Bargain fever has struck the foreign real estate sector and Spain is coming top of every bargain hunter's list.It seems paradoxical to be view anything that is "distressed" as positive. The term implies that there is an inherent need to move the property on or something bad will happen. Of course we all know that the bad thing is that the developer may go into liquidation or the bank may reposses the property.
So in this world of opportunities is all that glitters truly gold?
Of course it isn't. There is a big different between a developer with a short term cash flow problem and a developer going into liquidation.
In the first case might be a developer who places a limited number of units on the market with a discount so that he can turn them into cash to carry on trading normally. Usually he won't place his very best units on sale in this way and he won't negotiate much on the price either.
The second case might involve a developer desperately trying to shift his stock with all sorts of market trader tactics, discounts, promises of guaranteed exchange rates and so on. This in itself can lead to some very interesting opportunities but do ensure that the property is finished and with all licences and also ensure that a good number of units are already sold. The press and the web are full of horror stories about developments that are half sold and not maintained. Dead grass and green swimming pools is distressing, not distressed!
What about bank stock? There are two type of bank stock: Reposessed stock and stock from debt / equity swaps.
Repossessed stock is basically as it sounds. A developer can not maintain his payments to the bank and so they repossess stock he has not paid for. Invariably the developer is going to let the bank take his worst property. After all, if you had, say, five houses and could only pay the mortgage on our of them, would you let the best one go? Of course not. So we do not necessarily recommend repossessed stock as the best investment.
The second type of bank stock is MUCH more interesting. Debt equity swaps occur when a developer is behind on his loans and mortgages. The bank suggests settling some or all of the debt by selecting some of his stock to cancel the debt with. In this case the bank will choose what they most interests them, NOT what most interests the developer to give them. Amazing Resorts has exclusive access to some of the best debt / equity swaps on the Spanish and American market.
The bottom line? Contact Compass Amazing Resorts as soon as possible via info@amazingpropertyinspain.com and we will be happy to point you in the right direction for the best investments overseas.
