Category: investment property

Property Depreciation and why Europeans have never heard much about it!

Here is an interesting thing I realized recently as a result of living in the US. In the US property depreciates. As a result you can write off the cost of the depreciation against rental income (typically over 27.5 years).

This deduction is not possible for those living in Europe. Why the difference?

Is it because of differing building standards. Generally more buildings are timber frame in the US verses block build in Europe thereby affecting their lifespan? Continue reading Property Depreciation and why Europeans have never heard much about it!

Should I become a Landlord?

After writing many blogs stating the advantages and disadvantages of being a Landlord it seemed natural to talk a little about whether it is a good idea or not to become one in the first place.

There are several factors that this depends on.

The first might seem a surprise but I think it so important: your age! Why might you ask? Well in my opinion the job of a Landlord needs energy. As a younger man I loved the challenges associated with it: fix this, write a reference, unblock a drain…. all the usual things. Continue reading Should I become a Landlord?

The most expensive cities to rent in Europe

And the winner of the most expensive cities to rent in Europe is…..London!

In a recently published report London topped the list of the most expensive cities. Moscow and Zurich came second and third. At €6,300 per month for a 3-bedroom apartment in a prime area London is over 3 times higher than the European Average.

Continue reading The most expensive cities to rent in Europe

What should I consider when buying an investment property abroad?

Although the prospects of trying to manage an investment property abroad can be scary with some careful steps the process can work well.

First with regard to the property purchase you need to ensure you have local legal representation. Rather than using Google to find this try to find someone else who, similar to you, has bought investment property abroad and get a reference from them. Continue reading What should I consider when buying an investment property abroad?

Should I buy investment properties personally or through my company?

Investment properties are usually bought as a 2-fold purpose: Firstly due to potential rental income and secondly in a hope they will appreciate in value.

First we will have a look at the rental income element and the difference between buying personally or through a business.

Rental income in almost all countries is subject to tax. Rental expenses (including mortgage interest) can of course be deducted but everything left generally incurs a tax burden. Continue reading Should I buy investment properties personally or through my company?

Why an investor needs to steer clear of family buyers

I am a small time property investor.

As an investor I have bought my properties mainly at fire sale auctions (generally properties being sold by receivers or banks). These days it seems that auctions are moving to online platforms meaning you have no idea who you are bidding against. Continue reading Why an investor needs to steer clear of family buyers

Can I use my Bitcoin to buy property?

Bitcoin appears to be one of the buzzwords for 2017. Now that we are early in 2018 it appears this and other crypto-currencies are here to stay.

If you are a holder of bitcoin or any other crypto-currencies can you use them for property purchases? Well let’s talk for a moment in a general sense about the crypto currency phenomenon. Continue reading Can I use my Bitcoin to buy property?

Buying a house in the UK – A step by step guide

Buying a house, particularly in another country, can be daunting.

If you are interested in buying a house in the UK, then the first thing you will want to know is, if as a foreigner, you can actually buy a property. The answer is yes.

Now how does it actually work? Continue reading Buying a house in the UK – A step by step guide

Rent or Buy a house? Renting vs. buying

Deciding if you rent or buy a house can be a difficult choice, probably the largest financial decision you will ever make.

First you need to be clear on your goals, will this just be a place for you to live or you want this also as an investment? Rent or buy a house: Both have advantages and disadvantages. The answer largely depends on your situation and preferences. Continue reading Rent or Buy a house? Renting vs. buying

SOLD – sorry, you just missed another property bargain

The best property bargains will typically stay on the market for only a couple of days or even just a few hours.

Property markets move fast and when it comes to a property bargain they move even faster. So if that special property, the one you’ve been looking for, comes up on the market you want to be the first to know about it. Continue reading SOLD – sorry, you just missed another property bargain