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.

As news keeps flooding in regarding the increase of flights to Barbados we thought we should share our opinion on how we feel it will be a positive impact for Barbados property investors… that includes us!

Barbados remains a strong location for investment at the moment and with news that British Airways are putting on even more flights to cope with demand, we feel strongly that now is as good a time as any to invest, particularly in one of our excellent developments on the famed West Coast.

Unlike many overseas property investment destinations, Barbados’ property prices are not solely determined by a commercial factor, in occupancy rates and tourist arrivals, don’t get me wrong, it has an effect, but is not the only factor to take into account… What I mean by this is, many people purchasing in Barbados are not just doing it for a rental yield and Capital Growth, they purchase because 1. It has a stable economy and 2. It is somewhere they genuinely want to live in the future. Many of the purchaser’s on Weston Resort and Ixora Resort in Barbados invested for exactly that reason; they want to retire in Barbados in the future. Because of all of this, property prices in Barbados are stable i.e. a small drop off in tourist arrivals will not saturate the market with underperforming properties. However an increase in tourist arrivals and occupancy rates will still benefit owners on our developments handsomely.

Weston and Ixora Resort offer investors the chance to purchase in Barbados at an attractive price, with brilliant payment plans and most importantly in an excellent location. The most important factor with regards to Weston and Ixora Resort is the fact that the property prices are kept low enough to enable investors to take a mortgage if necessary and have that mortgage paid by rental income, with a net profit as well! Actually, through research of rental prices on the west coast of Barbados we envisage that a 55% LTV mortgage on these properties could be paid with just 6 weeks rental occupancy! Couple all of this with the fact that, the developer has an offer from a top hotel operator and you have a very strong property investment indeed.

For more details on any of our property investments in Barbados please contact us.

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, Weston Resort is not just a great place for us to holiday but we have done some conservative figures for rental returns and the results are absolutely staggering!

Barbados is a great country for investment, but it is imperative that you find the right development in the right location! Weston Resort is a breath of fresh air on the normally, very expensive west coast of the island. As many reading this will know, there are two things you really want to achieve with a property investment and they are: Yield and Capital Growth.

Capital Growth has, for a long time not been a hard thing to achieve in Barbados, It has always remained popular with sun seekers and particularly English sun seekers; however, yield is a different matter. Where prices in Barbados have traditionally been high it is hard to achieve a rental income that will. 1. Service the mortgage repayments and 2. Provide you with an income on top.

This is where Weston separates itself from other developments in Barbados. Because of prudent cost management, the developer’s long background in construction and their knowledge of planning systems, they are able to offer apartments in their development at around 40% below the market value of similar properties in the local area. This alone gives you the upper hand when it comes to renting your apartment out as you will receive a larger return in comparison to your purchase price.

Because of the low purchase price, we are able to take just a small mortgage, which means that repayments are also low. On just a 38% rental occupancy and room rates that undercut the competition we have worked out that we should receive a rental yield of over 10% and a net return after mortgage repayments of over £10,000!

Rather than battling the snow next year, come and join us on the beach at the brilliant Weston, Barbados Property Investment.

The developer is currently working on another Property Investment in Holetown click the link for more details.

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.

The news that Lonely Planet put Cape Verde at number 4 in their list did not completely surprise me, the reason for this is: The islands have long been a relatively undiscovered location, an Archipelago of 15 islands and the largest and fastest emerging of all of these islands does not have one full, European standard, 5 star resort. The islands boast truly stunning beaches, seas and a global position that gives some 360 days of sunshine every year and for these reasons it was only a matter of time before they started to appeal to the flocks of Europeans looking for guaranteed sun in the winter.

These islands are really stirring up a storm in the tourism industry recently. They are located just off of the West Coast of Africa and because of this location; they are only 2 hours behind GMT and are only a 5 hour flight away from the UK. This accessibility to Europe has lead to a real surge of tourism interest and further, development and inward investment.

The secret to capitalizing on this exponential growth is to be positioned in the correct market and our investment in Cape Verde is ideal for just that.

Our investment offers purchasers the chance to own an apartment in a 5* Resort on the Island of Sal in Cape Verde. The Resort will be managed by Sol Melia who are the largest resort operators in the world. Sal is the fastest growing of all islands with an average occupancy in hotels of 80% and in 4* resorts 95%. We have worked out that using the same rates and occupancy figures as a 4* resort our resort will return a massive 18%+ to our investors.

Flights to Cape Verde are priced fairly low at the moment but with the growth in demand from tourists, more and more flights are being put on every week and as a result prices are coming down.

So we have a country in an unbeatable location, with high praise from a global travel company, politically stable, with rising tourism figures and an investment perfectly positioned to capitalise on this growing market.

For more information on our Cape Verde Property Investments click here.

Barbados, as a holiday destination has traditionally been a favourite for the British public. These extra flights from BA can only mean one thing. The demand from the UK to holiday in Barbados is increasing and hasn’t wavered throughout the recession.

Barbados is an inspiring holiday destination. The East coast offers rugged shores fronting the Atlantic Ocean, where keen surfers can enjoy themselves on some very highly regarded breaks. As a contrast to this however the West Coast which fronts the Caribbean Sea is regarded as one of the most tranquil and beautiful coastlines in this part of the world and as such, prices are at a premium and have been steadily rising year on year for a very long time.

The west coast is our primary area of interest today. We have carefully sourced an investment opportunity on this prestigious coastline in the Caribbean and we are ecstatic about it.

The opportunity is to purchase an off-plan apartment on a site which is due for build completion in November 2011. The apartment, on completion, will be run by a top class hotel operator and on this basis, investors can expect rental returns of 10%+ on just a 38% occupancy. The apartments start from prices of just £183,000. These prices are unheard of in this location and through lots of market research we feel they represent a discount of around 40% from other local comparables. Not only this, but we have devised some very attractive payment plans which means you can purchase on this resort for as little as £83,250!

Another unique and exciting option with this investment opportunity is that when clients purchase a unit, they are given a login to a website which will allow them to customize the design of their apartment throughout the build period; this can be from the colour schemes right through to the inner walls of the property.

With this latest news and an increasing amount of demand for Barbados holidays, rental returns on this development could be at a level of around 20%. When we put together our expected returns for investors on this resort we worked to just a 38% occupancy achieved by the hotel operator, the average for Barbados is 80% and with this latest news we think this will be easily within reach for this resort.

We have been operating in the overseas property market for a long time and feel that these are an excellent opportunity to own property on this very sought after coast, for a fraction of the cost and with the added benefit of seeing a great rental return when you’re not using the apartment.

Please click here for more information on our Barbados property investment.

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!