Newsletter - January 2009
Welcome to our first newsletter of 2009!
We hope everyone had a happy and healthy holiday season and your New Year is off to a great start!
Inside you will find a variety of news centered on much of the content featured on our website - international travel news, information on overseas business, real estate investments, and more.
In addition, we feature select property deals and special offers, and a "Highlighted Property Deal" announcement to close out each newsletter issue as well as coming attractions and new site updates to look forward to. Thanks for checking us out and as always, we welcome your feedback. If you have any questions regarding the content featured in our newsletters or main site, or suggestions for future coverage, write us at: info@vinniesworld.com. Click on the following link to Subscribe to our monthly newsletters.
We maintain a strong presence in select emerging market countries such as Nicaragua, and in particular, a selection of top-notch developments along the Pacific coast. You know that as global travelers and property owners ourselves, that we believe in promoting only those locations where we have a presence and know first hand that any deals we can bring to you are exceptional offers and excellent investment opportunities. And with that, we'd like to begin by introducing one of the latest deals from one of our newest partners...
Seaside Mariana Spa & Golf Resort is creating the new standard of excellence for exclusive luxury destinations in Latin America. Nestled on the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua, the resort rises smoothly from over a mile of unspoiled beach to the Tecolapa River's tree-lined banks, framed by distant rolling mountains. The master plan outlines 923 acres of authentic Nicaraguan experience within the resort.
Seaside Mariana is situated on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua, one hour from the capitol city of Managua. Residents and visitors will discover the country's special charms and the warmth of its people, which complement the variety of amenities and recreational opportunities found within the resort, including a Beach Club, shopping and entertainment center. Serving as the centerpiece of Seaside Mariana is a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, while a spa and wellness center will pamper the discriminating individuals who choose to own property here in this tropical paradise.
The resort offers a selection of beachfront and golf course residences built to stringent North American standards, and featuring exquisite details and finishes wrapped in the patina of old-world architecture. An investment now in Seaside Mariana is likely to enjoy the remarkable returns witnessed in neighboring countries such as Costa Rica and Honduras over the last decade. Owning a condominium or golf villa at Seaside Mariana provides both a wonderful lifestyle and promising investment opportunity.
Check out our latest special offers today!
Like to visit Seaside Mariana and see all that's taking place in person? We'll help you plan your next trip to Nicaragua, quickly becoming one of the more popular tourist destinations for its warm climate, and abundance of outdoor adventure. Contact our Client Services team to set up your tour and see the reality with your own eyes!
In the meantime, visit our website to learn more details at this impressive new development and discover the latest deals we have on offer: Seaside Mariana >>
Real Estate in Bulgaria is a Good Long-Term Investment
The properties in Bulgaria will continue to have a good return rate for the investors in the country in 2009 as well, according to Simply Group Property.
The return on the investment will decrease considerably from the over 30% return rate reported in the last five years but the country remains a good place to invest.
The properties in the country continue to be very affordable as up to now the credit crunch has not affected the market as much as it did in the other countries.
The good return rate and the affordable prices will be the two main factors which will attract new investors in the next couple of years, Simply Group Property point out.
They point to the properties in Yablanitsa, Stara Zagora, Gabrovo, and Rousse as the perfect investment in Bulgaria.
Source:
www.bulgarianproperties.com/Property_news/Properties_in_Bulgaria_to_Continue_to_Be_Profitable_for_Investors_2457.html
Special Announcement: Golf course lots in the new Gran Pacifica Resort
are available for only $49,990 with 0% interest financing!
China Trademarks -- Do You Feel Lucky? Do You?
Our advice to all our clients is to register their trademarks in China before they go there. China is a first to register country and this means that whoever registers the trademark first gets it. Yes, there is an exception for famous trademarks, but unless you are Coca-Cola, it is lunacy to bank on a Chinese court holding your trademark is famous when just going ahead and registering it costs so little. Most firms charge less than $5,000 for this. So even if the Chinese Court rules your trademark is famous, you will almost certainly have spent well over $5,000 in making your case.
Ferrari, the famous Italian car manufacturer, just proved my point. China Business Law Blog (which blog I just added to the blogroll) recently posted on Ferrari's having lost out on the horse logo in China. The post is entitled, "Ferrari is Famous, But Is the Horse Too?"
The post relates how after more then ten years of legal wrangling (anyone think that cost less than $5,000?), The Beijing 1st Intermediate Court ruled Ferrari's horse is not famous enough in China to be considered a famous trademark. In 1996, White Clouds Sports Merchandise filed for trademark protection of a horse logo to go with a clothing line. Ferrari filed a timely opposition to this registration, claiming granting White Clouds the trademark would confuse consumers. "The Chinese Trademark Office did not buy Ferrari's argument, citing that White Clouds registered the graphic of the horse first."
Undaunted, Ferrari appealed to the trademark review board, claiming "both the Ferrari with the horse graphic trademark and the horse graphic alone constituted famous trademarks." The review board denied Ferrari's appeal and Ferrari then took its case to court.
Before the court, Ferrari again claimed the graphic of the horse is closely tied to the Ferrari mark, and it should be considered a famous trademark because the Ferrari trademark has become well known around the world, including in China. The court rejected Ferrari's claim for the following three reasons:
- Ferrari failed to provide sufficient evidence regarding its use of the horse logo in China.
- China has a system in place for recognition of famous trademarks. The recognition of the name "Ferrari" as a famous trademark does not constitute recognition of the Ferrari horse graphic.
- The issue in the case is the horse logo, not the Ferrari tradename. The horse cannot be bootstrapped to the Ferrari trademark for like protection.
China Business Law Blog concludes its post with some good advice:
After more than ten years of trekking in the Chinese legal system, Ferrari got a disappointing verdict. Hopefully, Ferrari got something else too, a lesson to register its trademarks, [and] related trademarks as early as possible.
Or, as my friend Dan Hull, over at the perennially enlighting What About Clients, puts it, "Dude, register your IP in China."
For more on registering your trademarks in China, check out this article I wrote for the Alaska Bar Association Magazine, entitled, "China's Trademark Laws - Simple and Effective."
Source: www.chinalawblog.com/2007/07/china_trademarks_do_you_feel_l.html
Property Tycoons: Use Other People's Money to Fund Your Investments
Recent research has trumpeted the anticipated rise in the number of property tycoons. Market analyst Mintel revealed that the number of individuals who make significant amounts of money in the property business are expected to double by the end of the decade. The estimated growth is being attributed to the prediction that one million homeowners will be renting out a second property by the year 2010. What does this indicate? That you can take advantage of a growing market and eventually achieve the financial goals you set for yourself.
More and more property owners are in position to become property tycoons after reaping the benefits that bricks and mortar property investing offers and its importance as a compliment to saving for retirement. But if you want a strategy that has helped many others to succeed and become tycoons in property themselves, it's using other people's money (OPM) to finance a property investment portfolio. If you haven't yet learned about the technique, here are some things you will want to look into.
Many property financing services offer no money down schemes. There's bridging loans which let you buy properties using other people's money as a deposit. While a bridging loan has a preset repayment date, you can choose to follow an open schedule. This is one way of growing your property portfolio without having to rely on your savings.
How to buy using other people's money:
One of the easiest methods of obtaining properties without having to spend a fortune is by finding properties that have been sitting on the market for a considerably long time. Many of these homeowners are motivated sellers who look to selling their houses fast that they'd be willing to give a hefty discount to the buyer - oftentimes below market value.
To ensure that the property is indeed below its true market value, get a surveyor in. He has the experience to declare if the property you want to acquire is indeed a BMV property and will make a note of this on the surveyor's valuation report. This assessment will be especially beneficial when you want to buy a property without having to spend your own money.
Another effective way of sourcing BMV properties is through property auctions. Due to the evening out of property prices, it is now possible to make big profits at auctions. If you plan to take part in an auction, you may want to heed what some experts at buying at auctions recommend: Target no less than 5 properties in each auction and prepare yourself to purchase any one of them on the day of sale.
The basics:
Of course, if you're buying at auction you will need to do crucial research on the properties you're eyeing. Carefully go through all the documents associated with those properties. Choose the property that best answers your needs with regard to your investment goals. Set your maximum bid price and always remember to adhere to it as this will help you avoid making the mistake of over-bidding. Prior to attending an auction, get your finances in good shape since you'll need to make a 10% deposit once the gavel falls on your bid.
Using other people's money is one of the most attractive aspects of property investment. Once you have learned the finer points in using other people's money to finance your property investments, the possibility of you becoming the next property tycoon won't be too distant.
Source: www.vinniesworld.com/articles/property_tycoons.htm
No prospect of a recovery in the hard hit Latvia property market before 2010
The real estate market in Latvia is expected to remain static in 2009 with little buying or development activity predicted in the coming year, according to experts.
Latvia, once a favourite of property investors looking to buy in emerging markets, has suffered a devastating housing meltdown and there is no prospect of recovery before 2010, according Aija Klauza of Ober-Haus, the largest real estate agency in the Baltic and central Europe.
"The market has stopped at the moment. Practically nobody is able to buy anything. Generally we are seeing no new projects in Riga," Klauza said.
"Development of new projects practically stopped in 2008. A lot of new apartments have not been sold, and one reason is that prices are too high. The prices will be falling but there is no reason to expect any positive change before 2010," she added.
Economic uncertainty along with high unemployment rates have made property investors increasingly wary, with many now focusing on minimizing losses rather than expansion.
Market uncertainty and lack of confidence has meant that many ordinary Latvians are choosing to rent rather than buy property, driving down demand further.
The property market in Latvia was once among the strongest in Europe, with prices more than doubling from 2004 to 2006. As demand continued to outstrip supply, investors were keen to exploit high rental returns and ordinary Latvians readily borrowed unaffordable loans of up to 10 times their salary.
By January 2007, a third of those who had purchased property through credit were unable to meet monthly installments. Inflation rose and the government raised taxes and cut spending, while several banks implemented more conservative lending policies.
The downturn is also affecting the rental sector and prices have plummeted by 30%, according to some experts. Latvia-based property owner Juris Naruns said landlords were being forced to lower rents for struggling tenants. He predicted that 2009 will bring a spike in bankruptcies along with a sharp decline in occupancy rates as businesses struggle to survive in the tough economic climate.
"The simple fact is that no matter how low you lower rents, some are just not going to make it. It is going to get much worse. The worst part about this freefall is that we just don't know when we are going to see some sort of base to start rebuilding. It's a pretty frightening position," he said.
Source: www.propertywire.com/news/europe/recovery-latvia-property-market-200901172427.html
Bruce Lee property in Hong Kong to be turned into tourist attraction
The property in Hong Kong where actor Bruce Lee lived for many years is to be re-developed from a seedy love hotel into a tourist destination commemorating the late kung fu legend.
The current owner, millionaire Yu Panglin, had wanted to sell the two storey house in Kowloon Tong. Now he has agreed a conservation plan with the government.
The plans will see the floor area of the property extended and it will be turned into a large museum complex with a cinema, library and martial arts centre. His popular films such as Big Boss and Fist of Fury will be shown in the cinema. "We have had a meeting with Lee's daughter and she has agreed to help us restore the mansion to its former shape," said Michel Choi, Yu's assistant. Lee's family has also agreed to donate some of his personal items to the museum including his movie costumes.
Under the plan the property will be donated to the government, which will run it as a major tourist attraction.
"The government takes the view that the development should focus on enabling Bruce Lee fans to commemorate the achievements and understand the life of their idol through visiting the residence, and revitalising the building for long-term sustainable operation as a tourism attraction," said Rita Lau, secretary for commerce and economic development.
Yu, who bought the property for 850,000 Hong Kong dollars in the 1960s, decided not to sell after fans from around the world called for the house to be preserved. It is now thought to be worth 100 million Hong Kong dollars. US-born Lee died at the age of 32 in 1973, after a brief but bright career as the high-kicking hero of the popular king fu movies which are still hugely popular across the world today.
Source: www.propertywire.com/news/asia/bruce-lee-property-tourist-attraction-200901102378.html
Highlighted Property Deal!
Own Property in One of Bulgaria's Premier Ski Resorts
Belvedere Holiday Club: an exceptional complex boasting world-class facilities superior to many resorts in the Alps. This is truly deluxe living and leisure in the best Ski & Golf resort in Eastern Europe.
Belvedere is an exclusive gated complex of luxurious apartments, matched with a fully integrated range of superb leisure facilities, beautifully set in the heart of Bansko's premium development area, some 400 meters and just a few minutes walking from the Gondola lift. Revealing astonishing views to the white peaks of Pirin Mountain, Belvedere Holiday Club is an outstanding addition to the high class tourism and leisure complexes in the area and is surely destined to be one of the most sought after holiday destinations in Bansko - Bulgaria's Premier Ski & Golf Resort.
Ownership of a property in the Belvedere Holiday Club means much more than owning a fabulous mountain suite in the finest Ski & Golf Resort on the Balkans - it means access to the complete range of amenities as well.
Apartments come fully furnished and are priced from $87,683 with no sales commission!
Contact: euroventures@vinniesworld.com for more details.
Upcoming News & Events
We have many big plans for Vinnie's World in 2009. For starters, in keeping with our intent to provide useful information for our visitors, we've already started expanding our Articles section with newly published content spanning a variety of key categories including international travel and real estate, investment opportunities, global business, and more. We've also added RSS capabilities so now you can subscribe to any number of news feeds we offer and get our latest updates delivered right to your favorite Web applications.
In the next few months, we expect to offer full travel services and special tours for both Nicaragua and China, two key locations that we feature and promote on Vinnie's World. We expect to expand further into such areas as Eastern Europe and South Asia before long as we are currently researching some interesting developments-expect to learn more about our findings before too long.
As always, we continue seeking ways we can expand our services and online offerings and to that end, we are mapping out plans for a new website to accompany Vinnie's World. In brief, our goal is to go bigger and better, and offer much more in the way of products, services and enhanced user experience. We will document our progress in the months ahead until our launch date. In the meantime, be sure to visit our new Articles section. Till next time, onward and upward.
Additional Resources:
-
For more travel related content and international travel news, visit our Travel Resources section.
-
Did you know many are touting Nicaragua as the next Costa Rica. Why? Savvy investors are discovering some of the greatest property deals of our lifetime! Learn more about the new Nicaragua today!
- Visit our Image Gallery for a full range of images and content on a selection of international destinations.
back to top
Pack your bags... let's go!!!
