Has anyone had a look at Cape Verde Islands.
The off plan details look quite impressive and very cheap.
I don't think there are direct flights from the UK as yet, But when they start i'm certain prices will increase.
The islands are about an hours flying time south of the canaries so the climate should be quite good and only 5 hours from the UK.

Horizon have started dishing out details on these properties. Tempting, and worth a look I think, for the future.

Brazil would probably be my next target. The coast areas are really beginning to take off. Belize and Panama are also looking good.

I have just bought a plot of land on Great Exuma in the Bahamas ,it is one of the outer islands, the island is only about 26 miles long and at the widest point just over a mile wide 2 big major hotel chanes have just moved on to the island and a Greg Norman desighned golf course has just been built at one end of the island with another in the planning for the other end olso there is plans for a multy milion pound marina in the makeing, on some parts of the Island plots prices have doubled in the last year so with any luck this will be a good investment for me, going over soon for a look and hope to build within the next 2 years.
Stephen.

HI .The Gambia is a good reasonable buy, with rental income.Most building is offplan ie you pay upfront whether you know it or not and the sellers rip off a HUGE PROFIT,beware and check plans out with an architect, even if the builders offer to only take money in britain
If you invest your staged payments in Gambian Banks for the year they say it takes to build you could pay 25% of your house, BE VERY WARY cheers maxie

I like some parts of Northern North Cyprus. A new build 3 bed 100sq metre ground floor apartment with a garden/patio and communal pool is around £59,000, but increasing fast.
These are not high rise, just 2 storey, come with kitchen appliances and air con.
Obviously you have to be careful about freehold title and choose a construction company with a good record of completion and quality but these units will let well at about £350 per week for 8 months of the year if you buy the right location.
This should give a 20% return AND capital growth, its the best I've found.
They should be on the beach with no road in between apartments and sea. Safe and pleasant for families means good letting potential.
Direct flights will I believe be starting soon, or you can fly direct and cheaply into Larnaca, rent a car and you are at the apartments in less than 2 hours driving time.

Anyone interested please message me for more details.

Our apartment in Egypt was purchased off-plan two years ago - ready ahead of schedule at the end of this year - already more than doubled in value. More and more flights to Egypt - excellent, year-round destination, so 52 week letting season, low cost of living ......................

TAH-M
Where about is your property? We came across El Gouna when we were at a property exhibition. Hadn't thought of Egypt before that.

Turkey is still the best place ..whether or not they get into the eu...maybe even a better place if they dont.
and the best areas ..taking a long view... has to be east of Alanya. ok the new airport in Gazipaşa has been a long time in the offing but next year or two will see it open and then that area has tremendous potential.

I have spoken to a friend of mine who has lived inland from the Costa del Sol for the last sixteen years. He told me that although it was still not a bad place to invest, you had to be very selective where and what you bought if you want to see any increase in your return.

He said he still loves the area ( he lived in Almogia) but wanted to look at other areas of the world. So, he has gone to Thailand and looked around where he says there are what appears to be some fantastic deals.

But here is where he is using his common sense! He has been over twice before and likes it so he has just gone for a third time to stay for two months!! Easy for him I know as he is single but all the same, a good idea. He is going to keep me posted on what he finds.

A good suggestion he told me is to email or write in person to a list of airlines and ask them what routes they have planned to open within the next five years? Sounds good because if airlines are going to new destinations it must be for a reason.

Fiona

sorry didn't come back before..

We are in El Gouna - on Golf West. Still really excited about it!!

I heard that only a Thai national could own a property in Thailand. Or their name had to be on the property. Is this correct?

Maybe this is the reason for cheap prices

I think the way it works is you can only take out a lease for up to 99 years but you are right you have to be a thai national and I think it is the same even if you are buying an apartment.
Stephen.

I am in contact with a property investor 'guru'. He writes for the Sunday times and has a number of companies to do with property investing. His short to medium investment countries are Cyprus and Turkey. He also mentioned Cape Verde but believes this isa long term investment and may take 15-20 years to get up to speed with all the infrasture etc. It is very cheap at the moment if you aren't in a hurry.
He has also flipped property in Dubia. Ie paid 10% off plan then sold 6 months on when half completed for anything up to 3 times the amount.
Hope that helps??

Cyprus is a very appealing Country but I am concerned with the cost of flights.

Friends of ours bought either in or just near Protaras and they think it is great as it has doubled in value. The trouble is when they look at flights to go over for a break, they are expensive. It is almost cheaper for them to book with a tour operator for a week, which really defeats the object.

Airlines have a hold on you here I think as it is an Island as oppose to a mainland destination.

I do like the idea of Turkey though. Read some articles recently and in fact I am going to go over for a visit. I think when (not if) they get in the EU we will see a big increase here.

yeh Turkey is good when there isnt an earthquake.......no thanks!!

I think every country has its problems.

But they are not frequent occurances.

Ok so Turkey has its Earthquakes. Sadly, a huge one had happened just this week. But so do many other countries, suffer natural disasters look at the problems that have happened in the past few years in Thailand, Sri Lanka just to mention a few. The name "New Orleans" should conjour up a many tragic images.

I suppose if you look at the fact that there are hurricanes, earthquakes, storms and floods in all parts of the world. Then no one would live any where, no one would fall in love with a country, warts and all ( including earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes and floods). Life is all about chance.

People think they are safe in the Uk, yet images of Birmingham being struck by a tornado, Boscastle being destroyed by floods, all on our doorsteps. Brings it all a little closer to home.

Yes, you can avoid areas that have major problems, but I bought in Turkey, and I pay Earthquake insuranace, its law. You have to have it. Its £30 a year. Its less than my dogs vet insurance (£110) in the UK, so perhaps someone would like to work out the chances or perhaps the insurance comapanies have already done this.

Back to the subject at hand. Buy something you love, that is going to be accessable (even if not immediately )

I love Turkey, but would be tempted by Tailand, and Croatia

Buy something you love, that is going to be accessable (even if not immediately )

.......fair enough.....but if this exercise is about buying for investment then perhaps these are two different criteria - the danger is in buying something with your heart rather than your head.
....and while natural calamities are totally unforseen and play little part in the decision making process, another form of calamity is perhaps more relevent and evident, and that is political instability; and in certain countries this would be sufficient to curtail any plans to buy there....I'll stick to Europe, thanks.....

Another very important point to bear in mind when investing and buying property abroad is the Inheritance Tax issue.

Your estate will be subject to IHT in the country/countries where property/properties is/are as well as paying IHT to the UK government on those particular properties, ie if you were UK domiciled.

You automatically become a domicile of a country if you live there for 17 out of 20 years.

So, in order to protect your worldwide assets from IHT don't live in one country for more than 17 years.

......one difficulty when trying to plan for the long term - as any property investment must be - is that its impossible to predict future government legislation, including IHT laws.
Some would argue that the UK housing situation problems require a drastic and radical rethink of the whole ownership system; and wouldn't any housing shortage be reduced if owners could sell without incurring IHT ?
So, yes, by all means think about the tax situation, but it wouldn't unduly influence any purchasing decisions.
In my own case, there's three properties within our estate, two UK. one Canaries; so plenty of IHT there ! - but with no children, most of our money would go to charity anyway.....