Fine Homes

Goa property asked:


ou planning on Buying property in Goa??  Then we at Magic Masons feel that congratulations are in order, as, in light of the golbal financial melt down there is no better time to purchase property in Goa than right now.

http://www.magicmasons.com

 For your conveninence we have provided you with all the information you would require to purchase your property with the least amount of stress. “Forewarned is Forearmed”  right?  

We have cateogerized them as follows: 

Reserve Bank of India Rules for Non-Residents Home Finance for NRIs & PIOs Buying Process Typical Payment Schedule for Off-Plan Property Purchase Magic Masons Charges

Further:

 we periodically update/ add, fresh, relevant yet vital information for your benifit. Including how to go about choosing the right representation, i.e. Real estae agency, Legal Counsel, etc. And how to avoid clandestine agencies or operators from turning your dream into a night mare. 

 

Rules Governing Property Purchase in Goa by Non-Residents Rules pertaining to purchase and ownership of immovable property in India are governed by the Reserve Bank of India. A summary of the current prevailing laws are enumerated below. to view full details on Reserve Bank of India’s official website. Rules for NRIs (Non Resident Indians) and PIOs (Persons of Indian Origin):

 ·    An NRI is defined as a person residing outside India who is a citizen of India.

A PIO is defined as a person who has at any time held an Indian passport, or whose father or grandfather has been a citizen of India. NRIs & PIOs are permitted to purchase any number of residential/commercial properties in India. No special permission or filing of documents is required with the RBI. Under the general RBI permission available to NRIs & PIOs, funds must be remitted to India through normal banking channel or funds held in his NRE / FCNR (B) / NRO account. No consideration should be paid outside India. The NRI / PIO may repatriate the sale proceeds of immovable property in India acquired by way of inward remittance through normal banking channels or by debit to NRE /FCNR (B) account. The amount to be repatriated should not exceed the amount paid for acquisition of the immovable property. Repatriation of sale proceeds of residential property purchased by NRI / PIO out of foreign exchange is restricted to not more than two such properties. Capital gains, if any, may be credited to the NRO account from where the NRI/PIO may repatriate an amount up to USD one million per financial year subject to tax compliance. (Please refer the RBI Website for full details) 

Rules for Foreign Nationals of Non-Indian Origin: 

Foreign Nationals are permitted to lease property in India for a period of up to 5 years without the need for any special permission from the Reserve Bank of India. Foreign companies who have been permitted to open an office in India are also allowed to acquire any immovable property in India, which is necessary for or incidental to carrying on such activity. This stipulation is not available to entities which are permitted to open liaison offices in India. Though RBI rules allow a foreign national who is a Resident of India (i.e. one who has completed more than 182 days stay in India in the previous financial year) to buy property, the rule also states that “… the person concerned would have to obtain the approvals, and fulfill the requirements if any, prescribed by other authorities, such as the concerned State Government”. (Please Note: We DO NOT advise foreign nationals to attempt to purchase property in Goa via this route at the moment.) (Please refer the RBI Website for full details) 

Home Finance for NRIs & PIOs All major banks in India provide Home Finance for NRIs and PIOs. Check the details below for an overview of home financing options available from ICICI Bank. Majority of properties on Magic Masons Marketing Services are already pre-approved for Home Loans by reputed banks.

 Purpose of Loan: Loans are offered for purchase, construction, extension or renovation of a new house or apartment. 

Tenure of Loan: 

For Salaried persons – Up to 15 yrs. For Self-employed persons – Up to 10 yrs.

 Maximum Loan Eligibility: 85% of the total cost of the property 

Documents Required: Click here if you reside in the USA

Click here if you reside in UK

Click here if you reside in UAE

Click here if you reside in Other Countries 

Tools: Loan Amount Eligibility Calculator 

EMI Calculator (Floating Rate)

EMI Calculator (Fixed Rate) 

Buying Process Once you decide to buy a particular property, the following typical process is recommended. However, please note that this process may differ slightly from Developer to Developer, depending on the property selected. 

On receipt of your enquiry we will check back with the owners/developers to re-confirm availability of the property and revert to you.

 

Though the properties on our site are of reputed owners/developers, purely as a matter of ‘Due Diligence’ we recommend that a legal scrutiny be done by a local Goa lawyer appointed by you. (Magic Masons provides complete assistance for this, making it hassle free for you. See MM Services. In cases where the project has already been legally checked and pre-approved by Banks, this step is optional.

 

Once the Lawyer completes the scrutiny (usually a period of 4-5 days) and gives his approval, you decide whether you/your representative wants to make a site visit/meet the owner/developer. If so, Magic Masons makes all the arrangements for this. (If you are not visiting personally but sending a representative, you need to give us a letter of authorization for your representative).

 

Once you decide to purchase the property a Booking/Token Amount is to be paid by you to the Seller/Developer to confirm your intent to buy the property. An official receipt for the same is issued to you by the Seller/Developer as acknowledgment of your payment and that the property has been reserved for you.

  

Magic Masons Sourcing & Coordination Fees of 2% + Govt. Service Tax is also to be paid by you at this time.

 

The next step is to sign the ‘Agreement of Sale’ (for properties under construction). If a property is ready for possession, this is not required and one can directly sign the final ‘Sale Deed’ against payment of the balance amount due for purchase of the property. Sale Deeds must be registered with the Registrars office.

 

At the time of signing the ‘Agreement of Sale’ most Developers require you to pay up the value of all installments that as per their Payment Schedule (linked to progress of construction) fell due for payment up to the current stage of completion of construction. Once signed, the ‘Agreement of Sale’ should to be registered with the concerned authorities. Subsequent payments are to be made in installments as per the developer’s payment schedule for the remaining part of the construction. The ‘Sale Deed’ is signed once construction is completed and you can take possession of your property.

 

Stamp Duty & Registration charges for properties in Goa is currently at 4%. Usually 50% of this is paid at time of signing the ‘Agreement of Sale’ and the balance at the time of signing the ‘Sale Deed’.

 

It is best to be personally present in Goa for signing the ‘Agreement of Sale’ and ‘Sale Deed’ and registration of these legal documents. However if this is absolutely not Possible, you may appoint a ‘Power of Attorney’ to sign and register the documents on your behalf.

 Typical Payment Schedule (for Under-Construction Properties) Following is the typical schedule of payment asked for by developers in Goa for properties under construction. This is only a representative sample and details may vary from developer to developer and type of property. Typical Schedule of Payment: 

40% – Down Payment to sign ‘Agreement of Sale’. For completion of plinth and work up to 1st slab level. 20% – For completion of 1st slab, and advance for primary masonry and 2nd slab work. 20% – On completion of 2nd slab and masonry, and advance for plastering, wiring, plumbing. 15% – On completion of plastering, wiring, plumbing, and advance for tiling and finishing. 5% -   On Final completion and signing of ‘Sale Deed’.

 Stamp Duty & Registration Charges: Government Stamp Duty and Registration Charges are payable on all property transactions and these are borne by the Buyer. The prevailing rate for Stamp Duty and Registration Fee for purchase of properties in Goa is 4% of the property value.

 

Real Estate Advisor asked:


Top 10 Luxury Home Markets To Watch for Price Increases or Reductions

The Unique Homes Magazine has listed 25 luxury home markets to watch in 2007 in its January issue. According to the Unique Homes report the 25 luxury markets will indicate where the luxury real estate market is heading to. These markets along with features that make them stand out from the rest are worth watching out for.

The following is a brief report on the top 10 luxury home markets to watch for price increases or reductions in 2007.

1. Annapolis, Maryland. The waterfront city located on Chesapeake Bay offers excellent boating and affordable prices compared to Washington’s luxury enclaves. With Washington and Baltimore within reasonable commute, this city is highly desirable.

2. Asheville, North Carolina. An eclectic ambiance and low-key lifestyle attracts people to Asheville which continues to remain one of the hottest places for luxury home buyers.

3. Aspen, Colorado. From a ski enclave this luxury market has grown into a platinum location. With its four-season appeal and restrictive zoning policies, Aspen is still a highly-sought after destination.

4. Atlanta, Georgia. The city offers several new upscale communities, numerous lifestyle amenities, retreats and much sought after waterfront luxury homes.

5. Austin, Texas. A strong real estate market that saw record gains in 2006, the reputable University of Texas, the scenic lakes and the great music attracts buyers to this hill country.

6. Bellevue/Medina, Washington. With prices going up at 28 percent, the market has still not peaked and several upscale neighborhoods are available at a lower price range when compared to other markets.

7. Beverly Hills, California. One of the top ranked luxury markets that is perpetually in demand, Beverly Hills continues to be untarnished and idolized as the Mecca for luxury. Hollywood Hills is currently a hot market for buyers.

8. Idaho. The growing resort markets in the state garner attention for the state that is making its presence felt in the luxury home market.

9. Jupiter, Florida. The boom has arrived here after Tiger Woods’ purchase of a 10-acre estate for $38 m. The market continues to surge on this exclusive island.

10. Manhattan Uptown, downtown, midtown. The luxury market is upbeat with record sales of more than $5 m in 2006 accelerated by Wall Streeters. Co-ops and town houses are favorites among buyers here.

If you are interested in buying or selling a home, condo or any other type of real estate in any of these markets, be sure to seek out the services of a real estate agent to advise you about current local market conditions.

Goa property asked:


Goa Property Finder! View 100s of Goa properties before you buy …

Goa Property Finder. Search Goa Property with this Goa property finder. View 100s of Goa Properties before buying Goa property or Goa realestate in Goa.

 

Goa has many popular well established neighborhoods but it is a matter of your preference.

If you are buying a property in Goa to rent it out, you should ask yourself where you would like to live and rent a property in Goa.

If you are targetting to renting out your new property to the expatriate community in Goa, you should investigate to purchase a Goa property in exclusive neighborhoods.

If you are considering buying a house or condo in Goa, to sell it at a later time for a profit, you should ask yourself which locations in Goa still has affordable real-estate properties with the potential of strong growth. New townships in Goa could be a potential target for the purchase of a property.

When you purchase a house or villa in Goa, you are buying the land and as well the property that was build on the land. Of course the property in Goa will deteriorate with the years but the land the property was build on maybe worth much more, then its original value, so the more land you get when you buy a house or villa in Goa, the more it will be worth in the future. Land in Goa will always have value.

Before you buy a property in Goa, it is important that you understand the basics between a Freehold or Leasehold property in Goa.

It is important that you check out the immediate surroundings where you plan to buy a real-estate property in Goa and you should be cautious of anything near by your Goa property. You should not purchase a property near by of main roads, high tension cables, Electricity substations and as well large water drains in Goa.

If you have contacts into the construction or real estate industry, you could have an advantage if they can let you know of future developments of real-estate projects in Goa, before the general public will be aware of those new real-estate development projects in Goa.

Most buyers of properties in Goa compare prices when they shop around for a new property. You should look through Goa real-estate classifieds ads in local newspapers or search online for real-estate developers in Goa so you have a strong knowledge of the prices for the real-estate properties in Goa.

You should ask yourself the following question before you buy a property in Goa.

Is the property in Goa, leasehold or freehold and if the Goa property is a leasehold property, how much years does the property in Goa has left? How is the neighborhood of your Goa property? Are shops nearby your Goa property Has any work been done on the Goa property since the old owners moved in? Is the Interior or Exterior of the Goa property in good condition? How much you have to invest in additional work for your Goa property Will you be able to obtain a mortgage loan from a local bank in Goa?

If you are not under a time constraints, you should look as many properties in Goa as you can handle. You should visit show units from real-estate developers in Goa or if it is a property in the resale-market, visit that property as often as you can and draw up a list of pros and cons of the Goa property. If you have the time, under no circumstances should you rush in to buying a property in Goa.

You should not only look for a bungalow, semi detached house, or a condominium/apartment or residential land in Goa, but as well for a mortgage loan with a Bank or Financial Institution in Goa.

To know more visit:

http://www.magicmasons.com/

 

 

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Real Estate Advisor asked:


Despite a recent slowdown, the U.S. real estate market continues to be a popular investment destination for foreign investors. Attracted by a desirable return on investment, many foreign nations continue to invest heavily in the U.S. residential and commercial real estate markets. In fact, in 2005, foreign investment in U.S. real estate reached 1.83 trillion.

To evaluate the impact of foreign investment on the U.S. real estate market, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) produced a 2006 report entitled ‘Foreign Investment in U.S. Real Estate: Current Trends and Historical Perspective.’ The report provides insights into the trends in foreign real estate investment, its impact on the U.S. economy, and the major countries that participate in U.S. real estate investment. Below are some highlights from the NAR report.

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the top seven countries that had significant holdings in U.S. real estate as of 2005 were:

Germany – 13 %

Latin America – 13 %

Australia – 11 %

Japan -10 %

United Kingdom – 10 %

Canada – 6 %

Netherlands – 6 %

The U.S. economy is wide open to foreign investors. Both investors and Americans significantly benefit from all this foreign investment. The NAR study estimates that without foreign investments in the securities market, the long-term lending rates would be four percentage points higher than the current rate, which would adversely impact the U.S. real estate market.

Foreign direct investment into the U.S. not only creates more jobs but also contributes to the demand for U.S. real estate. In fact, foreign investment may be responsible for creating two million U.S. jobs by the end of 2006, which further bolsters the demand for U.S. real estate.

Permanent and temporary immigration of foreign-born workers into the U.S. further bolsters the demand for real estate. According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, 1.2 million net immigrants are expected to arrive in the United States annually. This immigration pattern is expected to offset the decrease in housing demand by post baby-boomer generations.

In summary, the impact of foreign investment and immigration into the U.S. will continue to play a major role in the U.S. real estate market.

Property asked:


The rising Indian economy has led to the prosperity of real estate sector in India. The real estate in India has grown as one of the most attractive investment areas for domestic as well as foreign investors. Indian real estate has great potential demand in almost every sector, but especially commercial, residential, retail, industrial, hospitality, healthcare and so on.

Nowadays, many online portals are popular on the Web for real estate professionals to market their services to home buyers and sellers. These portals are constantly trying to make the process of Indian property transactions more conducive, transparent and stress-free.

An online portal called www.propertyvertical.com provides an environment where the entire property community including agents, sellers, buyers, tenants, banks, attorneys and so on can freely interact to the benefit of the industry as a whole.

PropertyVertical.com provides complete listing of real estate agents, brokers, construction companies in and around Delhi, Chandigarh and other parts of India. The website has a comprehensive yet user-friendly design that facilitates easy and effective property transactions. It also provides a customized interface across property categories making each listed property unique. This real estate portal also provides services in US to serve the NRI clients thus maintaining a multinational base.

As an internet property dealer, PropertyVertical.com provides you with property listings in all residential and commercial sectors as well as agricultural and industrial land too. Here all the property related listings are continuously updated and maintained, to provide you with latest and accurate information. The portal also provides photographs of property listings packed with information so that you can make personalized selections. Their typical property services include property evaluation, marketing and advertising the property, finding a qualified tenant, buyer, preparing leases and helping in property transfers and so on.

Being a property management portal, PropertyVertical.com is dedicated to develop effective solutions to cater your varying property needs, serving as a one-stop guide to all your real estate requirements. With excellent service and support, this online portal is constantly working to regulate the Indian real estate market through this virtual platform.

Propertyvertical is different from other Real Estate Portals – We are not just a Real Estate Portal – but we ourselves are Real Estate Advisors/consultants. Propertyvertical does not put property of an online advertiser on website but markets and sells a property of a seller. We upload a property only after checking all credentials etc. and we ourselves are selling those properties. Whereas other Real Estate Portals are just providing platform for individual buyers/dealers to sell their properties.

Escapeso Austin Real Estate asked:


First off, watch some late night infomercials on TV. And possibly order some real estate tapes from Carlton Sheets. This will provide you with a positive upbeat attitude and a sense of false confidence that is essential in order to go bankrupt. Believe that after listening to some tapes, you can compete with people that have done this 7 days a week for years.

Second. For your first investment, buy in a city you know little to nothing about and avoid using a buyers agent who does know the city. Go directly to the sellers agent. The best way to make a truly horrible decision is to avoid any outside advice. The best part of this is that avoiding a buyers agent usually doesn’t save you any money since the selling agent simply makes more when you deal with them directly.

Look for a discount or a distressed property over a good long term investment. Late night infomercials and Carlton Sheets talk a lot about this. Getting equity at the point of sale. One thing about distressed properties with desperate sellers is that they frequently are in crappy areas with low appreciation rates. Buying a property at under market rate in an area with low appreciation potential versus a property in a good area is the kind of short sighted thinking that will really help you reach the goal of bankruptcy and foreclosure.

When you talk to people including your realtor, try to spend time talking about all the crap you learned from your book or light night infomercial. The more you listen to other people, the more you might get different perspectives and the higher chance you might learn new things. This could really hurt your chances of going bankrupt so avoid listening to anyone. Remember you know everything even if you only got interested in real estate last week.

Be positive to the point of stupidity. Alot of investors I know always think about how their situation would be affected by a 10 or 20 percent drop in the market before making a purchase. You should avoid this kind of thinking. You need to be blinded by greed. You should only fantasize about how you are going to double your money.

When calculating your monthly cashflow, assume that you will have 100% occupancy all the time and no maintenance cost. While you are at assume that its going to rain money tomorrow.

Also, be stubborn when renting your properties. Decide upon a number say $900 a month and refuse to budge. Come up with some bizarre logic about how the property deserves $900 a month. Lose months of rent having the property sit vacant instead of going down $50 on the rent. Instead of responding to the market make statements like “Well the markets wrong then”.

As you move closer to foreclosure, don’t alter your spending habits. Don’t move into a smaller house or cut spending. Act like nothing is wrong.

Overextend, overextend, overextend. Are you approved to buy one house. Why not buy 5, heck why not 20. Instead of building up a portfolio of properties over time, gaining experience along the way, just buy alot of properties next Tuesday.

Alot of people are getting into the foreclosure game. Their is no reason you should be left behind. Throwing caution to the wind and filling your eyes with greed and you should find yourself walking down the golden path to foreclosure.

This is not a definitive guide to foreclosure. Alot of people end up in foreclosure due to many things unforeseen events like unpreventable family illness, divorce or job loss. This is simply a guide to what I call elective foreclosure.

Real Estate Advisor asked:


The price of housing is a major challenge in the United States. Some estimates note that more than 50% of the population cannot afford a median priced home. According to National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), of the total number of new and existing homes sold nationwide during the third quarter, only 40.4 percent were affordable for families earning the median U.S. income of $59,600.

But it is good news that housing affordability on the national level has not changed much in the third quarter in spite of a rise in the mortgage interest rates during the last quarter. This was because many markets saw a slight decrease in their home prices, which helped offset the rise in mortgage rates.

Indianapolis (Indiana) is the most affordable city for homes in America, based on the 2006 third quarter report of the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI). The city achieved this status for the fifth consecutive quarter.

Of the total number of housing units sold in Indianapolis during the third quarter, 86 percent of homes were priced at or below the U.S. median household income of $65,100. Homes in this metro area had a median sales price of $122,000, which is slightly higher from $120,000 of the previous quarter.

It is interesting to note that the most affordable U.S. cities for homes, condos and other real estate are largely from the northern industrial metro areas. The other larger cities that top the list for affordable homes in the third quarter after Indianapolis are Youngstown-Warren-Boardman (Ohio-Pennsylvania); Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn (Michigan); Buffalo-Niagara Falls (New York); and Grand Rapids and Wyoming (Michigan).

The report also lists the top seven smaller cities in America that have the most affordable housing markets. These are: Bay City in Michigan, Springfield in Ohio, Mansfield in Ohio, Lansing-East Lansing in Michigan, Lima in Ohio, Battle Creek in Michigan and Canton-Massillon in Ohio.

For both major metros and small metros, many of the least affordable cities are located in California. The least affordable major metro areas are Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, Modesto, Stockton, and San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, in that order. The least affordable smaller metros (less than 500,000 people) include: Salinas, Merced, Madera, Napa, and Santa Barbara-Santa Maria.

The good news for homebuyers is that there are many affordable cities in the United States. Moreover, even for cities that rated poorly for affordability, there may be some communities within the larger city that have affordable housing. For example, although the San Diego metro in California rated poorly overall for affordability, there are some communities in San Diego priced to meet the needs of lower-income home buyers. A good real estate agent can help you choose a community where you want to live based on your housing budget and needs.