Retirement Investing. UK Self-Invested Personal Pension Plans and Philippine Condotel rental income properties

Beth Collingz, PLC International Marketing Director for Pacific Concord Properties Lancaster Brand of Condotels in the Philippines in a Press Conference with International Investors from the United Kingdom held recently at Shangri-La Mactan Resort Hotel in Cebu, reckoned - “Thousands of people in the UK are beginning to catch on”

A Self Invested Pension Plan [SIPP] is a personal pension plan but with one very significant difference: administration is separate from investment content, giving the plan holder freedom to choose for himself and change the investments within it. The long-awaited rules on what savers can include in their personal pension plans were unveiled in April 2006 by HM Revenue & Customs. The Guidance Notes confirm that the Chancellor is permitting Self Invested Pension Plan [SIPP] holders to invest in hotels such as the Lancaster Brand of Condo Hotels in the Philippines. The only stipulation is that SIPP holders may not stay in their rooms. With more nights available for paying guests, this not surprisingly increases the room owners’ returns. It is estimated there are now more than 70,000 plans holding over ?14bn.

Affordable Homes: Real Estate in Nation’s 10 Most Cheap & Livable Metro Areas

The 10 most livable and most affordable real estate metro areas in the United States have a number of other favorable characteristics in common, according to a new HouseHunt ?Current Real Estate Market Conditions? survey conducted by HouseHunt, Inc., a consumer-oriented Internet firm that provides free information to thousands of homeowners, home buyers and home sellers across the nation. The survey shows median home prices range from %130,100 to %194,400 for existing homes for sale and also found:
? The majority of the 10 metro areas report balanced, good-to-active housing markets with sellers usually getting 95%PRCTG% or more of their asking prices. Inventories of unsold homes are mostly limited.

? The majority of the 10 metro areas are experiencing strong job and population growth and good economic news. They offer quality lifestyles, good schools and solid family recreation along with other amenities. Sales data shows that many recent home buyers are relocating from other, often more costly areas.

? All 10 metro markets are attracting both first-time and move-up buyers because of affordable prices, low mortgage interest rates and multiple financing options.

Austin Home Prices Are Deceiving

Don?t let the median price of a home in the Austin area fool you. It is true that the median value of homes in the Austin area is lower than the national average. However, this can be a bit deceiving.

Many investors, retirees and people relocating for jobs have seen the have been attracted to our area because of how inexpensive homes are here. It is true that the median price of a home in Austin is not very high relative to other places in the country. In May, the median price of a home in the Austin MLS Area was %174,000. The average sale price was %236,406.

This year, I have talked with a number of people relocating to Austin from California, Phoenix, Florida and other areas. Many have thought they could pick up a pretty nice home for a relatively low price. This is where the misconception comes in.

Buyers Not on Vacation In Sizzling Resort Market

The phenomenal real estate boom of the past several years has not been confined to sales of primary residences alone. Sales of second homes also have ratcheted up dramatically as vacationers and investors look to snap up these properties amid the lure of low mortgage rates and rapidly increasing home values.

According to a study conducted by the National Association of Realtors, 2.82 million vacation home purchases were made in 2004, up 16 percent from the previous year.

With the rising demand, prices also escalated; the price of a typical vacation home increased 21 percent from 2003 to 2004, about twice the rate of appreciation for the overall home market.

In addition to vacation homes, sales in the second-home market were bolstered significantly by those searching for steadily appreciating investments. Nearly 25 percent of all homes purchased in 2004 were done so for investment purposes - a 14 percent increase from 2003.

Against this backdrop, real estate firms are recognizing the importance of understanding and servicing this influential group of homebuyers.

Why People are Buying Land for Sale in Arkansas

There are few feelings as rewarding as owning your own piece of land. The American spirit is essentially one of transience; our forbears were always restlessly and relentlessly pushing onward to the next frontier. But after the explorers came the waves of settlers, who found solace in being able to stake their claims and call the land their own. Their legacy is one that has seeped into our collective consciousness: the desire to plant our roots and carve out our own slice of the American dream. That’s why home ownership is at an all-time high, and why people are increasingly buying undeveloped land for sale.

Complementing with the simple desire to buy land is the knowledge that, over time, land appreciates in value. As far as investments go, real estate brings incredibly high returns on investments and can lay the foundation for future financial security.