How to beat the currency exchange system with credit card payments on property purchases.

Pay your overseas property deposit with a credit, or debit, card and get a better rate of exchange than you would by using the card abroad.

If you find yourself in the fortunate position of being able to buy that property abroad, and you need to place a deposit on the property to secure the one you want, then there is an answer. It doesn’t matter if your deposit has to be paid to a builder, your lawyer, or your overseas bank account.

Pay your initial deposit with your debit, or credit, card.

Pay your property deposit with a credit card and save

However, before you get too excited, consider this. I was in Spain towards the end of last summer, and used my UK Bank debit card to draw some Euros at the “Hole in the wall”. I drew money on two consecutive days. The exchange rate between the pound and the euro had barely altered, but one bank gave me 1.19 euros to the pound. The other bank gave a rate of 1.23 euros to the pound. If, like me, you suffer from terrible thirst when it’s hot and you need £200 to pay for the drinks, the difference is €8. “Just €8!” I hear you say.

Well change that figure of £200 to £3000 as a house deposit and the difference between one bank’s foreign exchange rate and the other’s is now €120. Not a huge amount, but still worth saving.

FX-Foreignexchange have a facility, through their currency exchange partners, where you can now pay your initial deposit to secure a property abroad by using your debit or credit card. You get an even better rate than the banks can offer. It’s a safe way to pay and painless.

Just call FX-Foreignexchange on 0044 (0)1480 458400, (or email for them to contact you from here) , register your details with them, give them the details of where you want your deposit to go, and they take the payment in your local currency, change it, and send it to the account you’ve asked for it to be sent to.

Paying your overseas property deposit couldn’t be easier. You may even want to spend the money you save on a special dinner to celebrate how clever you are!

A couple of little things, FX-Foreignexchange can’t take card payments over £10,000, and they can’t take less than £2500. On the basis that most initial deposits for new homes abroad are €3,000, or £2,500, this shouldn’t present a problem.

The other area to consider is if you use the same company to change your further stage payments, the difference when using my example, is €1,200 when you change £30,000.

That’s a bit more interesting than the €8 I saved!

Coles of Andalucia, a family run Estate Agent who specialise in property sales and relocation in Spain, have just joined the successful International property website Globalprops. They are based in Los Gallardos, near to Mojacar Playa in Almeria, Spain. Simon Cole is the principal partner who, together with my wife Rachael and two children relocated to Spain for a better quality of life and to enjoy the superb climate that the country has to offer.

The reason they chose to relocate to Spain is becoming an all to familiar story for many people. The rising cost of living in the U.K, the worrying problems socially and the kind of environment our children are growing up in, all collectively led them to ask the question “there must be more to life than this”. They started to explore different areas so they could find the perfect home to emigrate to in Spain. After many visits to the Costa Del Sol, Costa Calida and the Costa Blanca decided they were not the kind of Spain they wanted.

The property search led them to the Costa de Almeria, and on our first trip one night in the old town of

Mojacar, Rachael looked at Simon, smiling and said “This is the place isn’t it”. They knew this was the ideal place to buy a property.

Almeria is a different kind of Spain, it’s a more traditional Spain that has not and more importantly will not develop out of all control. There are tight build restrictions that also include restrictions on height so nothing can be more than three storeys high which leads to a more sympathetic development and skyline.

The coast around Mojacar is also a destination still enjoyed by the whole of Spain. As a consequence, Spanish culture, traditions and lifestyle are alive and thriving. Couple that with immense diversity of the landscape with mountain ranges, coves, bays, desert, skiing, beaches and forests, you begin to see why this region captures so many hearts and that’s before you get to the wines and cuisine.

Having already devoted his career to date within the property industry, the natural progression on arriving in Spain was to move into estate agency with one of the market leaders here in Almeria. He then went on to form Coles Of Andalucia to offer a more comprehensive and personal service. Regardless of your reason for purchasing a property here in Spain, if its a relocation,investment or a holiday home, its comforting to know that every angle is covered by a company that cares about its customers and its reputation.

While you may be stepping into relatively unknown territory by buying property in the Algarve, plenty of foreigners have done it before you. There is a well- established procedure and there is no shortage of sound advice available on all aspects of buying a home in the Algarve.

The Algarve climate is one of the healthiest and most pleasant in the world. There is sufficient seasonal variation. The winters are never too cold and the summers never too hot. The skies are predominately blue all year round. The ideal place to buy a property abroad, you might say.

The Algarve has managed to retain its timeless “old world” charm and traditional values even though it is an integral part of an ambitious, forward-looking nation, and tourism is its major economic activity.

The nation’s constitution and well-founded legal system give overseas buyers and property owners the same fundamental rights and protection as those enjoyed by Portuguese citizens.

Air links and telecommunications facilities are excellent. Faro and Lisbon international airports serve buyers of property in Portugal well. With the internet, you can be as globally in touch as you want to be.

The Algarve region is best known for its spectacular coastline, including scores of glorious beaches. Less known, but equally attractive, is its hinterland of vineyards, olive, almond, carob and fig trees, rising to rolling hills and the plains of the province of Alentejo beyond.

Language is generally not a problem and, anyway, you will enjoy picking up at least a smattering of Portuguese. You can get by in English or German, as long as you understand the Portuguese all purpose expression that sums up any and all of life’s minor travails: “não faz mal” - “it doesn’t matter.”

A cost of living table compiled by the London Sunday Times on prices in the UK, Holland, Belgium and Italy, augmented by a fair comparison made in Portugal, showed that the same basket of 22 groceries cost much the same-around £50 - in Portugal, Holland and Belgium, £10 less than in Italy and over £30 cheaper than in the UK.

The only things completely missing here that you may find in sunny places such as Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Florida or the Caribbean are …. hurricanes, sweltering summers, pollution or high crime rates.

To deal with a Global Property Network agent, when looking for properties for sale in the Algarve, visit TheAlgarveProperty.net and choose from some of the best value properties for sale in the Lagos and Luz region of West Algarve.

Looking for that exclusive luxury villa?

Gatehouse-Elite have joined the Worldwide property website and have added in the region of 200 luxurious properties from various destinations including the more popular reclusive areas in Europe, such as Quinta do Lago, Marbella, Puerto banus, Mallorca and Ibiza.

Gatehouse-Elite have a large selection of worldwide luxury villas for sale including this beautiful mansion in Quinta do Lago, Portugal.

Available at €6.5m, this Quinta Property is a wonderful example of a beautifully appointed villa, sitting on the edge of the golf course, with golf rights included. As you might expect, this recently built villa boasts supreme luxury with a high quality finish. Set in tranquil surroundings with views straight down a beautifully manicured fairway in the highly exclusive resort of Quinta do Lago. The original stone features are balanced beautifully with the practicality of modern living. More information on this luxury villa…

The local office, in Portugal for Gatehouse-Elite, is managed by Gary Thomas, who will be happy to provide a selection of luxurious Algarve properties to choose from. Gary offers properties for sale in the Algarve, including Quinta do Lago, Pinheiros Altos, Vale do Lobo, Vila Sol and Carvoeiro.

“We are delighted to have joined Globalprops as I believe that our luxury property portfolio will receive more exposure. The web designers have done a great job in producing a site that will be found easily, and one that is very easy to navigate” said Gary..”Our selling clients are very demanding, and this site will produce the results that we need. The fact that Globalprops offers so much more for the Estate Agent, is a bonus”

t: 00 351 289 355 433.

To view a greater selection of properties for sale above €1m, visit Globlprops.com.

Dubai is the hotspot for real estate investments. The reasons are not difficult to find. There are innumerable reasons that can be listed to explain why you should invest in Dubai’s real estate market instead of other places.

You get an excellent deal, as it is cheaper to buy property in Dubai in comparison to other similar trading hubs around the world like London or other European cities. The city is a lifestyle paradise where nearly 180 nationalists and cultures come together and live in peace. Multicultural and multilingual, this city can make anyone feel at home. The government is lenient towards foreign investors and does not levy any burdensome taxes. Low crime and corruption rates make Dubai relatively safer than other countries with high crime rates. A strategic location at the confluence of all continents makes Dubai attractive to investors across the world to come to invest here. One of the fastest growing cities in the world, Dubai offers state of the art infrastructure and world-class business environment.

Unlike other investment options like hedge funds, stocks etc, and property prices are stable. In times of inflation when other investments erode, property continues to grow in value. Rental income from property is a stable source of income, and while it might fluctuate a bit, it is unlikely to completely vanish. Unlike other markets, Dubai real estate market is open to all investors.

With liberalization and globalization being the present buzzwords, Dubai’s real estate market is bound to get a boost due to inflow of funds and liquidity. Dubai’s real estate sector is barely a few years old and offers a plethora of investment opportunities assured to give good returns. Still in a nascent stage, there is tremendous scope for Dubai real estate industry to grow. Investing in Dubai properties can help earn consistent money by renting out properties. Lavish lifestyle, tall buildings, world-class facilities, Dubai is a fast-growing economy. A heaven for investors, whether big or small, Dubai has something to offer for all kinds of investors.

A liberal economic system and no foreign exchange controls, trade barriers or quotas, Dubai holds the distinction of being the No. 1 city among the GCC countries. World-class laws, a state-of-the-art land registry and a strongly-led regulatory authority, Dubai offers 100 percent repatriation on capital and profits to investors. One of the safest cities in the world, Dubai offers strong incentives and protection to investors.

Known for its largest mall and tallest buildings, Dubai is the front-runner in developing mega projects and theme parks. Nearly 20 percent of the world’s construction cranes are involved in 200 mega projects in Dubai. Expected to absorb hundreds of thousands of residents and 15 million tourists and 120 million passengers by 2010, Dubai is growing at an incomparable rate.

One of the most proactive developers in the Middle East, Dubai can give you the right kind of investment opportunity to suit your budget and aspirations. So why not grab the opportunity and make hay while the sun shines?

In the current Denver real estate market it is still possible to sell your Denver area home quickly and for top dollar. It can be done if you follow some simple guidelines.

If you find it difficult to impartially evaluate your home you should give considerable weight to what your Realtor advises. Denver Realtors know the market and they understand what it takes for a home to sell. To catch a prospective buyer your home needs to stand out from the crowd.

For your home to stand out you need to understand the home cannot be over priced. You need to have the most attractive $200k home in your Denver neighborhood and not the least attractive $225k home in the area. If you miss on this and over price your Denver home the only thing you will accomplish is to give prospective buyers good reasons to purchase someone else’s home.

Denver real estate that are freshly listed typically get the most excitement from potential buyers and you need to be priced right from the first day you offer your home for sale. You want to be positioned as the clear choice for a home in your price range.

Other things to consider are offering incentives to the Denver home buyers. Things like offering to pay the purchasers closing costs, a credit for decorating or even making the first couple mortgage payments for the purchaser. These are things that could make your home stand out from the crowd because people love incentives.

Take down personal and family pictures or anything that will detract from the buyer imagining living in your home. You want them to feel at home which is hard to do if they are staring at a couple dozen pictures of your family living there.

Long haul flights can really take a lot of energy out of you. The last thing you want to do is hang around the airport any longer than you have to. You want to get to the place you are staying as quickly and as easily as possible.

A good option then is Airport car hire. If you book ahead you will not only save money on the cost of the car hire but you will also avoid any stress or worry about the availability of cars when you land.

At peak times car hire companies occasionally experience a shortage of cars. The summer months bring high demand to this sector. As with airlines, the earlier you book in advance the better your chance of getting a bargain deal.

If you are visiting Ireland then Cork or the rebel county as it is known by locals is a must see. The self proclaimed people’s republic of Cork offers plenty of scope for rental car touring. Cork Airport car hire is a worthwhile option to consider.

Cork is a city of culture with no shortage of music, theatre and film to enjoy. Famous musicians from Cork include Cathal Coughlan, Sean O Hagan and the Sultans of ping.

Known as the “the land of a thousand welcomes”, Ireland is certainly a country which lives up to its billing. The country has a rich varied history with so much to discover for visitors.

The main airport in Ireland is Dublin Airport. With the recent addition of new terminals the airport now caters for more passengers than ever before. Dublin Airport car hire is available and can be waiting for you as soon as you get of your flight if you book ahead.

There is so much to see and do in the surrounding areas of Dublin that a car hire can be ideal when navigating you way through some of the rocky roads around Dublin.

Irelands second largest Airport is Shannon Airport which is situated in the west of Ireland. The Shannon region spreads over many counties in Ireland including Clare, Galway, Tipperary, Offaly and Limerick.

The cliffs of Moher in Clare and Birr Castle in Offaly are highly recommended attractions worth checking out. Shannon is a beautiful region well worth discovering with a Shannon Airport car hire. The views form the cliffs of Moher have to be seen to be believed.

Money Transfer from the UK to Canada

There are many ways to transfer your money from the UK to Canada. In the past, most people have called their own bank and asked them to change their GB Pounds to Canadian Dollars. Currently, there are so many more cost effective ways to do this.

If you choose to use your bank, it’s likely that they will not necessarily:

1. Grant you the best rate of exchange available at that moment
2. They are likely to charge you a commission
3. They will almost definitely charge a fee for making the money transfer to Canada

If you knew about a way to save on each of the 3 areas, it’s likely you would use it, especially, as the foreign exchange specialists are usually faster than the high street banks as it’s all they do!

Some Expats, or second home buyers, in Canada simply open an account with HSBC as they allow the client to have accounts in Canadian Dollars and GB Pounds.

• The advantage of doing this is you have flexibility to move the money between your accounts when the currency exchange rate suits you.
• The disadvantages are that HSBC don’t have as many branches as Canada’s own local main banks in the cities. And, you are unlikely to get a great rate of exchange each time you switch between accounts.

Foreign exchange specialists, like fx-foreignexchange.com are now the more likely route for a second property buyer, or expat, to use for larger currency transfers from the UK to Canada. They already have an account with HSBC in Canada and the UK.

The advantages of using FX-Foreignexchange to exchange your £’s to Canadian Dollars are:

• The service is safe and swift.
• They generally offer a better rate of exchange (Saving thousands on larger transactions).
• They don’t charge a commission.
• They don’t charge a fee to transfer the money.
• You can also set a rate of exchange that you are prepared to deal at, and FX-Foreignexchange will contact you when the currencies meet that figure so you can buy at the best rate of exchange.

The disadvantage, when compared to a high street bank, is difficult to see as there doesn’t appear to be one!

If you are looking to exchange GB Pounds into Canadian Dollars, call FX-Foreignexchange on +44 (0)1480 458400 for a quote, or simply ask for an explanation on how to save money when transferring abroad.

Or go to the fx-foreignexchange site

Emigrating to Australia on your own steam
The first step in emigrating, is to find out if you are eligible to live in Australia. You can do this by contacting your nearest Australia High commission who will be able to assist. They will send you the relevant information regarding your application process.
You should allow a minimum of 12 months for a successful application to be processed. It is absolutely crucial that any paperwork submitted to Australia House is done so correctly or your application will be returned to you, and you will, unfortunately, have to re apply. Fees will also vary dramatically depending upon the visa category you are applying under. With police checks, medical records, government fees, and more, the cost of the application can sometimes be a considerable expense.
Use an emigration specialist consultancy
A migration agent is like using a lawyer to represent you in court. They will initially give you a free consultation and will let you know straight away if you are eligible for migration. If you are, they will begin to advise on the fees and time limits involved. They will then advise you of all relevant forms, references and documents that you will need to obtain for them to submit the application on your behalf.
If you choose to use an agent your migration process can be a lot quicker. In some cases, they may even save you money as you can be certain that your application will be submitted correctly the first time. It certainly will take a lot of unnecessary stress away from the migration process. For that reason alone, we would strongly recommend to anyone who is considering emigrating, to use a Migration Agent.
Buying your Australian Dollars.
Whether you are buying your Australian Dollars with British Pounds, American Dollars, Euros or any other foreign currency, it pays to shop around.
The standard route, involved beating a path loyally to your local bank and asking them to make the money transfer on your behalf to Australia. This generally involves a few costs that you won’t have to bear elsewhere. You are likely to be charged extra for making the currency transfer, and for your Australian bank to receive the funds. In addition, a high street bank doesn’t necessarily give the best foreign exchange rate which is the biggest difference between the bank and a foreign currency exchange specialist.
Consider this:
Your bank offers you a rate of 2.10 Australian Dollars to £1. You buy £150,000 worth at that rate, believing that it’s the same everywhere and you end up with 315,000 Australian Dollars, before they have taken their commission!
OR, you use a global currency exchange specialist and they give you a better rate of 2.1549 Australian Dollars (as it is today) to £1, giving you net proceeds of 323,235 Australian Dollars for your £150,000.
Net result, you have saved yourself £3,821 ( or 8235 dollars) to spend on something else when you get to Australia like a second hand car, tax and insurance! No effort was required. It didn’t take any longer. You just end up with more money.
Save money when emigrating, buy your Australian Dollars here, or just visit the site to view the latest rate.