UK buy-to-let investors are being tempted by offers of guaranteed rents on property deals around the world, but how good are these deals in real terms and will there be any rental demand once the guaranteed period ends?

Worldwide opportunities

Investors are looking beyond the overcrowded UK market for untapped property hotspots in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and out to the Far East.

Deciding on the best foreign markets to invest in is a case of weighing up the potential for growth and rental income against the risks and costs.

For example prices of residential homes in Beijing rose by 20% in 2005 (according to the Beijing Municipal Construction Committee), however there are many issues regarding the transfer of funds out of China, a 5% tax on rental income and the possibility that the Chinese government could claim the land back.

Latvia on the other hand presents a lower risk to foreign investors, with membership of the EU and the ability to borrow up to 90% of the value of the property making it a more appealing choice.

However, this is not to say that an investor can simply buy any property in Latvia and expect to make easy rental returns. Like any foreign market, the risks are generally higher than buying in the home market.

Incentive to buy

To help encourage potential landlords to overseas markets, a number of investment companies are offering guaranteed rents for anything up to 5 years. Rental guarantees, it is argued, provide a reliable safety net for riskier markets, however many experts warn they are merely a marketing tool and advise investors to look very closely at the deal being offered.

Key issues

One of the biggest issues with guaranteed rentals is a lack of demand for the property once the period has finished. Guarantees are often used to market properties that otherwise would not sell and many investors are shocked by the resulting drop in income.

In addition to this, it is often the case that investors end up footing the rental bill themselves, when developers inflate the price of the property to cover the guaranteed rent. This can provide a further shock when the investor tries to sell the property and realizes that it is not worth as much as they originally paid for it.

If you do opt for a guaranteed rental deal, make sure that it is properly underwritten by a bank. Otherwise you would be at risk of losing the guarantee if the developer were to go out of business.

Poor regulation means that it is also worth checking the small print for any hidden clauses that enable the developer to avoid paying the guaranteed rent and it is always a good idea to seek expert advice.

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Brokering real estate is one of the most competitive business endeavors today and one that needs for people running it to possess the right skills in order to thrive in the market. It is not a secret that the market has been hard on the real estate brokers and agents, with the prices striking all time lows, so the really only way to keep that cash coming is to be able to sell more properties. The current economic downturn has caused more difficulty to the realtors.

Clients have become astute at tying into one realtor and paying them the standard commission that is rather high to them now that houses are now worth lesser than what they originally paid for. These property sellers would therefore prefer a lower commission charged or set a fixed price so they can continue with the sale. So, the impact for the realtor is added burden how to gain their trust, both from the buyers and sellers.

Use referrals

maybe the most traditional tools, but referral can still be considered the best marketing tool nowadays. Giving out your business cards to your satisfied clients will start the game. The sellers or buyers who have been satisfied with your services can pass on the business cards to their colleagues, and catch their attention especially if they are looking for an efficient way to do the property business. Running an ad to several local papers will also keep their eyes on your real estate office and will keep them reminded of the name.

Create a website

Nowadays, running a personalized website is the best way to Advertise your products and services. Everyone is going online, so this is a good point to place your business. Do the things that successful online business owners do, like promoting the website, creating a mailing list, signing up list, etc. Make the website informative by putting good quality articles, which are by the way advisable to make your website attractive to the search engines and so pull many readers to your site where they can find the brokering real estate services you want to provide them. Don’t forget to mention that you want to help people make decision when it comes to buying or selling properties.

Provide honest and quality services

It is always effective to start a business that is honest and provides nothing but quality services. People remember these characteristics when they chanced to experience doing business with you. It gains their confidence and therefore would to keep coming back for more and more importantly to you, pass on a good word of mouth until your business becomes famous all over town.

Be knowledgeable

People ask questions and want information. If they are not satisfied with how you answer, you might lose them. So always make sure, you and your agents are armed with knowledge and experience in the field. Knowing the real core of the entire real estate business is a great way to keep your office running strong and lucrative.

Keep a good base of customers

Finding a list of home buyers is a great way to keep your business thriving. You can do this by placing ads in different places, such as online or putting ads on classifieds. You can even try cold calling and gather good contacts which you know will be helpful in the business.

There are many other marketing ideas which you can incorporate into your brokering real estate business, but the key is to be diligent in every little detail that you do. Confidence, experience, and great quality product and services must be remembered to keep the business lucrative and thriving.