Εμφάνιση αναρτήσεων με ετικέτα for sale by owner. Εμφάνιση όλων των αναρτήσεων
Εμφάνιση αναρτήσεων με ετικέτα for sale by owner. Εμφάνιση όλων των αναρτήσεων

12/20/2008

Is the Real Estate market in Greece that different from other countries?

There are many analysts in Greece who insist that the Greek Real Estate market has none of the symptoms of the crisis found in other countries as for example in the USA, England or Spain.
The arguments supporting this are briefly presented below and are quite interesting to know.
1. The majority buys property as a permanent residence
Even in Crete, most interested buyers - especially locals - are buying a house in order to live in it on a long term basis. More specifically Greeks buy either to use the property as a permanent residence or in order to rent it out and in the future pass it on to their children to be used as a permanent residence.
Additionally, the largest percentage of citizens from other countries who buy in Crete are looking for a property that will be used as a permanent residence or as a temporary holiday home before they become all year around residents.
Here lies a major difference with other countries that were considered real estate hot spots. In other countries, most people bought a property as a short term investment hoping that they can sell it in 1 or 2 years and make a profit. Spain today, is facing major problems exactly because the vast majorities were buying in order to sell and gain profit in a short period of time.
Today, it is obvious that one of the reasons behind people still continuing to purchase in Crete is because they are not after profit but rather are materializing a long term dream of living under the sun. This is what is keeping the real estate market moving especially around cities as is Chania, along with the belief of Greek buyers that buying a property is always a wise long term investment choice.
However it must be noted that a number of people also came to Crete in order to buy and make a quick profit. It is also a fact, that whoever bought or is planning to buy with the prospect of selling with a profit in 1 year or less will have a hard time achieving it. This was possible and feasible prior to the financial crisis but not now.
2. Low percentage of housing loans
In a article published in the Greek national newspaper, Vima on the 9th of November 2008 it was noted that the percentage of housing loans in Greece are held by only 20% of the families living here. In Western Europe this percentage is up to 80% for some countries. Again the economy here is safer when compared with other countries from the point of view that the number of people who are paying a housing loan is quite smaller. Thus, what has happened in the USA could never happen in Greece.
Greeks today do not wish to get a housing loan, even if they qualify for it, due to the increasing interest rate during 2008. However all banks are expected to decrease their interest rates in 2009 as the president of Alpha Bank stated in an interview with the Greek national newspaper of Kathimerini on the 16th of November 2008. In any case, even today there are ways of buying a property without needing a large amount via a housing loan.
3. Prices in Greece are relatively steady
Yes, construction companies and private individuals selling property are willing to negotiate today - especially the ones that face financial difficulties. Yes, there are construction companies who have announced some deductions of prices. However, in most cases generally in Greece and in Crete the deductions announced refer to specific projects and are not valid across the board. In general analysts of the Greek Real Estate market agree that it is unlikely that prices will increase in 2009, but at the same time they are not likely to decrease. This is another main difference in comparison with what has happened in other countries where prices deductions reached 50% in a period of less than 6 months.
The conclusion one can draw from the above, is that there is demand for properties in Greece and in Crete. This demand may have moved away from holiday homes and may be focusing more on permanent residences but the truth is that this was always the main focus of most buyers in the first place. Currently the main reservation of buyers, especially Greeks, has its roots in the way that the stock market crisis and the world banks issues have been presented by the media, creating a negative psychological barrier. This negativity is not justified especially since Greek banks had a minimum exposure to the subprime related stocks and became even more careful from the time the issues of USA banks became obvious. Most Greek banks have always denied housing loans to individuals for whom their incomes indicated that they may have difficulty in repaying the loan.
One thing is certain: This period can offer great benefit to interested buyers, especially when they have an independent advisor who can guide them through the available properties and negotiate a better deal for them. In the long term whoever buys today will benefit from this purchase in the future. When the world economy improves, housing prices and values will be on the rise once again. * Andreas Batakis has lived in Greece, Ireland and Cyprus, acquiring a Business Administration Degree in Greece, an International Marketing Diploma and a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management in Ireland. He is also a member of the UK based Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and has gained vast experience in the property market. For more information please contact: info@talosproperties.com, http://www.talorproperties.com/

8/11/2008

Πέντε πράγματα που πρέπει να προσέξετε όταν αγοράζετε ένα ακίνητο

Αποφασίζοντας να αγοράσετε ένα ακίνητο είτε αυτό είναι γή ή κατοικία, χρειάζεστε μία διαβεβαίωση ότι η απόφαση σας είναι σωστή. Διότι κακά τα ψέμματα η αγορά ακινήτου είναι από τις πιο ακριβές αγορές που κάνουμε στη ζωή μας και αφού υπογραφούν τα συμβόλαια δεν γίνονται επιστροφές. Τα παρακάτω λοιπόν μπορούν να σας φανούν χρήσιμα.
1. Καθορίστε τι ακριβώς θέλετε να αγοράσετε και γιατί: Αγροτεμάχιο, οικόπεδο, μόνιμη κατοικία, παραθεριστική κατοικία ή μία επένδυση. Εάν ψάχνετε για κατοικία σκεφθείτε για παράδειγμα, τις ανάγκες σας ή και της οικογένειας σας σε σχέση με το μέγεθος μίας κατοικίας (π.χ. δύο,τρία ή τέσσερα δωμάτια). Παράλληλα καθορίστε το μέγεθος της γης που επιθυμείτε να έχετε. Π.χ. εάν επιθυμείτε κήπο, πισίνα ή αν είστε επιχειρηματίας και ψάχνετε ένα οικόπεδο που μπορεί να στεγάσει μία βιοτεχνία συγκεκριμένου μεγέθους.
Μη ξεχάσετε το καθορισμό της τοποθεσίας που σας εξυπηρετεί. Εδώ για παράδειγμα μπορείτε να λάβετε υπόψη σας σαν ιδιώτης τα μεταφορικά μέσα που διαθέτετε εσείς ή και η οικογένειά σας, για τις μετακινήσεις σας σε εργασία και σχολεία.
2. Πόσα χρήματα διαθέτετε: Ο καθορισμός ενός προϋπολογισμού θα σας βοηθήσει να έχετε ένα συγκεκριμένο στόχο και να μην χάσετε το χρόνο σας κοιτάζοντας ακίνητα που έχουν υψηλότερη τιμή από αυτή που μπορείτε να δώσετε. Μάθετε όμως τις τιμές των διαθέσιμων ακινήτων στην αγορά, (πράγμα που μπορείτε να δείτε ακόμη και από τις μικρές αγγελίες στις εφημερίδες ή ρωτώντας ένα επαγγελματία Σύμβουλο Ακινήτων - κτηματομεσίτη), ώστε να δείτε εάν προσφέρεται αυτό που θέλετε στα χρήματα που διαθέτετε. Διαφορετικά θα πρέπει είτε να αλλάξετε τις απαιτήσεις σας, είτε να μεγαλώσετε τον προυπολογισμό σας.
3. Τα μετρητά σας δίνουν δύναμη: Όλοι διαβάζουμε και ακούμε πως οι τράπεζες έχουν γίνει πιο αυστηρές στις χορηγήσεις στεγαστικών ή άλλου τύπου δανείων. Στις αρχές του 2007 υπήρξαν ιδιώτες που έλαβαν δάνειο σχεδόν μέχρι και για το 90% ακινήτων. Σήμερα σπάνια μία τράπεζα θα δώσει δάνειο για πάνω από το 75%. Παράλληλα τα επιτόκια έχουν ανέβει οπότε τα λιγότερα χρήματα που θα χρειαστεί να δανειστείτε το καλύτερο για εσάς.
Εξίσου σημαντικό όμως είναι ότι όταν έχετε μετρητά έχετε καλύτερες πιθανότητες να πετύχετε και μία καλύτερη τιμή.
4. Χρησιμοποιείστε επαγγελματίες του χώρου: Δικηγόρο, Πολιτικό Μηχανικό, Κτηματομεσίτη: Έχετε ένα δικηγόρο και ένα πολιτικό μηχανικό που μπορούν να αναλάβουν τον έλεγχο του ακινήτου αφού το εντοπίσετε. Ο έλεγχος αυτός είναι πολύ σημαντικός και πρέπει να διεξάγεται πάντα, άσχετα με το πόσο εμπιστοσύνη έχετε στον πωλητή. Ο δικηγόρος αναλαμβάνει τον έλεγχο των τίτλων του ακινήτου που έχετε επιλέξει. Μετά τον έλεγχο στο υποθηκοφυλακείο, θα μάθετε εάν το ακίνητο είναι καθαρό ή εάν έχει βάρη από τρίτους (π.χ. υποθήκες, Τράπεζες, δικαστικές αποφάσεις, κλπ.). Σχετικός έλεγχος γίνεται και μέσω της πολεοδομίας.
Εάν πρόκειται για παλαιό ακίνητο ο Πολιτικός Μηχανικός θα σας συμβουλέψει σε τεχνικά θέματα και θα εντοπίσει τυχόν ανάγκες ανακαίνισης. Εάν πρόκειται για γη θα σας επιβεβαιώσει εάν έχει δυνατότητα δόμησης και θα σας προτείνει ένα Αρχιτέκτονα που μπορεί να σας βοηθήσει με τον σχεδιασμό της κατοικίας που επιθυμείτε.
Εάν βρείτε το ακίνητο χωρίς τη συμβολή κτηματομεσιτικού γραφείου, καλό είναι να ζητήσετε μία εκτίμηση, σε σχέση με την περιοχή ή το τύπο του ακινήτου που επιλέξατε ώστε να έχετε μία ιδέα για την μελλοντική του αξία. Εάν χρησιμοποιήσετε ένα κτηματομεσιτικό γραφείο για να βρείτε το ακίνητο που σας ενδιαφέρει εκτός του ότι θα γλυτώσετε χρόνο από την έρευνα αγοράς θα έχετε μία πρόσθετη ασφάλεια όταν φτάσετε στο στάδιο της αγοράς. Βλέπετε όταν αγοράζετε ένα ακίνητο το ποσό του αρραβώνα δίνεται στο κτηματομεσίτη ο οποίος το κρατάει μέχρι να ολοκληρωθεί ο έλεγχος των χαρτιών του ακινήτου από το δικηγόρο και τον μηχανικό σας. Ανά πάσα στιγμή λοιπόν εάν αποκαλυφθεί κάποιο τεχνικό ή νομικό πρόβλημα σε σχέση με το συγκεκριμένο ακίνητο, τα χρήματα σας επιστρέφονται αμέσως. Τα χρήματα καταλήγουν στα χέρια του πωλητή συνήθως όταν γίνεται το συμβόλαιο για να περάσει το ακίνητο στο όνομα σας ή με την σύσταση προσυμφώνου.
5. Όταν ανακαλύψετε μία ευκαιρία ή αυτό που σας ταιριάζει μην χάσετε χρόνο: Εάν ανακαλύψετε αυτό που πληρεί τις προσδοκίες σας ή που αποτελεί ευκαιρία μην κυριευθείτε από διστακτικότητα ή απληστία θεωρόντας ότι σε 1 μήνα θα είναι ακόμη διαθέσιμο ή ότι θα έχει καλύτερη τιμή. Πάντα για ότι ψάχνετε εσείς ψάχνουν και πολλοί άλλοι ενδιαφερόμενοι που πιθανόν όταν το δουν να μη διστάσουν και έτσι να χάσετε το ακίνητο μέσα από τα χέρια σας.
Από την άλλη οι αλλαγές του οικονομικού περιβάλλοντος είναι συχνά έντονες και γρήγορες με αποτέλεσμα το να περιμένει κανείς να του κοστίζει σε χρήμα. Για παράδειγμα όσοι πήραν δάνειο από μία συγκεκριμένη τράπεζα πριν τις 18 Ιουλίου 2008 μπορούσαν να έχουν επιτόκιο σε στεγαστικό από 3,5%. Μετά από αυτή την ημερομηνία το χαμηλότερο προσφερόμενο έγινε 3,95%. Οπότε όποιος περίμενε για να “πέσει” η τιμή του ακινήτου έχει χάσει από την αναμονή διότι θα πληρώσει παραπάνω τόκους για το δάνειο του.

Ο Ανδρέας Μπατάκης έχει πτυχίο Διοίκησης Επιχειρήσεων, Δίπλωμα στο Διεθνές Marketing καθώς και Bachelor of Science στην Οργάνωση και Διοίκηση Ανθρωπίνων Πόρων. Ειδικά στο χώρο των ακινήτων έχει βοηθήσει δεκάδες ανθρώπους απο όλο το κόσμο να βρουν την κατοικία ή την επένδυση που έψαχναν στη Κρήτη και είναι ιδρυτικό μέλος της Τάλως Κτηματομεσιτική – Talos Properties. Η Τάλως δημιουργήθηκε στα Χανιά προκειμένου να προστατεύσει και να βοηθήσει όλους τους υπαρκτούς και πιθανούς ιδιοκτήτες ακινήτης περιουσίας που επιθυμούν είτε να πουλήσουν, είτε να αγοράσουν στη Κρήτη. Για περισσότερες πληροφορίες: Ανδρέας Μπατάκης, Νεκταρία Κλαδίτη, www.talosproperties.com, Τηλ. 28210 52473, Ε mail. info@talosproperties.com

5/11/2008

Real Estate in Crete: Investment opportunity or potential disaster?

Crete in Greece is considered an upcoming Real Estate hot spot and in the current climate of the world economy it is about time that some hard questions are answered regarding its potential.

Crete and Chania have been extremely popular for the past few years attracting great numbers of interested people from many countries in Europe and mainly from England, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany and many more as well as from Russia. The real estate market has given birth to an increasing number of construction companies and even more real estate agencies. Naturally when you are talking to most of these professionals about it they will tell you that buying a home, a villa, an apartment or any type of property in Crete is the best thing that can ever happen to you or maybe even imply that it will make you richer in the long term.

First of all, it is extremely important for you to have organized in your mind your reasoning behind your decision to buy a property abroad.

■ Why do you want to buy a property abroad?
Are you just looking for a holiday home, a retirement villa or investment in real estate? Your criteria will vary widely for any of these categories. If it is a property for personal usage, only then must you take into account your individual needs. But if you are looking at it as an investment, things are different. There are many factors to consider and advice from an independent Real Estate agent or Property Consultant, rather than from a specific builder or constructor, would be of great usage to you.

■ Country and place of interest
Crete and the Chania region is objectively speaking a unique place which combines all types of views (sea, mountain, country side) and amenities (cities, large hospital, international airport, commercial port, etc). But is it the right place for you that you are looking for something to use personally? Make sure that you visit, look around and ensure that you personally, like it.

■ How much do you want to spend?
Everybody has a minimum they would like to pay as well as a maximum. However before you define that you need to do a bit of research through available re sales, new builds, off plan etc so that you can have a realistic idea of what to expect. Having a budget will also help you when you ask people for help. Remember that apart from the selling price of a property there are also the legal and other expenses which you also have to calculate.

Defining the above will be great help to you. But what about the question
How will property value in Crete evolve in the future?
The hard truth is that realistic predictions are not possible in the long term. Many will claim that they have the answer for a five year period or slightly more but if you ask anyone about a ten years period their confidence will waive. Properties are not like some expensive wines.
They do not increase in value over time. So you need to ensure that two things are secured when you are looking for a property: Location and Quality of construction. At the end of the day these are the factors that define the value of properties in any place in the world. The good news is that in Chania and in Crete the location and climate are superb while there are some high standards properties available. Additionally there are qualified real estate agents or property consultants that will offer you professional, fair and independent advice without limiting your options to specific products and that is something that you can use in order to make the best decision for you.


Andreas Batakis has lived in Greece, Ireland and Cyprus, acquiring a Business Administration Degree in Greece, an International Marketing Diploma and a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management in Ireland. He is also a member of the UK based Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Andreas has extensive experience in helping people from all over the world to locate a home in Crete and is a founding member of the independent consultancy Talos Properties.

Talos properties was created in order to guide and protect all of you who wish to acquire a property in Crete via offering you a wide range of choices as well as professional advice in property related matters. For more information please access the Talos Properties website at: http://www.talosproperties.com

3/12/2008

Why National Growth is higher in Greece and why investing in properties in Crete is a wise choice.

A line of thought that highlights the importance of the property market and of Greek culture.
At a time of doubt and uncertainty in the world economy, it is encouraging to be presented with positive facts about Europe. In an article in the Greek financial newspaper "Naftemporiki" published on Friday the 15thΒ of February 2008 (pg. 5), the economic growth of all the European Union member states in 2007 is 2,6% when compared with 2006 while Greece had a growth of 3,95%.
Naturally no one can disagree that this growth is decreasing when compared with previous years but it may be considered as leveling off after the explosion of growth which was generated because of the 2004 Olympic Games hosted in Greece. The construction sector was obviously a dynamic element in the growth created during the past five years. The positive factor is that this has evolved in a real estate market for various areas in Greece such as the island of Crete.
It is no secret that builders have become developers because they focused on attracting in Crete, potential home owners from wealthier countries. One of the revelations of the past year is that these companies now realize that Greeks are also looking for properties and realize that the percentage of home owners is quite high when compared with other countries in Europe. By focusing on international clients, companies had forgotten that Β the local culture purchases or builds a house at least once in their lives, for example when one is getting married. Investing in properties for the future generations of a family is equally popular.
A temporary slowing down of the world economy or a sub prime loan generated crisis, can not change the culture of the people in a country, especially when the locals are the Cretans. As a result the purchase of properties is not slowing down exactly because it is also generated from the local market as well as from the international clientele. This means, that the property market has an additional shield of protection and a factor which may convince people to view buying property in Crete as a safe investment.
It may come as a surprise that national or local cultures and beliefs can have an influence in maintaining economic growth in a country. On the other hand, it is important to remember that human resources are behind every economic chart no matter whether it is positive or negative.
Nektaria Kladitis is a Greek Canadian who has lived in Canada, Greece and England, acquiring a Bachelor of Arts, a Masters of Science as well as years of experience in properties overseas. Nektaria is also the creator of the property consultancy - Talos Properties.
Talos properties was created in order to guide and protect all of you who wish to acquire your dream property in Crete, the island that has been loved by Gods and humans alike throughout the centuries.