Posts Tagged ‘Investment Property’

Bulgarian and property and investment opportunities are widespread right now with more and more properties being built and put on the market all the time. Bulgarian and property and investment is taking off in the form of a very stable property boom that is getting the attention of real estate gurus from all over the world. It’s true that Bulgarian and property and investment is at an all time high and is only expected to climb higher and higher.

The reason that Bulgarian and property and investment is so popular right now is al based around the property boom. Bulgarian and property and investment is a good idea because the country has everything going for it in the way of economics, location, cultural appeal, tourism, and more. The government has instituted and economic reform plan that involves Bulgarian and property and investment, which is really helping to get the attention of more and more people. Where once it was more difficult to get into Bulgarian and property and investment, mortgages and off plan properties are offered to people who are not native to Bulgaria. Bulgarian and property and investment has already proven to be wise and has a lot of people seeing huge returns on their investments just a couple years into the boom that seems set to last.

Bulgarian and property and investment is attracting all types of investors. Many people that have already tried out Bulgarian and property and investment are finding that it still has a lot of appeal. Those that have experience in Bulgarian and property and investment are branching out and investing in new things. Those that have been involved in commercial Bulgarian and property and investment are now looking at the residential aspect of things. It has also been noted that any sort of Bulgarian and property and investment that ties into the tourism industry is as good as a guarantee that you will make money off of the investment. Bulgarian and property and investment has been good to those that already know the Bulgarian and property and investment waters.

Those that are new to real estate investment and more specifically to Bulgarian and property and investment are also having a good time of it in Bulgaria right now. The property boom is really allowing new investors to take that first jump into the investment waters and experience success. Many of the Bulgarian and property and investment opportunities are for properties that will only continue to grow in value and desirability over the years and will yield huge returns. What is nice about Bulgarian and property and investment is that the property values will not suffer from inflation like other regions of the world have, which makes Bulgarian and property and investment a great first step for a new investor. Simply put, Bulgarian and property and investment has been good to the new investor as well as the very experienced investor and everything in between. This success has more and more people looking into Bulgarian and property and investment.

Owning investment property can be a profitable endeavor, even for the neophytes in the field of real estate. The crux of the business lies in finding affordable investment property that is likely to be lucrative. Although there are scads of books, guides and other online sources of information, loads of advice at the outset can often leave a newbie investor perplexed as to what’s the right road to follow. It’s best to know the basics first, and then move on to the avant-garde tips and tricks of the profession.

While searching for investment property keep several options open, including the Internet, paper ads, and even other realtors. However, by purchasing investment property directly from the owner, you can save some hard earned money – since there is no intermediary realtor, no commissions need be mete out. Therefore, it’s better to seek houses listed For Sale By Owner (FSBO). But if getting hold of an FSBO property seems like a cumbersome chore, you may look for hard-to-sell investment property that is listed with realtors. Such properties often need refurbishing and, therefore, can be bagged at a lower commission.

It is recommended that you visit in person the investment property that you wish to purchase. Pictures render a glossy, almost perfect look to everything – the obscured glitches are often revealed on a closer, personal inspection. In addition, you may also survey the neighborhood to get a fair knowledge about the living conditions and the kind of people that inhabit the locality. This information would prove invaluable in a typical remodel and sell scenario – you must know what type of clientele is likely to buy the house, prior to remodeling it.

A thorough inspection can make the difference between a lucrative deal and a money sapping investment. It is best to take a property inspector along with you, when you go for an investment property inspection. The inspector would analyze the house and ensure that it boasts of a solid foundation, is free from any leaks in the water system or any glitches in the heating system, and the floor and walls are in good condition. Whatever the anomalies, you must assess the repair costs and further discern if the deal is profitable or not.

Some repairs, such as mending or replacing heating ducts or air conditioning conduits, can be costly and typically require the services of an expert. On the other hand, some trivial flaws, such as a dripping shower head or bathroom faucet, might well be rectified by you, in order to keep the repair costs to a minimum.

Bearing in mind the advice given here, you could very well excel in real estate, and bag a few money-spinning investment property deals.

Copyright © 2006 Joel Teo. All rights reserved.

Are you having difficulty selling a property? Would you like to buy a home or an investment property but you don’t have enough cash for a down payment?

If you answered yes to either question, a lease with option to purchase (lease-option) can solve your problem. But it’s important to understand the pros and cons of lease-options to maximize your benefits.

A lease-option is a combination real estate rental, sales, and finance technique. It is a property lease for a fixed time period, such as 12 or 24 months, with an option for the tenant to buy the property at an agreed option price during the lease term. (Lease options are sometimes also called “land contracts.”)

In general, the lease-option technique is one of the quickest and least expensive methods available to investors for buying and selling real property. The purchaser is not required to conform to the various underwriting guidelines that banks and other lenders require. The seller, unlike an underwriter working for a mortgage company, requires little in the way of documentation. The seller providing the financing doesn’t care where the money for a down payment comes from as long as it comes from somewhere. After all, to the seller cash is cash.

Buyers like lease-options because little up-front cash is required. Sellers also like lease-options because they provide necessary cash flow to pay the mortgage and property taxes from a tenant who has a vested interest in treating the property well and who is likely to buy it.

A lease-purchase is different from a lease-option because it obligates the tenant to purchase the property at the end of the lease. With a lease-option the tenant has the right, but not the obligation, to purchase the property.

With both, however, the tenant usually pays an above-market rent and receives a monthly rent credit toward the down payment. And, of course, both a lease-option and a lease-purchase obligate the seller to sell the property at the previously agreed-to terms.

What hurdles will you face? It should come as no surprise that the biggest obstacle to a lease-option transaction is often the real estate agent. The reason is the agent receives only part of their commission up-front at the time parties enter into the lease-option. The commission balance is paid when the option is exercised. Many agents who can’t afford to wait for part of their commission don’t realize a lease-option is better than no sale at all.

Advantages for Sellers

Unless your property is located where there is very strong demand from buyers, lease-options can be especially advantageous for home sellers.

Primary property seller advantages are:

* Strong Demand from Prospective Buyers: No matter how slow the local real estate market might be, there is almost always good demand from lease-option buyers. Many prospective home buyers can usually afford the monthly payment but they often have insufficient cash for a down payment. The lease-option solves this problem by giving the tenant-buyer a rent credit toward the down payment. In addition, the tenant-buyer usually pays up-front, nonrefundable consideration for the option; typically several thousand dollars.

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* Top Dollar Option Price: Because of strong buyer demand for lease-options, home sellers can often demand and get top dollar for their properties. Usually the option price is set at the market value when signing the lease-option. If the market value of the home goes up during the lease-option term, the buyer benefits. If the property drops in value, then the tenant typically doesn’t complete the purchase. (That’s an advantage of a lease-option; there’s no obligation, just the right.)

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* Higher Quality Tenants: During the lease-option, the tenant-buyer usually takes good care of the property; after all, they’re hoping to own it someday. The average lease-option tenant will take much better care of the property than a typical renter will.

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* Above-Market Rent: Another seller advantage is earning above-market rent. Landlords can usually charge tenants 10 to 20 percent above market rent levels.

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* Seller Keeps the Tax Deductions: During the lease-option period, the seller retains all the property income tax deductions. If a tenant complains about not receiving any tax benefits, a reminder about the rent credit toward the down payment usually ends the discussion.

Advantages for Buyers

Lease-option benefits aren’t one-sided deals. Advantages for buyers include:

* Small Amount of Up-Front Cash Required: The amount of up-front cash needed to acquire a home or other property on a lease-option is usually small; often just a few thousand dollars for the first month’s rent plus non-refundable option consideration. This option money is in lieu of a security deposit.

* Monthly Rent Credit Builds a Down Payment: The unique characteristic of a lease-option is the rent credit toward the buyer’s down payment. Typically, the rent credit is 10 to 100 percent of the monthly rent, depending on how motivated the seller is to sell. The higher the rent credit percentage, the greater the probability the tenant will buy.

* “Try Out” the Property before Buying: Another special lease-option benefit for the tenant is the ability to try out the property before buying. If it turns out to be undesirable, the tenant hasn’t tied up a large amount of cash in a home that might be difficult to resell.

* Control Property with Very Little Cash: Buyers enjoy great leverage; they have the ability to control a property and profit from its market value appreciation with very little cash. Lease-option buyers have this unique advantage.

* Longer Terms Mean Greater Profitability: Although most residence lease-options are for short terms, such as one or two years, smart investors seek lease-options with the longest possible term. They assume the property is likely to appreciate in market value over the long term.

As a seller, you should try to collect the maximum amount of option money you can. The more the buyers or tenants have invested in your property, the better they will take care of it. And, if they decide not to exercise their option, you’ll keep the option money – so the more you get down, the more you keep.

The amount of the premium will vary depending on where your property is located. In general, an option premium can range from $1,000 to $10,000. Your goal will be to charge what the market will bear in your particular area.

As a buyer, on the other hand, your goal will be to pay as low an option premium as possible. Why should you invest more than you have to? Then, if the property appreciates in value, when you exercise your option your profits will be greater. In effect you can build equity in the house while you’re leasing it.

To help you understand the process, here’s an example of a lease-option. A buyer has signed a lease-option agreement for a single-family house that gives him the right to purchase it at any time during the next twelve months. (Again, he doesn’t have to buy the house; he has the right.) He agrees to purchase the house for $100,000, and he gives you a $2,000 option premium. If you give the buyer $100 in credit towards the purchase of the house from each month’s rent payment, at the end of the 12-month option period the buyer would have accrued a total of $1,200 in credit that could be applied toward the purchase price. (If you wanted to be more generous and offer the buyer $200 per month in credits, you could simply increase the price of the house by a corresponding amount.)

If he exercises his option at the end of the 12-month period, then his purchase price for the house is $98,800. If he doesn’t exercise the option, you keep the credit towards the purchase and the option premium (if your original lease-option contract is written that way).

A lease-purchase works in a similar way, except the buyer has entered into a contract to purchase the house; he simply hasn’t completed that purchase. If the lease-purchase contract is for 12 months, at the end of 12 months he must purchase the home or he is in default. You keep the option premium and any credits he’s accrued if he defaults.

The lease-option technique is similar to a purchase option in that it grants the right to investors to purchase property at a predetermined price within a predetermined period of time. The lease-option technique, however, combines the basic lease or rental agreement with an option to purchase contract. Whether you are a buyer or a seller, lease-options provide greater flexibility in structuring transactions while simultaneously reducing your level of risk.

Prior to 1990, nearly all of the real estate located in Romania was owned by the state. This real estate was owned either directly by the government or by state owned entities. With the overthrow of the Communist regime in that country, there has been a slow and somewhat plodding liberalization of the real estate laws within the country.

The years under dictatorial control left Romanian in worse economic shape that any other Eastern European nation. In addition, unlike some other countries from the Soviet Bloc, Romania has been slow in digging out for years of repression and economic mismanagement. With that said, there is some light at the end of the tunnel that likely will result in more foreign nationals taking a second look at investing in Romania.

In 2007, Romania will join the European Union. It is expected that when this occurs, the real estate laws within Romania will move in a direction to make them more in line with the real estate laws in other EU nations

Investment Property in Romania

At the present time, individual foreign nationals cannot buy and own real estate in the country. In point of fact, foreign nationals cannot even inherit and then take title to real estate situated in that country. The only manner in which a foreign national can invest in real estate in Romania is through a duly established corporation or limited liability company that is established under the statutes and regulations of Romania.

Residential Real Estate in Romania – Single Family Properties

For the most part, there is no foreign ownership of single family dwellings in Romania at this point in time. Because the only manner in which foreign nationals can take title to and own real estate in Romania is through a corporation or limited liability company, there are very few enterprises that have been established for the purpose of purchasing and taking title to single family dwellings.

In addition, although Romania has been working to establish a more stable market economy in recent years, due to the amount of time that it was under the yolk of a dictatorial regime, the real estate market is shaky. The demand for single family residents is spotty throughout the country. A good share of the more recently built single family residences are not necessarily constructed in a particularly sound manner. In addition, many older properties are in a state of disrepair.

Residential Real Estate in Romania – Apartments

A significant portion of the Romanian population currently dwell in apartments. There has been some movement by foreign nationals to become involved in commercial enterprises — within the parameters established by the Romanian Constitution and related laws — that own apartment buildings or complexes in the country. At this juncture, most investors in such real estate ventures have not made exceptional profits in these ventures. However, there is hope (reasonably placed for the most part) that when Romania is integrated into the EU, the Romanian economy overall and the real estate market specifically will experience growth.

Holiday Property in Romania

Tourism in Romania is not, as of this juncture, a significant industry. Therefore, when it comes to the real estate market involving vacation or holiday properties, there is not a significant amount of activity at this juncture. Up until 1990, foreigners were barely allowed into the country in the country. And, any foreigners that were permitted into the country certainly were not allowed to visit most areas in the country. Up until the 21st century, vacation and holiday travel into Romania almost was unheard of.

In reality, Romania is not without its points of interest when it comes to tourism. However, there remains much to be done in regard to reinvigorating the infrastructure of the country before there can be much of a market in tourism. The government is working on these matters at the present time. Once again, when Romania enters into the EU, there is a high probability that there will be an increase in the number of visitors to the country in the future.

Specific steps to buying real estate property in Romania

At the present time, the Constitution of Romania prohibits a foreign national from directly owning real estate in Romania. Even if a foreign national inherits real estate, that foreign national simply cannot take possession and ownership of inherited real estate in that country. This Constitutional provision — and companion statutes and regulations enacted by the government of Romania since 1990 — is not in step with what is in place in other countries that comprise the European Union. Thus, it is fairly to safe to assume that there will be fairly significant pressure on the Romanian government to liberalize its real estate laws to at least permit ownership of real estate in Romania by foreign nationals who reside in one or another of the other EU nations.

With that said, there is not specific proposal on the block at this time to liberalize the real estate laws even for foreign nationals from EU member nations. However, and again, the main underpinnings of the EU involve free commerce between the countries that comprise the EU. Such free commercial activity would be significantly impaired in regard to Romania and other EU nations should the laws (and Constitutional provisions) in Romania remain so stringent (and strident) when it comes to the issue of foreign ownership of real estate in Romania.

With this said, a Romanian company may own real estate in the country even if that company is owned 100% by a foreign national. Obviously, foreign nationals who have an expressed interest in owning real estate in Romania, either for investment purposes or as part of a business enterprise, are establishing companies — corporations or limited liability companies — within Romania.

The process for creating these entities is not that difficult. Generally, foreign nationals are retaining legal counsel in Romania to assist them in establishing these entities. There are lawyers in Romania that now specialize in this type of legal affair.

Provided that a foreign national or group of foreign nationals have duly established a bona fide corporation or limited liability company in Romania, the process for purchasing real estate within the country is not particularly complex on the surface and in and or itself. The process commences with the execution of a preliminary contract for sale. Via this document, the purchase price is established and a deposit is made by the buyer. In most instances, the deposit is set at an amount equal to 10% of the overall purchase price of the subject real estate.

During the interim between the execution of the preliminary or initial sales agreement and the date of the signing of the final agreement conveying ownership of the real estate to the buyer, the purchaser is obliged to obtain any necessary financing that he or she will need to effect the purchase of the real estate. (Again, in the case of a foreign national, the financing arrangements will need to be made by and the mortgage loan issued in favor of a duly established Romanian legal enterprise in the form of a corporation or limited liability company.

At this juncture it is important to keep in mind that Romania is a country fraught with problems when it comes to the title to real estate. The process of checking title to real estate in Romania is convoluted and difficult. Efforts have been made by the Romania government in recent years to clarify this entire process, and to clean up titles to real estate. But, the work and effort in this arena is far, far from complete.

The Romanian government has created a national property registry office. But, the office has been slow in dealing with the myriad of issues pertaining to title to real estate in the country.

Another problem pertaining to real estate in Romania centers on the fact that in many instances that real estate cannot be used as collateral for a loan. In this regard, unlike in nearly every other country in the world, the real estate that is the subject of a sale and for which financing is being obtained, in many instances will not be able to be used as collateral for a loan. In other words, if a person (or company) wants to buy real estate in Romania and needs a loan to do so, that person or company will need to use some other form of collateral for the loan beyond the real estate that is being purchased.

Once again, and has been noted, it is likely that there will be changes to the real estate laws on the books in Romania. Indeed, those changes will need to reach the Romanian Constitution as well. The entry of Romania into the EU in 2007 will be the primary reason that the Romanian government is likely to set upon a course to liberalize the real estate laws (and Constitutional provisions).

Property Abroad always recommends using a Solicitor or Lawyer.

European Investment Property Is Knocking; Answer The Door!

Many people ask the practical question, “How stable are European investment properties?” The truth is opportunities fluctuate, but there are many opportunities that exist all over Eastern and Western Europe that are worth investigating.

Do you know which German city is referred to as “the sleeping giant?” Berlin! A German opportunity that may be very lucrative is waiting to be tapped.

Is Bulgaria a country with lucrative European investment property? What you should be wary before investing in this country.

Are there more opportunities in Eastern Europe, rather than Western Europe? Some countries are off-limits for valid reasons. Find out what those reasons are, and which countries are hands-on.

Browse through my web site in order to gain some insight as to which countries are possible investment opportunities, and which ones are not. You may be surprised in what you find. Check out my overseas property investment page for a quick overview of where, what and why.

Now, if you are excited about European investment opportunities, there are a few more things that you should know before diving into the pool head first: What is your purpose for investing in property in Europe? Will this be a vacation home? Are you planning to retire there? Will you rent it? These qualifying questions could prevent you from investing in something that is not the right investment for you.

There may be business opportunities that are based on timing. When is the right time? Is it the right time for you? An investment doesn’t necessarily have to be a retirement home or a vacation home, either. There are other options out there to discover for you.

Investing in land does not only consist of laying down currency for a quick return, that there are a few avenues to travel that may be tricky. See my strategies on how to invest at, best-investment-property-tips.com/investment-property-strategy.html. You will understand the purpose behind investing, and be guided on a path to making significant investments with vision.

With the proper guidance, you will understand what it takes, and what you can and cannot do in the European property market, in order to create an opportunity or take advantage of one that already exists.

The simplest answer when it concerns learning more about what are tenant in common properties is that it is a form of co-ownership of property in which two or even more people can have part interest in an investment property. However, it is not necessary that property shares must be equally divided between the co-owners and ownership can even be inherited. Still, if you are a co-owner, you are entitled to receive a deed of your own at closing as well as receive a percentage (undivided) in the property as a whole.

Not More Than Thirty-Five Co-Owners

Another important aspect that needs to be considered when learning about what are tenant in common properties is that there cannot be more than thirty-five co-owners and so, it is advisable to know everything that there is to know about what are tenant in common properties since it does give you a better chance of owning a property that otherwise would have been beyond your means, and even better, you can put in just as much money as you can reasonably afford to become a co-owner in the property.

You may also need to learn more about what are tenant in common properties because the fact of the matter is that these properties need not only be residential, but they can also be institutional and which as a result invite minimum investment. Thus, having realized what are tenant in common properties, you will soon realize that there are some very attractive deals that you can buy into.

The best answer to what are tenant in common properties lies in understanding that because there are numerous high grade properties that become affordable only if you choose tenancy in common as the means of ownership, you stand a better chance of owning a property even if it is only a small share of the entire property. In fact, you will also learn more about what are tenant in common properties if you delve deep into the many different types of properties that only become affordable to you through tenancy in common and which would otherwise be beyond your purchasing power if you were to go it alone.

Furthermore, another aspect worth considering with regard to what are tenant in common properties is that these properties can help you earn a decent income and there is also a lot of growth potential involved because such properties will usually attract the better heeled tenants. In addition, you will also find out through further research on what are tenant in common properties that this form of ownership of property opens up the possibility to own several properties including community properties. And, there is another important aspect in learning about what are tenant in common properties and that is that you won’t have to face any headaches with regard to managing the property on your own because there are many owners who can deal with different aspects of the property.

If you are trying to invest in real estate and need to start finding undervalued and discounted investment property, then you will need to know where to look so that you can find the deals before the next guy does. Investment real estate is a very competitive field and those that are not quick will have a hard time finding a good discount investment property. The worst thing you can do as an investor is to pay full price for a home and think that you can fix it up or flip it. Here is a guide to finding undervalued real estate and other forms of real estate investment.

The first option you have is to join a local real estate investment club and start networking with other investors. Networking is a great way to finding discounted fixer uppers because often many of these investors will have their hands full, but won’t want to just leave a good deal alone. If they know you are actively looking for discount investment property, then they will call you instead of someone else, this means that you’ll have your phone ringing telling you about deals before you can find them, which makes your job easy.

Another option you can use to finding undervalued properties, is to start paying for bird dogs to look through property listings and help find you fixer uppers. Many times, if you have a list of several people that know you are looking for property, then you can get your phone ringing off the hook by offering to pay them a couple hundred dollars per lead. You have to make sure they know what price and value you are looking for in an investment property, but once they do you won’t have to spend any time finding good deals.

Lastly, you can go through the property listings on your own and try to find the deals yourself. You can look through all of the newspapers, classified ads, and FSBO websites to try and find good deals if you feel you have the time. This can be a difficult process if you don’t know what you are doing, however if you become good at this then you will soon shave tons of time off of the process. Once you’ve created a system of how and where to find undervalued property and good fixer uppers, then you can keep repeating the process until you’ve got enough houses to keep your hands full, at which point you can help others out by passing good deals on to them.

Having a network of allies is a great way to stay abreast of the latest in the investment property scene in the area you operate. Although you can do everything on your own, you will soon realize that you hardly have enough time to perfect one area of the process, let alone all of them. Having a team at your side can make flipping houses or investing in investment property a much more profitable and successful venture than doing it alone.

Trying to find a good and ‘up to date’ property investing book can be quite a challenge. There is nothing worse than reading a property investing book that refers to property prices that are half what the current day values are. In my experience I have found that sometimes a good general investment book can be of just as much use as a specialist property investment book. Most real estate investors are actively investing in other areas so having a book that discusses real estate investing in relation to the stock market etc. can be very beneficial.What to look for in a property investing book?

The best property investing books should be written in an easy to follow – step by step fashion. It is no good if the reader finishes the book but still doesn’t feel like they have the confidence to start building their property portfolio. At times the facts and figures involved with property can become quite tiresome so it is also vital that the writer can deliver the information in a fun and entertaining way. Let’s have a closer look at three of the all time great property investing books.

More Wealth from Residential Property – Jan Somers

A fantastic property investing book that covers all aspects of how to purchase residential property. It literally covers every stage and detail that you need to know when buying your first (or 10th) investment property. Jan Somers writes in an honest and fun way and she doesn’t forget that most of the people reading her book probably haven’t ever bought an investment property before. There is a chapter that talks about renting vs. buying the house you live in and Jan mentions the fact that living in your own house can have great mental advantages that don’t come into consideration when you only look at the figures. This is a refreshing view point from a property investing professional as I often find that the writers of these property investing books can loose touch with reality but definitely not Jan Somers.

What I Didn’t Learn at School but Wish I Had – Jamie McIntyre

This book is a more general investing book but it covers some great real estate strategies. The first half of Jamie McIntyre’s book concentrates on the mental aspects of becoming a successful investor. He calls it developing the mindset of a millionaire. It is easy to want to skip over this section of the book but I promise you that if you haven’t developed your mental investing muscles then no matter how many great strategies you have you will find it hard to succeed. Whilst Jan Somers book goes into the real ‘nuts and bolts’ of Real estate investing this book covers some more elaborate and interesting strategies.

Go For Your Life – Chris Grey

This is a very underestimated book that didn’t receive anywhere near as many accolades as it deserved. It is basically a combination of the above two property investing books. It shows how Chris slowly bought the 6 investment properties that he currently owns.

You might be saying “6 properties – that’s not enough to write a book!” But this is the exact reason why it is such a great book. He explains how you don’t need to own 100 houses to be a successful real estate investor and enjoy the luxuries of life. By owning a handful of properties he has been able to obtain his dream lifestyle. So there you have it 3 great property investing books that you should definitely read before or after you start building your property empire.

All of them are filled with great property investing tips and secrets that will help you achieve your goals. The only thing missing from these books and form every property investing book ever written is the magic ingredient that makes you actually put the strategies into action. You will need to find that yourself! You can read as many books as you like but if you don’t ever take some action then you won’t ever achieve the success that you would like.

So what are you waiting for? Start taking action today by reading one of these books and then when you are armed with the required knowledge take the next step and start your investing career.

Whether you are after a bargain investment, an unusual property with character, or the house of your dreams that you have been waiting to buy for years, buying a house from property auctioneers can work out to be great value.

As the hammer drops you can find yourself walking away with an amazing deal. But it can also go the other way – if you don’t do proper research, you can find yourself lumbered with an expensive wreck that you’ll never be able to shift.

As with much of the property buying process, the key is research. The more time you put in before laying out your hard earned cash, the better your eventual deal could be.

This attitude towards buying from property auctioneers has been confirmed by new research from a company called Auction Finance.

It discovered that 25,000 houses are sold at auction each year. Figures from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors show that’s around £5.2 billion of property a year.

Auction Finance’s survey showed up to three out of four people bidding for homes at property auctioneers hadn’t even got a valuation on their potential new home.

And the company says that’s like playing Russian roulette with your money, especially if you’re not a professional property investor.

It believes that you have to have huge experience in buying from property auctioneers to be able to spot potential problems in a house just by looking round. Most people would be better off getting a survey done first.

Seeing as you might have to have three or four surveys done on potential properties, experts suggest you put a portion of your overall budget aside for surveys. It will be money well spent to discover subsidence problems before you’ve paid out hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Other advice from experts revolves around spending time on the internet finding out all the information you can. Use a good property portal to look at the prices similar houses have sold for; this will help you set an accurate price guide.

Also use search engines and council websites to check the demographics of the area. It’s pretty easy these days to find out crime statistics, flood risk and what neighboring properties sold for, even for a country property. You can also get information on the house from the Land Registry for a small fee, which is a valuable investment before you go to property auctioneers.

And it’s worth typing the address and postcode into search engines, and on local newspaper websites.

The other research you can do is pounding the streets. Visit the area at different times of the day to see what the traffic is like, if it’s affected when pubs kick out, etc. Keep an eye out for signs of crime such as boarded up windows or broken glass next to cars. If lots of houses are up for sale, ask yourself why.

Knock on neighbors’ doors and ask them about the house – you might be surprised what you will learn. Have a series of questions that you want answered, such as the recent history of the property, why it is up for sale at auction, and how well it has been looked after.

Be friendly with the people you speak to; they might be your neighbors soon! And while you are knocking on doors, remember it’s an area you don’t know. Stay safe and don’t attempt this exercise on your own.

With all of this information backing you up, you will find the process of buying from property auctioneers a lot less scary.

The recent stabilisation of house prices coupled with the increasingly stringent lending standards may give the impression that first time homebuyers with little or no savings have no option but to forego their plans of buying property. Indeed, data provided by Nationwide showed that the average first time buyer in the UK has to use 49% of their post tax salary towards mortgage payments – the highest level since 1990. But according to a recent survey, the current climate in the UK does not deter many property investors from acquiring their first property even if it meant purchasing them somewhere else. A significant number of people are making their first property purchase abroad.

According to many property experts, the rising cost of mortgages and excessively expensive property prices have compelled some first time buyers to purchase their first investment property abroad.

Fifty percent of these first time buyers say they would buy overseas so they could get on the property ladder. In addition to this, the survey also found that the number of first-time buyers who are thinking of investing in property abroad has increased twofold in merely 10 months. France in particular provides a secure investment for first time buyers because of the strength of its property market. Experts agree that the outlook for the French property investment remains optimistic giving investors a better chance of earning solid returns on their investments.

The survey also reveals that countries at their peak are seeing property values rising by up to 30% per annum. This allows property investors to start taking in a weekly or monthly profit almost immediately from the rental of their property abroad which they can use to put back into a deposit for a property in the UK.

For property investors who have decided to get on the property ladder, experts provide the following essential advice to help make their climb a much easier task:

* Save up for that important deposit. The end of the 100% mortgage spelled trouble for many homebuyers as they are now obliged to put aside a significant deposit. Industry experts suggest drawing up a budget for expenditures, opening a savings account and depositing a fixed amount each month.

* Opt for shared equity. This type of scheme allows homebuyers to buy a property at a discounted price (for example 90% of the purchase price) with someone else such as a property developer holding the second mortgage on the property for the other 10%. When the property is eventually sold, they would get 10% of the property’s new value.

* Buy property using shared ownership. Getting on the property ladder is also possible through a shared ownership basis. For instance, homebuyers could own 75% while someone else, usually a Housing Association, owns the rest. Mortgage payments can be paid on the 75% and rent on the other 25%. This setup also offers buyers the option of buying more at set times.

As with any other investment, it’s best to seek the help of qualified professionals who can provide homebuyers with the best advice and at the same time protect their interests and make the purchase a stress-free experience.