Editor’s note: This item is republished with permission from Global Edge Marketing Ltd. The original post can be viewed here.
Banks, under pressure from the U.K. government for not lending enough, are offering "low risk" investors money to buy "anything," according to a fascinating report by London’s Evening Standard.
One high-profile individual said he takes regular calls from his bank informing him it is desperate to lend him money. When he asked what for, the bank said "anything." Property, bonds, shares — it did not matter.
In many cases, investors find the offer too tempting to refuse. They reason that if the bank loan costs them 1.5 percent, they ought to be able to do better than that in the stock market or property. So they can invest the money and turn a profit.
Investor-driven market
If you have the right connections and offer the right product, it seems the overseas property market is alive and well. Industry dynamics have certainly changed drastically over the last 12 months. Second-home buyers are thinner on the ground, although some segments like retirement have been stronger than others.
Investors, driven by more rational investment criteria, have become ever-more important, and agents that have diversified into distressed sales tend to be faring better than the more traditional overseas property agent.
Copyright © 2009 Global Edge Marketing Ltd.
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