As many of you will know, Weston in Barbados has been our most successful development to date. After being recommended this development by a client of ours we have successfully transformed this developer’s sales focus to investment as well as holiday home buyers.

At first glance, Weston seemed like a low priced development, one back from the sea front with sea views to many apartments, perfect for holiday makers but with no obvious investment characteristics.

However, after digging further we realised that it’s low prices and fantastic position mean’t room and occupancy rates could be set at a premium and even on a 20 week occupancy would provide yields a lot higher than many other competitors.

Fast forward 6 months and we are now due to launch our 3rd development in Barbados, both Ixora and Weston having sold out in record time.

Weston is due to complete in November/December 2011 and build is progressing nicely.

Above is a picture of the front of phase 2, about where the swimming pool will be, coming along nicely…

Back corner of phase 1 ground floor with sea views possible, 1st and 2nd floor views should be fantastic!

Back corner of phase 2 with the sea viewable, a lot of the apartments in phase 2 will have sea views thanks to the height increase between phase 1 and 2.

This will be the view available from 2ft below where apartment 7-6 will be on phase 2.

As construction progresses we will bring you pictures from the 1st and 2nd floor showing even better views. The sea is just 200 metres from the entrance to Weston meaning the beach is only 5 minutes away.

There are still 3 apartments remaining for sale:

1 bed sea view apartment – £166,050*.
2 bed sea view apartment - £209,100*.
4 bed apartment – £265,680*.
* Subject to exchange rates.

If you  want further details please contact us on info@freshinvest.co.uk or call us freephone on 0800 043 69 56.

With little infrastructure and no direct flights from most European countries, Cape Verde as a holiday location was only for the most hardcore of travellers.

Fast forward a few years and Cape Verde presents a very different image. None more so than Sal.

Being only 5 and a half hours from the UK and now benefiting from a direct flight from many major cities there is little doubt that Cape Verde is the future winter holiday destination for most of Europe.

Through increased interest and build Cape Verde have been able to push more money to the infrastructure of the country, building roads and bringing power and water facilities up to European standards.

Cape Verde is now being talked of in the same breath as the Canary Islands and the Caribbean as a winter holiday destination. This is in no small part due to a handful of developers that have managed to build affordable quality property that offers high yields and low entry costs.

With the Completions of Villa Verde and Tortuga Beach Resort slowly but surely the face of Cape Verde is changing.

Tortuga Beach Resort brings the first of three 5* hotel resorts to the Island, all operated by world class operator Sol Melia, the quality of these properties have to be seen to be believed.

Many overseas developers promise a lot and deliver little, this is certainly not the case with Tortuga Beach, with the development going live to the public next month pictures of the finished product are now available for all to see.

Located right on Cape Verde’s famous Ponta Preta Beach, many apartments and villas have direct sea views and easy access to the beach and beyond.

The emergence of hotel companies managing developments built and sold on to investors is fairly new and as with every walk of life, as time flows these precesses are refined. I say this because there are plenty of developers that build with the intention of bringing a 5* hotel company in to manage but only a handful that actually manage it.

9/10 the hotel company realises the increased cost in terms of added specification of doing this and decided to go it themselves or attract a lesser hotel company to do this for them. Not in this instance! Sol Melia is well known for it’s 5* brand and it’s evident that Tortuga Beach Resort fits into this perfectly!

With a 5* Hotel branding also comes the benefit of increased specification and leisure facilities:

Tortuga’s Features and Benefits include:

With only limited availability left on this stunning development you may look towards this developers next project, Dunas Beach Resort. Ready at the end of next year and with build already underway you can be assured this will be bigger and better than it’s predecessor!

Or if you prefer, wait for Llana Hotel and Spa, the developers third resort which is due to be released next month.

Whichever you choose, Cape Verde as a destination is here to stay and these three developments will become a massive part of it.

Lets face it, we live in one of the least sunny countries out there but i don’t know many people that don’t run for the beach at the slightest sight of sun!

Ask any of the holidaymakers what the worst part of their trip was and i guarantee most will say the flight. Unless you are an Oligarch, paying £10,000 for a first class seat to Barbados is well out of their budget. So there you are, packed in like a sardine for your 10 hour flight….God its bringing back memories as i write this!

But we have no choice i hear you say!

Well actually you do, what if i told you that guaranteed sun is only the length of Les Miserables away and you probably haven’t even considered it!

Today as i write this Cape Verde is a balmy 29 degrees and sunny….the same temperature as Barbados, but in Barbados it’s raining!

Don’t get me wrong, i love the Caribbean, i have an apartment there. The difference is, i couldn’t go to Barbados for a long weekend!

I love the idea of hopping on a flight out of Gatwick and within 5 and a half hours i’m sitting on a beach in 29 degree heat! For someone who likes to take his holidays in short sharp bursts instead of long marathons it just makes sense.

It seems i’m not the only one, Tourism numbers are expected to hit over 500,000 this year from just 150,000 3 years ago!

With increased tourism inevitably comes increased flights and hotels, with 2 new Sol Melia hotels named Dunas Beach Resort and Tortuga Beach Resort under construction and a further named Llana Beach Hotel and Spa due to start construction in March next year, Sol Melia certainly believes in the longevity of the Islands.

You can now fly out of most major European cities including London, Manchester and Birmingham.

For those of you thinking of investing in a holiday home, properties on Dunas Beach Resort, Tortuga Beach Resort and Llana Beach Hotel and Spa are available to buy.

With investors able to purchase at one of these 5* resorts with just £33,000 it’s no wonder they have already sold 80% of their first 2 resorts.

Being part of Sol Melia’s 5* brand means all resorts will have an impressive list of amenities including numerous swimming pools, tennis courts, bars, restaurants, spa facilities etc…

We have are proud to say we are one of The Resort Group’s oldest agents so if you are thinking of investing, pick up the phone and we’ll talk you through the opportunity.

Year round sun, economic grants, low prices and the promise of increased tourism mean’t the future looked bright!

The last 2 years have seen highs and lows for this particular country.

The slow down and in some cases obliteration of many countries economies has indeed affected some of the developments in Cape Verde.

Personally i think it weeded out the developers who were indeed sailing a bit too close to the wind! With any overseas property investment, the scariest part for any purchaser is the chance the developer dissapears with your hard earned deposit.

Well i would argue that any developer still building on Cape Verde has definitely seen the worst of it and if they are still building now you can feel fairly sure you’ll have a property come completion!

A point worth considering …… Cape Verde still has year round sun, they are still taking advantage of economic grants, their prices haven’t really changed and you can now fly direct from most european capitals!

I’d argue the title “the caribbean for europe” is still warranted, after all i haven’t seen any other countries rising from the waves recently!

In fact, in one way its definitely better than the Caribbean, no hurricanes!

So if you do invest there, what are your options.

Well for me there are 2 and they depend on what you want to get out of your ownership.

1. You just want a holiday home and won’t want to rent it.

Maybe your best option is to buy either an apartment in a smaller resort or alternatively a residential property.

Pro’s
Cheaper
Can decorate it as you wish
Can buy now

Con’s
No swimming pool
Tennis Court
Restaurants and Bars on site etc…
Doubt over the quality of the build
No security
No management

2. You want something you can use but also want to derive an income from.

It’s worth considering a property on a managed 5* hotel resort.

Pro’s
Large list of communal activities inc…
Swimming Pools
Tennis Courts
Spa’s
Restaurants and Bars etc…
Fully Managed
Security
Needs to comply with 5* european standards so spec will be high
Higher rental can be charged
Marketed for you
Ready for you when you arrive

Con’s
Probably more expensive but can be easily mortgaged
Need to specify your dates to visit in advance
Management costs

If like me you want the benefits of owning a property abroad without the drawbacks of actually having to manage it then option 2 is for you.

The Resort Group is one such developer, they have 2 existing developments, Dunas Beach and Tortuga Beach Resort. These are both 5* hotel resorts which can be invested in for under £34,000!

These 2 developments offer 1 beds apartments right up to 4 bedroom sea front villas.

Another option is to wait for The Resort Groups latest development, Llana Beach Hotel and Spa. Details are limited at the moment but the site is again beach front and will be nestled neatly between Dunas and Tortuga beach Resort.

If the past is anything to go by, Llana Beach Hotel and Spa will definitely stir the emotions, The Resort Group has made a name for itself in Cape Verde by offering affordable holiday property on a 5* resort that is not out of reach of the standard investor!

We are taking expressions of interest for Llana Beach Hotel and Spa now, so to be first in the queue please contact us.

The Resort Group seem to be transforming the face of the island of Sal in Cape Verde single handed!

As you will remember, Tortuga and Dunas Beach Resort offered guaranteed returns on deposits, fully managed properties in a 5* Hotel Resort.

With Dunas and Tortuga Beach Resorts, investors could choose from purchasing fully in cash, whereby they would benefit from an additional 15% discount, or deposit options of both 35% and 45% with a mortgage on completion to cover the remainder. Investors could even invest with an existing pension through a SIPP.

Many of our clients decided to utilise redundant pensions that were not giving them the returns they had expected, they spoke to our SIPP provider who moved various pension pots into one Self Invested Personal Pension scheme.

Payment plans on the new resort are likely to be just as innovative as before, so we are waiting with baited breath!

As with all Overseas Property Investments it pays to invest early and benefit from the capital growth that this will bring with it, as more and more investors jump on board through the build period, prices will often rise quickly.

For further details on overseas property investment opportunities please contact us!

We at Fresh Invest are happy to be a main agent for The Resort Group and as such, will be offering Llana Beach Hotel and Spa, the moment it becomes available… so register your interest with us ASAP!

Now over the last few years the property investment market has got increasingly hard to operate in, there simply are not the funds that there were a few years ago. This means that we all have to be a lot smarter about where we invest, we can’t just take a chance!

Well as of yesterday I am the proud owner of apartment 6 block 4 at the Weston Resort, Barbados.

I thought I would write a brief summary on why I decided to invest here as opposed to any of the other investment opportunities we are offered on a daily basis.

1. The Location

In a market where yield really is king, I make sure I concentrate on areas that are already established. Areas that I know people will holiday at no matter how dire the financial market is. For me the West Coast of Barbados has this.

The types of people that regularly holiday here are not bothered that their mortgage rate just crept up a few percent. Most probably don’t have mortgages!

2. The Developer

Another important point for me is the quality and financial stability of the developer.

I have met the directors of Candelisa on numerous occasions, in London and at their fantastic glass fronted offices in Leeds.

I know that they have the facility to not only build this out but also deliver it on time.

3. Its Rental Return

I have holidayed in Barbados before so have an idea of the amount you pay to rent on the West Coast.

Before offering Weston to yourselves, we took some time to delve into rental values in the area, as well as reading through the information provided by the developer. We found that with just 38% occupancy a return after mortgage payments of over £10,000 per annum was achievable. This amount of return in such a quality area is almost unheard of.

In the UK you would not expect the same amount of rental return in Kensington as you would in Manchester, at Weston we have achieved exactly that!

4. Its Re-Sale Value

The final straw came when I conducted further comparable research on competitors resorts in the area. Quite simply, nothing came close.

The fact that I could purchase a 2 bedroom apartment within walking distance of Royal Westmoreland golf course at just £200,000 sealed it for me. Especially when I realised they were selling 2 beds at Royal Westmoreland at over £1m! The closest comparable I could find was over £50,000 more expensive!

5. My Long Term Goal

I don’t actually plan to visit Barbados in the near future, I will put my apartment in their management scheme and plough the profit back into the mortgage. I have worked out that I should be able to clear the mortgage in just over 10 years taking into account renting for just 20 weeks out of 52. If I manage to rent for 40 weeks out of 52 this is reduced to just under 4 years!

Why have I mentioned this?

I know if I was looking at purchasing abroad, the fact the guy offering me the property was in the same boat would definitely give me some comfort.

As of today there are just 11 apartments left at Weston. (One just came back to market)

4 X 2 bed apartments (1 with sea views) Invest from just £62,000.

4 x 3 bed apartments (3 with sea views) Invest from just £78,000.

3 x 4 bed apartments (1 with sea views) Invest from just £92,000.

Remember these are selling quickly, the sooner you come back to me the sooner we can secure your chosen apartment.

Forgive my scepticism, I can only talk from past experience, you see I’ve got a share portfolio which I’m looking to for a pension, I’ve had this for 7 years and rather than make me any money, it’s actually fallen 3% in value.

The news is full of programmes investigating the current financial crisis; no avenue of investment seems to be safe.
Panorama recently investigated the vast fees and commissions some pension companies take from their clients, in one case a lady’s net return over 21 years was just 3%…it would have been 4% if she had not been paying various charges!
Now I’m sure that there are other pensions that would return her a larger sum but as she pointed out, how do you know which are any good?
Well the answer is, you really don’t…

Why Property?

For years I have tried to educate clients as to the benefits of investing in property as your pension. Not only do you benefit from any rental returns after mortgage payments but you will also over a number of years, benefit from capital growth.

It has been widely documented that property prices have taken a tumble in many locations, however if you buy smart and at a good price you massively reduce your risk.
The average pension pot in the UK is around £33,000; now for many of you it may not be too late to do something about this.
Below I will show you a simple way to make your money work for you in property.

Let’s take a 35 year old male that wants to retire at 55.

• Purchase a 1 bed apartment for £150,000. (Multiple locations across the south coast)
• Deposit needed £30,000 (20%)
• *Repayment Mortgage over 20 years = £735 pcm (4% interest rate)
• Rent PCM = £750 pcm (average for this price and location)
• Management Cost £75 pcm (10%)
• Additional payments = £60 pcm.

*Remember this is a repayment mortgage, not interest only, the long term goal is to pay this mortgage off over 20 years.

If you look at the £60 as your pension payments, in 20 years time you will have a pension pot worth £150,000, not taking into account any growth; giving you a return of £750 pcm.
Now the chances are that there will be capital growth during this period, if we take it at just 5% per year, your property will be worth £397,995 in 20 years time.
Rental also historically increases over time, if we take 5% here as well, your £750 would be worth £1,990 pcm in 20 years.

In Conclusion:

When investing in stocks and shares, it is extremely hard to get an idea of what they will be worth come retirement time. Brokers and IFA’s will bombard you with figures, but for the most part it’s a shot in the dark.
One thing that not is historical data on property and rental growth, this can be proved, as can the UK’s desperate need for more property and the demand for rental property in certain areas.
Many of you probably own a house and have done for a number of years, cast your mind back 20 years and recall the re-sale and rental values then. See what I mean?

In short:

• £30,000 investment in property now
• £60 pcm top up

Should provide you with…

• An asset worth £397,995 in 20 years time
• Income of £1,990 per month.

The Alternative:

Keep ploughing money into a product you’re not in control of and you probably don’t understand.

For information on how you can make your pension work best for you contact Fresh Invest on 01243 527327 or email info@freshinvest.co.uk.

What do all these people have in common?

They all either holiday or have property in Barbados.

So why is this Caribbean island the second home location of choice for all of these celebrities?

I think firstly it is the idea of security, you are in the Caribbean but as long as you stay on the west coast you are never far from a cocktail bar, mulit million pound house or exclusive golf club.
Over the last 15 years the West Coast of Barbados or the Parish of St James has risen from relative obscurity to command the name ” the platinum coast”. It is now widely known as one of the most exclusive and expensive areas to live in the world.

With the cost to stay at the exclusive Sandy Lane Resort coming in at around £40,000 for a week over Christmas this location is certainly not cheap!
Expect to pay roughly the same in Barbados as you would in central london for dinner at a top restaurant.

So after all of this, why does tourism in Barbados continue to grow year on year?

Well actually its kind of because of this, the average joe would rather pay more to be near these kind of celebrities, they will probably never meet Michael Winner strolling down Sandy Lane beach but its the prospect of this happening that keeps people enthused.

And for the celebrities, its like a home away from home, at Christmas around Sandy Lane the same celebs come back year on year, they all know each other, they know the restaurants they  can go to unhounded, they know the areas they can sunbathe without being papped!

Why would this change, the celebs can afford to holiday here, prices can increase as much as you like, your not going to price any of the above out of the market!

So what about the average person?

Well there are still some areas where you can pick up property at reasonable prices.

Just 5 minutes from Sandly lane and 2 minutes from The Royal Westmoreland golf course is Weston Resort, prices here start from just £180,000 for a ground floor 2 bedroom apartment. Fully furnished and ready to rent you are probably looking at £200,000. With mortgage available at 65% loan to value and only needing a 35% deposit you can buy one of these with just £63,000!

With possible rental yields of over 10%, not only could you afford to buy it but it would actually make you money year on year. Compound this with the fact you could safely holiday in this every year and remain fairly exclusive (under 50 apartments on this development) and you begin to imagine why this scheme is nearly sold out with around a year till completion.

For more information on how you can invest alongside the celebrities of barbados call 0800 043 6956 or email info@freshinvest.co.uk.

The first 3 were Cape Verde, Barbados and Barcelona.

Below are the last 2, and perhaps the most interesting.

4. Mallorca:

Known to many, invested in by few….

Mallorca is one of the most visited islands in Europe, most of us have been there be it on a lads holiday or a family one!

What many people don’t know is that because of building restrictions prices have not been effected by the global downturn anywehere near as much as their close neighbour Spain.
We have a villa in Puerto Pollensa and in 15 years have not seen it lose money, also long term lets are easy to obtain in the winter, it yields around 11% per year AFTER mortgage payments!

Combine this with an average 3 weeks use per year and it looks like a great investment.
As the cost of far away holidays spiral and many long haul operators upping prices or going under altogether, holidays closer to home tick boxes for many people.

The fact that more and more people are buying second homes in Mallorca combined with laws on future building means that prices are sure to steadily increase in the near future and with a vibrant holiday market rentals will follow suit.

Conclusion:

Risk = Low

Returns = Medium

Yields = Medium

Minimum cost to invest = £30,000

5. The UK

Well you knew it was coming didn’t you!

Ok the returns may not be as much as the countries mentioned earlier BUT many of you will have the market knowledge to know a “good deal” when you see it.

In this market many property investors that do look to invest are loking at minimising their risk as much as possible, for the masses that means not moving out of their comfort zones.

I’ll always tell you that using a property investment company is the way to go, they charge very little, normally get paid by the developer and have market knowledge and contacts that can only be gained by years in the business.

We have seen some really great stock recently, from tenanted apartments in Chorley yielding over 8% to townhouses in Chichester (where we are based) yielding close to 9% when let to students under an HMO license.

Check out our UK property investments for more information.

Conclusion:

Risk = Low

Returns = Medium

Yields = Medium

Minimum cost to invest = £20,000

To Finish……These are my 5 places to invest in 2010, i would hope that by 2011 i will have invested in at least 3 of them. If you have a location you are looking at and a reason why, post it below!

If your looking at property investment as an alternative to stocks and shares then the time may be ripe to invest.

Below are my top 5 places to invest.

1. Cape Verde:

When looking for an overseas investment opportunity the first thing you should always ask yourself is “would i go there”. If the answer is no, the chances are your not in the minority.

The next question is, if you would go there, why?

For me Cape Verde offers a unique proposition, 360 days worth of sun that you can access via a 5 hour flight.
Combine these 2 points and it narrows the field down considerably; quite honestly the competitors i’ve either been to or i’d never want to.

The reason for this is as follows, not only does Cape Verde have a Caribbean climate but also a laid back lifestyle unlike many of its competitors.

The Prices are still relatively low compared to the likes of Tenerife and some Caribbean islands, this is mainly due to the infancy of the islands that make up Cape Verde.

This will not be the case for long, already some major 5 star hotel operators are building on the islands of Sal and Boavista, this will increase tourism and put more pressure on Airline operators to increase their flights.

One such 5* hotel operator is Sol Melia – the worlds largest hotel resort operator, they are taking over the running of our Dunas Beach Resort investment opportunity.

Conclusion:

Risk = Medium

Returns = High

Yields = High

Minimum cost to invest = £33,640.

2. Barbados:

If you have deeper pockets abd want slightly less risk then Barbados may be for you, offering the true 5* lifestyle with prices to boot.

The reason i think this is a good investment is that even though prices are high, you can still achieve yields in excess of 10%, as witnessed in our opportunity on the West Coast Barbados.

Yields this good along with the knowledge that you are investing in the holiday makers favourite Caribbean island means that occupancy rates should remain strong. Most other Caribbean islands are so far behind that no threat to this crown seems anywhere near appearing.

Demand is Barbados is so high it has become the place for celebrities to have second homes, as proved by a host of premier league footballers, golfers and tv personalities.

Conclusion:

Risk = Low

Returns = Medium

Yields = High

Minimum cost to invest = £64,990.

3. Spain – Barcelona:

I love Barcelona, its my favourite city by a long ways.

Sea, Sun, Football, Great Beaches, Great Nightlife andf now a grand prix! I don’t know another city that offers so much.

I also think its a bit of a hidden gem, 1 bed apartments on the outskirts of Barcelona can be picked up for around €160,000 and if you can rent them for 40 weeks of the year you should be on for close to a 8% yield. Not bad for one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world.

Demand will always be strong because of the sheer size and climate of Barca.

Combine this with the fact that house prices in Barcelona have hardly been effected by the global financial crisis and you know that values will remain robust in all but the most dire of circumstances.

Conclusion:

Risk = Low

Returns = Medium

Yields = Medium

Minimum cost to invest = £27,111

Too see what numbers 4 and 5 are, click here!