Real Estate Information

A lot more information and understanding of global markets available from who I follow on Twitter. Follow me @vanessasaunders and keep up with current information from around the world.

Why are investors flocking from around the globe to buy homes and business in the USA when we can’t sell them to Americans? According to Investor Intelligence Foreign investors spent $82 billion on US real estate.  That’s $14 billion more than the prior 12 months.   To foreign buyers, US real estate is on sale.   Falling home prices in some states automatically give foreign buyers a 50% off coupon to redeem.  The declining value of the dollar makes US real estate even more attractive.

Not only is real estate cheap, the US is still considered a relative safe haven.  Let’s face it every time there is world turmoil, foreign governments seek the safety of US treasuries.  This might not always be the case but it is for now.  The same principle applies for real estate.  Many in the US are still feeling the pain of the down market whereas new foreign buyers see US real estate as a huge opportunity.

The key is how to market your property to these buyers and make the sale go through. Most come with cash, but they weren’t born yesterday and suffer fools lightly. They are looking properties correctly priced for today’s market, and most insist on an appraisal for insurance purposes. They don’t use the MLS system in general, preferring to work with contacts that have relationships with real estate professionals in their own country that they are referred to. Realtors worldwide that hold the Certified International Property Specialist designation and/or are members of FIABCI the  International Federation of Real Estate Professionals are doing great business in what for most is a tough market. By using the global networking system, attending international conventions and building relationships worldwide, American Realtors with these affiliations are capturing opportunities unavailable to others.

I live for Sunday morning breakfasts at my favorite spot, the Muddy Brook Cafe in Pearl River. They serve the finest Celtic farmhouse breakfast including black and white pudding (if you don't know what it is - don't ask - but rest assured it's NOT dessert!) Huge rashers of bacon (not a speck of fat to be found anywhere..) they even bake their own soda brown bread and have baked beans if you wish, but not like those you're used to. These are the baked beans I used to pack in my suit cases by the dozen when I first moved to the US and discovered American baked beans were "different. " I couldn't bear to live without our home baked brand.  ( My American husband nearly had me carted away in a straight jacket one time when he discovered what was in the suit-case that nearly broke his back!) I love the fact that there's grilled tomatoes and HP brown sauce too.

The staff are delightful Irish lasses sporting a thick Dublin brogue and quick to ensure that everything is perfect, even if your accent (like mine) doesn't match theirs....I'm from the other side of the Irish Sea, Wales, but as it's only 29 miles from Dublin across the water, we have similar tastes and are definitely all Celts.

For those not used to such strange fare, there are fluffy pancakes or superb Challah French toast served with fresh fruit and a huge menu of other more common items, one would expect to find this side of the pond.

The Muddy Brook also serves daily lunch specials, including another "Must Have" for ex-pats, Chicken curry with chips (or French fries as they are known in these climes!) Their Roast Beef dinner, Dublin Style fish and chips, Beef & Guiness Stew or Leinster Sirloin Steak with Whiskey sauce, all washed down with a strong cup of Irish tea and fresh baked scones to follow! More than enough to make an ex-pat drool and put the homesick pangs to rest a while.

So next time you are looking for hearty start to your day, try a little touch of the Irish, and rush on over to 14 South Main St, Pearl River. Or call in advance and take some home with you...Tel: 845 735 5665.

Enjoy!

This just in from international real estate portal GLOZAL.

• Posted by GLOZAL on November 14, 2011 at 10:33am

Yes it's that time of year again when our friends from the woods tend to come a little too close for comfort when getting ready for their winter sleep...

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES FOR KEEPING BLACK BEAR AWAY:

1. Discontinue the practice of feeding suet and/or bird seed to birds for the entire summer.

Bird feed is a very strong attraction even if they can’t reach it.

2. Do not leave garbage outside of houses or garages. (Grease, fat, bacon and other meats

are extremely attractive to bears. These items should be disposed of in sealed

containers.)

3. Clean garbage cans and other refuse containers frequently with ammonia, bleach, or

Lysol.

4. Place camphor disks (available from some drug stores) in garbage cans to mask food

odors. Other items may work as well, e.g. mothballs, air fresheners, Lysol, and ammonia

soaked rags.

5. Use plastic bags inside garbage cans to help hide odors.

6. Store garbage cans in a secure place such as a garage, rather than storing them on a

porch.

7. Remove the grease can from gas and charcoal grills after every use. Turn the grill on

“High” for several minutes after you are done cooking.

8. Clean barbeque pits and grills thoroughly before leaving them outside. (We recommend

using aluminum foil and cleaning these items with ammonia cleaner.)

9. Do not place food outside to attract raccoons, squirrels, or other wildlife.

10. Clean old refrigerators and other insulated containers that are left outside.

11. Turn off kitchen exhaust fans that vent to the outside when not in use. Make sure the

vent screen is cleaned regularly.

12. Do not feed family pets outside. An empty dish can attract a bear

13. Leave outdoor lights on or a radio playing all night.

14. Do not leave dirty diapers or diaper pail outside.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ENCOUNTER A BLACK BEAR:

1. Never Approach or Surround a Bear – Bears aggressively defend themselves when

they feel threatened or cornered. Be especially cautious around cubs as mother bears

are very protective.

2. Use Noise to Scare Bears Away – Yell, clap, or bang pots immediately upon sighting

a bear near your home.

Never run from the bear. If you feel threatened, back

away slowly.

The Rockland Municipal Planning Federation is pleased to announce the upcoming educational session entitled “Rockland’s Changing Demographics and Data Resources.”  Michael D’Angelo, Director of Research with the Rockland County Department of Planning, will present the session.  The session will be free to the public and will provide two training hours for planning and zoning board members to meet their required 4-hours or annual training.

Date: Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Time: 7:00pm-9:00pm

Place: Town of Orangetown Town Hall,

Courtroom # 1 (Town Board Meeting Room)

26 Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY

This presentation will highlight the results from the 2010 Census and how Rockland’s population has changed over time.  The discussion will focus on recent demographic trends for Rockland County, including changes in population, age structure, racial and ethnic diversity, housing and economic indicators.  Information regarding useful data sources and the data sources available to get this information will also be provided.

Please RSVP to Arlene Miller at (845)364-3448 or millera@co.rockland.ny.us of the Rockland County Planning Department.

Compared to New York City, Boston, San Diego and other urban biotech centers, the Hudson Valley offers competitive rents for early-stage companies and room to grow for expanding companies.

From Westchester and Rockland counties north and following the artery of the Hudson River, our valley can offer your company – startup or established – the assets you need to grow your business. We have outstanding proximity to some of the finest research centers in the world. With Aureon Biosciences, Novartis, Pfizer, Avon, Regeneron, and nearly 60 other pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies located in the region, the Hudson Valley offers abundant collaborative research opportunities and a strong supplier network. More than 60% of the nation's pharmaceutical industry is centered in metro New York, where biotech firms are also flourishing.               

Our workforce is highly skilled, mobile, and includes a large number with advanced degrees. Our region provides you ready access to capital, including venture capital, to power growth. We have competitive real estate offerings at both new and existing sites, and an existing base of landlords and developers who understand the needs of life science companies. Finally, with vibrant communities, outdoor recreation and New York City just a short commute away, we have a great quality of life.

In short, we have critical mass, already here.

Please contact Vanessa Saunders for further information.

The world is cashing in on American real estate prices, as more and more overseas private and corporate buyers are snapping up homes and commercial properties in the upstate New York area.  And the buyers aren’t afraid to open up their wallets to some pretty big deals.

A prime example was announced last week.  The Arden House in Harriman, NY has been purchased by a Chinese website consortium. SouFun Holdings bought the property for $6.5 million, and plans to use the 100,000 square foot house and its 450 acres of woodland property as a conference center.  The home was built in 1909 by railroad baron Edward Henry Harriman, and was finished just a few months before he died.

The sale was complicated by several sales restrictions. One was that the buyer had to be a non-profit organization. In this case, the purchaser was The Research Center on Natural Conservation, a non-profit organization held by SouFun. Another restriction was a conservation easement protecting 400 of the property’s 450 acres from development. SouFun is not a stranger to foreign real estate investing, in 2010, it bought another New York property formerly owned by American International Group (AIG) for $46 million . SouFun is a Beijing- based operator of home-furnishings websites, they agreed to buy the Lower Manhattan building for $46 million. “SouFun plans to use the former AIG Training Center as its own global training center to train its expanding management, staff and clients,” according to the company statement.

Last month President Obama advocated the EC-5 program stating  “The administration is working to improve and leverage, by a factor of four, the number of entrepreneurs from other countries allowed entry into the United States”.  American consumers and the federal government haven't been able to bail out the sinking U.S. real estate market. Now wealthy Chinese, Canadians and other foreign buyers could get their chance. Last week two U.S. senators including New York’s Senator Chuck Schumer introduced a bill that would allow foreigners who spend at least $500,000 on residential property to obtain visas allowing them to live in the United States.

My business is now over 87% working with international buyers and investors. As an international property specialist I work with immigration attorneys well versed in the lengthy EB-5 and EB-2 Investor visa’s, and global corporations. They are looking for properties from single family homes for corporate executives,  to land suitable for development and existing businesses ripe for investment.

This is a time for Realtors well versed in international business or even with language skills to develop the potential to grow their business be it single family homes or commercial. Taking the CIPS designation and opening up the ability to network globally is a good place to start.

Real estate sales may be slow for American buyers, but for foreign investors, this market is on fire!

For more information on investing in the New York Greater Metro or Lower Hudson Valley or for currently available properties for sale, please contact Vanessa Saunders.

Beijing lawyer Chang Li  is heading to the United States on a shopping trip, looking not for designer clothes or jewelry, but for a $1 million home in New York or perhaps California

He expects to get a bargain. Li is part of a growing number of Chinese who are joining tours organized especially for investors who want to take advantage of slumping U.S. real estate prices amid a financial crisis.

"It's a great time to buy because of the financial crisis, and houses in large cities like New York and Los Angeles will definitely go up in a few years," Ying said. The home is an investment, but he's also planning long-term: He hopes his 5-year-old son might use it if he goes to college in the United States.

Li is one of 40 investors visiting  New York, California, Boston and Las Vegas on a tour organized by Beijing-based SouFun Holdings Ltd., a real estate Web site. SouFun plans to show participants foreclosed properties priced at $300,000 to $800,000.

"We never thought these tours would garner such interest, but we've had an overwhelming response," said SouFun CEO Richard Dai. "Before, we had only heard of Chinese or Hong Kong movie stars buying homes in the U.S.

The home-buying opportunities mirror a larger trend. Cash-rich Chinese companies are looking to buy resources made suddenly cheaper by the downturn or companies suffering under the global debt meltdown.

Chinese with money in the bank have few good investment options at home. Real estate prices have cooled and stock prices peaked in October 2007 after years in which foreign money poured into China to take advantage of the hot economy. Economists estimate that tens of billions of dollars began leaving the country as Chinese investors began bargain-hunting.

Chinese buyers are looking at both commercial property and homes to rent out or use on business trips. And the U.S. has plenty of unsold homes to offer, over 4 million according to the National Association of Realtors in October 2011.