Investor Attention on Goa for India Real Estate Investment

There is no doubt that the U.S. real estate and mortgage problems of 2006 into 2010 have disturbed markets around the world. Many countries have suffered, with previously robust real estate markets languishing without international investment due to current conservative attitudes. India is no exception, with residential and commercial real estate development in India slowing during the last three years.

However, international investment may be experiencing renewed interest in the country, and India itself is continuing and expanding government initiatives through housing boards situated throughout this nation of more than one billion population. Being one of the most populated countries in the world, housing is at the top of the government’s list of importance for their citizens.

However, when it comes to interest from foreign investors, tourism plays an important part. Goa, India’s smallest state, is also the fourth smallest state in population. Situated on India’s west coast in the Konkan region, it’s the richest state, with a GDP more than double that of the country as a whole. Both domestic and international tourists flock to Goa for its beaches and architecture influenced by the Portuguese. Wildlife sanctuaries, equatorial forests and beautiful beaches draw tourists, and now real estate investors and developers. With the government owning more than 80% of the forest land, greater land demand should bring upward pressure on prices for future development.

Tourists bring money, not only for temporary enjoyment, but for long term real estate purchases. Tourism is Goa’s primary industry, handling approximately 12% of all of India’s tourist visits. Goa isn’t overly dependent on tourism, as the primarily agricultural area is changing to a more mining focus, with growing discovery of locations rich in minerals and ores. But, tourism is very important when considering real estate investment, as those who return to the area will many times look for a purchase that will appreciate while providing an annual vacation retreat.

Builders and developers in Goa frequently also handle property brokerage. One developer, Riviera Constructions, boasts project completions in 12 to 15 months, well ahead of schedules. These include apartments and India vacation villas, as well as planned resort communities built with international investment as a focus. While sale is the primary goal, they also manage these properties as rentals, and buyers can factor short term rental income into their purchase decisions.

For those vacationers who enjoy pristine beaches and access to equatorial forests, wildlife and the civility of beautiful architecture, restaurants and a focus on tourism, Goa is a great destination. It also seems that it could be a great place to invest in real estate.

“It’s a hot item,” said Scott Redmon, owner of Alfresco Living in Maitland, Fla. “And the outdoor kitchen is becoming a lot more than a grill and a sink in the corner of the porch. It’s a whole entertainment system. People have a higher expectation for their exterior spaces since HGTV came around.”

Outdoor kitchens are popular because they are fun to live with, said Russ Faulk, vice-president of product development at Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet in Kalamazoo, Mich. “They add to the quality of life for the homeowner. Preparing a meal outdoors is not a chore, it’s an occasion, a reason to have friends over and enjoy the process.” In addition, an outdoor kitchen expands a home’s living space and adds to its value, he said. “The return on your investment is comparable to an indoor kitchen redo.”

Since the economic downturn, “People have been unable to sell their homes, so they are starting to upgrade with better landscaping and outdoor kitchens, spending more time at home,” said Sue Fern, manager of the Florida chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

The built-in grill was the start of the outdoor-kitchen trend, said Faulk. “Then came the sink, the refrigerator, a counter for food prep, cabinets for storage pretty much what you’d have in an indoor kitchen.” As more equipment is added, outdoor “rooms” are becoming larger and more covered, he said. Seating areas are added, along with outdoor TV sets, fire pits and water features.

The grill-fired by gas, wood or charcoal is still the heart of the outdoor kitchen. Especially popular are hybrid grills, which can be switched from gas to wood or charcoal, depending on what is being cooked, said Faulk. “There’s nothing like grilling fish over an oak fire.”

Pizza ovens are starting to threaten the grill’s reign as king of the outdoor kitchen. Oven designs range from large, wood-fired brick and clay ovens that take several hours to heat up, to compact countertop models fired by gas that are ready for baking pizzas in 20 minutes.

Also gaining popularity in outdoor kitchens are keg-tappers, wine chillers, ice makers and warming cabinets.

When designing an outdoor kitchen, be sure to look for low-maintenance equipment, said Faulk, “or you defeat the purpose of carefree outdoor cooking.”

Also, make sure any cabinetry is designed to keep the contents clean and dry in inclement weather; install good task and ambient lighting and choose counter-top material that is stain- and grease-resistant and stays cool in direct sunlight.

“Get counter-top samples, leave them in the sun and see how hot they get,” advised Faulk. “Heat-retention is not always related to color. Some light colors get hotter than dark colors.”

He also offers these cost-cutting tips: “Design the outdoor kitchen against the house to reduce the cost of getting utilities to the space. And buy the best grill you can afford.”

Japan has recorded nine consecutive quarters of economic expansion, and recorded an annualized real growth rate of 3.3 per cent during the first quarter of 2007, with the major boost coming from robust corporate capital investment. Investors remained overwhelmingly positive regarding the Japanese real estate market and most real estate indicators point to a continued upbeat market. J-REITs remained the dominant players as they added to their portfolios not only in Tokyo but throughout the country. Nevertheless, with the financial markets pricing a further interest rate increase, the 10-year JGB yield increased from a 1.6 per cent average in April to a 1.9 per cent average in June, shrinking the positive spread of NOI yields.

In Singapore, investment transactions totalling S$24.63 billion were recorded in the first half of 2007, a 70 per cent increase year on year. The robust momentum was largely driven by acquisitions of development sites. The office investment market remained brisk, with both the number and value of transactions by overseas investors increasing as private equity groups and foreign funds displayed keen interest in office properties. In the most significant office transaction in the first half of 2007, MCP Raffle, a unit of Macquarie Global Property Advisors, purchased Temasek Tower for S$1.04 billion.

Investors remained confident in the Hong Kong property market on the back of the city’s continued economic growth and upbeat economic outlook. Investment activities were particularly robust in the luxury residential and office sectors, with premium properties highly sought after by both investors and end-users. Notable transactions included the en bloc acquisition of Lodge on the Park in Mid-Levels for HK$1.0 billion by a local developer and Citigroup Property Investors’ purchase of two Central buildings, Crocodile House and the adjacent Ananda Tower, for a combined HK$1.5 billion.

Strong demand in Seoul’s office sector continued to drive positive investment momentum during the first half of 2007, with the steady increase in capital values of prime office buildings attracting both domestic and foreign investors. MAPs Investment Management was particularly aggressive, settling a forward transaction by purchasing Glostar Square Garden, due to be completed in 2010 in the CBD, for KRW 843 billion. Another active domestic investor, KORAMCO, will close the acquisition of Seoul City Tower in July, adding the CBD property to the portfolio of its KOCREF NPS 1 K-REIT.

The Chinese government continued to step up efforts to control real estate investment in the first half of 2007 in order to maintain market stability and avoid overheating in the economy. Between January and June the People’s Bank of China raised the bank deposit reserve ratio five times, from 9 to 11.5 per cent, effectively removing liquidity from the market. The Bank also twice increased the benchmark rates of bank loans and deposits.

Control over foreign investment in the real estate sector was further tightened. In May, the Ministry of Commerce and State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) released Circular 50, or the “Circular on Further Enhancing the Monitoring and Approval of Foreign Direct Investment in the Real Estate Industry”, as a follow-up to Circular 171 released in 2006. Circular 50 stipulates that the acquisition of land use rights or property title is a prerequisite for establishing foreign-owned onshore real estate entities, and seeks tighter control of foreign investment in high-end properties. Complex approval processes make it more difficult for new entrants to obtain development rights in the open market or purchase income- generating properties from local partners. Moreover, in order to control overseas investment in real estate via offshore equity transfers, the Circular requires strict regulation of so-called “return investment” – in this case, referring to local property companies setting up offshore firms to reinvest in China’s property market.

However, the macroeconomic measures aimed at curbing the overheating investment market have not led to a reduction in interest among overseas investors and institutional investors are still keen on acquiring quality properties, particularly in the office and retail sectors.

Both local and overseas developers continued to display a strong appetite for development projects in China. The review period saw Hopson Development’s acquisition stakes in a luxury residential development in Beijing for HK$6 billion stake acquisition registered as the largest investment transaction in China during the first half of 2007. Shanghai remained the leading destination for foreign institutional capital, with JP Morgan making its first foray in the city by partnering with the domestic giant China Overseas Land & Investment to develop a Grade A office building in Puxi. In Guangzhou, the land sales market remained buoyant, with both the office and residential sectors registering record high accommodation values in recent land auctions. Meanwhile, 15 industrial sites were auctioned at the opening bids prior to the release of municipal-level implementation details regarding public sales of industrial land.

The Taipei investment market remained active in the first half of 2007, recording several major transactions. Sinyi Realty bought the Yageo Corporation Building for about US$150.5 million in order to relocate its headquarters to Xinyi-Jilong, while Cathay Life Insurance purchased several floors of the CEC Dunnan Building, located in the Minsheng-Dunhua area, for approximately US$116.5 million. As the flow of projects in the construction pipeline thins, office rentals are expected to trend upward, thus enhancing yields in the office sector.

Following the escalation of interest rates and imposition of a service tax on rental income in the first quarter, real estate investment activity in India was nearly static during the second quarter, characterised by investor caution in anticipation of a correction in prices in certain segments. Market sentiment is tending towards a correction, and higher interest rates and increased prices have also dampened investor and end-user appetite for significant asset purchases.

Office space proved an exception to the rule, seeing a reasonable amount of investment activity due to the scarcity of investment-grade assets. Demand continued to outweigh supply, resulting in continued tight office vacancy rates and rental growth in the National Capital Region. Developers expressed keen interest in warehousing and logistics during the quarter and are looking for financial and operational partnerships with international warehousing and logistics companies.

Turning to Southeast Asia, REITs and institutional investors dominated activity in Kuala Lumpur’s investment market during the period under review. The office sector saw the bulk of notable transactions, in a trend largely attributable to the increasing rentals arising from tight supply. In Thailand, local and overseas investors focused on downtown Bangkok and major tourist destinations such as Phuket in the second quarter of 2007. Business process outsourcing (BPO) in the Philippines is showing clear indications of strong and steady growth, attracting much interest from developers and overseas investors. The investment market in Indonesia has continued to improve following the enactment of the 2007 Investment Law providing for equal treatment of local and overseas investors. In the second quarter President Yudhoyono signed a regulation regarding Special Economic Zones, which is also expected to spur investment.

If you’re looking for office space in the greater San Jose area you’ll find a wealth of options in various sizes. In a recent search of many open spaces, we found prices of small spaces starting at $400 a month for small private spaces and upwards of $2000 a month upwards to 1200 square feet with storage and retail adjacent spots.

Many a San Jose serviced office can be leased long or short term and some come fully furnished. One will find that there are great options for you to move forward with business, both small and large. It is known for its major tech industry and higher education alongside proximity to nearby cities in the San Francisco bay area. It is a hub for commerce both online and offline.

It has the largest concentration of tech companies in the United States. It has often been called the capital of Silicon Valley. Not only are major companies dealing with tech located there but all the major colleges offer degrees in high tech to meet the demand of the major companies.

San Jose, CA has a great educational region including many colleges of higher learning. There are also many colleges that specifically teach high tech and offers degrees in a lot of different areas to aid the growing demand of the local tech firms.

Arts and Culture have also seen a major resurgence in the area and many funds have been appropriated for that. There have been great amounts of financial investments in both art, modern art and performance art in the area. Furthermore, there have been great new investments in the parks and recreations as well as many private agricultural endeavors. These aspects make for some great sight seeing for tourists and residents alike.

San Jose is a great place to live and start a business, especially for those looking to further their careers in technology. There are many people competing for technical jobs but there are a lot of companies located in this city creating opportunities for millions.

If you’re looking to start a business or start your education, you’re going to find that this large city is perfect for all your needs.

A great idea for a company to address this is by giving their staff warm and comfortable accommodation that won’t feel so far from home – something that is possible through corporate housing. Doing this can also give employees a chance to bond with other employees and probably exchange ideas to better the company. Letting them stay in a corporate housing unit is also much cheaper compared to having them all check into a hotel. However, when you choose the corporate housing, you need to consider a lot of factors. It must be made with careful thought and consideration for the people who will be using it.

Try looking online for a place to stay, it can provide you with great options. Since most corporate housing providers nowadays have their own websites, you can browse through them to check for amenities and the cost of a stay. The budget will, of course, be given consideration, especially when your company is sending a large number delegates to an out-of-the-country convention, for example.

Try looking for corporate housing companies that give discounts to those who will be sending a large team. Freebies like free drinks or meals can be offered.

If their websites don’t include these freebies, ask them yourself before you make a reservation. If not, then you can probably try to look for other companies that can provide you with a more reasonable rate. When you do this, always remember that convenience and comfort of your staff should come first.

The relationship between a company and its employees is certainly a factor in determining the success of the business. And providing your employees with a comfortable working environment is a great start. Staff, in particular, will feel well-compensated and appreciated when they know that management is going the extra mile in making them as comfortable as possible, especially when they are attending out-of- town engagements where they can find themselves in new and possibly awkward situations.

Selecting A Business Card – Generic Template or Sizzling Branding Tool

If I had a dime for every free business card offer I get in my email or on Twitter I would be rich man. Lets be realistic. Free business cards are a generic boilerplate solution and do not make you stand out from your competition. You need to stand out in any competitive environment to make sales. Invest your resources in a custom design printed by a printing company. It will make a difference in your commission check.

It may sound pricey, but it does not have to be if your printer does lots of real estate printing. Your presentation is targeted to the wants and needs of your prospects. Making your business cards do the same thing is the natural next step. A Quality design here, the first place the customer sees you, seals the deal on future business and referrals.

Choosing the Right Business Printer

If you are like others who search online for information and to buy products, you probably use one of the major search engines like Google, Yahoo, or MSN. Searching for “real estate business cards” or “realtor business cards” gets you an endless plethora of companies offering free or near free printing. Sounds good? Think again. These offers are not for the products that will stand out in the minds of affluent customers. They are inevitably for the cheap “starter” business cards used in retail stores by stereo sales people.

Customers looking to invest in a home are going to look at your marketing material over and over and compare it against other agents materials. Real estate is a big purchase and it may be the single biggest investment of their lives. This is the one place where you have to stand out with a sharp product design targeted at your customer.

Starter marketing material is often on flimsy paper and the treatments on the cards leave much to be desired. Graphics are rarely stunning. The cards are not sturdy. Investing in a better card on higher quality, thicker papers lends professional to your presentation.

The card design you use is important. Find a printer with experienced graphic designers for the real estate industry. Using a designer to make printed marketing material is no different than using a real estate agent to list properties. You are leveraging their experience in the market to help you find the right product for you.

Focus your client’s attention on your personal service and the value you offer them. You will not find this in a website template. It only comes with custom design. Take the opportunity to stand out.

The printer and designer are there to help you with the layout. They have done many of them. Ask their advice. Be prepared to hear it and take the parts you agree with. If they keep saying something, the same something, its important. You can ask them to prepare you several graphic samples to choose one. Its not a problem. Printers do it all the time.

You can also goto a website, select a generic design that you like, provide the basic information for the card and have something sent to you often the same day. You should expect a basic card. It won’t add sizzle to your presentation. Companies spend tremendous amounts of money on advertising for a reason. Designs matter.

Branded designs have a major impact on client buying opportunities. Smart, targeted, designs add credibility to your offerings. It will add tremendous value to your presentations and lock in repeat and referral business. Generic offerings will not add value even if you save $20 doing it. What is $20 or $100 compared to the commission you will get on just one sale, never mind the several dozen you can sell out of a box of business cards?

Brand yourself the right way with your business card design. Start with the goal, clients buying services for you because of the value you offer. Design from the ground up around that. It will lead you to a long profitable business relationship.

Patrick Cannon is the CEO of BusinessCardGenius, an internet printer that provides branded marketing collateral solutions for sales professionals that need the absolute best marketing materials. Focused on the real estate business card market, BusinessCardGenius provides business card design with Free Delivery and Easy Online ordering.

A real estate agent acts as a via media between the buyer and the seller and is a key player who will help guide buyers and sellers about property trends in the market. He can help in managing the entire deal of buying or selling the house, more smoothly and in a more organized manner.

There are a lot of things that should go into the selection of the right Real Estate agent. Most buyers think that they can avoid going to real estate agents as they can do the job of househunting themselves. But the job of househunting also involves making sure the house is on saleable, and valid land. The environment and the neighbourhood has also to be taken into consideration, along with the budget and the available finances for the purchase of the house.

The Real estate agent eases this load off the buyers back, as he makes sure that these matters are thoroughly dealt with before the house is put for sale. The services also helps reduce the effort put into househunting, as they understand the requirements, budget and cultural interests and try to work accordingly. A real estate broker would have a wide network and can help in the obtaining of a house that is closer and has more amenities. This is of great benefit to working couples, who hardly have time to go househunting after their jobs.

There is a general misconception that Real Estate Brokers take commissions from both the buyer and the seller. This is wrong, as he takes commission only from the seller, as he has helped in selling the house.

Another general misconception is that they only help in the purchase and sale of houses. In fact, there are a lot of real estate agents who work towards helping people find houses on rent or lease. This is a growing trend among people with medium range finances and is a much valued service. They also possess in depth knowledge about the legalities involved in the purchase and sale procedure and can help with the documentation process. Other than this they are familiar with the localities of the houses and will be able to inform the buyers of its benefits. Often, a house no matter how good; requires marketing to be sold. This can be done better by the Real estate brokers.

But there are some issues that should be cleared by buyers and sellers before they take on these services. These issues range from payment, to the experience and the reliability of the real estate agent. This is necessary in order to prevent any scam and loss of hard earned money. Hence, one can avail of services of trusted real estate brokers online who can help in this matter.

China has already restricted pre-sales by developers, curbed loans for third home purchases and raised banks- minimum reserve requirements three times this year but none of these measures is affecting the property market at present although analysts believe they will kick in soon.

The government is trying to peel back the effects of a stimulus plan and $1.4 trillion lending binge that revived economic growth but may have now created a real estate bubble.

It may be just a matter of time, according to Brian Jackson, an emerging market strategist at the Royal Bank of Canada in Hong Kong. “The latest round of these fine tuning measures were only put in place a few weeks ago, so it is probably too soon to judge their effectiveness” he explained.

But most experts agree that more needs to be done. Developers including Guangzhou R&F Properties and China Overseas Land & Investment have already reported slowing sales in April and analysts believe that prices will start falling in 2010.

Beijing became the first Chinese city to limit residents to purchasing one new home starting this month and more cities are likely to restrict buying, according to Yang Qingli, an analyst at BOCOM International. “Prices will definitely drop this year, by between 10 and 20%” he predicted.

Prices could fall by more than 30% in the first-tier cities as supply is set to rise, according to Shen Jianguang, a Hong Kong-based economist at Mizuho Securities Asia. “This is the last month this year we see surging prices” he confidently predicted.

R&F, the biggest real estate company in the southern city of Guangzhou, said that contracted sales last month slowed because of China’s fiscal tightening. Sales by value at China Overseas fell 9.2% in April from a year earlier, the company said.

Evergrande Real Estate Group, China’s second-biggest developer by sales, said sales fell 10% last month, the biggest decline for six months and it has cut prices by 15% on 40 developments.

“The new measures will surely kick in soon, but it is likely more restrictions will be announced until Beijing can see clear evidence that prices will drop too, not just transactions volumes, and that can still take a few more months” said Andy Mantel, Hong Kong based managing director at Pacific Sun Investment Management.

But if developers need funds all they do is seek less tight credit terms offshore, it is claimed.

China Overseas Land & Investment agreed to an HK$8 billion loan in February that pays 1.45% at current market levels. “For property developers to keep growing in what is an extremely fragmented and competitive market, they have to go offshore for funds. It’s one way to circumvent tight onshore credit” explained Brayan Lai, a credit analyst at Credit Agricole CIB in Hong Kong.

The banal bazaar is the allure investment belvedere in our country. The bulk of publications and shows adherent to its circadian movements is rather staggering. That getting said, about none of them like to allocution about taxes. Why? Behindhand of how you barter in the banal market, you are traveling to pay a block of change in taxes and there is no absolute way about it. Absolute acreage investing, however, is an absolutely altered story.

One of the allowances of absolute acreage advance is you get to abstract your expenses. In truth, this is accurate for the banal bazaar as well, but said costs are nominal unless you are with a absolutely big-ticket broker. The better aberration amid the two markets is you get to abstract abrasion for absolute acreage investments. It is deducted over 27.5 years and can save you a lot of money on your taxes over time.

The better aberration if it comes to tax advantages amid absolute acreage and taxes is the sale-buy situation. With stocks, you advertise shares in one aggregation and buy in another. If this occurs, you accept to pay taxes on the awash shares behindhand of the actuality you angry about and fabricated addition purchase. Absolute acreage investments plan differently.

With absolute estate, you can advertise a acreage and buy addition after paying taxes. Yes, even if we are talking about rental properties. This does not appear automatically like with your primary home. Instead, this is accepted as a 1031 exchange. 1031 exchanges absorb the backup of your acreage with a like-kind one. It is a awful abstruse breadth and should alone be undertaken with admonition from a advocate and/or accountant. That getting said, the tax accumulation are so ample as to accomplish it annual the time and expense.

Getting costs for rental backdrop is abundant harder than for a primary home. As a result, there is a cogent bulk of agent costs in absolute acreage investment market. You can use this to your annual from a tax perspective. If you go to advertise your property, you can action agent financing. This is accepted as an chapter agreement. The annual of this access is you alone accept to pay taxes on your profits as they appear in anniversary year. This allows you to amplitude the tax bill out and accept added flexibility.

Real acreage advance is adequately straightforward, but taxes are in affair you charge to yield into account. Accomplish abiding you accept a tax action in abode afore affairs and again administer it accordingly.

Along with outstanding real estate values, there’s plenty to see and do. What do we mean?
Well, in addition to great schools, a wealth of cultural opportunities, gorgeous golf courses, year-round perfect weather and more, there are also a number of fabulous wineries all within a pleasant day-trip of Tucson, Marana, the Oro Valley and the Catalina Foothills. Specifically, experts say the climate and soil conditions in the southern Arizona towns of Elgin, Sonoita and the Willcox area are ideal for growing grapes thanks to high elevations, warm days and cool nights. Once you’ve purchased a home or real estate in the area, why not see for yourself?

Here’s just a sampling of some of the many vineyards in southern Arizona:
Opened in 1983, Sonoita Vineyards is located in Elgin, about an hour’s drive from Tucson. Perched at an elevation of approximately 5,000 feet above sea level, Sonoita Vineyards is the oldest commercial vineyard in the region, and now grows over 40 acres of vines. They’re known for consistently creating award-winning wines, including a Cabernet Sauvignon chosen by national wine critics to serve at a Presidential Inauguration Gala. Varieties grown on the vineyard’s expansive real estate include Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Mission and Merlot.

Meanwhile, not too far away in Sonoita, Callaghan Vineyards was designated as one of Arizona’s “Treasures” by then-Governor Janet Napolitano in 2006. Callaghan Vineyards was founded in 1990 and has been honored by having its wine served at the White House three separate times. Rancho Rossa Vineyards is home to one of the largest family-owned wineries in the area, with the vineyard’s first vines being planted in 2002 and the first wines made in 2004. Located six miles southeast of Sonoita, Rancho Rossa specializes in ultra-premium dry varietal bottlings and is currently producing about 1,200 cases of wine each year from the vineyard’s 22 acres.

Other wineries nestled along what is now known as “Winery Row” include Kief-Joshua Vineyards, a 20-acre site with magnificent views of the surrounding mountain ranges. Kief-Joshua is known for its crisp, fruity wines, while Wilhelm Family Vineyards produces Zinfandels, Roses and more. Travel a little farther to Willcox for a visit and tasting at Coronado Vineyards where a group of partners opened this beautiful vineyard in 2006. Coronado Vineyards produces wines ranging from a dry red wine to a sweet white table wine, and all are created from Arizona-grown wine grapes.