villages such as Pezenas or Marseillan.

Gary Ingram and his team at Languedoc Property Finders have done a lot of research into the wants and needs of people from the UK looking to buy in this part of France .

“Languedoc property is still very popular with people from the UK and other parts of Europe . Where this area used to only really attract people looking to retire, more and younger people are now looking at Languedoc property as a good investment. Something they can stay in when they want to and rent out when they’re not there”.

Languedoc Property Finders individual approach to clients means that they are able to give a personal service that is designed around each persons needs. Gary Ingram says, “Finding a property abroad can be a time consuming process. With so many properties on the market it’s very difficult for people to make good use of their trips over to France . We are able to sort the wheat from the chaff so that our clients fly over to view four or five pre selected suitable properties rather than wasting their trip viewing places that are definitely not right for them”.

Gary and his team have found that Pezenas proeprty and Cap D’Agde property are still favourites for the Brits and Irish, with a good cross section of old village houses and modern beachfront apartments.

“Cap D’Agde has always been popular” says Gary, “There are some really good modern developments with terraces and sea views that are the perfect example of a south of France beach holiday to a lot of people. In contrast, the old towns such as Pezenas, Caux and Neffies have some wonderful old buildings, often with views across neighbouring vineyards. It’s this attraction to older buildings full of character that have made Caux property and Neffies property very popular with people from the UK”.

Gary Ingram is a partner in the French based property search company, Languedoc Property Finders.

Experts at finding Property in Pezenas and the Languedoc area of France. Please visit our site: Languedoc Property Finders or call us on 0044 193 9341.

Malta Real Estate Increase Highest In Europe

Writen by Roger Munns

The Mediterranean island of Malta has recorded the strongest growth in property prices from countries in the European Union, and recent news could help see property inflation in double figures for the next few years.

Figures released by the European Mortgage Federation show Malta’s rise of over eighteen per cent was higher than both France and Spain.

Two EU countries, Germany and Austria, saw house prices drop, while Portugal, Greece and the Netherlands were barely into positive territory.

And property insiders on the island are predicting that strong growth could be around for a few years yet, giving Malta the potential to be seen by investors as a good place to buy.

Tribune Properties who specialise in property for sale in Malta report that the first quarter of 2006 has seen a good level of activity, with the top end of the market seeing particularly good performance levels.

‘The first couple of weeks of January were slower than the same period last year’ comments Michael Johnson, Tribune’s Managing Director, ‘but since then the number of sales has matched last year - a very good one - but villas with an asking price of a million Euros and more has seen increased activity, and a good number of sales’.

Malta Hotels and Holidays

One independent information site for holidays and hotels in Malta also report increased interest in their property pages compared to the first quarter of 2005, with the number of page views increasing by nearly a third.

Sustained property inflation at levels seen in Malta are rarely seen in other countries, but new economic activity on the island could see property demand at good levels for some years to come.

A new ‘Smart City’ is planned which could see Malta competing with the rest of Europe as a business destination for internet and other high tech companies. English is spoken fluently in Malta, and coupled with relatively low salaries locally it is hoped that inward investment and 5000 new jobs will help the Maltese economy which in turn will boost the property, hotel and holiday markets.

The tourist industry is vital to Malta’s economy, and it is hoped that the arrival of low cost airlines providing new flights to Malta will benefit the Malta holidays industry as well as the many hotels in Malta.

If Malta can combine the attractions of a Mediterranean holiday island with a modern infrastructure and high tech friendly business in a low tax environment, today’s property prices could look like a bargain in five years time.

The introduction of low cost flights to Malta from the UK will open up the possibility of more buyers looking at the island for holiday homes that could be used for long weekends, and the Malta hotels industry could reap the benefits of the 3 and 4 day tourist seeing the island as a viable place to visit.

Malta has traditionally seen the majority of her visitors from the UK, but this could be changing to a more diverse mix in future years.

Last year saw a record number of visitors from Italy, and increased enquiries have been received at estate agents across the island from Scandanvia, Holland, France and Belgium, helping to increase the demand for Malta properties.

After some years of wondering how Malta would fit into the modern world, property agents, hotel owners and the Malta holidays industry are beginning to see the future with some optimism.

For Malta information and advice, including holidays in Malta, weather, map, real estate and property, car hire, flights and villa holidays visit http://www.yourmalta.com. For hotels in Malta including the Qawra Palace, Palm Court and others in Mellieha, Valletta, St Paul’s Bay, Bugibba, Qawra, Sliema and St Julian’s visit http://www.yourmalta.com/hotels.

For property in Malta http://www.maltaproperty.info.

Buying A Home Rain, Sun, and Weather Issues

Writen by Raynor James

When buying a home, it can be easy to overlook year around weather issues. You may think you are purchasing a home in a sunny area, but come to find there is always a heavy cloud cover. This is just one of a number of weather issues to consider when selecting your dream home.

CloudsRainFloods

If you must have a sun deck as part of your new home, you better make sure it is going to be sunny! Just because a general geographic area has a lot of sun doesn’t mean your home will. Things to look for include fog and heavy cloud cover for a home in a valley. If the home is located on the side of a hill or valley, make sure you know when it will get sun and shade. Temperatures can be radically different depending upon the amount of sun you get.

When it rains, it really pours! One potential nasty surprise for new homeowners can be the condition of a neighborhood after it rains. In San Diego, for instance, the total rainfall averages roughly 12 inches a year. Despite this low total, there are certain beach communities that grind to a halt because of flooding issues. Even an inch of rain can flood streets to the point that you can’t drive at all. Make sure you stop by a gas station or local store to ask about flooding problems in the area.

I have been known to enjoy a good boating trip and perhaps you have as well. I am pretty sure neither of us would enjoy it in our house. Still, millions of people a year buy homes in flood plains without even knowing it. Eventually, this can lead to a disaster when heavy rains come and you find out the reason they call it a flood plain.

Unlike streets with bad drainage, floods are much more damaging. When a river overflows, flood levels are typically measured in feet. Can you image the effect on your home of a flood that reaches five feet in depth? Well, you probably always wanted to renovate the first floor of your home.

Mother nature has a way of doing whatever she wants. Make sure you avoid her grumpy spells by looking into the effect of weather on your prospective dream home.

Raynor James is with http://www.fsboamerica.org providing FSBO homes for sale by owner. Visit our “sell my home” page at http://www.fsboamerica.org/seller.cfm to list and sell your home for free for one month. Visit http://www.fsboamerica.org/buyer.cfm to see homes for sale by owner.

Taking Title of Your New House

Writen by Raynor James

How you take title in your new home is key decision. Unfortunately, in the euphoria of the moment, many new homeowners don’t put much thought into it.

Title

When purchasing a new home, you become the title owner of record. Essentially, this means you are listed in public records as the legal owner. This may sound like a simple concept, but how you’re classified as an owner can impact legal and tax issues. Here are some issues to consider when taking title.

Single Owner

If you are purchasing the property on your own, there is really only one title choice. Yep, you are going to be listed as the sole owner, to wit, in your own name. If you are investing in rental or commercial properties, you should speak with a lawyer about purchasing the properties through a limited liability company to limit potential liabilities.

Two or More Owners

If you’re married, many states require you to take title in a property as community property. In such states, you and a spouse are automatically considered to be joint owners regardless of any other factors. Community property title can have tremendous but macabre tax benefits. If one spouse dies, the living spouse gets a “step up” basis for tax consequence and huge capital gains taxes. For instance, if you purchased a home for $200,000 and it is worth $400,000 when a spouse dies, the remaining spouse gets to figure any capital gains using $400,000 as the cost of the house instead of $200,000.

Joint Tenancy

In some states, spouses are not required to take community property title. Instead, they and any collection of two or more owners may take title in joint tenancy. The advantages of joint tenancy are twofold. First, you get the step up basis mentioned above. Second, title in the property automatically transfers to surviving owners upon the death of one owner. This means you get to avoid probate, an expensive and lengthy court process.

Taking Title

When buying a home, don’t just pick title willy nilly. Take the time to explore the options in your state and pick the best one for you.

Raynor James is with http://www.fsboamerica.org providing FSBO homes for sale by owner. Visit our “sell my home” page at http://www.fsboamerica.org/seller.cfm to list and sell your home for free for one month. Visit http://www.fsboamerica.org/buyer.cfm to see homes for sale by owner.

Negotiating Commissions with Your Agent

Writen by Gloria Smith

If you decide to sell your home through the assistance of a real estate agent, be prepared to shell out, on the average, about 5 6% of the total sale price as commission. This is the average rate given to agents but you don’t necessarily have to abide by it. If you feel that 5 - 6% is simply, too much, you have the right to request for a lower commission rate.

First thing you should do when you contact a real estate agent is to ask how much he is expecting as his commission. If he gives you a rate that you deem to be higher than what you can afford, you have every right to haggle for a lower rate. By law, commissions are not fixed and must always be negotiated upon by both parties. If your agent refuses to budge, you can either accept his rate or look for another agent.

When you are negotiating commission make sure that you back up your request with facts. It would be good if you had the proposals of several agents on hand so you can show (or at least, inform) the agent you’re talking to of your options. It would also help if you are aware of how desirable your house is. You can tell him that he really needn’t do much selling because the property can sell by itself.

It would also be better if you did your negotiations in private. If you’re dealing with an external real estate agent (hired by the potential buyer), don’t talk about specifics in front of your children and most especially in front of guests. If you’re negotiating with your agent, you are not confined to discussing commission rates. You can also talk about their proposed marketing activities, frequency of advertisements and open houses, even the number of photographs to be taken.

Aside from straight out bargaining on commission rates, you can suggest a laddered approach to selling. You can pre determine the commission your agent will get and base it on a pre specified target price range. This would encourage your agent to sell your home at a higher rate. You may also opt to secure the services of discount brokers who will either charge only for services they render, or a commission rate of at least 3%. Don’t be afraid to explore your options. Remember that this is your house, and your money. You have every right to make sure that you get your money’s worth.

Download a Home Sale Contract Today.

Capitalizing on Selling Your Real Estate Note

Writen by David Springer

Would you like to get immediate cash for a real estate note you’re holding, instead of waiting for future payments? Consider selling your note for an up front, lump sum payment.

Perhaps you need funds for another investment, a business venture or an emergency. Regardless of the reason, selling your real estate note can provide money to meet your needs in a matter of weeks. When selling a real estate note, you can receive one lump sum for your investment instead of having to wait for monthly payments. This can reduce your level of risk, plus free up funds that you can spend however you wish.

Understanding How Real Estate Notes Work

A note often called a mortgage is a financial instrument by which the owner of real estate borrows money against the property. A homeowner can have several mortgages on one property totaling more than the value of the property with some programs. But in most cases, the note is only a portion of the value of the property. For instance, the property may be worth $200,000, but the mortgage is for $180,000.

The first mortgage is usually held by a large lender, such as a bank or investment firm. Second liens are typically held by large companies, but are also established by individuals who often agree to take on a second mortgage to help buyers qualify to purchase their property. For instance, the buyer may put down 5 percent in cash, take on a mortgage for 75 percent of the value of a house, and then the owner creates a note for the remaining 20 percent to make the deal work.

Real estate note buyers generally prefer to buy real estate secured notes that are in the first lien position or wrap around the first lien position. Notes in a second lien position, naturally, will sell for less unless there is considerable equity in the deal.

Note buyers, whether private individuals or large institutions, will generally discount the note (pay the seller an amount below the note’s current balance) to offset their risk and meet certain yield requirements. The amount of discount varies across notes, but the two biggest factors in determining the discount (besides the type of property) are the amount of equity in the property (cash down payment plus principal payments received) and the credit of the borrower. The more equity and the better the buyer’s credit, the more that the note is worth.

Mortgage note buyers purchase all types of privately held mortgage notes, including promissory notes, land sale contracts, deeds of trust, contract for deeds and other debt instruments secured by residential, commercial, land and other types of property. You can sell the entire note or only part of it, depending on your immediate and future financial needs. For example, you could opt to receive a lump sum of money now, then part of the payment each month thereafter.

Steps to Cashing in a Real Estate Note

Obtaining cash for a real estate note is a relatively straightforward and quick transaction. Here’s how the process of getting money for your real estate note goes:

Step 1: Fill out an initial form to provide information about the property and your note.

Step 2: Supply information about your borrower.

Step 3: Receive an estimated pay off quote within 48 hrs.

Step 4: Complete the remaining paperwork required to proceed.

Step 5: Submit the signed and completed documents.

Step 6: Close within a matter of days and receive your money.

Tips for Making Real Estate Notes More Appealing to Investors

Selling real estate notes can also be used as an ongoing exit strategy for investors offering owner financing. You can use installment financing to close the deal with buyers, and then convert their future monthly payments into quick cash by selling the note.

If you’re going to create a real estate note, there are some guidelines you can follow to make it more appealing to other investors so you can maximize the amount you’ll receive when you sell your note. First, get a good down payment. This means obtaining at least 10 percent for a standard house and 20 to 30 percent for commercial properties, land, and mobile homes.

You also should try to sell to a buyer with a decent credit history. A buyer with a FICO (credit score) of at least 650 is preferable, although a slightly lower score may be acceptable. If you provide owner financing to someone with a FICO score below 600, you can expect to take a larger discount when you sell the note.

Also, make the term of the note as short as possible, keeping in mind that a 10 year or 15 year note is worth more than a 30 year note. And ensure that the interest rate being charged is at least as high as comparable bank rates.

Additionally, here are some positive factors that can enhance your ability to profit from selling a real estate note:

The property is owner occupied.

There is access to power, water, and roads (for land).

In regard to commercial notes, multi unit apartments or general purpose office buildings are easier to place than specialty businesses like restaurants.

The property and surrounding area are in good condition.

The sales price is not far above the market value, and the title to the property is clean.

Selling real estate notes is a viable alternative for investors needing instant access to cash.

David Springer is a consultant for Sovereign Funding Group. Sovereign Funding Group is an experienced, reputable company that offers convenient, no risk services to help you with the selling of your deferred payments and business financing, including real estate notes.

Honest and Ethical Real Estate Flipping

Writen by TJ Etherton

Most articles I see about Real Estate Flipping make me sick to my stomach. Hey, I like making money as much as the next guy, and I realize that in order to put money in my pocket, it has to come out of someone elses pocket. But I have a problem with pursuing and making deals that take advantage of someone else. Even if it is a “just a little”.

Finding sellers who are under stress with a property, securing a sales contract and selling the contract to a seasoned real estate investor for a quick $1000 to $5000 profit.

“Helping” a seller going into foreclosure save their credit by arranging the sale of the property without taking the title (buying the property and double escrowing to someone who wants to live there)

I see these “techniques”; in flipping articles all the time. First off, it’s not as easy as it sounds. But that’s not what I take issue with.

The reason the owners are under stress with the property or are going into foreclosure is because there is something big going on in their lives. Okay, I guess “Big” could be something great for them. Like maybe they got a terrific job as a movie star and need to move out of town quick so they need to sell fast to take the new job…or some other dreamy story like that. Sure, you can convince yourself of that if you want to, but let’s face it. It’s more than likely “Big” as in “Big and Bad”.

The “Big” is more likely that the owners are going through a divorce. The “Big” might be that they lost their jobs and are slowly ruining their credit. “Big” could be that they got cancer and have spent all their money on medical related bills and now cannot afford the home, etc. etc. etc.

So let me ask you a question. If you were down on your luck because of something as serious as cancer, would you really want someone trying to convince you how they were “helping you out” by making a profit off of *your* misfortune? Of course not.

You can still make money flipping homes without taking advantage of people. The way that myself and my partners make money flipping is to find homes that simply haven’t been well cared for or haven’t been properly updated. Then buy, fix/update and resell. Nobody gets taken advantage of or misled. These sellers know that their property is worth less because it requires a bunch of work. And if they don’t know, it’s easy to show them a list of things that need to be done to the property in order for a new family to move in. I think this is a much more ethical way to do flipping and it helps me to sleep well at night.

I’m not preaching because I’m a religious man and God told me that flipping should be done this way or anything absurd like that. I just believe in doing what I was taught when I was a toddler which is to "Treat others as you would like to be treated". And to make some money while doing it.

(c) Copyright 2006, T.J. Etherton / www.cashflowcrunchers.com All rights reserved.

T.J. Etherton, one of the founders of The Cashflow Crunchers, a web site for Real Estate Investors to share investing tips and other information. For more articles, tips, and free online calculators to help determine if a property is a good investment or not, please visit

http://www.cashflowcrunchers.com

The Best of Both Worlds Gers, South West France

Writen by David Seymour

Little known to many, the area known as Gers lies deep in the south west of France and is part of the Midi Pyrenees region. It sits just to the west of the university town of Toulouse. It is named after the river Gers which has it’s source in the foothills of the Pyrenees, near Lannemezan.

If you have been looking at property in Spain as well as France, or maybe you have had trouble deciding between Spain or France, then perhaps Gers is the place for you. Due to the proximity of Spain, the strong influence of Spanish culture is evident throughout this area. There have been many waves of Spanish immigrants to this part of south west France, adding colour and variety to the region, and making a truly unique ambience.

Property in Gers tends to reflect this influx of Spanish culture. The rolling countryside is lush and green, and forts and castles adorn the hilltops. This area is only now becoming increasingly popular with foreigners and is still relatively undiscovered.

From the foothills of the Pyrenees, the river Gers flows north and passes through the departments of Hautes Pyrenees, Tarn et Garonne and Gers. The capital city of Auch, is found beside the river Gers. This department covers just over 6,000 square kilometres, and has a total population of around 150,000. Auch is the administrative capital of Gers, one of France’s least bustling and most overlooked areas.

Historically, Gers was part of Gascony. It was one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution in 1790. Interestingly, residents of this area are referred to as ‘Gersois’.

Gers is a part of the historic Armangnac region well known for its predominant commercial activity the production of fiery world famous brandy. Gers is mainly an agricultural region, producing a variety of cereals, poultry and well known gastronomic specialities including goose pate “fois gras”.

Wild mushrooms are abundant here and their presence has spawned yet another specialist gastronomic industry all of its own, built up around the areas famously prolific wild mushrooms.

Whilst this region officially has it’s own language, a dialect of the “langue d’oc” it is little spoken or known today. The majority of people speak French here, but you will find smatterings who also speak Spanish. For many years throughout history, the people of Gers have offered shelter to pilgrims making their way to Santiago De Compostella in Spain.

The region of Gers is comparatively little known, and therefore property in Gers is usually a very welcome surprise in many ways to most Europeans. If you are seeking to make your dream of a home in France reality, then check out the property for sale in the Gers area of south west France.

David Seymour is Managing Director of Adept Marketing, owners of french property for sale south west france.