First of all...Hello everyone.

Please bear with me I'm quite new to this. I just found this forum and have to wonder why there's nothing about the USA property market?

As a US Real Estate agent living in western NC I have thought for years that my area of NC would be ideal for UK investors or those looking for second homes ESPECIALLY with the current exchange rate. Being married to an "expat" I am lucky enough to be able to visit the UK a couple of times each year and I'm always surprised by the number of magazines available for English citizens looking to live in Florida...why would anyone [i]want[i] to live in Florida?

Anyway, thank you for listening to me and if I can give anyone info on my beautiful little area of the world please feel free to pm or email me.

Are you a real estate in North Carolina? America is getting some attention but emerging markets get more. America is seen like a secondary market and does not excite some investors, regardless of the weak dollar.
Maybe it is too do with Homeland security, high taxes on foreign income, political policy and quite expensive to get too. Hey and I am pro USA. *well not on all things, but generally.

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First of all thanks for the reply, I was beginning to feel a little left out of the loop. I am a Real Estate Broker in North Carolina and as I said at the beginning of the thread I have felt for a long time that North Carolina would be an ideal location for people looking for holiday/investment homes, much more ideal than Florida. The weakness of the dollar (especially when compared against the pound) makes "getting here" fairly affordable. Maybe I'm short sighted but where else can a person purchase a 2500 square foot home on a couple of acres for less than a 100K (gbp) As for homeland security and "high taxes on foreign income" these things haven't hurt the thousands of foreign people who do invest in US property annually. I personally don't care for our "political policy" but I've learned in business to never discuss politics or religion.

The weakness of the dollar (especially when compared against the pound) makes "getting here" fairly affordable. - At the moment is reasonable, how much from London , Paris, Berlin , Dublin to your airports?


Maybe I'm short sighted but where else can a person purchase a 2500 square foot * 250m2 home on 10.000m2 plot for less than 150k euros. home on a couple of acres for less than a 100K (gbp) - Sounds quite good, what do they rent out at. What is the rental yields, and management costs on them?

As for homeland security and "high taxes on foreign income" these things haven't hurt the thousands of foreign people who do invest in US property annually. - Of course it hurts the buyers, when other markets off tax free or low cost and high growth, investment money goes to other places.
Accessibility. When you can fly to UK to France or Europe for 10 dollars plus tax, and the cost is 200 dollars plus tax long hall, or maybe more. Where would you go? If you are a european. Maybe the market to aim for is Asian?


I personally don't care for our "political policy" but I've learned in business to never discuss politics or religion. [/quote] - I ve learned in life no topic is off subject and it is good to have honest, real debate.

America is a good place to invest, if the yields can be proven, it can be managed it like Spain etc is seen as a yesterday market.

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Rather a tangent, but I find that having to get fingerprinted going into the States rather a turn off. Perhaps I am just old-fashioned.

how has the market in North Carolina performed over the last 3 years and especially in the last 6-12 months, what are the average rental yields that you can expect?

I have lived and worked in CA and FLA for several years. Wonderful country to holiday and to retire to (except for extortionate (read almost criminal) medical charges) I have e-mailed you with some thoughts - hope they meet with your approval.

I guess the USA could be better served by some of your countrymen coming on to this site and telling the uninformed of somewhere other than Florida.
Far too many think the USA begins and ends with Disneyworld.

Unfortunately the negatives of the USA have been to the fore of late and far too much of what is good about the USA has been overshadowed by political folly and reaction.

Donna,
Have tried to e-mail a personal message. No guarantee you'll have received it so I'll ask the main question here.

What are you web-site details please. We are very interested in all areas of the Carolinas. Thanks

Unless you invest in big cities in the US, don't expect properties in remote area such as NC to go up much. Also, many remote area in the US depend on corporations. If a corporation move out of the area, then that town/area will get slaughtered. While NC is a nice state, but it is not exactly a booming state, it is also known for for it's tobacky roads than anything.

Apparently you aren't quite up to date on the real estate investment market in the states. In 2006 CNN (the global news network) listed western NC as one of the few areas in the country that is set to continue in real estate growth. While large cities are always good areas for investment the smaller towns are seeing substantial growth from those people looking for a more relaxed way of life and a great place to retire.

And just to let you know "our" tobacco roads were closed years ago