The preferences of foreign expatriates, young domestic business professionals and their families are centered around 3 main offerings: apartments, condominiums and town-houses. Very often, most tenants in Thailand don’t understand the simple difference between apartments and condominiums. The mysterious answer resides in the ownership of the unit by one individual for apartments and by multiple and individual owners for condominiums. This can make a notable difference especially when dealing with a query or an issue.  The point of communication will be central and unique for apartments whereas for condominiums a mixture of Juristic Office staff - managing the common areas and services of the building - and the owner of the particular unit will take place. The time response and efficiency in the handling of any issues such as an A/C or washing machine being out-of-service can make a positive or negative lasting impression on a tenant and will certainly motivate his or her choice for future extension in the long run.

Ideally, a landlord wants to secure a tenant for as long as possible by providing the best service possible. In reality, this doesn’t necessarily happen and often tenants leave their units to the great demise of their landlord at the end of the lease without having given the chance for the owners to address some issues for which they are not necessarily aware of or have not been contacted for. This situation alone makes apartments more desirable on a tenant point-of-view as they are often kept in a more recent or updated condition, the communication channel between tenants and landlord is more direct and efficient and all issues handling is centralized.

But rest assured, some advantages of condominiums are notable such as a less standardized decoration, more flexibility in allowing your friendly domesticated companions to live in the premises (cats, dogs, turtles and other adorable creatures) and more room for price’s negotiation as renting price in the building is not set by one owner. From an investment point-of-view and if your budget allows owning standardized units, centralized management can create interesting economies of scale and increase your ROI while safeguarding your capital, helping you reach the long-term goal of capital appreciation. For a more controlled budget, condominiums can be great opportunities to generate monthly cash flows and secure your savings into a long-term asset. Foreigners can benefit from full ownership in projects that are respecting the 51-49% ratio rule between Thai national and foreign owners.

Dr. Sopon Pornchockchai, President of the Agency for Real Estate Affairs (AREA), develops in his 2011 Land Survey Valuation Report, that although there are limited amount of apartments’ development in the pipeline, some 300 projects are ready to be launched in the next 4 to 5 years in Bangkok’s BCD; hence offering more choices and ultimately, more value to both domestic and foreign users. This ensures the attractiveness for Bangkok’s property investment from both domestic investors and foreigners who want to diversify their portfolio.

KSI Realty Thailand predicts that the fast development trend of the last 5 years of high rises will slow down in favor of more harmonized and community-oriented low rises or town-home sub-divisions. Although land prices remain strong and have increased more than 3 times in the last 15 years, some developers will follow the trend of building more quality than quantity-oriented housing and offer ultimately more luxurious, city and eco-friendly-oriented lifestyle to their customers. For more info on Real Estate news in Thailand please visit our Blog www.Kijner.com/blog, like our Facebook Page www.facebook.com/ksirealty and follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/ksirealty.  

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Article by Kijner & Sons International Realty, 21 February 2012

A total of 963 contracts were signed for property transactions of which 723 for single family homes and 240 for condominiums with respective median sales prices of $162,000 and $180,000. "The median sales price rise from last year is very striking, and probably has a lot to do with the lower inventory of available properties and the improved national economic picture," explained SAR President Laura Benson.

As for inventory last January, they stood at 4,711, a 22% drop from last year 6,047 showing that "the law of supply and demand will likely start to take hold in the Sarasota market, pushing asking prices higher". 

To read the full January 2012 SAR Report and get all the statistics, please click here. 

To learn more about real estate opportunities in the Sarasota area, contact Kijner & Sons International Realty at info@kijner.com.

Kijner & Sons International Realty is glad to be once again participating at this show under the FNAIM pavillion, the French National Real Estate Federation, which by its number, is the first European organization for real estate professionals.

Come and meet with KSI Realty and its certified Realtors® to learn more about investment opportunities and relocation in Florida, Thailand, France and Costa Rica. This year, we will specifically focus on real estate owned properties (REOs) such as short sales and foreclosures in South Florida and will present you with unique properties whether you are interested in residential or commercial real estate and whether you want to relocate to the Miami or Sarasota Florida area. 

To download your free invitation to the show, just click here. For any other inquiry, do not hesitate to contact us at info@kijner.com.

But before you choose one of these mortgages, make sure you understand the risks and how they work.

Specialty mortgages often begin with a low introductory interest rate or payment plan - a “teaser” - but the monthly mortgage payments are likely to increase a lot in the future. Some are “low documentation” mortgages that come with easier standards for qualifying, but also higher interest rates or higher fees. Some lenders will loan you 100 percent or more of the home’s value, but these mortgages can present a big financial risk if the value of the house drops.

Specialty Mortgages Can:

• Pose a greater risk that you won’t be able to afford the mortgage payment in the future, compared to fixed rate mortgages and traditional adjustable rate mortgages.
• Have monthly payments that increase by as much as 50 percent or more when the introductory period ends.
• Cause your loan balance (the amount you still owe) to get larger each month instead of smaller.

Common Types of Specialty Mortgages:

• Interest-Only Mortgages: Your monthly mortgage payment only covers the interest you owe on the loan for the first 5 to 10 years of the loan, and you pay nothing to reduce the total amount you borrowed (this is called the “principal”). After the interest-only period, you start paying higher monthly payments that cover both the interest and principal that must be repaid over the remaining term of the loan. 

• Negative Amortization Mortgages: Your monthly payment is less than the amount of interest you owe on the loan. The unpaid interest gets added to the loan’s principal amount, causing the total amount you owe to increase each month instead of getting smaller.

• Option Payment ARM Mortgages: You have the option to make different types of monthly payments with this mortgage. For example, you may make a minimum payment that is less than the amount needed to cover the interest and increases the total amount of your loan; an interest-only payment, or payments calculated to pay off the loan over either 30 years or 15 years. 

• 40-Year Mortgages: You pay off your loan over 40 years, instead of the usual 30 years. While this reduces your monthly payment and helps you qualify to buy a home, you pay off the balance of your loan much more slowly and end up paying much more interest. 

Questions to Consider Before Choosing a Specialty Mortgage:

• How much can my monthly payments increase and how soon can these increases happen?
• Do I expect my income to increase or do I expect to move before my payments go up?
• Will I be able to afford the mortgage when the payments increase?
• Am I paying down my loan balance each month, or is it staying the same or even increasing?
• Will I have to pay a penalty if I refinance my mortgage or sell my house?
• What is my goal in buying this property? Am I considering a riskier mortgage to buy a more expensive house than I can realistically afford?

Be sure you work with a REALTOR® and lender who can discuss different options and address your questions and concerns!

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Sources:

Learn about the National Association of Realtors® Housing Opportunity Program at www.realtor.org/housingopportunity.

For more information on predatory mortgage lending practices, visit the Center for Responsible Lending at www.responsiblelending.org.

With an astonishing rise in real estate prices since 2009 and numerous government restrictions on domestic real estate investments, more and more Chinese homebuyers and investors have turned to overseas properties and international real estate as the better choice in terms of ROI and safety. 

Kijner & Sons International Realty will also hold a conference on international real estate investments. Come and meet with us to learn more about real estate, investing and relocating to the United States, Florida, Thailand, Costa Rica and France. We look forward to welcoming you on our booth #2009 at the Shanghai Exhibition Center (SEC)!

For more information on this exciting event, please visit www.kijner.com/Events and for all the latest updates, check regularly our Facebook page www.facebook.com/ksirealty.

Do you have listings you want to promote with us at this event? Contact us at info@kijner.com.

Photos courtesy of http://www.chinarealestatexpo.com/?page-page-pic.html

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Source: Global Perspectives December 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdKiPR3kdjo&feature=g-vrec&context=G25c5b3aRVAAAAAAAABg

If you are looking to invest in or relocate to Costa Rica, we can help! To learn more about Costa Rica, click here.

You can also read our Q&A about investing and living in Costa Rica whether you are considering buying a commercial or a residential property. We sell casinos, teak farms, hotels, restaurants, luxurious villas....just check our "Featured Properties" page!

Questions, comments? Contact us at info@kijner.com. 

This report highlights what motivates both the high-net-worth individual "HNWI" (a person whose investible assets, excluding their primary residence, total between $1M and $10M) and the ultra-high-net-worth individual "UHNWI" (a person whose investible assets, excluding their primary residence, are valued at over $10M).

You will also learn more about Asia's ongoing rise as the World's new economic powerhouse and that education is one of the most important factors that encourages wealthy people to buy properties and invest abroad. 

To read the full report, click on the image below. 

If you are looking to invest abroad, buy a property in Thailand, Florida, Costa Rica or France or send your children study in the USA, we can assist you! Just visit our website www.kijner.com to learn more about investment opportunities aborad. Questions, comments, inquire at info@kijner.com, we specialize in wealth management, international consulting, relocation, promotion and development, residential and commercial transactions as well as property management. 

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Source: http://www.knightfrank.com/wealthreport/

Pour télécharger le guide, cliquez sur la photo ci-dessous!

Si vous souhaitez vous expatrier en Thaïlande, acheter ou louer un appartement en copropriété à Bangkok ou la maison/villa de vos rêves à Koh Samui, Pattaya, Hua Hin ou Phuket, nous vous invitons à lire nos dossiers spéciaux:

> Pourquoi investir en Thaïlande?
> Comment investir en Thaïlande?
> Questions & Réponses Thaïlande

Un projet résidentiel ou commercial précis en Thaïlande, des questions? Contactez-nous à info@kijner.com.

Pour vous faire une idées d'une partie de nos biens sur la Thaïlande, cliquez ici. 

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Source: http://www.expat-blog.com/guides/guide-Thailande.pdf

1. Develop a household budget. Instead of creating a budget of what you’d like to spend, use receipts to create a budget that reflects your actual spending habits over the last several months. This approach will factor in unexpected expenses, such as car repairs, as well as predictable costs such as rent, utility bills, and groceries.

2. Reduce your debt. Lenders generally look for a total debt load of no more than 36 percent of income. This figure includes your mortgage, which typically ranges between 25 and 28 percent of your net household income. So you need to get monthly payments on the rest of your installment debt — car loans, student loans, and revolving balances on credit cards — down to between 8 and 10 percent of your net monthly income.

3. Look for ways to save. You probably know how much you spend on rent and utilities, but little expenses add up, too. Try writing down everything you spend for one month. You’ll probably spot some great ways to save, whether it’s cutting out that morning trip to your favorite coffee shop or eating dinner at home more often.

4. Increase your income. Now’s the time to ask for a raise! If that’s not an option, you may want to consider taking on a second job to get your income at a level high enough to qualify for the home you want.

5. Save for a down payment. Designate a certain amount of money each month to put away in your savings account. Although it’s possible to get a mortgage with only 5 percent down, or even less, you can usually get a better rate if you put down a larger percentage of the total purchase. Aim for a 20 percent down payment.

6. Keep your job. While you don’t need to be in the same job forever to qualify for a home loan, having a job for less than two years may mean you have to pay a higher interest rate.

7. Establish a good credit history. Get a credit card and make payments by the due date. Do the same for all your other bills, too. Pay off the entire balance promptly.

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Source: The National Association of Realtors® (NAR)

The reception was led by his Excellency François Delattre, Ambassador of the French Republic to the United States of America since February 2011 and his honorable Gaël De Maisonneuve, Consul General of the French Republic to the State of Florida. 

Daniel Kijner with Jean-Charles Faust

His Excellency François Delattre, Ambassador of the French Republic to the United States of America with

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*Founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle, the National Order of Merit is an Order of State awarded by the President of the French Republic to both French and foreign nationals for distinguished civil and military achievements. 

GONG XI FA CAI

恭禧發財

23 January 2012

May the year of the dragon bring you and your loved ones health, success and happiness!

KSI REALTY
International Real Estate, Wealth Management & Consulting

Costa Rica, France, Thailand, USA

www.kijner.com

Sarasota is a real estate market of choice as shown by the recent numbers with a 7.3% increase in property transactions for the month of December. Combined sales stood at 648 with a median sale price of $160,000 for single family homes and $150,000 for condos. Inventory of available was at 4,567 and pending sale at 694. 

To read the full December 2011 SAR Report and get all the statistics, please click here. 

To learn more about real estate opportunities in the Sarasota area, contact Kijner & Sons International Realty at info@kijner.com.

1. What are the most popular mortgages you offer? Why are they so popular?

2. Which type of mortgage plan do you think would be best for me? Why?

3. Are your rates, terms, fees, and closing costs negotiable?

4. Will I have to buy private mortgage insurance? If so, how much will it cost, and how long will it be required? (NOTE: Private mortgage insurance is usually required if your down payment is less than 20 percent. However, most lenders will let you discontinue PMI when you’ve acquired a certain amount of equity by paying down the loan.)

5. Who will service the loan — your bank or another company?

6. What escrow requirements do you have?

7. How long will this loan be in a lock-in period (in other words, the time that the quoted interest rate will be honored)? Will I be able to obtain a lower rate if it drops during this period?

8. How long will the loan approval process take?

9. How long will it take to close the loan?

10. Are there any charges or penalties for prepaying the loan?

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Sources:

The National Association of Realtors® (NAR)
Used with permission from Real Estate Checklists & Systems, www.realestatechecklists.com

1. How long have you been in residential real estate sales? Is it your full-time job? While experience is no guarantee of skill, real estate — like many other professions — is mostly learned on the job. 

2. What designations do you hold? Designations such as GRI and CRS®* — which require that agents take additional, specialized real estate training — are held by only about one-quarter of real estate practitioners.

3. How many homes did you and your real estate brokerage sell last year? By asking this question, you’ll get a good idea of how much experience the practitioner has.

4. How many days did it take you to sell the average home? How did that compare to the overall market?

The REALTOR® you interview should have these facts on hand, and be able to present market statistics from the local MLS to provide a comparison. 

5. How close to the initial asking prices of the homes you sold were the final sale prices? This is one indication of how skilled the REALTOR® is at pricing homes and marketing to suitable buyers. Of course, other factors also may be at play, including an exceptionally hot or cool real estate market.

6. What types of specific marketing systems and approaches will you use to sell my home? You don’t want someone who’s going to put a For Sale sign in the yard and hope for the best. Look for someone who has aggressive and innovative approaches, and knows how to market your property competitively on the Internet. Buyers today want information fast, so it’s important that your REALTOR® is responsive.

7. Will you represent me exclusively, or will you represent both the buyer and the seller in the transaction? While it’s usually legal to represent both parties in a transaction, it’s important to understand where the practitioner’s obligations lie. Your REALTOR® should explain his or her agency relationship to you and describe the rights of each party.   

8. Can you recommend service providers who can help me obtain a mortgage, make home repairs, and help with other things I need done? Because REALTORS® are immersed in the industry, they’re wonderful resources as you seek lenders, home improvement companies, and other home service providers. Practitioners should generally recommend more than one provider and let you know if they have any special relationship with or receive compensation from any of the providers. 

9. What type of support and supervision does your brokerage office provide to you? Having resources such as in-house support staff, access to a real estate attorney, and assistance with technology can help an agent sell your home. 

10. What’s your business philosophy? While there’s no right answer to this question, the response will help you assess what’s important to the agent and determine how closely the agent’s goals and business emphasis mesh with your own.

11. How will you keep me informed about the progress of my transaction? How frequently? Again, this is not a question with a correct answer, but it reflects your desires. Do you want updates twice a week or do you not want to be bothered unless there’s a hot prospect? Do you prefer phone, e-mail, or a personal visit?  

12. Could you please give me the names and phone numbers of your three most recent clients?

Ask recent clients if they would work with this REALTOR® again. Find out whether they were pleased with the communication style, follow-up, and work ethic of the REALTOR®. 

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* For more information about KSI Realty's licenses and how we can assist you as Realtors® with your next investment project(s) in Florida, visit: http://www.kijner.com/About-Us & http://www.kijner.com/Daniel-Kijners-Licenses. You can also contact us at info@kijner.com. 

To look for all properties available in:

> The greater Sarasota area, click here. 

> The greater Miami and the beaches area, click here. 

This eNewsletter is filled with local and national real estate and price activity provided by MLSs and the National Association of Realtors, U.S. Census Bureau key market indicators, consumer videos, blogs, real estate glossary, mortgage rates and calculators, consumers articles, and REALTORS.com local community reports.

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May 2012 bring you and your loved ones, happiness, health, love and success!

Kijner & Sons International Realty

www.kijner.com

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