Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Buy Property Abroad: Guam

If you are to buy property abroad there is a need to follow a methodical and systematic process, carried out with careful analysis, planning and execution. But, most homeowners are often overpowered by their emotions rather than their rational considerations, which in turn allow them to make impulsive purchasing decisions. Unfortunately, the ramifications of these actions could be serious. The inability to take appropriate real estate purchasing methods often lead to the procurement of a property without habitation license, refusal of utilities, unable to put the property for resale, poor house construction that may lead to accidents and worst having the house demolished.

The mistakes that one make when he or she buy property abroad could result to legal troubles, stress and uncertainty that could stretch in the future results that any prospective homeowner would not like to experience. Purchase a property overseas heedlessly and you would definitely regret your actions later on. To avoid these mistakes from firing back at you, getting things done properly could mean doing things one step at a time and doing a lot of property-related researches. If you're able to get these things right, you'll certainly enjoy your overseas home without worrying about legal troubles in the future.

It certainly is tempting to look for property investments while you're in a holiday, and it certainly makes sense to buy a property in a place you know and fond of as opposed to purchasing a property in an unknown territory. But, it should also be taken into consideration that holidays are not the right periods for property hunting since you're probably not on your rational mind to do such activity, which means you have to see to it that you would set aside schedules to carry out your property-hunting visits. It is also advisable to search in different locations for varying real estate investments for comparisons that would help you with your decisions. A noteworthy location and property investments that you might want to try are the homes for sale in Guam.

The costs of homes for sale in Guam are comparatively lower than in other countries, though the biggest cost could be accounted to the real estate agent, between 4% to 10% of the value of the property which would be paid by the seller, while the buyer would shoulder all the other fees including the title insurance, recording fees and the escrow fee. There are no constraints in terms of foreign property ownership; however, Guam laws allow foreigners to own only one owner-occupied property under their personal names if they are not citizens of the USA or if they do not have any plans of acquiring permanent residency in this US territory.

Let's just say that you finally found your dream house in one of the homes for sale in Guam, the next thing that you would have to do is to check if there are associated issues with the property you like to purchase that could posit future problems on your side. The first action that you have to take is to have the property inspected and surveyed in order to analyze its physical condition and know if there are structural problems such as subsidence or if roof replacements are needed, which will cost extra finances for you later. Once you are assured that there are no issues associated with your prospective property, the next things that you have to attend to include some form of a title, written documents of who owns what, and series of contracts that fall under two categories: first is the preliminary contract that contains the owners commitment of selling the property and the buyer's commitment to purchase the property along with some form of deposit, and secondly, the completion of the closing contract that would finalize and set the deal. From here, it is apparent that there is a need for you to employ the services of a personal legal representative and not the one suggested by the selling agent in order to ensure that your interest would be represented fairly, the property bounds are clearly outline and you won't be suffering from ownership disputes in the future.

If you would be purchasing a property, for instance in Tamuning, and your main purpose is to use it as a profitable investment, then you should focus more on its financial elements. If you intend to earn an income through rentals, you must look at the local rental market in order for you to properly outline the returns that you should expect. It is also advised to take a consumer research to have an idea about the rental occupancy rate in the area of your prospect property as oppose to nearby locations that offer same property investments as well as the costs of utility bills, taxes and housekeeping to make realistic estimation whether you would profit from such property or not. All in all, purchasing property overseas has many drawbacks and requirements; however, these things should not hold you from owning a property as the rewards you would receive are far greater than the drawbacks you are likely to experience.

If you have the intent to buy property abroad, you might want to check the homes for sale in Guam. The total cost of property investments in Guam, may it be in Tamuning or Tumon, are very competitive compared in other countries. Once you've decided to make a purchase, be sure to follow a methodical and systematic process in order to avoid legal troubles in the long run.

-Alison Ward

Buying Property Overseas: Safety Tips To Make The Most Out Of Your Money

In these hard economic times, many people are betting their finances to buy overseas property. Whether you are buying for leisure or investment purposes, the last thing that you would wish is to end up spending your money for a worthless piece of property. If you are able to pull off this pursuit properly through sufficient and well-rounded research, a property overseas would surely prove to be a good investment property that would provide you uncapped returns. In order to safely purchase a property abroad, you might want to consider some tips provided below.

The first thing that you have look at is if you're legally allowed to own a property in the country of you choice. It must be taken into account that some countries have strict laws concerning foreigner property ownership in their lands, while there are other countries that implement some form of limits on the kind of property ownership that foreigners could have. For instance, if you would like to buy a Guam house for sale that you really like, you must be aware that Guam laws only permit foreigners to own one owner-occupied property under their names. You might also visit the relevant country's embassy or consulate as the people there could provide you all the information you need regarding acquisition of property in their country ranging from taxes to working permits.

It also pays to have a seasonal check on your prospective property; what might appear as a good summer house may not be an ideal place during cold seasons. To do this, you could rent a place near your prospective Guam house for sale so that you could get the actual feel of the tenable living in the area, and doing this would also help you assess the transportation links, leisure and shopping destination in the place. In addition, this is also the perfect time to look at the planning permission rules implemented in the area because you might actually need permission before you could carry out a renovation to the property, or their can be restrictions about what you can do to the property once you are residing there. You could also talk to expats who already own a property in the area as they have the inside information and knowledge that you could use to establish your decision.

Before you make your purchase, it would be wise to set up a bank account in the country where you will buy a property and if possible acquire all the necessary clearances associated with the money importation and inclusive fees so that you won't have trouble with your finances once you transfer in the area. Be sure to keep a contingency fund as a part of your general financial outlay because this would help you in future repairs for you property. Suppose that you've already decided to purchase the Guam house for sale that you've been saving for long, you should consider employing the services of a legal representative who could speak English and knows the laws in the country where you would make your property purchase as this is a means to protect you legal interests and that you won't encounter legal disputes in the future.

You should also make sure that the property you are about to purchase has no legal problems and has a clear title. Meaning to say, the property seller has the right to sell. If you're about to buy overseas property from a real estate company prospectus or those houses that are not yet built, be sure that the contract includes insurance and indemnity clauses that would protect you in case worst comes to worst. If you're planning to borrow money to purchase the property you like, be sure to indicate it in your contract and include an "opt out- clause that would protect you in case the loan you made is not obtained or sanctioned; as much as possible though, it would be more advisable to pay the property from your own savings so that you won't experience any hassles. Once you acquired the property, pay your taxes on time because some countries implement laws where the government could seize the property if the owner failed to pay his or her taxes.

These are just some of the many important things that you have to take into account once you decide to purchase property overseas. The main point that you should understand from the abovementioned tips is to be very cautious, make sure that you know the country well before you make your purchase and never give in to sales pressure. Similar to all the major decisions that one makes, the proverb patience is a virtue also applies to the process of purchasing property overseas. By adhering to these guidelines, you could safely purchase a property abroad, regardless if you are after a property to retire or perhaps a rental investment that you could use to earn profits from.

If you would like to buy overseas property you must take into account that such activity is not a quick thing to accomplish. There are certain laws that you have to understand to avoid legal disputes, and there are myriads of factors that you have to consider. Whether you intend to purchase a rental investment abroad or perhaps the Guam house for sale that you actually like, you should be prepared financially, mentally and physically.

-Alison Ward